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Join us for the Lair of Secrets' annual summer reading list! We run down a few of the books on our respective lists, but we're always looking for more! Featured in this episode are: Red Sonja Consumed by Gail Simone When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente Infinite Archive (The Midsolar Murders #3) by Mur Lafferty Vicious by V.E. Schwab As well as side quests to talk about Iain Banks' The Culture series, Terry Prachett's Discworld, and Neal Stephenson's Seveneves. Suggest your own book ideas in the comments! Chapters 0:00 Intro & Rocket Misfires0:40 Red Sonja: Sword & Sorcery Revival1:45 Moon Cheese Madness: Scalzi's Absurd Apocalypse3:10 Seveneves vs. Moon Made of Cheese4:20 Ghosts in Cryo: Cold Eternity Breakdown5:35 Space Opera and the Glam-paign Idea6:50 Infinite Archive: Murder, She Wrote in Space8:00 Vicious by V.E. Schwab: Superpowered Rivalry9:10 The Overflowing To-Read Pile10:20 Pratchett's Final Discworld Reflections11:20 Saying Goodbye to The Culture Series12:00 More Books, More Time: Summer Reading Goals13:10 Share Your Book Picks!14:00 Outro & Call to Action Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Summer Reading List 2025 (S4E24) on YouTube. Show Notes Red Sonja Consumed by Gail Simone (Ken) - I got this as a Christmas present, and I'm looking forward to Gail's take on Red Sonja in novel form (I already read the comic book series she wrote; it was great). From the book blurb: The gutsy, wild, tortured free spirit, forged in pain yet unafraid of life or death, Red Sonja, the famous, fiery She-Devil and barbarian of Hyrkania has never concerned herself with the consequences of her actions. She's taken what she wanted, from treasure to drink to the companionship of bedfellows. She's fought who deserved it (and sometimes those who didn't). And she's never looked back. But when rumors start bubbling up from her homeland—rumors of unknown horrors emerging from the ground and pulling their unsuspecting victims to their deaths—and a strange voice begins whispering to her in her sleep, she realizes she may have to return to the country that abandoned her. And finally do the only thing that has ever scared her: confront her past. When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi (David) - I've been a fan of most of Scalzi's books. This is one of his more humorous books like Starter Villain and Kaiju Preservation Society. I'm looking forward to it. It's also going to hold me over until the next Old Man's War book comes out. The moon has turned into cheese. Now humanity has to deal with it. For some it's an opportunity. For others it's a moment to question their faith: In God, in science, in everything. Still others try to keep the world running in the face of absurdity and uncertainty. And then there are the billions looking to the sky and wondering how a thing that was always just there is now... something absolutely impossible. Astronauts and billionaires, comedians and bank executives, professors and presidents, teenagers and terminal patients at the end of their lives -- over the length of an entire lunar cycle, each get their moment in the moonlight. To panic, to plan, to wonder and to pray, to laugh and to grieve. All in a kaleidoscopic novel that goes all the places you'd expect, and then to so many places you wouldn't. It's a wild moonage daydream. Ride this rocket. Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes (Ken) – Barnes' third sci-fi/horror/ghost story novel is out. I loved the creepy atmosphere of the first two, which makes this one an easy pick. Halley is on the run from an interplanetary political scandal that has put a huge target on her back. She heads for what seems like the perfect place to lay low: a gigantic space barge storing the cryogenically frozen bodies of Earth's most fortunate citizens from more than a century ago… The cryo program,
Join us for the Lair of Secrets' annual summer reading list! We run down a few of the books on our respective lists, but we're always looking for more! Featured in this episode are: Red Sonja Consumed by Gail Simone When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes Space Opera by Catherynne M. Valente Infinite Archive (The Midsolar Murders #3) by Mur Lafferty Vicious by V.E. Schwab As well as side quests to talk about Iain Banks' The Culture series, Terry Prachett's Discworld, and Neal Stephenson's Seveneves. Suggest your own book ideas in the comments! Chapters 0:00 Intro & Rocket Misfires0:40 Red Sonja: Sword & Sorcery Revival1:45 Moon Cheese Madness: Scalzi's Absurd Apocalypse3:10 Seveneves vs. Moon Made of Cheese4:20 Ghosts in Cryo: Cold Eternity Breakdown5:35 Space Opera and the Glam-paign Idea6:50 Infinite Archive: Murder, She Wrote in Space8:00 Vicious by V.E. Schwab: Superpowered Rivalry9:10 The Overflowing To-Read Pile10:20 Pratchett's Final Discworld Reflections11:20 Saying Goodbye to The Culture Series12:00 More Books, More Time: Summer Reading Goals13:10 Share Your Book Picks!14:00 Outro & Call to Action Listen to the Episode Watch to the Episode Watch Summer Reading List 2025 (S4E24) on YouTube. Show Notes Red Sonja Consumed by Gail Simone (Ken) - I got this as a Christmas present, and I'm looking forward to Gail's take on Red Sonja in novel form (I already read the comic book series she wrote; it was great). From the book blurb: The gutsy, wild, tortured free spirit, forged in pain yet unafraid of life or death, Red Sonja, the famous, fiery She-Devil and barbarian of Hyrkania has never concerned herself with the consequences of her actions. She's taken what she wanted, from treasure to drink to the companionship of bedfellows. She's fought who deserved it (and sometimes those who didn't). And she's never looked back. But when rumors start bubbling up from her homeland—rumors of unknown horrors emerging from the ground and pulling their unsuspecting victims to their deaths—and a strange voice begins whispering to her in her sleep, she realizes she may have to return to the country that abandoned her. And finally do the only thing that has ever scared her: confront her past. When the Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi (David) - I've been a fan of most of Scalzi's books. This is one of his more humorous books like Starter Villain and Kaiju Preservation Society. I'm looking forward to it. It's also going to hold me over until the next Old Man's War book comes out. The moon has turned into cheese. Now humanity has to deal with it. For some it's an opportunity. For others it's a moment to question their faith: In God, in science, in everything. Still others try to keep the world running in the face of absurdity and uncertainty. And then there are the billions looking to the sky and wondering how a thing that was always just there is now... something absolutely impossible. Astronauts and billionaires, comedians and bank executives, professors and presidents, teenagers and terminal patients at the end of their lives -- over the length of an entire lunar cycle, each get their moment in the moonlight. To panic, to plan, to wonder and to pray, to laugh and to grieve. All in a kaleidoscopic novel that goes all the places you'd expect, and then to so many places you wouldn't. It's a wild moonage daydream. Ride this rocket. Cold Eternity by S.A. Barnes (Ken) – Barnes' third sci-fi/horror/ghost story novel is out. I loved the creepy atmosphere of the first two, which makes this one an easy pick. Halley is on the run from an interplanetary political scandal that has put a huge target on her back. She heads for what seems like the perfect place to lay low: a gigantic space barge storing the cryogenically frozen bodies of Earth's most fortunate citizens from more than a century ago… The cryo program,
This week on PodQuest, we discuss our final 2000s themed book club, with Christopher Nolan's 2006 film The Prestige. After that we dive into the Switch 2 focused Nintendo Direct from April 2, 2025 and later on Walnut talks about Sonic 3. We also hear a bit about Chris' latest read The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi and besides Sonic 3, Walnut watched Daredevil Born Again, What If..., and Mid-Century Modern. Our next book club we're switching themes to decades, the first one being the 1980s. Our next pick for it is the classic 1985 film, The Breakfast Club. Timestamps 00:00:00 - Intro 00:02:10 - Agenda 00:03:10 - Book Club Discussion - The Prestige 00:18:18 - Next book club . . . 00:22:24 - Switch 2 Nintendo Direct 01:18:47 - The Kaiju Preservation Society 01:25:06 - Quick note about Switch storage 01:28:08 - Walnut watched a lot! - Daredevil Born Again, What If. . ., Mid-Century Modern, and Sonic the Hedgehog 3. 01:46:07 - Outro Support One-Quest https://www.Patreon.com/OneQuest Follow Us Email - Social@one-quest.com Twitter - @One_Quest Instagram - @One_Quest Facebook - OneQuestOnline Follow Chris on Twitter - @Just_Cobb Follow Richie on Twitter - @B_Walnuts Follow Drootin on Twitter - @IamDroot Check out Richie's streaming and videos! Twitch b_walnuts YouTube BWalnuts TikTok b_walnuts Intro and Outro music Mega Man 2 'Project X2 - Title Screen' OC ReMix courtesy of Project X over at OCRemix
This week on PodQuest, we discuss our final 2000s themed book club, with Christopher Nolan's 2006 film The Prestige. After that we dive into the Switch 2 focused Nintendo Direct from April 2, 2025 and later on Walnut talks about Sonic 3. We also hear a bit about Chris' latest read The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi and besides Sonic 3, Walnut watched Daredevil Born Again, What If..., and Mid-Century Modern.
On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Roxanna are discussing: Bookish Moments: the perfect reading experience and hearing others talk about books Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: how we find those hidden gem books The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . 1:43 - Our Bookish Moments Of The Week 3:24 - The Talking Scared Podcast 3:44 - Victorian Psycho by Virginia Feito 3:57 - Talking Scared Podcast episode 226 5:38 - Our Current Reads 5:52 - The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon (Roxanna) 15:06 - Agatha of Little Neon by Claire Luchette (Meredith) 20:02 - Hotline by Dimitri Nasrallah 20:29 - Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery 22:29 - Ruin Road by Lamar Giles (Roxanna) 25:49 - The Getaway by Lamar Giles 26:32 - When The Moon Hits Your Eye by John Scalzi (Meredith) 26:37 - Starter Villain by John Scalzi 26:44 - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi 32:45 - The Baddest B*tch in the Room by Sophia Chang (Roxanna) 36:47 - The Unseen World by Liz Moore (Meredith) 37:45 - God of the Woods by Liz Moore 44:38 - Finding Hidden Gems 44:56 - The Unseen World by Liz Moore 46:56 - Get Booked Podcast 47:07 - Currently Reading website 47:27 - From the Front Porch podcast 48:08 - Canada Reads 48:12 - Australian Fiction Prize 48:14 - Nebula Awards 48:15 - Hugo Awards 48:34 - Baillie Gifford prize for non-fiction 50:03 - Ruin Road by Lamar Giles 52:40 - KJ Charles on Goodreads 55:26 - The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley 57:31 - Meet Us At The Fountain 57:40 - I wish there was a site that categorized books by places around the world. (Roxanna) 58:08 - Tripfiction.com 58:18 - Around the World in 80 books group on Goodreads 58:32 - Strong Sense of Place podcast 58:49 - Shepherd.com 59:40 - If you haven't yet, read God of the Woods by Liz Moore. (Meredith) 59:43 - God of the Woods by Liz Moore Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. March's IPL comes to you from our tried and true partner, An Unlikely Story in Plainville, MA. Love and Chili Peppers with Kaytee and Rebekah - romance lovers get their due with this special episode focused entirely on the best selling genre fiction in the business. All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the behind-the-scenes insights of an independent bookseller From the Editor's Desk with Kaytee and Bunmi Ishola - a quarterly peek behind the curtain at the publishing industry The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Production and Editing: Megan Phouthavong Evans Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
Join co-hosts Adrian M. Gibson and Greta Kelly as they chat with bestselling, award-winning author John Scalzi about his new novel When the Moon Hits Your Eye, luck and career longevity, major changes in the publishing landscape, Old Man's War book 7 and writing without pressure, fandom and avoiding burnout, turning the moon into cheese, using the lunar cycle as a story structure, writing dozens of POV characters, cheese science, research, touring and much more.NOTE: This is part one of a two-part chat with John. Stayed tuned next week for her mini-masterclass on Bringing the Funny to Sci-Fi.OUR SPONSOR:Transference by Ian Patterson is a near-future, sci-fi dystopia that dissects the medical/pharmaceutical industries, economic inequality, and what it means to be human in a city where diseases can be transferred.Transference is available now in eBook and paperback. Purchase it here.SHOUTOUT TO THE 'SFF ADDICT' PATRONS:Thank you Ian Patterson, David Hopkins, Luke F. Shepherd, Christopher R. DuBois, Tai, Luke A. Winch and GavinGuile for supporting us on Patreon at $10+.SUPPORT THE SHOW:- Patreon (for exclusive bonus episodes, author readings, book giveaways and more)- Rate and review SFF Addicts on your platform of choice, and share us with your friendsEMAIL US WITH YOUR QUESTIONS & COMMENTS:sffaddictspod@gmail.comABOUT OUR GUEST:John Scalzi is the bestselling, award-winning author of the Old Man's War series, The Interdependency series, The Lock In series, Redshirts, The Kaiju Preservation Society and much more. His latest release is When the Moon Hits Your Eye, which you can purchase here.Find John on Bluesky, Amazon and his personal website.ABOUT OUR HOSTS:Adrian M. Gibson is a podcaster, writer and illustrator. His debut novel, Mushroom Blues, is available on Amazon in all formats.Find Adrian onTwitter, Instagram, Amazon and his personal website.Greta Kelly is the author of The Queen of Days, The Frozen Crown and The Seventh Queen.Find Greta on Twitter, Instagram, Amazon and her personal website.M.J. Kuhn is the author of Among Thieves and Thick as Thieves.Find M.J. on Twitter, Instagram and her personal website.FOLLOW SFF ADDICTS:LinktreeMUSIC:Intro: "Into The Grid" by MellauSFXOutro: “Galactic Synthwave” by DivionAD ATTRIBUTION:- Music: "Corporate Advertising Music" by SigmaMusicArt / "Synthetic Deception" by GioeleFazzeri- Video: Svavar Halldorsson / Gorodenkoff /artlab /Jacob Wackerhausen / FHP Animation Studio / SweetBunFactory / shivkantsharma07 / iLexx / circotasu / Astragal / Alasabyss
Think you know where your hero's journey is headed? Think again. We're diving into the Ordeal - that gut-punch moment some people still confuse with the Climax (spoiler alert: they're not the same thing, folks). This episode had us playing cartographer through the wonderfully labyrinthine (read: headache-inducing) chapters of Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey. Because apparently, writing about story structure needed its own plot twists. After untangling Vogler's literary maze, we tackle the burning questions: When should your protagonist's world implode in Act Two? How do you make readers lose sleep over your crisis scene? We put our hard-earned wisdom to work by dissecting John Scalzi's Kaiju Preservation Society, proving that even giant monster books need their big moment perfectly timed.Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.
Remember how we've occasionally side-eyed Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey? Well, today we fully roast this bewildering mess, starting with his "Approaching the Innermost Cave" stage, which is the part of the story where the protagonist(s) prepare to face their greatest order (Which is somehow not the story's climax... we're as confused as you are.)Despite Vogler's best efforts to perplex us all, we actually crack the code on how to prep your characters for their big adventure while keeping readers on the edge of their seats. Plus, we dissect John Scalzi's Kaiju Preservation Society to see how his characters approach their 'cave'—which isn't actually a cave at all, because you can't exactly land a helicopter in one of those. Speaking of disappointments: remember Renee wanting more action in Kaiju? She got her wish, and somehow that made it worse.Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.
What really happens between "accepting the call" and facing the big bad? Christopher Vogler's The Writer's Journey skims through this crucial story phase with vague talk of Tests, Allies, and Enemies. But Kim and Renee aren't settling for that. Armed with John Scalzi's Kaiju Preservation Society (and ditching those tired old Hollywood examples), they'll show you exactly how to craft a story's meaty middle. Whether that alone is enough to keep your readers hooked is up for debate.Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.
How do you shift your book's hero from their nice, cozy ordinary world into the adventure. According to Christopher Vogler in his book, The Writer's Journey, you have them answer the call. In this episode we discuss the various forms that the call stage can take, and also why, even the most willing hero must "refuse the call." To illustrate how this works in a non-movie example, we turn to John Scalzi's Kaiju Preservation Society that fulfills both these requirements in clever and witty ways.Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.
