The Memory of Whiteness, by Kim Stanley Robinson, and Toki Suntory, Part 1

Michael, Ethan, and special guest Josiah discuss The Memory of Whiteness, by Kim Stanley Robinson while drinking Suntory Toki Japanese whisky.

In this episode:

  • Accusations of cuckoo-bird-ery

  • Is this book Faust? Is this book Alastor? Is Alastor Faust?

  • Having a stroke, falling into a singularity: pretty much the same thing

  • The Contexts of Percy Bysshe Shelley’s Faust Translations, by Mathelinda Nabugodi

  • Determinism leads to free will leads to determinism leads to free will, etc

  • Have you ever heard of a piece of music starting with a prologue???

  • Ethan scoops Josiah, but at least he gives Josiah credit for it

  • Lots of mountain stuff

  • The music of the spheres? THAT’s provocative

  • Ethan loses but is only called out for it the second time

  • Nepenthe, the drug of forgetfulness

  • Some extremely cool and not at all completely nerdy discussion of different types of genitive

  • We are not doing any kind of linking or backgrounding of the punishment song. We’re all suffering together

  • Note: Josiah did force the karaoke to go on MUCH longer, but the editors have cut it down purely for the sake of avoiding a copyright strike and for no other reason

Next time Michael, Ethan, and Josiah will continue to discuss The Memory of Whiteness, by Kim Stanley Robinson! Join the discussion! Go to the Contact page and put "Scotch Talk" in the Subject line. We'd love to hear from you! And submit your homework at the Michael & Ethan in a Room with Scotch page.

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MUSIC & SFX:

"Kessy Swings Endless - (ID 349)" by Lobo Loco. Used by permission.

"The Grim Reaper - II Presto" by Aitua. Used under an Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike License.

"Thinking It Over" by Lee Rosevere. Used under an Attribution License.

(Links to books & products are affiliate links.)