Episode Details

In this laid-back “summer reading list” edition of Modem Futura, Sean and Andrew swap stacks and playlists to prove that great ideas don’t always hide in weighty nonfiction tomes. After comparing the pleasures (and pitfalls) of audiobooks, narrator chemistry, and the lost art of radio drama, they dive into a dozen page-turners that feed futurist imaginations. On Sean’s side you’ll find propulsive series such as Martha Wells’ Murderbot Diaries; Hugh Howey’s silo saga (Wool, Shift, Dust); the psychologically eerie Solaris by Stanisław Lem; Dennis E. Taylor’s clone-happy Bobiverse opener We Are Legion (We Are Bob); John Scalzi’s geriatric-marine romp Old Man’s War; Michael Crichton’s bio-tech cautionary tale Jurassic Park; and the ever-quotable classics Good Omens (Pratchett & Gaiman) and Douglas Adams’ The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. 

Andrew counters with literary wit—Julie Schumacher’s academic farce Dear Committee Members—and social sci-fi masterworks: John Wyndham’s The Kraken Wakes, Arthur Ransome’s adventure Swallowdale (a sequel to Swallows and Amazons), Iain M. Banks’ mind-bending The Algebraist, plus the idea-rich hybrid AI 2041 by Kai-Fu Lee and Chen Qiufan. Along the way they riff on why fiction is vital counter-programming for analysts, how childhood favorites like Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time still ignite wonder, and why storytelling is a laboratory for ethical questions about AI, personhood, and technological hubris. Expect banter about the pros and cons of adaptations—from Apple TV+’s Silo and Amazon’s forthcoming Murderbot to Hollywood’s dino-driven detours—and an open invitation for listeners to share their own must-reads. Whether you’re beach-bound, backyard-lounging, or headset-deep in spatial computing, this episode arms you with speculative adventures, clever satire, and big-picture provocations to carry through the long, sunny days ahead

Sean's Picks:

• The Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells [Amazon]
• Silo (Series) Wool (book 1) by Hugh Howey [Amazon]
• Jurassic Park: A Novel by Michael Crichton [Amazon]
• Solaris by Stanislaw Lem [Amazon] 

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