Infinite Gestation Infinite Gestation

The podcast goes back to literature as Grant and Sam discuss the giant of science fiction epics: Dune by Frank Herbert. We know this one is much anticipated and the panel doesn’t hold back with the book, the controversial David Lynch film adaptation, or the 2000 miniseries.



If you have yet to read the novel, it is highly recommended that you do so before listening to this episode, because - A. Spoilers and B. You will probably find yourself completely lost.



Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com















Show Notes & Links



* Dune



* Frank Herbert

* Dune (1984 film) - David Lynch

* Dune (2000 miniseries) - John Harrison

* Children of Dune (2003 miniseries) - Greg Yaitanes

* Dune (the whole canon!)

* David Lynch

* Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area

* The End of History and the Last Man by Francis Fukuyama

* Mahdi

* The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

* The Foundation series by Isaac Asimov

"Isolationism is deeply stupid." So says Sam in this special episode in which he talks to Grant about three books: Present at the Creation by Dean Acheson, Running the World by David Rothkopf, and How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything by Rosa Brooks. He uses these books as a starter course in foreign policy from the end of World War II to the present day – including where we should go from here, because if we are to be informed citizens we have to know these things.

We promise next episode will be back to literature.

PS: Sam has since read Doomed to Succeed by Dennis Ross and highly recommends it. He would also like us to add A Problem From Hell by Samantha Power & George F. Kennan by John Lewis Gaddis to his list, if you're so inclined.

PPS The quote "You may not be interested in war, but war is interested in you." is attributed Leon Trotsky.

Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com















Show Notes & Links



* Present at the Creation by Dean Acheson

* Running the World by David Rothkopf

* How Everything Became War and the Military Became Everything by Rosa Brooks 

* Doomed to Succeed by Dennis Ross

* A Problem From Hell by Samantha Power

* George F. Kennan by John Lewis Gaddis

* Diplomacy by Henry Kissinger

* The Trial of Henry Kissinger by Christopher Hitchens

* American Dad! "Ollie North" episode

* Iran-Contra Affair

* National Security Council

* National Security Act of 1947

* North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)

* a href="https://en.m.wikipedia.

On this episode of Infinite Gestation, Pat and Sam are joined by frequent guest and now permanent panelist Matt Bird (which means I no longer have to type his last name) to discuss White Noise by Don DeLillo. Published in 1985, it has quickly become a classic postmodern novel. The panel discusses the major themes of the work including modern media, the family, consumerism, and the fear of death. Quick! Death is coming! Better learn to deal with it.



Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com - check out the new site!















Show Notes & Links



* Don DeLillo

* White Noise

* Post Modernism / Postmodern

* The Proposal (2009 film) - Anne Fletcher

* Freytag's Pyramid (dramatic structure)

* Sir Richard J. Evans

* Seth Rich

* Philip K. Dick

* Substance D

* A Scanner Darkly

* Calvin and Hobbes

* Bill Watterson

* Dave Eggers

* David Foster Wallace

Smuggled stories from North Korea - On this episode, recorded when the panel was giddy over the French election results, Pat and Sam delve into the recently published short stories of Bandi.



The pseudonym of an unknown North Korean author (which means firefly), Bandi wrote the stories at great personal risk. They were smuggled out of the country by others and have now been published in English as "The Accusation". The panel discusses their favorites of the stories, the work's damning portrayal of the North Korean government, and the steps taken to protect the identity of this dissident writer, offering us the first fiction from someone still living in the country.



Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com















Show Notes & Links



* Bandi

* The Accusation

* One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

* Patty Hearst

* Arduous March (North Korean famine)

* North Korea at Night

* Third Reich Trilogy by Richard J. Evans

* The Third Reich of Dreams: The Nightmares of a Nation, 1933-39 by Charlotte Beradt

* The Train Was on Time by Heinrich Böll

* Love/Hate H.P. Lovecraft – Halloween Special | Episode 016

* The Magic Mountain by Thomas Mann

Infinite Gestation goes contemporary in this episode featuring John Darnielle's debut novel, Wolf in White Van, nominated for the National Book Award in 2014. Though many know Darnielle as singer-songwriter and member of The Mountain Goats, he is making a well received foray into fiction. His first novel is in no way a vanity project and despite some flaws, stands as a fine specimen of a freshman novel.



His sophomore effort Universal Harvester was released in February of this year.



Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com















Show Notes & Links



* Wolf in White Van

* John Darnielle

* The Mountain Goats

* A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan

* A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan (podcast episode)

* Universal Harvester

* Weeds (TV Series)

* We Shall All Be Healed (2004 album)

* Game Systems Inc.

* Middle Earth Play-By-Mail (PBM)

* Briefcase/Suitcase in Pulp Fiction

* MacGuffin

* Larry Norman

* Paul McCartney Death Hoax (Paul is Dead)

* Backmasking

* Marabou Stork Nightmares by Irving Welsh

* The Ice Storm by Rick Moody

* The Garden of the Forking Paths by  Louise Borges

* Luca and the Fire of Life by Salman Rushdie

Pat reads Jazz, Sam reads Beloved, they discuss both! Departing from the usual format, this episode features both novels by Toni Morrison in a discussion exploring the work of one of American literature's greatest icons. Highlights include some comparisons to the film Beloved starring Oprah Winfrey and Danny Glover as well as Sam's definition of magical realism.



Follow @Infin8Gestation on Twitter • Visit InfiniteGestation.com















Show Notes & Links



* Toni Morrison

* Jazz

* Beloved

* Beloved (film)

* Kunderafest – The Festival of Insignificance by Milan Kundera | Episode 002

* 40 acres and a mule

* Dred Scott Decision (Dred Scott v. Sandford)

* Paul B is actually Paul D (apologies from Sam)

* Die Blechtrommel – The Tin Drum by Günter Grass | Episode 008

* The Tin Drum by Günter Grass

* Salman Rushdie

* One Hundred Years of Solitude Gabriel Garcia Márquez

* Terry Pratchett

* The Exorcist

* Woody Allen

* Sunset Boulevard