If you have read even just the first part of a blog post on the hero's journey, you know the hero starts off in the ordinary world before embarking on their epic adventure. But the ordinary world is more than a boring place the hero is itching to leave. According to Christopher Vogler in his book The Writer's Journey, there's a lot of that needs to be included in the ordinary world section of the story. The writer must establish an interesting and sympathetic main character, set the mood and expectations, establish what's at stake, and squeeze in backstory (using graceful exposition) and theme. That's a lot to unpack, bur we somehow manage in this podcast episode! There are many, many more subheadings in this very loooong chapter, but as we point out, most don't need to be there. Vogler finishes up the chapter with examples from The Wizard of Oz (the movie, not the book) Rather than rehash that, we picked a better book: John Scalzi's Kaiju Preservation Society and boy does it ever have on heck of an ordinary world for the hero to leave behind.Remember, we have a Writers Process meetup every Wednesday. Check us out.
Kaiju are giant, monstrous creatures, like Godzilla, best known for destroying cities and wreaking havoc on the planet. But what if they needed our help to stay safe? If there was a place where kaiju could live without harming our world, and could be potentially hunted or harvested for financial gain, you better believe people would try to take advantage of them! This month we explore that idea in The Kaiju Preservation Society by John ScalziJuly: The Milky Way by Moiya McTierAugust: Legends & Lattes by Travis BaldreeSeptember: Ray's PickOctober: Shaun's PickNovember: Joseph's PickHost: Eugene StephensGuest: Kris Andrew, Ray AndrewLike the show? Do us a favor and rate / review the show on iTunes, Stitcher or wherever you get your podcasts from.You can always reach us at EpicallyGeeky.comYou can also find us on FaceBook, Twitter and Instagram.You can find us on iTunes here: http://apple.co/2fiw4eHYou can find us on Stitcher here: http://bit.ly/2f1IuYPYou can find us on Spotify here: https://spoti.fi/2PIJwM7You can find us on Amazon Podcast here: https://amzn.to/35Nop5lYou can find us on YouTube here: http://bit.ly/2fffyO0Music by: Peter Emerson Jazz
On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee are discussing: Bookish Moments: bookish festival meetups and poop books for potty training Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: answering questions about our thoughts on bookish villains The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . . 2:56 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week 3:13 - The Tucson Festival of Books Please RSVP to currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com if you're going to come Saturday, March 9! 5:52 - Everybody Poops by Justine Avery 5:58 - Potty by Leslie Patricelli 6:17 - Poopasaurus by Plum Coconut (Amazon link) 6:18 - Dino Potty by Sara Conway 6:33 - P is for Potty by Naomi Kleinberg 6:35 - The New Potty by Mercer Mayer (Amazon link) 6:58 - It Hurts When I Poop! by Howard J. Bennett 7:05 - Bunny's Big Problem by Simone Majetich (Amazon link) 7:37 - Poop There It Is by Little Hippo Books (Amazon link) 10:08 - Our Current Reads 10:22 - Something Close to Magic by Emma Mills (Kaytee) 10:29 - The Novel Neighbor 10:42 - Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree 13:18 - The Terraformers by Annalee Newitz (Meredith) 15:25 - The Nowhere Bookshop 17:34 - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi 16:36 - Starter Villain by John Scalzi 19:05 - Four Lost Cities by Annalee Newitz 20:25 - My Friend the Octopus by Lindsay Galvin (Kaytee, Blackwell's UK link) 23:23 - The Magic All Around by Jennifer Moorman (Meredith) 29:24 - Libro.fm 30:17 - Sisters of the Lost Nation by Nick Medina (Kaytee) 30:24 - Capital Books on K 32:02 - The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larson 32:32 - Indian Burial Ground by Nick Medina 33:19 - All Her Fault by Andrea Mara (Meredith) 34:43 - Currently Reading Patreon 34:50 - Fabled Bookshop 36:55 - I Let You Go by Clare Mackintosh 36:57 - Fierce Kingdom by Gin Phillips 37:23 - All Things Bookish Villains 40:25 - All Her Fault by Andrea Mara 42:02 - East of Eden by John Steinbeck 42:56 - The Reformatory by Tananarive Due 43:42 - A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas 44:31 - Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo 45:06 - Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling 45:08 - The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkein 45:24 - The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis 48:12 - A Rule Against Murder by Louise Penny 48:58 - The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas 50:21 - Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver 51:00 - Silence of the Lambs by Thomas Harris 51:38 - Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King 53:11 - Hench by Natalie Zina Walschots 54:12 - Meet Us At The Fountain 54:20 - I wish to press How the Word Is Passed by Cint Smith into listeners' hands. (Kaytee) 54:21 - How the Word Is Passed by Clint Smith 56:03 - I wish listeners would stop using the Patreon app to listen to our content and add patreon to wherever they listen to other podcasts. (Meredith) 57:02 - Check our Instagram @currentlyreadingpodcast for the video instructions to add Patreon to your podcast feed. Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. February's IPL is brought to you by Booktenders in Huntington, West Virginia. Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
Oh the family car! It stirs up memories of station-wagons and mini-vans. But what is the family car today? Crofton and Ryan talk about cars while saving enough time for books (Kaiju Preservation Society), video games (Star Wars: Jedi Survivor, Paper Mario) and... anime? (Zom 100) All of this and a podcast feud is reignited.
On this episode of Currently Reading, Meredith and Kaytee may have died and come back to life after recording this week. They are joined by none other than Knox McCoy and Jamie Golden of the Popcast! They are discussing: Bookish Moments: reading clickers and reading to our kiddos Current Reads: all the great, interesting, and/or terrible stuff we've been reading lately Deep Dive: Knox and Jamie's top 5 books of 2023, plus each guest brought their favorite reading experience The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives Show notes are time-stamped below for your convenience. Read the transcript of the episode (this link only works on the main site) . . . . . 1:11 - The Popcast 3:21 - Our Bookish Moments of the Week 3:39 - Tiktok scrolling ring 4:05 - Kindle remote clicker 7:53 - Butcher & Blackbird by Brynne Weaver 9:32 - Unhinged by Vera Valentine 10:20 - Fabled Bookshop 10:26 - Cold People by Tom Rob Smith 11:56 - Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel 13:35 - Persuasion by Jane Austen 13:44 - Our Current Reads 14:07 - Everyone On This Train Is a Suspect by Benjamin Stevenson (Jamie) 14:15 - Everyone in My Family Has Killed Someone by Benjamin Stevenson 16:11 - Slow Horses by Mick Herron 16:47 - Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah (Knox) 19:19 - Warcross by Marie Lu (Kaytee) 19:31 - What Should I Read Next Podcast 20:13 - Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card 20:15 - Slay by Brittney Morris 20:16 - Ready Player One by Ernest Cline 21:50 - Wildcard by Marie Lu 22:34 - The Future by Naomi Alderman (Meredith) 23:53 - The Power by Naomi Alderman 27:52 - The Anomaly by Herve Le Tellier 28:11 - Deep Dive: Knox and Jamie's Top 5 Books of 2023 28:42 - Divine Rivals by Rebecca Ross 28:44 - Congratulations! The Best is Over by R. Eric Thomas 28:49 - The Fragile Threads of Power by V.E. Schwab 28:56 - The Heaven and Earth Grocery Store by James McBride 29:38 - The Road of Bones by Demi Winters (Jamie #5) 32:23 - Clytemnestra by Costanza Casati (Knox #5) 32:41- The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller 34:16 - All My Knotted-Up Life by Beth Moore (Jamie #4) 37:39 - The Fish That Ate the Whale by Rich Cohen (Knox #4) 39:48 - The Monk of Mokha by Dave Eggers 40:16 - Draco Malfoy and the Mortifying Ordeal of Being In Love by isthisselfcare (Jamie #3) 42:14 - Archive of Our Own 42:16 - Fanfiction.net 43:29 - All The Young Dudes by MsKingBean89 44:43 - Traffic by Ben Smith (Knox #3) 46:24 - Drowning by T.J. Newman (Jamie #2) 46:35 - Falling by T.J. Newman 49:04 - Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver (Knox #2) 52:07 - Yellowface by R.F. Kuang (Jamie #1) 56:14 - Thank You For Listening by Julia Whelan (Knox #1) 59:16 - Knox and Jamie's Favorite Reading Experiences of 2023 1:00:43 - Hot and Bothered by Jancee Dunn (Jamie) 1:04:37 - Starter Villain by John Scalzi (Knox) 1:06:00 - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi 1:06:22 - Meet Us At The Fountain 1:07:08 - I wish more of us would print our book covers to keep in a book to reflect on. (Jamie) 1:07:10 - Canon Ivy 2 Mini Photo Printer 1:09:46 - Mother Horror on Instagram 1:10:32 - I want to press two books into the hands of listeners (Jamie) 1:11:08 - We Are the Light by Matthew Quick (specifically for dudes, touches on masculinity without being bro-ish) 1:11:32 - Open Throat by Henry Hoke (specifically for writers) 1:13:35 - I would like to read the same book, but with a different take - with more humor and snark (Kaytee) 1:13:38 - Monsters by Claire Dederer 1:16:49 - I wish everyone would listen to the Popcast (Meredith) 1:16:56 - The Popcast 1:17:28 - The Popcast on Instagram 1:18:34 - The Popcast Patreon 1:20:46 - @KnoxMccoy on Instagram 1:20:48 - @Jamiebgolden on Instagram Support Us: Become a Bookish Friend | Grab Some Merch Shop Bookshop dot org | Shop Amazon Bookish Friends Receive: The Indie Press List with a curated list of five books hand sold by the indie of the month. January's IPL is brought to you by our anchor store, Fabled Bookshop in Waco, TX. Trope Thursday with Kaytee and Bunmi - a behind the scenes peek into the publishing industry All Things Murderful with Meredith and Elizabeth - special content for the scary-lovers, brought to you with the special insights of an independent bookseller The Bookish Friends Facebook Group - where you can build community with bookish friends from around the globe as well as our hosts Connect With Us: The Show: Instagram | Website | Email | Threads The Hosts and Regulars: Meredith | Kaytee | Mary | Roxanna Affiliate Disclosure: All affiliate links go to Bookshop unless otherwise noted. Shopping here helps keep the lights on and benefits indie bookstores. Thanks for your support!
What does it take to write a believable kaiju—as well as a charming group of scientists and explorers—onto the page? The SciFri Book Club invited John Scalzi, award-winning author of our August 2023 pick, The Kaiju Preservation Society, to discuss worldbuilding on an alternative Earth; combining ecology, biology and cultural touchpoints to create new giants; and how he used a lifetime of scientific curiosity to write a sci-fi romp in five weeks during a global pandemic.This event was a part of the SciFri Book Club read for August 2023.Watch the live zoom event on Youtube.Find out more about our book club on our main page. To stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.
We're working to slowly add our older Tiny Talks, originally only shared in video format on our YouTube channel. This is the first one we ever produced. This first one comes as a "Book Blast" episode, Jim sharing his thoughts on John Scalzi's The Kaiju Preservation Society. Not quite a book review, just a quick delivery of thoughts - we're pretty sure you'll enjoy! #KaijuPreservationSociety #scifi #KPS #Booktube #booktuber We hope you'll Like and Subscribe! Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKk Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheages Rate & review us at Apple Podcast or wherever you download content. Email us: FantasyForTheAges@gmail.com. Find us on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fantasy4theAges Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FantasyForTheAges
Von »Old Man's War« bis »Kaiju Preservation Society« (John Scalzi)
Von »Old Man's War« bis »Kaiju Preservation Society« (John Scalzi)
From the Ultra species in Ultraman to the awe-inspiring battles in Gamera, we're diving into the heart of this epic genre. Beyond the giant robots and monsters, we discuss the emotive stories, the humanity caught in the middle, and the real differences that set these films apart from the rest. We even delve into the legacy of Toho's prop department in shaping the Ultraman TV show.Ever wondered how real-life events and political themes find their way into the Kaiju universe? We venture into modern Kaiju films, taking a deep look at movies like 'Cloverfield' and 'Pacific Rim.' The discussion gets intense as we draw parallels between the DARPA program and the 'drift system' in Pacific Rim, touch upon the unique concept in 'Colossal,' and even discuss the 2018 movie 'Rampage.' Lastly, we switch gears to explore the literature side of the Kaiju world, discussing the thought-provoking themes and storytelling techniques. From the political commentary woven into these narratives to chilling tales of survival and death, we leave no stone unturned. And, speaking of literature, we even bring up John Scalzi's book - Kaiju Preservation Society. Get ready for a hefty dose of insight and a fresh perspective on all things Kaiju! And guess what? We've got some kickass Kaiju-themed merch waiting for you in our store. So, buckle up and join us for this epic exploration!lunaticsproject.comGet Lunatics Merch here. Join the discussion on Discord.Check out Abby's book Horror Stories. Available in eBook and paperback. Music by Michaela Papa, Alan Kudan & Jordan Moser. Poster Art by Pilar Keprta @pilar.kep.SourcesNo film school article by Alyssa Miller: Killer Kaiju: How the Giant Creatures Made Waves in CinemaCBR.com article by Jim Johnson Cloverfield Monster's Confirmed Origin Is Actually Pretty HeartbreakingDen of Geek's multi-part series on the history of Ultraman by Stephen Harber. Wikipedia, IMDB + Many Films!Support the show
Our book club reads two Hugo nominees, “Nona the Ninth” and “The Kaiju Preservation Society.” One’s the third book in a series that’s a real departure from what has came before, and whether that’s good or bad depends on how you were feeling about the series! The other is a standalone novel that’s perfectly fine, from an author who we think could be a better student if only he applied himself. And as usual, we also recommend many more books for you to read! Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Erika Ensign and Aleen Simms.
Our book club reads two Hugo nominees, “Nona the Ninth” and “The Kaiju Preservation Society.” One’s the third book in a series that’s a real departure from what has came before, and whether that’s good or bad depends on how you were feeling about the series! The other is a standalone novel that’s perfectly fine, from an author who we think could be a better student if only he applied himself. And as usual, we also recommend many more books for you to read! Jason Snell with Scott McNulty, Erika Ensign and Aleen Simms.
