The Duck of Minerva

Alastair Reynolds, Blue Remembered Earth

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by Dan Nexon

1 November 2012, 0900 EDT

I think Duck of Minerva readers will really enjoy this podcast. Lots on the near-future imaginary, technological change, and other topics of interest.

From the write up at New Books in Science Fiction and Fantasy:

Blue Remembered Earth (Gollantz, 2012) takes place roughly 150 years in the future. Climate change, as well as the political and economic rise of Africa, have transformed the planet. Humanity is colonizing the solar system. Geoffrey Akinya, grandson of a visionary businesswoman, cares most about his scientific work with elephants. His sister, Sunday, pursues the life of an artist in an anarchic commune on the moon. But their grandmother’s death sets in motion an interplanetary treasure hunt with the potential to change humanity’s future.

Alastair Reynolds‘ latest book has received much critical praise; there’s a sense among some science-fiction writers and fans that Blue Remembered Earth marks an important development in the genre itself. Whatever readers may think of it, Reynolds is a gregarious and fascinating interview subject, and I’m very pleased that he agreed to record this podcast.

The podcast is available at the New Books website.

A note on the Duck of Minerva Podcasts: I was supposed to record one on Tuesday, but, well, Sandy. My aim is to get at least one or two at ISA-NE this year; if I succeed, podcasts will return to the Duck this weekend.

Daniel H. Nexon is a Professor at Georgetown University, with a joint appointment in the Department of Government and the School of Foreign Service. His academic work focuses on international-relations theory, power politics, empires and hegemony, and international order. He has also written on the relationship between popular culture and world politics.

He has held fellowships at Stanford University's Center for International Security and Cooperation and at the Ohio State University's Mershon Center for International Studies. During 2009-2010 he worked in the U.S. Department of Defense as a Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow. He was the lead editor of International Studies Quarterly from 2014-2018.

He is the author of The Struggle for Power in Early Modern Europe: Religious Conflict, Dynastic Empires, and International Change (Princeton University Press, 2009), which won the International Security Studies Section (ISSS) Best Book Award for 2010, and co-author of Exit from Hegemony: The Unraveling of the American Global Order (Oxford University Press, 2020). His articles have appeared in a lot of places. He is the founder of the The Duck of Minerva, and also blogs at Lawyers, Guns and Money.

3 Comments

  1. Chris Goldsmith
    Chris Goldsmith on 1 November 2012 at 09.19 EDT

    There’s a new Iain M. Banks book out – The Hydrogen Sonata. Can you get him on?

    • dnexon
      dnexon on 1 November 2012 at 10.13 EDT

      The bad news: Banks declined the invitation to do a podcast.
      The good news: he agreed to a book symposium at the Duck instead. PTJ is coordinating.

      • Jeppe Mulich
        Jeppe Mulich on 1 November 2012 at 10.29 EDT

        That sounds terrific. Very much looking forward to reading the symposium.