Happy New Year! On this episode, we discuss the first 2 acts (or "books") of Babel by R.F. Kuang, a epic dark academia fantasy taking place in an alternate universe version of Oxford during the early Victorian era about a Chinese boy named Robin Swift who is whisked away from his home in Canton and set on a path to become a translator for the Royal Institute of Translation (aka Babel). However, as he and his cohort learn more about their chosen field, the contradictions of empire, and their roles in it, become harder and harder to ignore.
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The Books & Boba January 2023 pick is Babel by R.F. Kuang
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Note that Babel is published by a Harper Collins imprint which is in the middle of a strike with the HCP Union seeking fair pay for workers. Books & Boba supports the HCP Union, as does the author R.F. Kuang, and invite you to support the union by amplifying their message on social media (Twitter / Instagram) and donating to their strike fund.
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This podcast is part of Potluck: An Asian American Podcast Collective
#272 - Author Chat w/ E. L. Shen
#271 - May 2024 Book News
#270 - Author Chat w/ Samira Ahmed
#269 - Yellowface by R.F. Kuang
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#268 - April 2024 Book News
#267 - Author Chat w/ Sheila Sundar
#266 - Author Chat w/ A.H. Kim
#265 - Welcome to the Hyunam-Dong Bookshop by Hwang Bo-reum
#264 - Author Chat w/ Vanessa Le
#263 - March 2024 Book News
#262 - Author Chat w/ Sophie Wan
#261 - Untethered Sky by Fonda Lee
#260 - Author Chat w/ Ray Xu
#259 - February 2024 Book News
#258 - Author Chat w/ Sajni Patel
#257 - Meet Me Tonight in Atlantic City by Jane Wong
#256 - Author Chat w/ Aube Rey Lescure
#255 - January 2024 Book News
#254 - Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong
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