This week on Heroes Three podcast we're celebrating our 6th anniversary with Vintage Henshin's Mike Dent, talking about the recent G-Fest and having some fun discussing some of the unmade films of the Godzilla series! Check out Vintage Henshin on PATREON! Find us online - https://linktr.ee/Heroes3Podcast Email us! - heroes3podcast@gmail.com Check out some H3 art and merch! - https://www.teepublic.com/user/kf_carlito Ode to the Maser Tank! Check out the A Space Godzilla translation at Maser Patrol - PART 1 PART 2 Godzilla vs Charles Barkley Kiyotaka Taguchi's Daikaiju Bugon trailer! Timestamps (0:00) Intro (2:25) G Fest Talk (19:01) We picked out onmade Godzilla orojects to talk about (19:46) Batman Meets Godzilla (Matthew pick) (28:01) A Space Godzilla (Carlos pick) (40:35) Godzilla vs. Junior Godzilla (Marty pick) (49:59) Original Godzilla Revival (Mike pick) (56:21) Our Godzilla movie OCs (56:48) Barkley v Godzilla Rematch (Matthew) (1:02:04) Dragon vs Dragon, Bruce Lee vs Godzilla (Carlos) (1:10:23) Godzilla Meets the Blues Brothers (Marty) (1:14:20) Mike's Whole-ass Film Treatment (1:26:58) Matthew talks Godzilla Comics and Kaiju Preservation Society (1:30:02) Carlos talks books (1:30:53) Outro
John isn’t picky, Alison is in a field, and Liz is very hungry. Please email your letters of comment to comment@octothorpecast.uk and tag @OctothorpeCast (on Twitter or on Mastodon) when you post about the show on social media. Content warnings this episode: None Letters of comment Abigail Nussbaum Chris Garcia Karen Schaeffer Malcolm Hutchison Peter Sullivan Raj We might have Tweets of comment but who knows? Chengdu is a shower Moar Hugo award delays Now you see them, now you don’t This episode will go live when the Hugo finalists do Locus awards From Locus #750: “The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi won with the smallest winning lead this year, just 17 points ahead Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel, which had the most votes and first-place votes, and would have won without the doubling of subscriber points.” Scalzi’s grumpy tweet BSFA awards Non-fiction is split into short and long Novella Collection Original audio fiction Translated work of short fiction Picks John: Across the Spider-Verse Not Venomous Lumpsucker by Ned Beauman Alison: Museum Catalogues (In the Black Fantastic and Science Fiction: Voyage to the Edge of Imagination) Liz: Stealing From the Sky by Adam Roberts In the style of Donald Westlake Credits Cover art: “One Moose-Sized Alison” by first-time Hugo Finalist Alison Scott Alt text: John and Liz stand in front of a moose-sized Alison wearing antlers in a cage fight. Alison is saying “BEWARE MY SIGNATURE MOVE THE MOOSE”, John is saying “I THOUGHT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE THE SUMMER OF FUN” and Liz is saying “IS IT TOO LATE TO PICK 100 ALISON-SIZED MOOSE?” The words “Octothorpe 87” are at the top. Theme music: “Surf Shimmy” by Kevin MacLeod (CC BY 4.0)
In this episode, Kendall and rachel talk about: * The long journey to a big whisky delivery * Kendall's triumphant return * The magical locale that is Port Townsend * A particularly pleasing hat * The conflict in question * What actual family means vs "your work family" * How the pandemic has strained the definition of "take all the time you need" for companies * Parental leave as a possible model for policymaking * Doing The Math * The SVB failure as a case study of doing the Math * What would you do? * The impact of the pandemic on views of the value of "working" * Opportunities as a leader to improve the situation when it arises * Kendall recommends: My Lady Jane by Cynthia Hands * rachel recommends: The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi, Pokerface (tv show) on Peacock * rachel's advice on cask programs * How to reach us Special thanks to Mel Stanley for our theme music
Acclaimed science fiction author John Scalzi discusses his recent book The Kaiju Preservation Society and the science fiction genre with fellow award-winning science fiction writer Michi Trota. This conversation originally took place May 15, 2022 and was recorded live at the American Writers Festival. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HOME More about The Kaiju Preservation Society: When [...]
Acclaimed science fiction author John Scalzi discusses his recent book The Kaiju Preservation Society and the science fiction genre with fellow award-winning science fiction writer Michi Trota. This conversation originally took place May 15, 2022 and was recorded live at the American Writers Festival. AWM PODCAST NETWORK HOME More about The Kaiju Preservation Society: When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls "an animal rights organization." Tom's team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on. What Tom doesn't tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth. Not our Earth, at least. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures named Kaiju roam a warm, human-free world. They're the universe's largest and most dangerous panda and they're in trouble. It's not just the Kaiju Preservation Society who have found their way to the alternate world. Others have, too. And their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die.
Join myself and Erik Slader (from Epik Fails of History and Podcasters Assemble) as we discuss John Scalzi's newest novel, Kaiju Preservation Society. If you're a fan of sci-fi, giant monsters, and a story that respects your limited time, this is the read for you! John Scalzi BibliographyShop local but here's a link to the publisher
John Scalzi discusses The Kaiju Preservation Society.
Episode 19: Join the Escape the Earth crew as they explore an alternate world where, literally, everything will kill you. We're talking rottweiler-sized fleas, super-aggressive tree crabs, and other giant monsters. You don't need a degree in biology to lift a finger and press play to hear our opinion on John Scalzi's pop song sci-fi romp, The Kaiju Preservation Society. Join the discussion with Escape the Earth: email: saplescapetheearth@gmail.com goodreads: www.goodreads.com/group/show/10939…escape-the-earth libguide: guides.mysapl.org/ETE
For this episode we bring Ashely Adams back and take out our BIG shovels for The Kaiju Preservation Society. Be sure to wear your hazmat suits with this crap - it's literally radioactive!
As 2022 comes to a close, we (Shachi, Lisa, and Scott) take a look back at some of our favorite audiobooks from 2022. Round 1: Shachi: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow [Libro.fm] / [Episode 164] Lisa: The Ballad of Perilouis Graves [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] / [Audible] Scott: Legends and Lattes [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] / [Audible] / [Episode 150] Round 2: Shachi: Trust [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] / [Audible] Lisa: Dead Collections [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] / [Audible] Scott: The Mountain in the Sea [Libro.fm] / [Overdrive/Libby] / [Audible] / [Episode 172] Round 3: Shachi: The Book of Goose [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] / [Audible] Lisa: Stolen Focus: Why You Can't Pay Attention--and How to Think Deeply Again [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] / [Audible] Scott: Ogres [Audible] / [Episode 170] Additional Picks: Shachi: My Government Means to Kill Me; The Colony; The Last White Man; Recitatif Lisa: Bloodmarked; mulberry down!!; Babel; Kaiju Preservation Society; Mistborn (series); The Scholomance (series); Still Just a Geek Scott: Memory's Legion; A Prayer for the Crown Shy; The Grief of Stones
Cesky, little red book, and Lammy Lams talk a lot about a lot of things, but mainly the Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi. A wonderful book that is a great palate cleanser. Music: Galactic Damages by Jingle Punks Considering supporting The Legendarium on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/thelegendarium/ Discord: https://discord.gg/FNcpuuA Twitter: @GreenteamPod
Looking for a page turner to add to your reading list? Laurel tells us about a recent science fiction novel she enjoyed: The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi. When an old acquaintance desperately needs his help, Jamie Gray is transported to an alternate dimension where he must save large creatures called Kaiju from others who have found their way to the world — and who threaten humankind back on Earth with their carelessness. Find this title in the FVRL collection: https://fvrl.bibliocommons.com/v2/record/S21C1858724
Introducing a new addition to our channel's content, Tiny Talks, episodes that will cover a wide variety of topics in five minutes or less. This first one comes as a "Book Blast" episode, Jim sharing his thoughts on John Scalzi's The Kaiju Preservation Society. Not quite a book review, just a quick delivery of thoughts - we're pretty sure you'll enjoy! #KaijuPreservationSociety #scifi #KPS Join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/jMWyVJ6qKkSupport us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/FantasyForTheAges Check out our merch: https://www.newcreationsbyjen.com/collections/fantasyfortheagesRate & review us at Apple Podcast or wherever you download content.Email us: FantasyForTheAges@gmail.com. Find us on social media: Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fantasy4theAges Instagram: fantasy_for_the_ages Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FantasyForTheAges
After seven episodes, Uncle Todd finally managed to catch up on Andor enough for us to get down to some business and review the newest Star Wars show on Disney+. Did we like it? Did we love it? Did we spend an inordinate amount of time ballyhooing doing bad Saw Gerrera impressions? You'll have to listen to know for sure! Also, we talk about the return of Bray Wyatt to the WWE and the new trailer for Creed III in The Week In Geek. Programming note... Yes, we're a bit behind on this one due to Uncle Todd's work schedule catch-up after the move and other assorted life things. Thanks for the understanding! LINKS OF INTEREST: - Bray Wyatt returned to the WWE at their Extreme Rules PLV - Here's Bray's promo on Smackdown! the following Friday - Here's the trailer for Creed III - Background info on Andor - Wikipedia page and IMDB page - And here's an explanation of why Andor didn't use The Volume for filming ...AND ANOTHER THING: The Man They Call Tim recommends David And Goliath (Underdogs, Misfits, and the Art of Battling Giants) by Malcolm Gladwell Uncle Todd thinks you should give The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi a read FOLLOW US ON THE SOCIAL MEDIAS: Facebook - http://facebook.com/freerangeidiocy Instagram - http://instagram.com/freerangeidiocy
It’s a discussion of gigantic proportions as we’re joined once again by Sir Aaron Carter, host and co-creator of the Before You Log Off podcast, to talk about The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi; “a thrilling, fast-paced adventure set on an alternate Earth [about an] ‘animal rights organization’ that is way more than it appears.” Listen in as we debate whether or not we’d try the book’s “poopfruit”, Laura and Jason scold Aaron for having never watched the first Pacific Rim film, and we get fired up over how Amazon mishandled their promotion of the TV adaptation of Paper Girls. Guest Host:Sir Aaron Carter is host and co-creator of the Before You Log Off podcast and founder of the BYLO Network. You can follow him and his podcast on Twitch at twitch.tv/beforeyoulogoff and Twitter @beforeyoulogoff. Listen to Before You Log Off and Aaron’s other great BYLO Network podcasts, like Uncanny and BYLO Watch, wherever you get your podcasts. Connect with SWR: Instagram | Twitter | TikTok | Facebook | WebsiteRequest transcripts on our website: shitweveread.com/contact Shit We've Read is hosted by Laura Benson, Jason Rico, and Bella Romero, with music by Joshua Chilton and editing by Jason Rico. This podcast is part of the BYLO Network. Visit BYLONetwork.com for more great geeky podcasts. Artemis by Scott Buckley | https://soundcloud.com/scottbuckleyMusic promoted by https://www.free-stoc
Travis interviews science fiction author John Scalzi about The Kaiju Preservation Society, a standalone novel from Tor Books. It's a fast-paced, fun adventure full of giant monsters and a great way to escape from the world for a while. This episode is spoiler free! John and Travis discuss the difficulty of writing during lockdown, the historical context for kaiju films, and the value of books as entertainment. Want your message featured on the podcast? Find out more here. About John Scalzi: JOHN SCALZI is one of the most popular SF authors of his generation. His debut Old Man's War won him the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer. His New York Times bestsellers include The Last Colony, Fuzzy Nation, and Redshirts (which won the 2013 Hugo Award for Best Novel), and 2020's The Last Emperox. Material from his blog, Whatever, has also earned him two other Hugo Awards. The Kaiju Preservation Society is his latest standalone novel from Tor Books. He lives in Ohio with his wife and daughter. Things Mentioned: Travel by Bullet by John Scalzi - Audiobook The Actual Star by Monica Byrne Light From Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi Find Us Online: Blog Discord Twitter Instagram Support Us: Become a Patron Buy Us a Coffee Music: Intro: "The Legend of Iya" courtesy of https://philter.no Outro: "A Quest Unfolds" courtesy of https://philter.no This episode of The Fantasy Inn podcast was recorded in the unceded territory of the S'atsoyaha (Yuchi) and ᏣᎳᎫᏪᏘᏱ Tsalaguwetiyi (Eastern Cherokee Band) peoples. Some of the links included in these show notes are affiliate links and support the podcast at no additional cost to you. If it's an option for you, we encourage you to support your local bookstores! The blog post accompanying this episode can be found at https://thefantasyinn.com, along with fantasy book reviews, author interviews, and more fantasy content.
On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Kaytee and Meredith are discussing: Bookish Moments: a new reading habit and protecting a reading life Current Reads: books that are joyful (one of us really needed it) and a strange twin theme! Deep Dive: seasoned protagonists, who are they are which are our favorites The Fountain: we visit our perfect fountain to make wishes about our reading lives As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! We are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). The goal here is to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!* . . . . 1:46 - Currently Reading Patreon 4:37 - Bookish Moment of the Week 5:54 - Pangobooks 13:28 - Current Reads 13:50 - The Twin Paradox by Charles Wachter (Meredith) 18:13 - Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi 18:15 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton 19:11 - Honey and Spice by Bolu Babalola (Kaytee) 19:21 - Love in Color by Bolu Babalola 10:36 - The Ex Talk by Rachel Lynn Solomon 21:35 - Libro.fm 22:34 - Little Darlings by Melanie Golding (Meredith) 22:40 - The Hidden by Melanie Golding 28:57 - Hoopla 29:28 - In Her Boots by KJ Dell'antoia (Kaytee) 32:48 - Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke (Meredith) 33:27 - Piranesi by Susanna Clarke 36:59 - Great Expectations by Charles Dickens 41:04 - The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain (Kaytee) 42:19 - A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 42:21 - All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle 42:23 - The Guncle by Steven Rowley 42:43 - One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston 43:58 - Deep Dive: Seasoned Protagonists in our Reading 48:27 - The Old Woman with the Knife by Gu Byeong-Mo 49:10 - Cafe Con Libros 49:28 - An Elderly Lady Is Up To No Good by Helene Tursten 50:18 - Killers of a Certain Age by Deanna Raybourn 50:39 - The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman 50:49 - The Bullet that Missed by Richard Osman 53:39 - Agatha Raisin and the Quiche of Death (#1 in the series) by M.C. Beaton 54:00 - The Unexpected Mrs. Pollifax (#1 in the series) by Dorothy Gilman 54:48 - A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman 54:49 - All the Lonely People by Mike Gayle 54:50 - The Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt Cain 55:08 - The Royal Holiday by Jasmine Guillory 55:21 - The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg 55:26 - Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson 55:43 - The Confession Club by Elizabeth Berg 56:42 - Our Souls at Night by Kent Haruf 57:35 - The Son by Philipp Meyer 57:51 - The Shell Seekers by Rosamund Pilcher 58:53 - Meet Us At The Fountain I wish that everyone would read Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard. (Meredith) 59:23 - Rewind by Catherine Ryan Howard 59:33 - The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard 59:42 - Fabled Bookshop 1:00:54 - Run Time by Catherine Ryan Howard I wish that if a book is part of a series, the number is always on the spine or cover. (Kaytee) 1:01:29 - Spirit Hunters: The Island of Monsters by Ellen Oh 1:02:04 - Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading
What Damian's Been Watching: The Apocalypse Trilogy, Fear Street Trilogy, Time Loop Movies What Damian's Been Reading: The Bill Hodges Trilogy by Stephen King (like with Upgrade by Blake Crouch bad tech writing), The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi, A Headful Of Ghosts by Paul Trembly (shares themes with Nope about commodifying trauma and pain and the unknown and the misunderstood.) Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin What Derick's Been Watching: Fire of Love, Vengeance, Summertime Write in to the show at bisickle@gmail.com, @bisickle on Twitter. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher, Google Play, and Spotify. Rate and review it on Apple Podcasts. Tell a friend, family member, or stranger. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/damian-j-sherman/support
The 365 Days of Astronomy, the daily podcast of the International Year of Astronomy 2009
A star cataloged as Gliese 781 is approaching our solar system and in slightly more than a million years from now, will reach the Oort Cloud, likely disrupting the orbits of icy bodies that could head toward Earth. Plus, an Indian launch, Asteroid Day, understanding our ice giants, and a review of “Kaiju Preservation Society” by John Scalzi. We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations. Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. http://www.psi.edu Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org.
