To The Best Of Our Knowledge on The Future of Science Fiction (broadcast November 23rd, 2008) features two exclusive interviews. One with Ursula K. Le Guin, in which she calls herself a “geek” and one with George R.R. Martin who thinks the distinctions between literary genres are rather unimportant. Also on board are excerpts from two audiobooks (Dreamsongs by George R.R. Martin – Random House Audio and The Call Of Cthulhu by H.P. Lovecraft – Landfall Productions). Consequently this is my kind of show!
Here’s the official description:
Space, the final frontier. But is science fiction the final frontier when it comes to being a literature of ideas? In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, we’ll wax philosophical about science fiction with two of the genre’s greatest writers — George R.R. Martin and Ursula K. Le Guin. And we’ll explore H.P. Lovecraft’s literary philosophy of “Cosmicism.”
SEGMENT 1:
George R.R. Martin has been called the American Tolkien. His epic fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire is up to the forthcoming volume five; and he’s published two volumes of Dreamsongs, a career-spanning anthology of his science fiction, fantasy and horror short stories with short connective essays. Martin tells Jim Fleming that he thinks all fiction is about ideas and that only the furniture changes, that is the details of setting, character and storytelling style that the author chooses to use. And we hear Martin read an excerpt from Volume I of Dreamsongs. Also, Ursula K. Le Guin is one of the most honored writers of science fiction we have. Her latest book is called Lavinia. She talks with Steve Paulson about science fiction as a literature of ideas.
SEGMENT 2:
We hear an excerpt from the Landfall Productions audiobook production of H.P. Lovecraft’s 1926 The Call of Cthulu, read by Garrick Hagon. And Jim Fleming talks with S.T. Joshi, author of the acclaimed 700 page biography H.P. Lovecraft: A Life. Joshi says Loveraft was always interested in pure science and has many imitators among contemporary writers. And we hear some music from the band H. P. Lovecraft.
SEGMENT 3:
Istvan Csicsery-Ronay, Jr. is the author of The Seven Beauties of Science Fiction. He tells Anne Strainchamps where the title of his book came from, and outlines several of the beauties
Have a listen |MP3| to the 53 minute show.
[via HuffDuffer.com]
Posted by Jesse Willis
WGBH/PRI’s Sound & Spirit was a music show, by Ellen Kushner. 
