Hugo and Nebula Readership Podcast

Alice Baker and Ann Spangler
  • 3.8 (6)
  • Books

Sisters Alice and Ann attempt to read their way through all of the Hugo and Nebula award-winning books. Alice is a mother of one who is trying to get back in the habit of regular reading and who credits her sister Ann for her love of the Sci-Fi and Fantasy genres. Ann, a mother of two, has been and still is a voracious reader who hopes to improve her skill at book discussions.

  1. The Gods Themselves

    01/13/2025

    The Gods Themselves

    In this episode of the Hugo and Nebula Readership Podcast, sisters Ann and Alice are discussing The Gods Themselves by Isaac Asimov. Written in 1972, this book won both Hugo and Nebula, if you are keeping track. This parallel universe sandwich type story of academic scientists, aliens, more scientists had us railing at the heavens. And laughing our asses off. Here's a listening guide if you should care to dive in: 1:12 Book jacket read 2:46 History Lesson 7:14 We dive into the Big Topics and Themes 8:45 Part 1 – following the format of the book, we start in the logical place 23:33 Part 2 – spoiler alert, our favorite 41:26 Part 3 – not our favorite 54:14 The Four Questions

    59 min
  2. A Time of Changes

    02/22/2023

    A Time of Changes

    In this episode, the two sisters tackle the nebula award winner from 1972 - A Time of Changes by Robert Silverberg. Our man, a regular World con attendee, and prolific writer created a science fiction piece, and to us  - almost a fantasy, while undertaking a personal writing challenge - to create a story without using the word "I". So did this idea work?  We definitely had our own opinions. Here are some time markers to help guide you: 01:42 Book Jacket read (We say the names) 03:57 History Lesson 08:22 Tackling the Big Themes: Struggle bus time 11:31 The concept of writing without using "I" 12:13 Segway into Mindsharing 15:46 The New Wave style of writing 17:42 World Building, but it somehow fades to the background 20:54 Discussion of Bond Brothers/Sisters 24:30 Chosen one vs. the sidekick 25:40 We Segway again - this time into sex and character development  31:25 Earthman = Drug Dealer 33:26 Four questions

    36 min
  3. Riverworld

    01/25/2023

    Riverworld

    In this episode of the Hugo and Nebula Readership Podcast the two sisters are reading To Your Scattered Bodies Go or Riverworld by Philip Jose Farmer. It won the Hugo in 1972.  The reason for the double name is that the first book - To your scattered bodies go - is now rarely published by itself but can be more easily found with its series under the series name - Riverworld.  In this novel filled with historical characters, we ultimately were awash with questions.  Listen and find out why. Here are some time markers for you: 01:24 Book jacket read 03:50 History lesson 10:39 Big Themes 13:10 Other peoples' reviews - did that help us? 18:44 Protagonist and friends 23:40 Storyline and pacing and world-building, oh my 26:15 Adaptations and games 29:00 Suicide express and characters  31:20 Action writer, pulp writer 34:50 Women Characters - well, it's a thing 43:40 Four Questions

    44 min
  4. Ringworld

    12/03/2022

    Ringworld

    In this Episode of the Hugo and Nebula Readership Podcast, the two sisters tackle Ringworld by Larry Niven.  The book won the Nebula in 1970 and the Hugo in 1971.  While highly praised by the SF world it was a bit of a struggle bus for us both.  Listen in and find out why. In a skipping mood? Here are some time markers to assist you: 01:15 Book jacket read but we have no book jacket 02:50 History Lesson 06:15 Tackling the Big themes  10:20 Big Science or Plot driven characters - can't we have both?  18:24 Throwback tropes  20:24 Characters  30:00 Why Alice launches the book across the room 35:40 Other reviews of the book 38:14 The Four Questions

    45 min
  5. Left Hand of Darkness

    09/21/2022

    Left Hand of Darkness

    Welcome to the Hugo and Nebula Readership Podcast where two sisters are reading their way through the Hugo and Nebula awarding novels in order. This episode is the highly anticipated Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin which won both the Hugo and the Nebula in 1970.  It was a big hit with both sisters; we're singing praises in this rather short episode   Would you like to jump around and hit the high points? Here are the time markers to do just that: 01:32 Book Jacket Read 03:13 History Lesson 08:30 Big Themes - Love and Gender 13:14 Pronouns and Gender 17:19 Genly's perspective and Gender 22:22 Characters and storyline 34:40 Amazing world building 40:00 Four Questions

    46 min
  6. The 1960s in Review

    06/22/2022

    The 1960s in Review

    Sisters Alice and Ann have read all of the novels that won either a Hugo award, a Nebula award, or both in the 1960s. In this episode, they look back on the experience and discuss how they think their readership is progressing.  Want to skip to a specific topic? Here are some time stamps to help guide you: 01:10  Lost Episodes - Starship Troopers, Canticle for Lebowitz and Case for Conscience  04:00  We rank our favorites 10:18  Impactful vs. Enjoyable books 12:16  History Lessons 13:16  Myths and Legends 15:19  Women in the 60s 18:10  Aliens in the 60s 19:25  How are we doing with our manifesto and goals? 22:50  New Ideas, new friends 29:24  Looking forward to the 70s

    36 min
  7. Rite of Passage

    05/25/2022

    Rite of Passage

    Welcome to the Hugo and Nebula readership podcast where two sisters are reading their way through all - all, I say - the books in chronological order. This episode covers Rite of passage by Alexei Panshin which won the Hugo in 1969. This book is a great example of how two persons never read the same book.  Here are some time markers to guide you through the episode  01:02 Book jacket read 02:29 History Lesson 04:39 A Heinlein moment  06:44 Open discussion: another Heinlein moment  10:38 Mia: protagonist, flawed and likable  17:00 Jimmy the boyfriend  20:09 Stories within stories 22:33 The writing and we go back and do a plot summary  26:26 Predetermined endings  29:16 More characters  35:25 The trial 39:59 Four questions  43:31 Side trip: male writers of female characters and visa versa

    50 min
  8. Stand on Zanzibar

    06/23/2021

    Stand on Zanzibar

    We're not quite hip enough for hip crime vocab, are you? On this episode of the Hugo and Nebula Readership podcast, the two sisters are reading the groundbreaking dystopia Stand on Zanzibar by John Brunner - it won the Hugo for 1969.   Give us a listen. Want to skip a bit or jump to your favorite part?  Here are the time markers for this episode: 01:51 Book's Blurb which has no plot synopsis... 02:48 so we attempt one ourselves 05:40 History Lesson  12:26 General discussion and big theme  17:28 Dystopias and all that 23:50 Donald and/or Norman? 28:02 Chad C. Mulligan and the HipCrime Vocab 29:32 The Shiggies  31:57 … and we circle back to Chad C. Mulligan 34:40 John Brunner and the future 37:50 The Begi stories 41:20 Five Questions   Music by Carl Miles

    48 min
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Sisters Alice and Ann attempt to read their way through all of the Hugo and Nebula award-winning books. Alice is a mother of one who is trying to get back in the habit of regular reading and who credits her sister Ann for her love of the Sci-Fi and Fantasy genres. Ann, a mother of two, has been and still is a voracious reader who hopes to improve her skill at book discussions.

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