The LRB Podcast
On J.G. Ballard
May 29, 2024
Edmund Gordon, an expert on J.G. Ballard, discusses the writer's contradictions and conservative avant-garde blend. They explore Ballard's fiction goals, 'Ballardian' Empire of the Sun, and surrealism's impact on his work.
37:11
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Quick takeaways
- Ballard's work blends conservatism with avant-garde, challenging societal norms.
- Ballard proposed exploring inner space in science fiction for therapeutic creativity.
Deep dives
Ballard's Early Influences and Childhood Experiences
J.G. Ballard's childhood in the international settlement in Shanghai profoundly shaped his work. Trauma from the Japanese invasion influenced his imagery of drained swimming pools and abandoned houses. Discovering surrealism as a teenager and later science fiction while stationed in Canada, Ballard sought to translate the visually surreal into prose.
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