Powerful women influence history. As we grew up we watched some very strong female characters that helped to shape culture and bring about positive change. Let's remember great characters from the 70s, 80s, and 90s and how they inspired us! What women inspired us growing up? Of course our moms. But we were so entrenched in movies and TV that there's no way we could have escaped the influence of the characters that we saw there. Let's explore the female characters that shaped us. News RIP Tony Dow, Paul Sorvino, and TRON actor David Warner No Bueno! Chaco Taco is going away for good! Light & Magic, is now streaming on Disney+ Get ready for a spicy way to start your day with Cinna Fuego Toast Crunch! Just in time for school to start, Post is releasing two new snack packs; Starburst All Pink Juicy Gels and Fruity Pebbles Yogurt Snack Packs Matt Frewer will be b-b-back as Max in a new series on AMC Check out some retro news from San Diego Comic Con What we're Enjoying In anticipation of the new She-Hulk series on Disney+, Jay pulled out the 2004 She-Hulk comics by Dan Slott. These are great stories that we may or may not be seeing in the new series. But either way, it's always fun to Enjoy Stuff. Shua has been listening to a book by John Scalzi called The Kaiju Preservation Society and narrated by Wil Wheaton. It's a story of a guy that gets a job with a group of people that are observing and taking care of giant Kaijus on another Earth. Sci-Fi Saturdays/MCU Location Scout This week Jay revisits a 1995 sci-fi movie with Peter Weller called Screamers. It's adapted from a book by Philip K Dick and written by Dan O'Bannon. These sound great, but don't really translate very successfully. Either way, you get some decent effects and action scenes with 90s cheese. And don't forget his articles on MCULocationScout.com for some great, interactive maps of filming locations. Enjoy Life! Our incredible Moms worked so hard to raise us and we appreciate everything they did. But they weren't the only women that we learned from as we grew up. As we watched movies and TV when our minds were impressionable, we got to see women have more opportunities and take charge to show the world that they were a force to be reckoned with. Those characters helped to shape our view of culture and inspire us to be supportive partners in the challenge to give everyone equal opportunity. These characters were just a sampling of the many female influences we had, but they embodied some very positive characteristics. Listen in as we talk about actresses that showed independence, intelligence, strength, leadership, determination, and humor. Who were the female characters that inspired you? How did they make a positive difference in your life? First person that emails me with the subject line, “Still, she persisted” will get a special mention on the show. Let us know. Come talk to us in the Discord channel or send us an email to EnjoyStuff@RetroZap.com
In this second catch-up episode, I talk about the most recent monster movies (and one novel) to come out and their place in science fiction as a whole. Movie recommendation: Love and Monsters My YouTube video on the physics of giant monsters. Other works discussed: The Color out of Space (2019) Underwater (2020) Godzilla vs. Kong Jurassic World Dominion Monster Hunter (2020) The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi
I'm back from my break and not making you wait months for the next Spoiler's Club! We have John Scalzi talking Kaiju Preservation Society, with a chance to win! Email me at mightymur@gmail.com before July 15, 2022, to enter! Watch the interview on Youtube! To hear the whole episode, support at Patreon.com/mightymur June 25, 2022 | Season 18 Ep 44 | murverse.com Copyright 2022, Mur Lafferty | CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 License
Chris is getting ready to travel, and of course, Sagewell started the day with an incident, a situation, if you will... Steph talks books perfect for vacations and feels sufficiently scarred regarding still working with moving fixtures over to FactoryBot. This episode is brought to you by Airbrake (https://airbrake.io/?utm_campaign=Q3_2022%3A%20Bike%20Shed%20Podcast%20Ad&utm_source=Bike%20Shed&utm_medium=website). Visit Frictionless error monitoring and performance insight for your app stack. Back to Basics: Boolean Expressions (https://thoughtbot.com/blog/back-to-basics-booleans) Sarah Drasner tweet (https://twitter.com/sarah_edo/status/1538998936933122048) Become a Sponsor (https://thoughtbot.com/sponsorship) of The Bike Shed! Transcript: STEPH: All right, I am now officially recording as well. Let me make sure my microphone is in front of my face. Hello and welcome to another episode of The Bike Shed, a weekly podcast from your friends at thoughtbot about developing great software. I'm Steph Viccari. CHRIS: And I'm Chris Toomey. STEPH: And together, we're here to share a bit of what we've learned along the way. So, hey, Chris, what's new in your world? CHRIS: What's new in my world? Today is an interesting day. We are recording on a Friday, which is not normal for us, was normal for a long time and then stopped, but now it's back to being normal. But it's the morning, which is confusing. Also, I am traveling this evening. I leave on a flight going to Europe. So I'm going to do a red-eye, that whole thing. So I got a lot to pack into today, literally packing being one of those things. And then this morning, because obviously, this is the way the world should play out, we started the day with an incident at Sagewell, a situation. Some code had gotten out there that was doing some stuff that we didn't want it to do. And so we had to sort of call in the dev team. And we all huddled together and tried to figure it out. Thankfully, it was a series of edge cases. It was sort of one of those perfect storms. So when this edge case happens in this context, then a bad thing could happen. Luckily, we were able to review the logs; nothing bad happened. While I'm unhappy that we had this situation play out... basically, it was a caching thing, just to throw that out there. Caching turns out to be very hard. And the particular way it played out could have manifested in behavior that would have been not good in our system, or an admin would have inadvertently done something that would have been incorrect. But on the positive side, we have an incident review process that we've been slowly incubating within the team. One of our team members introduced it to us, and then we've been using it on a few different cases. And it's really great to just have a structured process. I think it's one of those things that will grow over time. It's a very simple; what's the timeline of what happened? What's the story as to why it happened and why it wasn't caught earlier? What are the actions that we're going to take? And then what's the appendix? What's the data that we have around it? And so it's really great to just have that structure to work within. And then similarly, as far as I can tell, the first even observable instance of this behavior in our system was yesterday morning. We saw it, started to respond to it, saw one more. We were able to chase it down in the logs. Overall, the combination of the alerting that we have in Sentry and the way in which we respond to the alerting in Sentry, which I think is probably the most critical part. Datadog is our log metrics tool right now. So we're able to go through Datadog, and we have Lograge configured to add more detail to our log lines. And so we're able to see a very robust story of exactly what happened and ask the question, did anything actually bad happen? Or was it just possible that something bad could happen? And it turns out just possible. Nothing actually happened. We were able to determine that. We were even able to get a more detailed picture of who were all the users who potentially could have been impacted. Again, I don't think there was any impact. But all total, it was both a very stressful process, especially as I'm about to go on vacation. It's like, oh cool, start to the day where I'm trying to wrap up things, and instead, we're going to spend a couple of hours chasing down an incident. But that said, these things will happen. The way in which we were able to respond, the alerting and observability that we had in place make me feel good. STEPH: I like the incident structure that you just laid out. That sounds really nice in clarifying what happened when it happened in the logs. And the fact that you're able to go through and confirm if anything really bad happened or not is really nice. And I was also just debating this is one of those things, right? Right when you're about to go on vacation, that's when something's going to break. And that's like, is that good or bad? Is it good that I was here to take care of it right before, or is it bad? Because I'd really like to not be here to take care of it. [laughs] You may have mixed feelings. I have mixed feelings. CHRIS: I think I'm happy. Unsurprisingly, this exists in one of the most complex parts of our codebase. And it involves caching. And I remember when we introduced the caching, I looked at it, and I was like, hmm, we have a performance hotspot that involves us making a lot of requests to an external system. And so we thought about it a little bit, and we were like, well, if we do a little bit of caching here, we can actually reduce that down from seven calls down to one over external HTTP. And so okay, that seems to make sense. We had a pull request. We did a formal review. And even I looked at the pull request where this was introduced initially, and my comments on it were like, yep, this all looks good. Makes sense to me. But it's caching-related. So let's be very careful and look very closely at it and determine if there's anything, but it's so hard to know. And in fact, the code that actually was at play here was introduced a month ago. And interestingly, the observable side effect only occurred in the past two days, which we find very surprising. But again, it's this weird like, if A happens and then within a short period after that B happens...and so it's not quite a race condition. But it was something where a lot of stuff had to happen in a short span of time for this to actually manifest. And so, again, we were able to look through the logs and see all of the instances where it could have happened and then what did happen. Everything was fine, but yeah, it was interesting. I feel actually good to have seen it. And I think we've cleared everything up related to it and been very proactive in our response to it so that all feels good. And also, this is the sort of thing we've done this a few times now where we've had what I would call lesser incidents. There was no customer-facing impact to this. Similarly, previous incidents, we've had no or very minimal customer-facing impact. So at one point, we had a situation where we weren't processing our background jobs for a little while. So we eventually caught up and did everything we needed to. It just meant that something may not have happened in as timely a fashion as necessary. But there were no deep ramifications to that. But in each of those cases, we've pushed ourselves to go through the incident process to make sure that we're building the muscle as a team to like, actually, when the bad one comes, we want to be ready. We want to have done a couple of fire drills first. And so partly, I viewed this as that because again, there was smoke, but no fire is how we would describe it. STEPH: Nice. And that also makes sense to me how you were saying y'all introduced this about a month ago, but you were just now seeing that observable side effect. I feel like that's also how it goes. Like, you implement, especially with caching, some performance improvement, and then you immediately see that. And it's like, yay, this is wonderful. And then it's not til sometime passes that then you get that perfect storm of user interactions that then trigger some flow that you didn't consider or realize that could create an issue with that caching behavior. So yeah, that resonates. That seems right. All caching problems usually take about a month or two when you've just forgotten about what you've done. And then you have to go back in. CHRIS: Yep. Yep, yep, yep. So now we've done the obvious thing, which is we've removed every cache from the system whatsoever. There are no caches anymore because it turns out we just can't be trusted with caches in any form whatsoever. ActiveRecord, we turned off caching, Redis we threw it out. No, I'm kidding. We still have lots of caching in the app. But, man, caching is so hard. STEPH: I would love if that's in the project README where it says, "We can't be trusted with caches. No caches allowed." [laughs] CHRIS: Yeah, we have not gone all the way to forbid caching within the application. It's a trade-off. But this does have that you get those scars over time. You have that incident that happens, and then forever you're like, no, no, no, we can't do X. And I feel like I'm just a collection of those. Again, I think we've talked about this in previous episodes. But consulting for as long as I did, I saw a lot of stuff. And a lot of it was not great. And so I basically just look at everything, and I'm like, urgh, no, this will be hard to maintain. This is going to go wrong. That's going to blow up someday. And so, I'm having to work on trying to be a little more positive in my development work. But I do like that I have that inclination to be very cautious, be very pessimistic, assume the worst. I think it leads to safer code in general. There was actually a tweet by Sarah Drasner that was really wonderful. And it's basically a conversation between her and another developer. It's a pretend conversation. But it's like, "But why don't you like higher-order components?" And then it's Squints. "Well, in the summer of 2018, something bad happened, Takes a long drag of a cigarette. something very bad." It's just written so well and captures the ethos just perfectly. Like, sit down. Let me tell you a tale of the time in 2018. [laughs] So I'll include a link to that in the show notes because she actually wrote it so well too. It's got like scene direction within a tweet and really fantastic stuff. But yeah, we'll allow some caching to continue within the app. STEPH: That's amazing. So I was just thinking where you're talking about being more pessimistic versus optimistic. And there's an interesting nuance there for me because there's a difference in like if someone's pessimistic where if someone just brings up an idea and someone's like, "Nope, like, that's just not going to work," and they just always shoot it down, that level of being pessimistic is too much. And it's just going to prevent the team from having a collaborative and experimental environment. But always asking the question of like, well, what's the worst that could happen? And what are the things that we should mitigate for? And what are the things that are probably so unlikely that we should just wait and see if that happens and then address it? That feels like a really nice balance. So it's not just leaning into saying no to everything. But sure, let's consider all the really bad things that could happen, make a plan for those, but still move forward with trying things out. And I realized I do this in my own life, like when someone asks me a question around if there's something that we want to do that's a bit kind of risky. And the first thing I always think of is like, well, what's the worst that could happen? And I think that has confused people that I immediately go there because they think that I'm immediately saying no to the idea. And so I have to explain like, no, no, no. I'm very intrigued, very interested. I just have to think through what's the worst that can happen. And if I'm okay with that, then I feel better about accepting it. But my emotional state, I have to think through what's the worst and then go from there. CHRIS: Wow, it's a very bottom-up approach for your life planning there. [chuckles] STEPH: Yep, I think that's, you know, it's from being a developer for so long. It has impacted now how I make other decisions. Good or bad? Who knows? Yeah, it turns out being a developer has leaked into my personal life. I've got leaky abstractions over here. So, good or bad? Who knows? CHRIS: Leaky abstractions all the way down. Yeah, circling back to, like, I don't think I'm pessimistic per se. The way that I see this playing out often is there will be a discussion of an architectural approach, or there's a PR that goes up. And my reaction isn't no, or this has a known failure point; it is more of uh, this makes me uncomfortable. And it's that like; I can't even say exactly why, and that's what makes it so difficult. And I think this is a place that can be really complicated for communication, particularly between developers who have been around for a little bit longer and have done this sort of thing and have gathered these battle scars and developers who are a bit newer. Having that conversation and being like, um, I can't say exactly why. I can tell you some weird stories. I might not even remember the stories. Some of it just feeds into just like, does this code make me uncomfortable? Or does this code make me happy? And I tend towards wildly explicit code for these reasons. I want to make it as clear as possible and match as close as possible to the words that we're saying because I know that the bugs hide in the weird corners of our code. So I try and have as few corners. Make very rounded rooms of code is a weird analogy that doesn't play, but here we go. That's what I do on this show is I make weird analogies. Actually, we were working on some code that was dealing with branching conditional things. So we had a record which has a boolean value on it. So we've got true or false, and then we've got two states, and then we've gotten an enum with three states. So all total, we have six possible states. But as we were going through this conversation, I was pairing with another developer on the team. And I was like, something feels weird here. And I actually invoked the name of Joël Quenneville because much of the data structure thought that I had here I associate with work that Joël has done around Maybe and things like that. And then also, my suggestion was let's build a truth table because that seems like a fun way to manage this and look at it and see what's true. Because I know that there are spots on this two-by-three grid that should never happen. So let's name that and then put that in the code. We couldn't quite get it to map into the data type, like into that Boolean in the enum. Because it's possible to get into those states, but we never should. And therefore, we should alert and handle that and understand, like, how did this even happen? This should never happen. And so we ended up taking what was a larger method body with some of the logic in it and collapsing it down to very explicitly enumerate the branches of the conditional and then feed out to a method. Like, call a method that had a very explicit name to say, okay, if it's true and we're in this enum state, then it's bad, alert bad. And then the other case like, handle the good case. And I was very happy with what we refactored down to because this is another one of those very complex parts of our code. Critical infrastructure-y is how I would describe it. And so, in my mind, it was worth the I'm going to go with pathological refactoring that we got to there. But yes, I was channeling Joël in that moment. I'm very happy to have had many conversations with him that help me think through these things. STEPH: That's awesome. Yeah, those truth tables can be so helpful. There's a particular article that, of course, Joël has written that then describes how a truth table works and ways that you can implement it into your habits. It's called Back to Basics: Boolean Expressions. I will be sure to include a link in the show notes. CHRIS: But yeah, I think that summarizes my day and probably the next couple of days as I prepare for an adventure over to Europe and chat about developer spidey sense. But yeah, what's new in your world? STEPH: Yeah, that's a big day. There's a lot going on. Well, I actually want to circle back because you mentioned that you're packing and you're going on this trip. And I'm curious, do you have any books queued up for vacation? CHRIS: I do, yeah. I'm currently reading Elantris by Brandon Sanderson. Folks might be aware of his work from the highest-funded Kickstarter of all time, which was absurd. Did you see this happen? STEPH: I don't think so, uh-uh. CHRIS: He did this fun, cheeky little Kickstarter. The video was sort of a fake around...oh, it almost sounded like he might be retiring or something like that. And then he's like, JK, I wrote five new books. And so the Kickstarter was for those books with different tiered packages and whatnot. I think he got just the right viral coefficient going on. And apologies for the spoiler if