Hope, Harmony, and Reflection: A Psalm for the Wild-Built by Becky Chambers
Andrea and Elizabeth dive into Becky Chambers’ solarpunk novella Psalm for the Wild-Built and explore its themes of hope, utopia, and relatable self-discovery. They discuss Sibling Dex’s journey, the meaning of sentience, and how solarpunk reimagines sustainable futures in science fiction.
Episode Chapters
00:00 A Psalm for the Wild-Built
00:55 Understanding Solarpunk
01:57 Initial Impressions
05:32 Character Analysis: Sibling Dex
07:38 Language and Gender in Literature
09:50 Relatability
11:07 Asking Big Questions
13:37 Personal Utopia
14:50 Sentience and Robots
20:23 Recommended by a Bookseller
23:15 Adapting the Book for Screen
25:36 Rating and Final Thoughts
27:50 Supporting the Podcast
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References Mentioned:
Genre of Solarpunk
Areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONBs): Designation and management
Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law by Mary Roach
New Zealand National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee: Animal sentience
Late Night with Seth Meyers: The Best of The Kind of Story We Need Right Now
Hugo Award lists for 2022: Psalm for the Wild-Built Won Best Novella
