Science Fiction

Science Fiction history book – “The Technical Delusion” (Duke University Press, 2019) – Jeffrey Sconce interview

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Dr. Jeffrey Sconce specializes in radio, tv, and film studies and is an assistant professor in communications studies. He’s written many books on the subject and we discussed his latest book on electricity, paranoia and conspiracy theories.

1:04 – Jeffrey talks about he ended up writing the book.

2:55 – Jeffrey talks about the early days of electricity.

5:16 – Jeffrey talks about the explosion of ideas of being mentally controlled when televisions became commonplace.

13:13 – Jeffrey talks about paranormal tv shows which discuss haunted technology.

23:05 – Jeffrey talks about the increasing overlap between science fiction, conspiracy theories, and delusional psychosis.

31:33 – Jeffrey talks about Philip K. Dick and his writing.

41:11 – Jeffrey talks about what he used for his research including Journals on “Insanity.”

43:41 – Jeffrey talks about the truly delusional versus people pretending to be delusional.

1:04:43 – Jeffrey has a blog at ludicdespair.blogpsot.com

 

Links of interest

https://www.dukeupress.edu/the-technical-delusion

http://ludicdespair.blogspot.com/

For more of “The Art and Design of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Mystery and Horror” please follow me on Facebook at crisalvarezwlc, on youtube at Cris Alvarez and on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi

Guests: Jeffrey Sconce

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, electronics, psychosis, conspiracy theories, supernatural, occult, paranormal, mediums, seance, industrial revolution, anxiety, depression, twilight zone, outer limits, haunted technology, twilight zone, x-files, brain chips, MK Ultra, ray kurzweil, Matrix, Philip K. Dick, targeted individuals

Classic science fiction – “The Forever War” (Titan Comics, 2017) – Joe Haldeman interview

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Joe Haldeman is a prolific sci-fi writer who has won numerous awards for his work. His most significant novel is The Forever War which also had two follow on novels. His trilogy has recently been released in comic book form and I spoke to him about his time in Vietnam and about his writing.

1:13 – Joe talks about why he writes sci-fi and what he enjoyed in sci-fi.

1:57 – Joe talks about how Vietnam inspired Forever War.

4:00 – Joe was told he could choose a job when he was drafted but instead they made him a combat engineer-Pioneer. He cleared paths for troops.

8:00 – Joe talks about how Vietnam affected how he wrote about character interactions in the Forever War.

10:24 – Joe talks about the sexuality of the novel and mentions a gay couple he knew in Vietnam, two medics who shared a tent.

13:47 – Joe talks about the serious wound he received in Vietnam and the hospitals he went to in Vietnam. He ended up in charge of the library and the game room.

18:16 – Joe was in Vietnam from February 1968 to February 1969 and was in the Central Highlands in places like Pleiku. His unit moved around in helicopters but they used trucks to move their whole base about three times.

20:13 – Joe talks about booby traps used in Vietnam.

21:36 – Joe talks about the wound he received. He talks about what he did while recovering.

31:57 – Joe doesn’t want people to feel pro-war feelings when they read Forever War.

35:06 – He and his wife went to Mexico after the war.

44:00 – Joe and his wife started the ICON convention 43 years ago and still attend.

45:40 – Sci-fi convention and writing has made Joe more of a public speaker.

51:06 – A lot of magazines used to fill their pages with stories that were made to order.

54:04 – Joe loves reading about new solar systems and planets.

58:04 – Joe talks about how he felt when the US landed on the moon. He was in mexico at the time.

 

For more of “The Art and Design of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Mystery and Horror” please follow me on Facebook at crisalvarezwlc, on youtube at Cris Alvarez and on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi

 

Guests: Joe Haldeman

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, writer, novelist, Forever war, sci-fi, war, vietnam, wounds

Star Trek history – “Star Trek: A Cultural History” (Rowman & Littlefield, 2018) – M. Keith Booker interview

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M. Keith Booker studies and teaches culture and literature. He worked as an engineer for many years before turning to the literary arts. He also has a passion for Star Trek and “nerd” stuff and we spoke about his latest book on Star Trek.

0:43 – Keith talks about how he got into writing on Star Trek. He’s been a fan for decades and has also studied cultural history for many years. He started as an engineer.

3:43 – Keith has written on high brow literature but also on comic books, film and tv.

4:47 – Keith talks about the book and says that it focuses on the Original Series. But he also touches on the other Star Trek series’ and how the Original Series influenced them.

6:23 – Keith talks about Irwin Allen.

6:53 – Keith talks about NBC’s plans for Star Trek.

10:00 – Keith talks about the Prime Directive in the show.

13:07 – Keith talks about the writing in the Original Series and how Roddenberry reached out to sci-fi writers.

17:38 – We talk about Spock and his parents.

19:45 – We talk about the fan mail the series got.

21:08 – Keith talks about why the third season had problems.

23:40 – Keith talks about the research he did for the book.

27:40 – Keith talks about the X-files where they had stand alone episodes but also a running plot line.

31:39 – We talk about Star Trek conventions and how they came about.

34:45 – Start Trek was made for adults rather than preious sci-fi which was made for kids.

36:30 – Science fiction in general was becoming more adult in this period.

55:50 – We talk about the Coen brothers.

 

For more of “The Art and Design of Sci-Fi and Fantasy, Mystery and Horror” please follow me on Facebook at crisalvarezwlc, on youtube at Cris Alvarez and on Instagram @crisalvarezscifi

 

Guests: Keith Booker

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: science fiction, star trek, the original series, x-files, irwin allen, gene roddenberry, spock, discovery, CBS, NBC, lost in space