Hello, and welcome to another edition of “OGWiseman Recommends!” I’ve been on a kick of watching author interviews and a general youtube science hole lately, and I’ve found some gems that you just HAVE to hear about and check out. Seriously, it’s important. Please feel free to like, comment on, and share this post, and I’ll be back next Sunday with another original story for you!
1) Ted Chiang on Free Will, Time Travel, Many Worlds, Genetic Engineering, and Hard Science Fiction
Ted Chiang is someone I’ve discussed in the newsletter before, and to me he remains one of the absolute modern masters of science fiction, and the short story in particular. He wrote “The Story Of Your Life”, which became the movie “Arrival” and made him a literary star, but my view is that his second collection, “Exhalation”, is even better, having added a depth of emotion to supplement the literary experimentation and explosive imaginative scope of his earlier work.
This interview is from just after that collection’s release, and it highlights Chiang’s thoughtfulness, curiosity, wisdom, and intellectual breadth and heft.
2) Connie Willis on “Cross Talk” and “Doomsday Book”
Connie Willis’ “Doomsday Book” remains one of the most mind-blowing pieces of sci fi I’ve ever read. It is simultaneously the most convincing, realistic time-travel story I’ve ever encountered, a gushing fountain of historical detail and sensibility, and a deeply felt, emotionally-wrenching journey into the human spirit. It won both the Hugo and Nebula awards, as you might imagine.
This interview evinces Willis’ charm, charisma, good humor, and glittering intelligence. For many years I’ve meant to read the rest of her works, including the other entries in the “Oxford Time Travel” series, of which “Doomsday Book” is the first installment. I’ve never had a chance as yet (my list is long!) but whenever I have the time (and have the emotional courage to try) I’m so excited to get to them!
3) Kurzegesagt - The Largest Star in the Universe - Size Comparison
Kurzegesagt (I keep having to check the spelling, but this is the guy’s actual name) is already a very popular Youtuber with over 15 million subscribers, but as with all popular things that number means that by far the majority of the world doesn’t know anything about him, so if you haven’t and you love science, philosophy, or just the serious investigation of ridiculous ideas, get some popcorn and get ready to binge.
This is my personal favorite of his videos. He combines serious animating and video-making skills with a great personal manner and voice with truly exceptional science-explaining skills with an unmistakable conceptual flair, and the results speak for themselves. Worth checking out for anyone, but if you love science and are highly curious, get ready for a new favorite.
4) Gene Wolfe interview (Wizard/Knight)
Look, most people don’t get Gene Wolfe, and I get why. He’s weird, he’s at times intentionally obtuse, and he’s not planning to explain himself unless he’s interested in doing so. A man of strange ideas, to say the least.
But just look at the vibe in this video. This thing was recorded in 2006! It looks like it could be from the 70s, Gene Wolfe looks like a Walrus with a cane, and the interviewer looks like he should be yelling at recalcitrant prep-school students in a Roald Dahl novel set in the 40s. What an artifact of history. Just look at that face in that thumbnail!
Hope you enjoy one or more of those videos, have a great week, and look out for another story next Sunday!