This month we discussed A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter H. Miller, winner of the 1961 Hugo Award for best novel. It has lots of men, lots of death, and almost no women - and we all loved it! We loved it so much, we forgot about our Boob Talk segment, but there are no boobs in this book anyway. CW: discussion of the author's death by suicide Music by Eon: https:/www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVbvE0PJyss New Yorker article: https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/science-fiction-classic-still-smo...
Oct 07, 2020•1 hr 8 min
Welcome to our inaugural Hugo Babygirl episode! These are shorter episodes (hence the "baby") where we read and discuss Hugo Award-winning short fiction (and other stuff if we feel like it). For this episode we read Welcome to Your Authentic Indian Experience™ by Rebecca Roanhorse, which won the Hugo Award for best short story in 2018. Spoiler: we all thought it was excellent. Apologies for some weird audio in this one. The results of recording remotely are always a surprise! Read the story via ...
Sep 24, 2020•35 min
To borrow a term from our friend Seth at the Hugos There podcast, this was a comfort read chosen by Haley. As far as we know, it won no awards, but it is composed of many words printed on paper and is definitely a book. Plus, there are Force witches! We also announce our fundraiser/book drive in support of the Women's Prison Book Project ( https://wpbp.org/ ). Details are on our social media. The short version is if you donate money to them or ship them items off their Amazon wish list and email...
Sep 02, 2020•58 min
This month we bring you a supersized episode for a supersized book. We read (and read and read) the 2004 winner for Best Novel, Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell by Susanna Clarke. We also recorded the day after the Hugo Awards, so we discussed that for a while. If you'd prefer to skip straight to the book talk, start at 14:15. CW: Discussion of Clarke's antiquated racial language at 48:20-49:30 Amy's links: The SF Site: An Interview With Susanna Clarke (Steven H. Silver) Strange Horizons - The Fa...
Aug 05, 2020•1 hr 12 min
This month we discuss Ancillary Justice, winner of the 2014 Hugo for best novel, and the first book in Ann Leckie's Imperial Radch trilogy. It's got sentient ships, zombie soldiers, tons of tea, and no he/him pronouns, which threatens a lot of men on Goodreads, apparently! We were also thrilled to have special guest Colette Fozard, co-chair of DisCon III, the 79th World Science Fiction Convention, join us for this episode! Find out more about the 2021 convention in Washington, DC here: https://d...
Jul 01, 2020•1 hr 18 min
This episode we discussed The Calculating Stars by Mary Robinette Kowal (Lori's new bff). We had no complaints, and we digressed often. This one was great fun! CW: sexism, racism, anxiety, brief reference to suicide attempt
Jun 10, 2020•1 hr 9 min
TW/CW: racial violence, police violence A few days ago we learned about the Podcast Blackout, started by Cult 45 Podcast. In solidarity, we are not releasing our planned episode today. Instead, we are sharing some thoughts on how to be a better white ally, and speaking the names of 100 black victims of police violence. Black lives matter. Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack by Peggy McIntosh Rachel Cargle on Instagram Rachel Cargle's The Great Unlearn on Instagram Fair Fight...
Jun 03, 2020•6 min
On day 5,000 of shelter-in-place, we discussed The Windup Girl by Paolo Bacigalupi, which won both the Hugo and Nebula Awards for best novel in 2010. We would have voted differently. CW: rape, rape, and more rape, sexual slavery, colonialism Music by Eon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVbvE0PJyss
May 06, 2020•1 hr 7 min
This month your podcasters discuss Bloodchild by Octavia Butler, winner of the 1985 Hugo Award for best novelette, and a boatload of other awards. We also make a special announcement at the top of the episode. CW: forced pregnancy/birth, colonialism, giant insects Music by Eon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVbvE0PJyss
Apr 01, 2020•56 min
We got together (remotely!) to responsibly record a pandemic special for these weird times. We discuss Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel (2015 winner of the Arthur C. Clarke Award and the Toronto Book Award), elephants, and why you should stay inside! CW: mention of rape/sexual assault Music by Eon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVbvE0PJyss
Mar 23, 2020•46 min
In this month's episode, we revisit Ender Wiggin, perennial Mary Sue, 20-ish (but also 3,000-ish) years after the events of Ender's Game. Ender is thirty(-five), flirty, and thriving in his career as an intergalactic funeral director. But drama abounds when Ender gets caught in a love rhombus with an adolescent AI, a troubled teen on a faraway planet, and his own sister. Will Starfleet blow up an innocent planet? Has Haley learned how to say Valentine? Listen to find out!