anyone's not seen the video, but it's been out there for a while. So he wrote some books, and that's what the Kickstarter is for. You get some books. You sort of join a book club, and you'll get one a quarter. A million dollars seems like that will be a bunch for that. That'd be great. If he raised a million dollars, that'd be amazing. $40 million four-zero million dollars. [laughs] I'm just watching it play out in real-time as well. It just skyrocketed up. The video, I think, was structured just right. He got it onto the...it was on Reddit and Twitter and just bouncing around, and people were sharing it. And just everything about it seemed to go perfectly. And yes, the highest-funded Kickstarter of all time, I believe, certainly within the publishing world. But yeah, Brandon Sanderson, prolific author, and his stuff ends up just being kind of light and fun. And so I was reading Elantris for that. It's been a little bit slower to pick up than I would like. So I'm now in the latter half. I'm hoping it'll go a little bit more quickly and be...I'm just kind of looking for a fun read, some fantasy thing to go on an adventure. But as the next book, I downloaded a second one just to make sure I'm covered. I have a book by John Scalzi, who's a sci-fi, fantasy, more on the sci-fi end of the spectrum. And I've read some of his other stuff and enjoyed it. And this particular book has a very consistent set of reviews. I've read the reviews a few times. And everybody who reviews it is just like, "This isn't the greatest book I've ever read, but man was it a fun ride." Or "Yeah, no, best book? No. Fun book? Yes." And just like, "This book was a fun ride. This was great." And I was like, perfect. That is exactly what I'm looking for on a European vacation. The book is called The Kaiju Preservation Society, which also plays on monsters, Pacific Rim Godzilla. Kaiju, I think, is the word for that category of giant dinosaur-like monster. And so it's the Kaiju Preservation Society, which, I don't know, means some stuff, and I'm going to go on a fun adventure. So yeah, those are my books. STEPH: Nice. I've got one that I'm reading right now. It's called Clementine: The Life of Mrs. Winston Churchill, written by Sonia Purnell. And Sonia Purnell tends to focus on female historical figures. And so it's historical fiction, which is a sweet spot for me. The only thing I'm debating on is because I'm realizing as I'm reading through it, I'm questioning, okay, well, what's real and what's not? Because I don't want to be that person that's like, did you know? And then, I quote this fictional fact about somebody that was made up for the novel. [laughs] So I'm realizing that maybe historical fiction is fun, but then I'm having to fact-check all the things because then I'm just curious. I'm like, oh, did this really happen, or how did it go down? So it's been pretty good so far. But then it makes me wish that historical fiction novels had at the back of them they're like, these are all the events that were real versus some of the stuff that we fictionalized or added a little flair to. I'm in that interesting space. I also like how you highlighted that you chose a fun book. I was having a conversation with a colleague recently about downtime. And like, do you consume more tech during downtime? Like, are you actively looking for technical blog posts or technical books to read or podcasts, things like that? And I was like, I don't. My downtime is for fun. Like, I want it to be all the things that are not tech. Maybe some tech sneaks in there here and there, but for the most part, I definitely prioritize stuff that's fun over more technical content in my spare time, which has taken me a little while to not feel guilty about. Earlier in my career, I definitely felt like I should be crunching technical content all the time. And now I'm just like, nope, this is a job. I'm very thankful that I really enjoy my job, but it's still a job. CHRIS: It is an interesting aspect of the world that we work in where that's even a question. In my previous life as a mechanical engineer, the idea that I would go home and read about mechanical engineering...I could attend a conference, but I would do that for very particular reasons and not because, like, oh, it's fun. I'll go meet my friends. For me, this was a big reason that I moved into tech because I am one of those folks who will, like, I will probably watch a video about Remix in particular because that's my new thing that I like to play around with and think about. But it needs to be a particular shape of thing I've found. It needs to be exploratory, puzzle-y. Fun code, reading, learning work that I do needs to be separated from my work-work in a certain way. Otherwise, then it feels like work, then it is sort of a drudgery. But yeah, my brain just seems to really like the puzzle of programming and trying to build things. And being able to come into a world where people share as much as they do blogs and conference talks and all of that is utterly fantastic. But it is a double-edged sword because I 100% agree that the ability to disconnect to, like, work a nine-to-five and then go home at the end of the day. Yeah, go home, you know, because you remember when we went to an office and then we would go home afterwards? I have to commute every once in a while into the city and -- STEPH: You mean go downstairs or go to another room? That's what you mean? [laughs] CHRIS: I used to commute every day, and it took a lot of time. And now when I do it, I feel that so viscerally because I'm like, it's just a lot easier to just walk to my office in my house. But yes, I 100% I'm aligned to that like, yeah, no, you're done with work for the day, walk away. That's that. And learning a new technology or things like that, that's part of the job. There shouldn't be the expectation that that just happens. There's continuing education in every other field. It's like, oh, we'll pay for your master's degree so you can go learn a thing. That's the norm in every other...not in every other industry but many, many, many industries. And yet the nature of our world the accessibility of it is one of the most wonderful things about it. But it can be a double-edged sword in that if there are the expectations that, oh yeah, and then, of course, you're going to go home and have side projects and be learning things. Like, no, that is an unreasonable expectation, and we got to cut that off. But then again, I do do that. So I'm saying two things at the same time, and that's always complicated. STEPH: But I agree with what you're saying because you're basically respecting both sides. If people enjoy this as a hobby, more power to you.; that's great. This is what you enjoy doing. If you don't want to do this as a hobby and respect it as a job, then that's also great too. There can be both sides, and no side should feel guilty or judged for whichever path that they pursue. And I absolutely agree, if there are new skills that you need to learn for a job, then there should be time that's carved out during your work hours that then you get to focus on those new skills. It shouldn't be an expectation that then you're going to work all day and then spend your evening hours learning something else. And same for interviews; there shouldn't be a field that says, "Hey, what are your side projects?" Or at least that should not be an important part of the interview. There should be an alternative to be like, "Or what work code do you want to talk about?" Or something else that's more in that nine-to-five window that you want to talk about. That way, there's a balance between like, sure, if you have something that you want to talk about on the side, great, but if not, then let's focus on something that you've done during your actual work hours because that's more realistic. CHRIS: I do think there's an interesting aspect at play because the world of development moves so rapidly and because it's constantly changing. And to frame it differently, I don't think we've got this thing figured out. And so many people lament how quickly it changes and that there's a new framework every other week. And there's a bit of churn that is perhaps unnecessary. But at the same time, I do not feel like as a community, as a working population, that we're like, yeah, got it, crushed it. We know how to make great software, no question about it. It's going to be awesome. We're going to be able to maintain it for forever, don't even worry about it. New feature? We can get that in there. They're actually still pretty rare. So we need to be learning, and evolving, and exploring new techniques. I think the amount of thinking is probably good mostly in the development world. But organizations have to make space for that with their teams. And thoughtbot obviously does that with investment days. That's just such a wonderful structure that embraces that reality and also brings happiness, and it's just a pleasant way to work. And frankly, my team does not have that right now. We do the crispy Brussels snack hour, which also now has a corresponding crispy Brussels work lunch, which is one week we think about it, and the next week we do the thing. We're trying to make space for that. But even that is still more intentional and purposeful and less exploratory and learning. And so it's an interesting trade-off. I deeply believe in this thing, and also, the team that I'm leading isn't doing it right now. Granted, we're an early-stage startup. We got to build a bunch of stuff. I think that's fine for right now. But it is a thing that...again, I'm saying two things at the same time, always fun. STEPH: Well, and there might be a nice incremental approach to this as well. So thoughtbot has the entire day, and maybe it's less than a full day. So perhaps it's just there's an hour or two hours or something like that where you start to introduce some of that self-improvement time and then blossom out from there. Because yeah, I understand that not all teams may feel like they have the space for that. But then I agree with everything else you said that it really does improve team morale and gives people a space to then be able to get to explore some of those questions that they had earlier. So then they don't feel like they have to then dedicate some weekend time or off hours' time to then look into a question. And I admit, I'm totally guilty too. I am that person that then I've worked extra hours, but it's because, like you said, if there's a puzzle that my brain is stuck on and I just feel the need to get through it. But then I look at that as am I doing this because I want to? Yes. Okay, then as long as I'm happy and I don't feel like this is increasing any concern around burnout, then I don't worry about it. MIDROLL AD: Debugging errors can be a developer's worst nightmare… but it doesn't have to be. 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And so this really means that you can just create bad data that your application doesn't actually allow your application to create. So there are tests that are exercising behavior that should never exist. And then porting that over to FactoryBot then highlights that because then as soon as I move that record over and then try to create it or do something with it, then the app, the test, do the right thing and let me know saying no, no, no, we've added validations. You can't do that anymore. That has been grinding my gears in terms of trying to then translate. Because then I have to really dive into the code to understand it. And the goal here is to stay as high level as possible and not have to dive in too much. But then that means that I do have to dive in and understand more. So this has frankly just been one of those times in my career where you just kind of have to slog through the work. It's important work to be done. It'll be great once it's done. But it's a painful process. And the best way that I've found to make it more enjoyable is to be in heavy communication with Joël, who's on the project with me, just so if we get stuck on something, then we can chat with each other. And then also there's one file that's particularly gnarly. And so we moved over one test. We were successful, and which felt great because then we could at least document like, okay, when we come back to this, at least we have one example that highlights the wonkiness that we ran into. But we've decided, okay, we're done with that file. We're going to take a break. There's a lot there, but we're going to move on and give ourselves a break and do some of the easier ones, and then we'll circle back to the harder one. Which was, I think, just a bit of bad luck in terms of, like, as we're going down the list, that happened to be like the gnarliest one, and it was like the first one that Joël picked up. And so I'm going through a couple of files, and Joël is like, "What? [laughs] How are you making progress?" And we realize it's just because that file, in particular, is very hard to find all the mystery guests and then to move everything over. Finding a positive note through all of the cruft, I will say this is helping with some of my code sleuthing skills. So as I am running into these problems and then looking for mystery guests, I'm noticing ways that I can then, as quickly as possible, try to triage and identify as to why one test doesn't match another test. Some of it is more specific to the application setup, so it won't be as applicable to future projects. But then some other areas have been really helpful. Like, I'm using caller a lot more to understand, like, I know this is getting called, but I don't know who's calling you. So I can put in a line that basically outputs like, show me your stack traces to how you got here. So that's been really nice as well. So it has improved some of my code sleuthing skills and also my spidey sense in terms of it's typically mystery guests. Like when a test isn't passing, it's because fixtures are creating extra data that are getting pulled in when there are queries that are being run. But they're not explicitly referenced in the test setup itself. So that's typically then where I start is looking for what record looks relevant to this test that I haven't pulled over to my test setup. CHRIS: I appreciate you finding the silver lining, the positive bit of this. Because as you're describing, the work that you're doing sounds like I think you use the word slog, which seems like a very accurate term. But sometimes we have to do that sometimes for a variety of reasons. We end up either having to introduce new code or fix old code, but this is sometimes the work. And this is something that I think you and I share about this show is we get to show all sides of the work. And the work can be glamorous and new. And oh, I've got this greenfield app that I'm building, and it's wonderful. Look at the architecture. And I know in the moment that I'm building someone else's legacy code three years from now. [laughs] And so telling the other side of the story and providing that rounded point of view, because like, yeah, this is all part of it. Again, I don't believe that this is a solved problem, building robust software that we can maintain. And so yeah, you're doing the good work in there. And I thank you for sharing it with us. STEPH: Thanks. Just don't use fixtures in your test, I beg of you. Please don't do that to the legacy code that you're writing for future developers. [laughs] That is my one request. CHRIS: And I will maybe add on to that, sparingly use callbacks. Maybe don't use them at all, and certainly don't use the combination because, my goodness, that'll lead you into some fun times. But yeah, just two small recommendations there. STEPH: Oh, there's something else I wanted to share. I saw that Slack added a new audio feature that allows you to record the pronunciation of your name, which is the feature that I was so excited about when we added it to our internal tool called Hub at thoughtbot. And now Slack has it on their profile so that way you can upload the pronunciation. And then anyone looking at your profile can then listen to how to pronounce your name. There are a couple of other features that they released, I think just in June, so about a month ago from the recording of today. [laughs] That's weird to say, but here we are. So I'll include a link in the show notes so folks can see that feature in addition to others, but I'm super excited. CHRIS: Oh, that is nice. I also like all right, so Slack now has it. Hub now has it. But I don't have access to Hub anymore. And I don't have access to every Slack in the world yet. But here's my suggestion. All right, everybody, stick with me here. I want you to own a domain. I want you to have a personal site on it. And I want the personal site to include the pronunciation of your name. I get that that's a big ask. And I get that there are other platforms that are calling to you, and you may be writing on those. But you know what? Just stand up a little site, just a little place on the internet that you own. And if it includes the pronunciation of your name, I will be forever grateful. STEPH: I like this idea. I initially was taking your idea and immediately running with it as you were speaking it because then I wondered if everyone had their own YouTube channel. But I don't know how hard it is to create a YouTube channel. I am not a YouTube channeler, so I don't know what that looks like. [laughs] But not everybody will know how to purchase a domain. So that might be another approach. CHRIS: I think it's pretty easy to do a YouTube channel. I'm conflating a couple of things. This is my basket of beliefs about people on the internet, but I kind of think everybody should own their own little slice of the internet. And so totally, YouTube is a place where the people make some stuff, make videos, put them on YouTube, absolutely. But ideally, you own something. I see a lot of people that are on YouTube, and that's it, and so their entire audience lives on YouTube. And if YouTube someday decides to change or remove them or say Medium as an example, Medium actually, I think, does a more interesting version of this where your identity kind of gets subsumed into Medium. And I really think everybody should just have their own little, tiny slice of the internet that's there. It has their name that they own that no platform can decide; hey, we've shifted, and now your stuff is gone. Cool URIs don't change as they say, and that's what I want. And then yeah, if you can have the pronunciation of your name on there, that's extra nice. Although I say that, and I don't know that I would do it because my name feels very obvious. One day someone was like, "Oh, how do you pronounce your last name?" I forget if I actually replied with the pronunciation. Or if I was like, "I need to know what options you're considering. I'm so interested because I've really only got the one." Maybe I'm anchored. Maybe I'm biased. [chuckles] I've been doing this for a while. But I really cannot think of another pronunciation of my name. STEPH: You might hear another one that you really like, and you need to pivot. CHRIS: Oh gosh. STEPH: That's the point where you start pronouncing your name differently. CHRIS: Wow, that would be a lot. And then, I could have a change log on my personal site where people can see this is the pronunciation, and this is what the pronunciation used to be. STEPH: [laughs] I like this idea. I also like this idea that everybody has their own slice of internet land. I like this encouragement that you're providing for everyone. On a slightly different note, there's a blog post that I'm really excited to talk about. It's written by Eric Bailey, who's a former thoughtboter. It's called The Optics of Pair Programming. And given how much pair programming that I'm doing, especially with Joël on the current project, it was a really wonderful read. And it also helped me think about pairing from a different perspective because we do have a very strong pairing culture at thoughtbot. So there's a lot of nuance, especially social nuances that can go along with when you invite someone to pair with you that I had not considered until I read this wonderful post by Eric. And we'll be sure to include a link in the show notes. But to provide an overview, essentially, Eric shares that given coming from thoughtbot where we do have a very open approach to pairing where pairing sessions are voluntary and then also last as long as the problem will last...but then when you're at a new company, you could experience pushback if you're inviting someone to pair and then to consider why that pushback may exist. And some of the high-level areas that Eric highlighted are power dynamics, assessment, privacy, and learning styles. So to dive into each of some of those, there's a power dynamics of it's important to consider who's offering to pair. So if I've joined a team as a consultant, there may be a power dynamic there that someone is feeling where their team is paying for my time. So they may feel like they can't say no if I offered to pair. They feel like they need