We're back for our post-read discussion of Waste Tide by Stanley Chan / Chen Qiufan! (https://amzn.to/2njvSFr)
We had mixed but ultimately positive feelings about this book. It's been a great experience to read and talk about—rarely does a book present such a breadth of topics for us to cover. Matt read it in Chinese while Adrian read it in English, so we discuss the mechanics of the translation in depth, as well as how even small changes can have large effects on the over-all tone of the book.
However, it've also a book that deals with very dark subject matters, and handles some of those elements better than others. Heed our content warnings on this one. We discuss the problematic elements explored by the book in depth.
Some related works & links (if the links don't show up, they will be available in the show notes at spectology.com )
Non-fiction books about living in China:
* The Corpse Walker by Liao Yiwu (https://amzn.to/2o7yBSl)
* Factory Girls by Leslie T. Chang (https://amzn.to/2msDvci)
* China Candid, edited by Sang Ye (https://amzn.to/2myPgy4)
Three links about Guiyu, the real-life inspiration behind Silicon Isle.
* https://www.greenpeace.org/eastasia/campaigns/toxics/problems/e-waste/guiyu/
* https://www.scmp.com/news/china/society/article/2112226/chinas-most-notorious-e-waste-dumping-ground-now-cleaner-poorer
* https://www.revealnews.org/article/looks-are-deceiving-in-chinese-town-that-was-us-e-waste-dumping-site/
Notice the date published & publisher for each of the above when reading, these are not without agenda.
Yaz Minsky on Cyberpunk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJ8S1CV3JwA
Hedy Lamarr: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hedy_Lamarr
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As always, we'd love to hear from you! Chat with us on twitter at @spectologypod, send us an email at spectologypod@gmail.com, or submit the episode to r/printSF on reddit. We'll reply, and shout you out in the next podcast when we talk about your comment.
And if you like the episode, subscribe at spectology.com or whever you listen to podcasts, and share it with your friends!
Many thanks to Dubby J and Noah Bradley for doing our music and art.
In Conversation: Our Favorite Aliens in Science Fiction
25.1: The Tea Master & the Detective pre-read w/ Julia Rios: Domestic Cozy Detective Fiction, in Space!
24.2: Wittgenstein's Mistress post-read: In February reading this seemed like a good idea.
Things We Like: Quarantine Edition! What to do, watch, and play while you're stuck inside.
24.1: Wittgenstein's Mistress pre-read: Philosophical Science Fiction & being lonely at the end of the world
23.2: The Ghost Network post-read w/ Ben Roswell: Celebrity, Internet Culture, Architecture, and Secret Utopias
In Conversation: 2019 Recap, Book Stats, & Reader Questions
23.1: The Ghost Network pre-read w/ Ben Roswell: Experimental Narratives, Storytelling Games, and Postmodern Literature
22.2: A Memory Called Empire post-read: Matters of Taste, Culture Shock, and Historical Worldbuilding
In Conversation: How & Why to Vote for the Hugo Awards
22.1: A Memory Called Empire pre-read: Martine's academic work, historical ambassadors, and what it means to be a member of an empire
18.3: Stanley Chan discusses Chinese Science Fiction, the process of translating his novel Waste Tide, and trends in technology.
21.4: Stars in My Pocket Like Grains of Sand w/ Bee: Radical visions of Identity, Class, and Gender
21.3: Ice by Anna Kavan post-read with Charlotte Geater: Experimental & Postmodern Fiction, and Death Meditations
21.2: Childhood's End post-read w/ Seth Heasley: Religion, Psionics, and Big Ideas in Science Fiction
21.1: Classic SF pre-read: On creating cannons, and how to read problematic fiction & authors.
20.2: An Unkindness of Ghosts post-read: Slave States, Trauma, and Theocracy
In Conversation: Fancasting Binti, Black Tom, the Culture, and Ninefox Gambit
20.1: An Unkindness of Ghosts pre-read: Reading with privilege, using genre conventions, and truth in fiction
19.2: Zone One post-read: Depression, Surviving the Apocalypse, and New York City in fiction
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