Mar 04, 2020•1 hr 7 min
February's selection is Philip K. Dick's Man in the High Castle . You've probably seen the Amazon TV series, which is based loosely on this novel. Ever wonder what would have happened if Germany and Japan had won World War II? You can kind of find out in this novel, in between lengthy discussions about the state of American antiques, Colorado shopping trips, and awkward dinner parties.
Feb 05, 2020•1 hr
Happy 2020! This episode, your three favorite space witches tackled Frank Herbert's magnum opus — Dune! This book has everything: jedi ladies, poop suits, misogyny, and a main character from the year 10,191 named JESSICA. Show notes: Frank Herbert interviewed by W. McNelly in 1969
Jan 01, 2020•1 hr 12 min
This one was a classic, y'all! December's selection was Arthur C. Clarke's Rendezvous With Rama — a meditation on the power of awe, ancient alien life, gravity-defying space boobs, genetically engineered monkeys masquerading as house elves, and more.
Dec 04, 2019•49 min
Presenting our very first minisode! We had forgotten a few things and had some extra news to share, so voila! Salient points include: -follow-up snake research -our Robert J. Sawyer mail correspondence -a shout-out to Hugos There, our counterpart podcast Enjoy!
Nov 20, 2019•16 min
It's here! The day everyone who doesn't read a lot of obscure sci-fi has waited for! Your favorite space crones read J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter & the Goblet of Fire. Listen as we delve into our Hogwarts houses, patroni, and wand types. We'll also get into some incredible tangents about magical contracts, house elf legal statuses, and why Haley thought Nagini had boobs.
Nov 06, 2019•1 hr 3 min
This month, we read Robert J. Sawyer's Hominids , the first in his Neanderthal Parallax series. ( CW: discussion of sexual violence from an early scene in the novel .) This book is a wild ride — it asks the question "what if Neanderthals became the dominant human species?" that no one ever asked. Neanderthals are all bisexual, take care of the environment, and don't eat any grains. Also, it's unclear if the author has ever met a real-life woman based on some of his characterizations, which we un...
Oct 02, 2019•59 min
Howdy fair Hugonauts! This week, we dove into the sci-fi classic "The Left Hand of Darkness" by reigning queen of the genre Ursula K. Leguin. This book won both the Hugo AND Nebula award in 1970, proving that Ms. Leguin is, indeed, the GOAT. Be sure to look out for diversions into horses and hardtack and Arctic expeditions, oh my!
Sep 04, 2019•1 hr 1 min
Our August selection was Neil Gaiman's "American Gods." This book has everything: numerous strange classifications of boobs, trickster gods, overwhelmingly polite midwestern courtesy, and coin tricks. Show Notes: https://www.vulture.com/2014/07/neil-gaiman-american-gods-adaptation-starz-bad-idea.html http://theangryblackwoman.com/2009/11/04/the-appropriateness-of-appropriation/ https://www.dailydot.com/parsec/american-gods-review-starz/...
Aug 07, 2019•1 hr 7 min
Welcome to Episode 3 of Hugo, Girl! This week we discuss Alfred Bester's "The Demolished Man," the inaugural Hugo winner from 1953. We also reveal our Hogwarts houses, too. Notes: Great review of TDM and "The Science Fiction Project" elsewhere on this blog is otherwise a delight: http://lovehistory.net/blog/2012/07/21/the-demolished-man-by-alfred-bester-1953/ Howard Chaykin (artist): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howard_Chaykin Link to our book edition: http://www.ibooksinc.com/pages/book.php...
Jul 02, 2019•1 hr 3 min
Welcome to Episode 2 of Hugo, Girl! This time around, we read Binti by Nnedi Okorafor. This book has everything! Space shrimp, malevolent jellyfish, gelatinous rice pudding love, and more! Notes: https://www.cnn.com/2012/05/11/world/africa/himba-namibia-inside-africa/index.html https://www.tor.com/2015/09/21/of-jellyfish-otjize-and-afrofuturism-binti-by-nnedi-okorafor/...
Jun 05, 2019•46 min
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Hugo, Girl! — Ender's Game: In The Bunner Tuggles. In this first outing, we're venturing into the world of Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Hugo, Girl! is: -Amy Salley -Haley Zapal -Lori Anderson and Kevin Anderson does our editing/audio. Follow us on Instagram at @hugogirlpodcast. Music by Eon: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVbvE0PJyss Sources: BOOK-A-MINUTE on rinkworks.com by David J. Parker and Samuel Stoddard SHMOOP.COM Jessy Randall - https://heydeadg...
May 27, 2019•52 min•Season 1Ep. 1