to say yes to the invitation, even if they don't really want to. Or probably a more classic example would be like, what if your boss wants to pair or someone that's just more senior than you? Then it could leave you feeling like, well, I can't say no to this person, can I? Which yes, you totally can say no to that person, but it may leave you in a place where you feel like you can't. And so, it puts you in this sort of uncomfortable and powerless position. The other one is assessment, so offering to pair with someone could feel like you are implying that you want to assess their skills or that you're implying that they're not up to the task and therefore they need your help. So then that could also place someone in an uncomfortable position. There's also privacy. So someone who isn't confident may not want someone to observe their behavior or observe how they're working. It could make them feel really anxious, which then I love that Eric points this out. Ironically, pairing is really good at addressing that lack of confidence because then you get to see how other people work through their problems or how they think, or they may also have some anxiety. Or it just helps you become more comfortable in talking and thinking through with other people. So that one is a tough one where it's hard to get over that initial hurdle. But actually, the more you pair, then the less anxious you'll feel when you pair. And then there's also learning styles because pairing really involves a lot of deep thinking but in our personal time. And it can be hard to balance both of those, and it's just not as effective for some people. So I know that even as much as I really enjoy pairing, I just need to sit with code on my own sometimes. I need to think about it. I need to run it; I need to look at it. So it's really nice to talk with someone. But then I also need that alone time to then just think through it on my own because I can't have that same deep focus if I'm also worried about how the other person is experiencing that session because then my mental energy is going towards them. So that covers a number of the social nuances that can be included or running through someone's mind when you extend an invitation to them to pair. And it really resonated with me the areas that Eric highlights in this blog post. He also talks about a couple of strategies, which I'd love to dive into as well. But I'm going to pause here and see what thoughts you have. CHRIS: Yeah, I love this post. And it got me thinking about pairing and the broader human backdrop of all of the processes and workflows that we have. Everything he highlighted about pairing feels true. Although similar to you and to Eric, I've worked in a context where pairing was a very natural, very regular part of the work and sort of from the very top-down. And so everyone pairing between developers of any different level or developers and designers or really anyone in the...it was just such a part of how we worked that no one really questioned it or at least not after the first couple of weeks. I imagine joining thoughtbot those first weeks; you're like, oh God. As I shared, I think in the previous episode that we recorded, my pairing interview was with Joe Ferris, the CTO of thoughtbot, [laughs] writing a book about good and bad code. And I was like, I don't know what anything is here but very quickly getting over that hurdle. And having that normalizing experience was actually really great, and then have been comfortable with it since. But the idea that there are so many different social dynamics at play feels true. And then as I think about other things, like stand-up is one that I think of as this very simple this is a way to communicate where we're at. And where necessary or where useful, allow people to interject or step in to say, "Oh, let me help you get unblocked there or whatever it is." But so often, I see stand-up being a ritual about demonstrating that you are, in fact, doing work, which is like, here's what I did yesterday. I don't know if it's useful. Then mention that you're working on this project. But the enumeration of look, obviously, work was done by me. You can see it; here are the receipts. It's very much this social dynamic at play. And retro is another one where like, if retro is very much owned by one voice and not a place that change actually happens where people feel safe airing their opinions or their concerns, then it's going to be a terrible experience. But if you can structure it and enforce that it is a space that we can have a conversation, that everyone's voice is welcome and that real change happens as a result of, then it's a magical tool for making sure we're doing the right things. But always behind these are the people, and feelings, and the psychology at play. And so this was just such an interesting post to read and ruminate on that a little bit more. STEPH: Yeah, I agree, especially with a comment that you made about those daily syncs where I really just want to focus on today and what you have that you're blocked on. So it's a really nice update in case there are any cross-collaboration opportunities. That's really what I'm looking for in a daily update. And so I appreciate when people don't go through a laundry list of what they did yesterday because it's like, that's great. But then, like you said, it's just like you're trying to prove here's what I've done, and I trust you; you're working. So just let me know what you're doing today, friend. So Eric does a wonderful job of also including some strategies for ways that then you can address some of these concerns and then how there may be some extra anxiety that's increased when you're inviting somebody to pair. There are some wonderful strategies. I'll let folks read through the blog post itself. There are a couple in particular that came to mind for me because I was then self-assessing how do I tend to approach pairing with someone? And some ways that I want them to feel very comfortable with that experience. And there's a couple. There's one where I recognize that I need to build trust with each person. I can't just go on to a team and expect everyone to know that I have good intentions and that I'm going to do my best to be a fun, helpful pairing partner, and that it's not a zone of judgment. And that has to be cultivated with each person. Because especially as a consultant, if I'm joining a team, the people who hired me are not necessarily the people that I'm working with. It's someone that's probably in leadership or management that has then brought on thoughtbot. And so then the people that I'm working with they don't know me, and they don't know what my pairing style is going to be. So looking for ways to build trust with each person and then also inviting them or asking for help myself. So there's a bit of vulnerability that has to be shown to build trust with someone to say," Hey, I'm stuck on a problem. I would love a second set of eyes. Would you be willing to help me out with this?" So then that way, they're coming in to help me initially versus I'm going in and saying, "Hey, can I help you?" I have found that to be an effective strategy. And there's one that I do really want to talk about, and that's not everyone is going to pair well together. Like, you may find someone who always leaves you feeling just stressed or demoralized. And while it's important to consider your role and why that's true, that does not mean it's your fault and necessarily your problem to fix. So similar to having to manage up, you may need to coach the person that you're pairing with in ways that help you feel comfortable pairing. But if they don't listen to your requests and implement any of that feedback, then just don't pair with that person. That is a very fine option to recognize people that are not receptive to your needs and, therefore, not someone that you need to then force into being a great pairing buddy. And I emphasize that last one because it took me a little while to become comfortable with that and accepting that it wasn't my fault that I wasn't having a great pairing session with people. Similar to when I'm learning from someone that if someone is explaining something to me and they're making me feel inadequate while they're explaining it to me, that's not necessarily my fault. Like, I used to internalize that as like, oh, I just can't get this. But I am now a very staunch believer in if you can't explain it to me in a way that I understand, then that's probably more on you than on me. And that has also taken me time to just really accept and embrace. But once you do, it is so freeing to realize that if someone's explaining a concept and you're still not getting it, it's like, hey, how can we try harder together versus you just making me try harder? CHRIS: I like that right there of like, if I don't understand this, it may actually be you, not me, or something to that effect. Let's get that on a bumper sticker and put that in The Bike Shed store so that everybody can buy it and put it on their cars or at least just us. But yeah, that starting from the bottom sometimes it's just not going to work great. There are even...I think what you're describing sounds a little more complicated, individuals who are personally not great at communicating or pairing or things like that. And that's going to happen. We're going to run into folks that...pairing is communication. That's just the core of it, and some folks, that may not be their strongest suit. But I think there's another category of just like different working styles. And whereas I might...judge is such a heavy word, but I'm going to use it. I might judge someone who is not doing a great job at communicating to someone else, or understanding their point of view, or striving to do that, or taking feedback. Like, those are not great things. Whereas there may just be two different development styles or backgrounds, or there are other reasons that actually they may be not an ideal fit. That said, I have definitely found that in almost every variation of pairing, I've seen work at some point. Like, when I was very early on in my career pairing with folks that are very senior, I didn't get most of it, but I got some stuff. And then folks that are very much on the same level or folks that have a deep knowledge in framework, code base language, whatever and folks that are new to it but have a different set of experiences. Basically, every version of that, I found that pairing is actually an incredibly powerful technique for knowledge sharing, for collaboration, for all of that. So although there are rare cases where there might be some misalignment, in general, I think pairing can work. I do think you hit on something earlier of there are certain folks that are more private thinkers, is how I would describe it, where thinking out loud is complicated for them. I'm very much someone who talks. That's how I figure out what I think is I say stuff. And I'm like, oh, I agree with what I just said. That's good. But I find I actually struggle. There's something I think of...maybe I'm just a loudmouth is what I'm hearing as I say it, but that is how I process things. Other folks, that is not true. Other folks, it's quite internal, and actually trying to vocalize that or trying to share the thought process as they're going may be uncomfortable. And I think that's perfectly reasonable and something that we should recognize and make space for. And so pairing should not be forced upon a team or an individual because there are just different mindsets, different ways of thinking that we need to account for. But again, the vast majority of cases...I've seen plenty of cases where it's someone's like, "I don't like to pair. That's not my thing." And it's actually that they've had bad experiences. And then when they find a space that feels safe or they see the pattern demonstrated in a way that is collegial, and useful, and friendly, then they're like, oh, actually, I thought I didn't like pairing. I thought I didn't like retro. I thought I didn't like stand-up. But actually, all of these things can be good. STEPH: Yeah, absolutely. It's a skill like anything else. You need to see value in it. And if you haven't seen value in it yet or if it's always made you anxious and uncomfortable, then it's something that you're going to avoid as much as possible until someone can provide a valuable, positive experience around how it can go. I'm going to pull back the curtains just a little bit on our recording and share because you've mentioned that you are very much you think out loud, and that's how you decide that you agree with yourself. And I think already at least twice while we've been recording this episode, I have started to say something, and I'm like, no, wait, I don't agree with that and have backed myself up. CHRIS: [laughs] STEPH: And I'm like, no, I just thought through it; I'm going to cancel it out, [laughs] and then moved in a different direction. So I, too, seem to be someone that I start to say things, and I'm like, oh, wait, I don't actually agree with what I just said [laughs], so let's remove that. CHRIS: Yep. You've described it as Michael Scott-ing on a handful of different episodes or maybe things that were cut from episodes. But where you start a sentence and then you're like, I don't know where I was going to end up there. I hoped I'd figure it out by the end, but then I did not get there. And yeah, I think we've all experienced that at various times. STEPH: That's some of my favorite advice from you is where you've been like, just lean into it, just see where it goes. Finish it out. We can always take it out later. [laughs] Because I stop myself because I immediately start editing what I'm trying to say and you're like, "No, no, just finish it, and then we'll see what happens." That's been fun. CHRIS: This is how you find out what you think. You say it out loud, and then you're like, never mind. That was ridic – STEPH: [laughs] CHRIS: I do. Actually, now I'm thinking back, and I have plenty of those where I'll say a thing, and I'm like, nope, never mind, send that one back. [chuckles] As an aside, so we do this thing where we host a podcast, and we get to talk. But we're both now describing the pattern where we'll start to say something, and we'll be like no, no, no, actually, not that. And I think, dear listeners out there, you probably don't hear any of this, the vast majority of it, because we have wonderful editors behind the scenes, Thom Obarski for many years, and now Mandy Moore, who's been with us for a while. And so once again, thank you so much to the editor team that allows us to, I think, again, feel safe in this conversation that we can say whatever feels true and then know that we'll be able to switch that around. So thank you so much to the editors who help us out and make us sound better than we are. STEPH: Yeah, that has made a big difference in my capabilities to podcast. If we were doing this live, ooh goodness, this might be a whole different, weird show. [laughs] CHRIS: I mean, the same is true for code, right? I deeply value the ability to make an absolute mess in my local editor and have nine different commits that eventually I throw two out. And then I revert that file, and then eventually, the PR that I put up that's my Instagram selfie. That's like, I carefully curated this, but what's behind the scenes it's just a pile of trash. So yeah, the ability to separate the creation and the editing that's a meaningful thing to have in life. STEPH: Oh, I can't unsee that now. [laughs] A pull request is now the equivalent of that curated Instagram selfie. That is beautiful. [laughs] CHRIS: To be clear, I don't think I've ever taken an Instagram selfie. But I get the idea, and I felt like it was an analogy that would work. Again, I try out analogies on this show, and many of them do not stick. But I think that one is all right. STEPH: It might even go back to pairing because then you've got help in taking that picture. So hey, you're making a mess with somebody until you get that right perfect thing, and then you push it up for the world to see. So safe spaces for all the activities, I think that's the takeaway. On that note, shall we wrap up? CHRIS: Let's wrap up. The show notes for this episode can be found at bikeshed.fm. STEPH: This show is produced and edited by Mandy Moore. CHRIS: If you enjoyed listening, one really easy way to support the show is to leave us a quick rating or even a review on iTunes, as it really helps other folks find the show. STEPH: If you have any feedback for this or any of our other episodes, you can reach us at @_bikeshed or reach me on Twitter @SViccari. CHRIS: And I'm @christoomey. STEPH: Or you can reach us at hosts@bikeshed.fm via email. CHRIS: Thanks so much for listening to The Bike Shed, and we'll see you next week. ALL: Byeeeeeeee!!!!!!!! ANNOUNCER: This podcast was brought to you by thoughtbot. thoughtbot is your expert design and development partner. Let's make your product and team a success.
Torgo is back as we talk about Batman 66, Stranger Things, Ninth House, Bevis and Butthead Do the Universe, Last Night in Soho, TMNT: Shredder's Revenge, Forbidden Desert, The Kaiju Preservation Society, Upside Down Pictures, Who's The Boss, Gentleminions, Exandria United: Calamity, Disney's $5000 cocktail, the retirement of John Williams, plus we give away the Whiskey Golem (Thanks once again to Scoop Addison). Ummmmmm (ding), it's time for a Geek Shock!
A star cataloged as Gliese 781 is approaching our solar system and in slightly more than a million years from now, will reach the Oort Cloud, likely disrupting the orbits of icy bodies that could head toward Earth. Plus, an Indian launch, Asteroid Day, understanding our ice giants, and a review of “Kaiju Preservation Society” by John Scalzi.
Eric feeling better and reading more, Jon fighting squirrels and bees. Are mass resignations incoming? How about some job applicants using Deepfakes then. The price of bitcoin may be hurting North Korea, and if you own the webview you can extract critical data. For fun we have a media hat trick: a podcast (The Joy of Why), a video (Japanese nail-less (de-)construction), and a book (Kaiju Preservation Society). 0:00 - Intro 14:58 - Resignations Incoming? 19:47 - Deepfake Job Applicants 23:17 - Bitcoin Crash Hurts North Korea 26:42 - WebView2 Apps 32:21 - The Joy of Wh(y) 34:44 - Look Ma, No Nails 36:01 - Kaiju Preservation Society
Astronomy Cast Ep. 647: Best Sci Fi Beach Reading by Fraser Cain & Dr. Pamela Gay Summer's here! And that means finally tackling that huge list of books piled up on your bedside table and filling up your Kindle. What books do we recommend for some fun reads this summer? - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scsalzi - Space Opera by Katherine Valente - The Culture series by Iain M. Banks (The Player of Games) - Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty - Marco and the Red Granny by Mur Lafferty - Reamde and The Fall by Neil Stephenson - Bobiverse series by Dennis E. Taylor - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clark - Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor - Packing for Mars by Mary Roach - The Mission: A True Story by David Brown - Galaxy: The Prettiest Star by Jadzia Axelrod
The 365 Days of Astronomy, the daily podcast of the International Year of Astronomy 2009
https://youtu.be/AwIuPiFq5mw — Part 1… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dF18aVF7mdU — Part 2 Summer's here! And that means finally tackling that huge list of books piled up on your bedside table and filling up your Kindle. What books do we recommend for some fun reads this summer? - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scsalzi - Space Opera by Katherine Valente - The Culture series by Iain M. Banks (The Player of Games) - Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty - Marco and the Red Granny by Mur Lafferty - Reamde and The Fall by Neil Stephenson - Bobiverse series by Dennis E. Taylor - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clark - Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor - Packing for Mars by Mary Roach - The Mission: A True Story by David Brown - Galaxy: The Prettiest Star by Jadzia Axelrod We've added a new way to donate to 365 Days of Astronomy to support editing, hosting, and production costs. Just visit: https://www.patreon.com/365DaysOfAstronomy and donate as much as you can! Share the podcast with your friends and send the Patreon link to them too! Every bit helps! Thank you! ------------------------------------ Do go visit http://www.redbubble.com/people/CosmoQuestX/shop for cool Astronomy Cast and CosmoQuest t-shirts, coffee mugs and other awesomeness! http://cosmoquest.org/Donate This show is made possible through your donations. Thank you! (Haven't donated? It's not too late! Just click!) ------------------------------------ The 365 Days of Astronomy Podcast is produced by the Planetary Science Institute. http://www.psi.edu Visit us on the web at 365DaysOfAstronomy.org or email us at info@365DaysOfAstronomy.org.
[Editor's Note: The Q&A section was lost when the internet & software demons did their thing. Sorry. I did get the initial co-host banter part adequately. -- Rich] Summer's here! And that means finally tackling that huge list of books piled up on your bedside table and filling up your Kindle. What books do we recommend for some fun reads this summer? - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scsalzi - Space Opera by Katherine Valente - The Culture series by Iain M. Banks (The Player of Games) - Six Wakes by Mur Lafferty - Marco and the Red Granny by Mur Lafferty - Reamde and The Fall by Neil Stephenson - Bobiverse series by Dennis E. Taylor - Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir - Childhood's End by Arthur C. Clark - Lagoon by Nnedi Okorafor - Packing for Mars by Mary Roach - The Mission: A True Story by David Brown - Galaxy: The Prettiest Star by Jadzia Axelrod
One could call The Kaiju Preservation Society (Tor Books, 2022) a pandemic novel because a) John Scalzi wrote it during the pandemic and b) the pandemic serendipitously leads the main character, Jamie, to a new job that sets the action in motion. But the book is not about the pandemic. It's about Kaiju, Godzilla-like monsters who live in an alternate Earth. This alternate Earth is rich in radioactive elements, and the Kaiju produce energy from their own internal biological reactors. This makes them a danger when, say, they end their lives with in nuclear explosion that thins the walls between Earths, but it also makes them an object of fascination for unscrupulous humans seeking new sources of cheap energy. “So much of the way plant life and animal life on Earth works is through sunlight, which is just another type of radiation,” Scalzi says. “Plants photosynthesize, animals eat plants, other animals eat the animals that eat the plants and so on and so forth. But sooner or later it all comes back to sunlight. The only places where you don't have that happen are in very specific places where, for example, there are sulfurous heat sources at the bottom of the ocean. And then things have evolved to take advantage of the energy source there. Well, in this alternate Earth, things like uranium and thorium in the crust are another possible energy source. It makes sense to me that life would evolve to take advantage either wholly or in part of that additional energy source. And then, of course, I just built out from there.” Scalzi has contributed in myriad ways to the art of science fiction through many novels, his past leadership as president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the platform he provides other writers on The Big Idea, a feature that appears regularly on his website. His writing has earned numerous awards, including what was once upon a time known as the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, the Hugo Award for Best Novel, Hugos for Fan Writer and Best Related Book, and the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. Rob Wolf is the host of New Books in Science Fiction and the author of The Alternate Universe and The Escape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network
One could call The Kaiju Preservation Society (Tor Books, 2022) a pandemic novel because a) John Scalzi wrote it during the pandemic and b) the pandemic serendipitously leads the main character, Jamie, to a new job that sets the action in motion. But the book is not about the pandemic. It's about Kaiju, Godzilla-like monsters who live in an alternate Earth. This alternate Earth is rich in radioactive elements, and the Kaiju produce energy from their own internal biological reactors. This makes them a danger when, say, they end their lives with in nuclear explosion that thins the walls between Earths, but it also makes them an object of fascination for unscrupulous humans seeking new sources of cheap energy. “So much of the way plant life and animal life on Earth works is through sunlight, which is just another type of radiation,” Scalzi says. “Plants photosynthesize, animals eat plants, other animals eat the animals that eat the plants and so on and so forth. But sooner or later it all comes back to sunlight. The only places where you don't have that happen are in very specific places where, for example, there are sulfurous heat sources at the bottom of the ocean. And then things have evolved to take advantage of the energy source there. Well, in this alternate Earth, things like uranium and thorium in the crust are another possible energy source. It makes sense to me that life would evolve to take advantage either wholly or in part of that additional energy source. And then, of course, I just built out from there.” Scalzi has contributed in myriad ways to the art of science fiction through many novels, his past leadership as president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the platform he provides other writers on The Big Idea, a feature that appears regularly on his website. His writing has earned numerous awards, including what was once upon a time known as the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, the Hugo Award for Best Novel, Hugos for Fan Writer and Best Related Book, and the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. Rob Wolf is the host of New Books in Science Fiction and the author of The Alternate Universe and The Escape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science-fiction
One could call The Kaiju Preservation Society (Tor Books, 2022) a pandemic novel because a) John Scalzi wrote it during the pandemic and b) the pandemic serendipitously leads the main character, Jamie, to a new job that sets the action in motion. But the book is not about the pandemic. It's about Kaiju, Godzilla-like monsters who live in an alternate Earth. This alternate Earth is rich in radioactive elements, and the Kaiju produce energy from their own internal biological reactors. This makes them a danger when, say, they end their lives with in nuclear explosion that thins the walls between Earths, but it also makes them an object of fascination for unscrupulous humans seeking new sources of cheap energy. “So much of the way plant life and animal life on Earth works is through sunlight, which is just another type of radiation,” Scalzi says. “Plants photosynthesize, animals eat plants, other animals eat the animals that eat the plants and so on and so forth. But sooner or later it all comes back to sunlight. The only places where you don't have that happen are in very specific places where, for example, there are sulfurous heat sources at the bottom of the ocean. And then things have evolved to take advantage of the energy source there. Well, in this alternate Earth, things like uranium and thorium in the crust are another possible energy source. It makes sense to me that life would evolve to take advantage either wholly or in part of that additional energy source. And then, of course, I just built out from there.” Scalzi has contributed in myriad ways to the art of science fiction through many novels, his past leadership as president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, and the platform he provides other writers on The Big Idea, a feature that appears regularly on his website. His writing has earned numerous awards, including what was once upon a time known as the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer, the Hugo Award for Best Novel, Hugos for Fan Writer and Best Related Book, and the Locus Award for Best Science Fiction Novel. Rob Wolf is the host of New Books in Science Fiction and the author of The Alternate Universe and The Escape. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/literature
On this week's episode of Currently Reading, Kendra Adachi is joining Meredith and Kaytee, and we are discussing: Bookish Moments: perfect reading weather, winning fifth grade, and bookish nerdiness Current Reads: the very first time this has happened in Currently Reading, there's a double up! Deep Dive: we get to Lazy Genius a reading life and it's the actual best Book Presses: and some non-fiction from authors we love As per usual, time-stamped show notes are below with references to every book and resource we mentioned in this episode. If you'd like to listen first and not spoil the surprise, don't scroll down! New: we are now including transcripts of the episode (this link only works on the main site). These are generated by AI, so they may not be perfectly accurate, but we want to increase accessibility for our fans! *Please note that all book titles linked below are Bookshop affiliate links. Your cost is the same, but a small portion of your purchase will come back to us to help offset the costs of the show. If you'd prefer to shop on Amazon, you can still do so here through our main storefront. Anything you buy there (even your laundry detergent, if you recently got obsessed with switching up your laundry game) kicks a small amount back to us. Thanks for your support!* . . . . 1:04 - The Lazy Genius Podcast 2:01 - Bookish Moment of the Week 4:34 - Currently Reading Patreon (where you get the friend map finder!) 5:28 - Current Reads 5:49 - Book Lovers by Emily Henry (Kendra AND Meredith) 12:01 - People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry 12:05 - Beach Read by Emily Henry 12:48 - Lily and Dunkin by Donna Gephart (Kaytee) 15:53 - The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman 16:05 - The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate (Kendra) 17:43 - Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney 17:45 - Dog Man by Dav Pilkey 17:47 - Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Waterson 19:04 - The One and Only Bob by Katherine Applegate 20:42 - The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi (Meredith) 22:51 - Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton 26:19 - I Take My Coffee Black by Tyler Merritt (Kaytee) 28:47 - As You Wish by Cary Elwes 30:03 - Deep Dive: The Lazy Genius Way for Reading 33:28 - The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi 38:10 - Anne Bogel Summer Reading Guide 38:46 - The Lazy Genius Kitchen by Kendra Adachi 40:20 - The Seven Ps: Personality, Prioritize, Proficiency(Preferences), People, Pleasure, Process, and Peace 46:33 - Lazy Genius Newsletter Signup 51:27 - Books We'd Like to Press Into Your Hands 51:52 - Nothing to See Here by Kevin Wilson (Kendra) 54:22 - For the Love by Jen Hatmaker (Kaytee) 56:29 - The Lay Genius Kitchen by Kendra Adachi (Meredith) 1:00:45 - Liquid Index Lazy Genius Podcast Ep 261 1:01:13 - The Lazy Genius Kitchen Youtube Series 1:04:22 - @thelazygenius on Instagram 1:04:24 - thelazygeniuscollective.com Connect With Us: Meredith is @meredith.reads on Instagram Kaytee is @notesonbookmarks on Instagram Mindy is @gratefulforgrace on Instagram Mary is @maryreadsandsips on Instagram Roxanna is @roxannatheplanner on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast.com @currentlyreadingpodcast on Instagram currentlyreadingpodcast@gmail.com Support us at patreon.com/currentlyreadingpodcast and get some merch at www.zazzle.com/store/currentlyreading
The first chapter can make or break a reader's engagement with a story. We as writers must craft brilliant opening pages in order to hook those picky readers, so let's study the stories of others to see how they do it! Okay, I laughed multiple times while reading aloud the opening pages of The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi, and I'm not sorry! No, we've not met any Kaiju in the first chapter, but we have met our protagonist Jamie, who sees his confidence and place in life shattered when his boss sacks him. The scene is masterfully done, with touches in setting and word choice speaking a lot to the character Jamie as well as his boss. By utilizing a relatable situation for the opening scene, Scalzi has more freedom to mess around with characterization, so we get a lot about Jaime's character in a brief amount of time. By the end of those five pages, we can understand why such a person has nothing to lose and would therefore take a risk with an old friend...and meet creatures from another dimension in the process. And what storytelling insights will you discover here? Let's find out!
Show Notes:Intro - On the Needles - ~Noah's 2022 Birthday Socks - French Vanilla Cappuccino Socks by ME! on US1.5 (2.5mm), Knit Picks Felici in the Bookshop colourwayProject bag from Lizzie Bags & Progress Keeper from Tilting Planet~Dust of Snow Wrap by Curious Handmade / Helen Stewart on US6 (4mm), Various Mini SkeinsFinished Projects - ~2022 Preemie Hat #16, 17, & 18 on US6 (4mm), Bernat Softee Baby in the Princess Pebbles colourway & Bernat Cottontots in the Strawberry colourway | Berroco Vintage DK in the White colourway & Artic Yarn By Abi Self-Patterning Sock in the Sugar Skull colourway | Fully Spun Postscript Fingering in the Intersex Pride colourway, Knit Picks Galileo in the Pearl colourway, CraftSlayerPDX Fingering in a OOAK Grey colourway, & Desert Vista Dyeworks Sock in an Unknown ColourwayFlosstube - Begins at timestamp 11:09~FO! ~ Motif Tree by JBW Designs / Judy WhitmanMill Hill 14 ct Perforated Paper - WhiteSulky 1046, 1119, 4011, & 4046 floss~The River by Modern Folk EmbroiderySteel City Stitchers 16 ct Aida - Crimson PeakForbidden Fiber Co. in the River of Life colourwayOutlander To Bed or To Sleep Project Bag from StitchToolbox~Edinburgh Castle by Terra Luna StitcheryUsing Pattern Keeper software on Kindle Fire 7Needle Minder from TopKnotStitcher & A Needle Runs Through ItProject Bag from KnitRunDigGrime Guard from Crab Shack StitcheryBitzy Bob Basic from That's So Kelly Co.Silicone tiesYummies (our current favourite things) - ~Just Cross Stitch June 2022~Stickers from http://SparkleShineStudios.etsy.com~Fangirl Fibers Gilmore Girls Club April 2022 yarn in the 1000 Yellow Daisies colourway What We're Watching, Reading, + Listening To - Please be aware that we do discuss recent tv show episodes that have aired in the last week or so. This is your spoiler warning!April / May / June 2022 RAL - 15 minutes of reading daily challenge* 87-91 of 91 days - 1 or more giveaways for eBook, everyone gets $1.20 off any single pattern coupon code* 60-86 of 91 days - 1 or more giveaways for single pattern* #GGKRAL22* #GGKCSRAL22~April / May / June* 91 days - 10 entries* 87-90 days - 8 entries* 60-86 days - 5 entries~July / August / September* 92 days - 10 entries* 88-91 days - 8 entries* 61-87 days - 5 entries~ October / November / December* 92 days - 10 entries* 88-91 days - 8 entries* 61-87 days - 5 entries~ Read All 365 days - 10 bonus entriesEpisode 484 Bookshop List~Finlay Donovan Knocks 'Em Dead (Finlay Donovan #2) by Elle Cosimano - finished reading~All In (The Naturals #3) by Jennifer Lynn Barnes - finished reading~The Heartbreak Bakery by A.R. Capetta - finished reading~The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi - finished reading~Payback's a Witch (The Witches of Thistle Grove #1) by Lana Harper - finished reading~Find Me by Alafair Burke - finished reading~Law & Order: Special Victims Unit - watching episodes for That's Messed Up: An SVU Podcast~Gilmore Girls - rewatching Season 3 with the I Am All In With Scott Patterson Podcast~Outlander - finished watching Season 6~The Wilds - watching Season 2~Gentleman Jack - watching Series 2~Doctor Who - Easter special~My Favourite Murder podcast~Random Spotify PlaylistsMarch / April / May Sheepy Spring AL -*Runs from 1-March through 31-May*Details - any project you knit/crochet/weave/spin/stitch/sew that you can convince us relates to spring*No WIPS - Your project must be begun no earlier than 1-March and finished no later than 31-May*Each project that you knit/crochet/weave/spin must be at least 20yds/18.3m that you finish and post in the Facebook Group FO Thread counts as 1 entry into the giveaways. If your project is not at least 20yds/18.3m, you need to group it in a single post with other projects that together total at least 20yds/18.3m. For stitching/sewing projects, we'll leave it to your best judgment. If you wanted our official ruling, PM email us at ggkcspodcast@gmail.com*Feel free to poly-dip in other ALs as long as it fits in with other rules*Please complete our Google form in order to help us make sure you are receiving a prize that you'll actually enjoy using.*Prizes: If you'd like to donate one, email us at ggkcspodcast@gmail.comQ-Snap Floral CoverAudine Wools by KnitCrate Twinkle DK - 2 skeins of Knit Yorker (2 winners will each win 1 skein)Katrinkles Sheep Shawl PinPandia's Jewels Hand Dyed Yarn Delight in the Blush colourwayTeresa Kogut Angel Print*Must be a member of the our Facebook group ~ GGKCS Podcast / FlossTube to participate*Social Media Hashtag: #GGKCSSpring22*Thread will be locked the morning of 1-June and winner(s) drawn on the next podcast following that*For any and all giveaways, prizes, competitions, ALs, etc. that we host, the winner(s) have 30 days from the date of announcement (the date the podcast episode in which the winner was announced goes live) to contact us to claim their prize or it will be forfeited. If this occurs, the prize will be used for another giveaway at our discretion. Thanks for understanding!*There is a Chatter Thread in our Facebook group so we can encourage each other along the way.Ask the Geeks - Originally asked/answered in 2013:Kylie asks:I watched some Dr Who growing up but I'd love to start watching again!!!! Where should I start?!!!Misc. - ~I'm so excited to be a rep for The Black Needle SocietyJoin TBNS Waitlist to be notified when you can subscribe.Save 5% on everything in The Black Needle Society Vault with the code JAVAPURL5~Pride AL - Runs from 17-May-2021 [The International Day Against Homophobia, Biphobia, and Transphobia (IDAHOBIT)] through 30-June-2022. #GGKCSPrideAlong2122~Support the Podcast, Become A Patron~Support the Podcast, Join us on YouTube~Each week, we create a list on Bookshop of all the books we talk about in that week's episode. Bookshop is an online bookstore with a mission to financially support local, independent bookstores. 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If this occurs, the prize will be used for another giveaway at our discretion. Thanks for understanding!Find Us Online -C.C. - (she/her)~ on Instagram as CC_JavaPurlDami - (they/them)~ on Instagram as DamiMunroePink Purl - ~on Instagram as PinkiePurlJavaPurl Designs~ JavaPurl Designs websiteGGKCS -~ our Facebook group ~ GGKCS Podcast / FlossTube~ our Facebook page~ email us: ggkcspodcast@gmail.com~ on Apple Podcasts~ on YouTube~ Support the Podcast, Become a PatronUntil next time,
Wait. Didn't we read The Kaiju Preservation Society?? Why, yes. Yes, we did. Aren't we talking about it?? Why, yes. Yes, we are. But there are other things to talk about too. Like MOOOOONSHIIIIIIIINE.
This week, Patrick and Tracy welcome John Scalzi, author of The Kaiju Preservation Society. About The Kaiju Preservation Society: When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he […] The post Episode 535-With John Scalzi appeared first on The Functional Nerds.
CONTENT WARNINGS: Covid-19, Giant Monsters, Billionaires SPOILERS: The Kaiju Preservation Society On this week's episode, Joe gushes about The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi. He also might have done something ill-advised while meeting him on his book tour. Follow us on Twitter: @couplepagespod Intro song: Jellyfish in Space by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3938-jellyfish-in-space License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license
Do you like fun? Do you like alternate dimensions? Do you like 50 story tall monsters? Do you like irresponsible corporate execs getting what they deserve? DO YOU LIKE WHISKEY FROM TENNESSEE??? Then, have we got a show for you tonight! Join Stephen and Mark on a wild romp that's a cross between Godzilla, the Land Before Time, Look Up, and....and...uh...well, I don't know, but you're going to love it!
little red book, Ceskykure, and Lammy Lams talk with author John Scalzi about many random questions and slightly about his new book Kaiju Preservation Society, and yes a question is repeated. Music: Galactic Damages by Jingle Punks Considering supporting The Legendarium on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/legendarium Reddit: https://www.reddit.com/r/thelegendarium/ Discord: https://discord.gg/FNcpuuA Twitter: @GreenteamPod
We discuss and grade the John Scalzi book The Kaiju Preservation Society. Hosts: Trevor, Jay, and Josh
Welcome to No Page Unturned’s first Bookling episode. These are episodes covering the entirety of a single book. In this episode we cover John Scalzi’s The Kaiju Preservation Society and are joined by friend of the pod and kaiju specialist Jason Clarke. Your hosts are Josh MacDougall (@FourofFiveWits), Christina Ladd (@OLaddieGirl), and Steph Kingston (@StephOKingston). …
The gang is back, just in time for two of them to leave! Mike and Mae Linh haven't seen Turning Red yet, so they let Jarys and Rowan solo it for a bit. Then, they're back to talk The Adam Project, Horizon: Forbidden West, The Kaiju Preservation Society, and more! You can find the Ace of Geeks at: aceofgeeks.net, @aceofgeeks on Twitter, and facebook.com/theaceofgeeks Please check out The League of Swords, a high octane sword fighting experience that combines the best of pro wrestling, fighting games, and cinematic sword fights at leagueofswords.com You can find Mike @VengeanceGOD on Twitter, @VengeanceGOD2 on TikTok, and @brokeninfinityfilms on Instagram Jarys' writings on spirituality and magic are available at firstchurchofthemorningstar.com Rowan's music is at: https://soundcloud.com/user-791152727/sets/the-plague-overstayed-its/s-hAJL0cWcAdr?utm_source=clipboard&utm_medium=text&utm_campaign=social_sharing , and you can buy him a boba at www.ko-fi.com/saleibriel And Mae Linh's TikTok is @mlkitty1875
NEWS - Guests at Star Wars Celebration: Anthony Daniels, Ashley Eckstein (Ahsoka), and Ian McDiarmid - Christopher Lloyd in THE MANDALORIAN s03 - Marvel developing NOVA Story for D+ - Paul Wesley as Kirk in STRANGE NEW WORLDS s02 - MS. MARVEL trailer OGTW - Becker: STAR WARS: GALAXY'S EDGE, ROGUE ONE rewatch - Diaz: SPECTATORS pt. 7-8, ST: DISCOVERY finale, THE KAIJU PRESERVATION SOCIETY by John Scalzi MAIN: The team is back this week with a super-packed episode covering Joe's recent trip to Disneyland and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge in California. Listen up, because Joe drops some knowledge and tips if you've been thinking of visiting a galaxy far, far away. The team then dives right into the first episode of HALO, where, surprise! they have vastly different opinions, before they dig into episodes two and three of STAR TREK: PICARD. Are you enjoying …PICARD? What did you think of HALO? Leave a comment below! The Kybercast is back! #StarWarsCelebration #TheMandalorian #Nova #StrangeNewWorlds #MsMarvel #StarWarsGalaxysEdge #RogueOne #Spectators #StarTrek #Picard #Discovery #TheKaijuPreservationSociety #JohnScalzi
The Kaiju Preservation Society, written by John Scalzi and narrated by Wil Wheaton is a fun look into an alternate world where large Kaiju roam, and the members of the “animal rights organization” that looks after these large creatures. The Kaiju Preservation Society [Audible] / [Book Tour] Redshirts [Audible] The Last Emperox with Author John Scalzi [Episode 66] “Friendship In The Time Of Kaiju: A Conversation With John Scalzi” [Clarkesworld] Still Just a Geek [Libro.fm] / [Audible] How To [Libro.fm] / [OverDrive/Libby] / [ Audible] Lock In (series) [Audible] The Murderbot Diaries (Series) [Overdrive/Libby] / [Libro.fm] / [Audible] The Dispatcher [Audible]
Join me in The Dragon's Library for review of shows, movies, games, and books. This is my review of The Kaiju Preservation Society, a new Sci-Fi Comedy by John Scalzi. When Covid-19 sweeps through New York, Jamie Gray is laid off and stuck delivering food to make ends meet. After a run in with Tom, an old college acquaintance, Jamie is offered a grunt job at the large animal preservation group he works at. Jamie quickly discovers just how much Tom exaggerated. You can find the book at the links below.The Kaiju Preservation Society (Amazon)The Kaiju Preservation Society (Barnes & Noble)You can follow and contact me at the links below.Twitter: @Dragon_Library2Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheDragonLibrary/Podpage Website: https://www.podpage.com/the-dragons-library/YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_J3SqRoBXsadZhn8iX1XDAEmail: thedragonslibrary.main@gmail.comNew intro audio designed to be compatible with new youtube intro.
The 609th episode of the Reading and Writing Podcast features an interview with John Scalzi, author of the novel THE KAIJU PRESERVATION SOCIETY. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/reading-and-writing-podcast/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy
Pat King in conversation with John Scalzi
Marshall and Stephen are joined by the dynamic and entertaining John Scalzi to talk about his new book, The Kaiju Preservation Society. The post The Kaiju Preservation Mob, In Conversation with John Scalzi appeared first on Androids and Assets.
Marshall and Stephen are joined by the dynamic and entertaining John Scalzi to talk about his new book, The Kaiju Preservation Society. The post The Kaiju Preservation Mob, In Conversation with John Scalzi appeared first on Androids and Assets.
In this episode, we sit down with acclaimed science fiction author John Scalzi. You may know him from the Old Man's War series, or his latest novel The Kaiju Preservation Society. Or you may even know him for having a six-neck guitar. We will cover it all in this wide-ranging chat, and we're excited to have him on the show. Be sure to check out John Scalzi's blog to see what he is working on here: https://whatever.scalzi.com/ You can always find more Tales From The Bridge on Apple Podcasts our website, you can also find us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook to see what is happening on The Bridge.Check out our many links:Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/tales-from-the-bridge-all-things-sci-fi/id1570902818Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/3MQuEYGQ3HD2xTewRag8KGTwitter: @BridgeTalesInstagram: @talesfromthebridgeFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/talesfromthebridge/Good Reads: https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/141864356-talesfrom-thebridgeIMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt17354590/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1Website: https://talesfromthebridge.buzzsprout.com/Email: talesfromthebridgepodcast@gmail.com #podcast #sciencefiction #scifi #scifipodcast #applepodcasts #johnscalzi #oldmanswar
The end of another season of Sudden but Inevitable has arrived on this, our 50th episode. To help us get through all the emotional drain caused by this, our friend Philip Krogmeier, our resident Bebop Superfan, has returned to helps us process our feelings. Josh takes a moment to read some new words from a friendly review, and Ricky D struggles mightily against the whims of a housecat, all while the near perfect adaptation that has been Cowboy Bebop comes to a close. Don't forget to check out our seasons covering the original Cowboy Bebop, Firefly, and our bonus season sharing some of our favorite movies. Subscribe now to Open Pike Night so that you can be part of the show as Star Trek's Strange New Worlds series draws ever closer!Check out the Cap'n's recent appearance on Another Time, MacLeod, a minute-by-minute Highlander podcast!If you enjoy very cute things, consider a purchase from Cali D's Adorabubbles store! If you'd like to help #SaveCowboyBebop, you can sign the petition! If you'd like to read the book Phil mentioned, you can find The Kaiju Preservation Society at Amazon!Support your favorite indie podcast in style with an SBI shirt! Follow us on Twitter @SuddenBut! Check out our picks for Shot of the Show on Instagram @suddenbutinevitablepodcast! Or, go to twistmyarm.net/sbi to get everything all in one place. Follow our Facebook page to join us live and be part of the discussion! Watch us on YouTube!
In this episode of “Keen On”, Andrew is joined by John Scalzi, the author of “The Kaiju Preservation Society”. John Michael Scalzi is an award-winning science fiction author and former president of the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America. He has also written non-fiction books and columns on diverse topics such as finance, video games, films, astronomy, writing and politics, and served as a creative consultant for the TV series Stargate Universe. Visit our website: https://lithub.com/story-type/keen-on/ Email Andrew: a.keen@me.com Watch the show live on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ajkeen Watch the show live on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankeen/ Watch the show live on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lithub Watch the show on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/LiteraryHub/videos Subscribe to Andrew's newsletter: https://andrew2ec.substack.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
We are thrilled to bring you our interview with prolific Sci-Fi author, John Scalzi. Craig and Mike chat with John about his upcoming release, The Kaiju Preservation Society. Set for release on March 15, this new stand-alone novel is signature Scalzi, bringing humor and wit to the world of kaijus. We also talk his previous works, including the Old Man's War series as well as Red Shirts and others. Scalzi provides insights into his writing process, and even compares Sci-Fi to his favorite dessert. FEATURING: Craig McFarland and Mike Anthony
When COVID-19 sweeps through New York City, Jamie Gray is stuck as a dead-end driver for food delivery apps. That is, until Jamie makes a delivery to an old acquaintance, Tom, who works at what he calls “an animal rights organization”. Tom's team needs a last-minute grunt to handle things on their next field visit. Jamie, eager to do anything, immediately signs on. What Tom doesn't tell Jamie is that the animals his team cares for are not here on Earth. Not our Earth, at at least. In an alternate dimension, massive dinosaur-like creatures named Kaiju roam a warm and human-free world. They're the universe's largest and most dangerous panda and they're in trouble. It's not just the Kaiju Preservation Society who's found their way to the alternate world. Others have, too. And their carelessness could cause millions back on our Earth to die. John Scalzi is the New York Times best selling author of Old Man's War, The Collapsing Empire and Redshirts, the latter of which won the Hugo Award for Best Novel. His short stories have been adapted for the Netflix animated series Love Death + Robots. He's known across the internet for his horrific burritos. The post The Kaiju Preservation Society – Ep 95 with John Scalzi appeared first on Read Learn Live Podcast.
Andi and Lise were joined by book reviewer and fellow podcaster Tara Scott (she/they) to chat about things they're all looking forward to in 2022 despite the continuing pooshow that is the world. Find Tara at The Lesbian Review, Smart Bitches, Trashy Books, and Queerly Recommended. Also on Twitter, @taramdscott On the TV: Lise: animated series Legend of Vox Machina, Amazon Prime, based on “Critical Role,” a group of voice actors who have been playing D&D together for years. Tara: RuPaul's Drag Race: UK Vs. the World (BBCThree) – a global spinoff. She's also looking forward to RuPaul's Drag Race in general (various platforms) and the show We're Here (HBO), which follows 3 drag queens bringing luv to small-town America. Andi: Mandalorian season 3 (Disney Plus) and Only Murders in the Building (Hulu), season 2. Books: Tara: Count Your Lucky Stars (steamy F/F rom-com) by Alexandria Bellefleur and I Kissed Shara Wheeler (F/F) by Casey McQuiston. Lise: Rebecca Roanhorse, Fevered Sun (Book 2 in the Between Earth and Sky series); Naomi Novik's third in the Scholomance series, The Golden Enclaves Andi: John Scalzi, Kaiju Preservation Society and Tochi Onyebuchi, Goliath; also Janelle Monáe's The Memory Librarian, short speculative fiction featuring Black women writers and Black nonbinary writers and creators Games: Tara: Rune Factory 5 (Nintendo Switch) and Sea of Stars (Switch; other platforms) Lise: Starfield (Xbox) Andi: still learning Switch, plays puzzle/mystery games but looking for a FPS for noobs on the Switch Movies/TV: Tara: not feeling movies, but recommends Mythic Quest on AppleTV, a comedy show about a fictional video game studio working on the fictional game Mythic Quest Andi: Everything Everywhere All at Once, starring Michelle Yeoh as a woman who just wants to get her taxes paid but keeps getting sucked into the multiverse to save it.
We're closing out another year of A Galaxy Not So Far Away, and this time Becca and Gary are joined by bookseller Victoria to discuss our favorite reads of 2021, as well as the titles we're most excited for in 2022! Best of 2021 Empire of the Vampire by Jay Kristoff The House of Always by Jenn Lyons Happy Kanako's Killer Life by Toshiya Wakabayashi The Free Bastards by Jonathan French Star Wars - The High Republic: Light of the Jedi by Charles Soule Star Wars - The High Republic: Into the Dark by Claudia Gray Star Wars - The High Republic: A Test of Courage by Justina Star Wars - The High Republic: The Rising Storm by Cavan Scott Star Wars - The High Republic: Out of the Shadows by Justina Ireland Star Wars - The High Republic: Race to Crashpoint Tower by Daniel José Older Look Back by Tatsuki Fujimoto Chainsaw Man by Tatsuki Fujimoto Counting Down with You by Tashie Bhuiyan Window Shopping by Tessa Bailey Star Wars Visions: Ronin by Emma Mieko Candon Girly Drinks: A World History of Women and Alcohol by Mallory O'Meara The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood Most Anticipated in 2022 The Kaiju Preservation Society by John Scalzi Belladonna by Adalyn Grace Shadow Fallen by Sherrilyn Kenyon The Savior's Book Cafe Story in Another World by Kayouka Izumi, Oumiya, and Reiko Sakurada Tokyo Revengers (Omnibus) by Ken Wakui Star Wars - The High Republic: The Fallen Star by Claudia Gray The Discord of Gods by Jenn Lyons Nona the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir The Murder of Mr Wickham by Claudia Gray Nightwork by Nora Roberts K-Pop Revolution by Stephan Lee The Liminal Zone by Junji Ito Death Note Short Stories by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata Sweat and Soap Box Set by Kintetsu Yamada The Phantom Circuit by Austin Farmer What we're reading: My Senpai is Annoying by Shiromanta Cutie and the Beast by Yuhi Azumi The Way of the Househusband by Kousuka Oono Scythe by Neal Shusterman Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir The House in the Cerulean Sea by TJ Klune King of Battle and Blood by Scarlett St. Clair Subscribe to the SciFi & Fantasy Book Crate or the Cozy Mysteries Book Crate now! You can now find us on Patreon! Unlock exclusive content by subscribing today! Special thanks to Austin Farmer for letting us use the track "Kill the Farm Boy", from his album Bookshelf Symphony Orchestra! Send us your questions to mystgalaxypod@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, and TikTok! And support the store by ordering books at mystgalaxy.com!