The stories we tell about the past can determine the way we understand the present. But what happens when we combine tales of magic and fantasy with some of the most traumatic chapters in history? I talk with novelists P. Djeli Clark, Nisi Shawl, and Zen Cho about how speculative fiction can be a useful tool to reimagine the legacy of colonialism and imperialism. Plus, we hear readings from actress Nneka Okoye.
Books mentioned in this episode:
- A Master of Djinn by P. Djeli Clark
- Everfair by Nisi Shawl
- Sorcerer to The Crown by Zen Cho
- Babel, or The Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators’ Revolution by R. F. Kuang (author of The Poppy War series)
- A Memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine
Nisi also recommends:
- A Stranger in Olondria by Sofia Samatar
- The Dominion of the Fallen series by Aliette de Bodard
- The works of L Timmel Duchamp and Margaret Killjoy
This episode is sponsored by Aspiration Zero credit card. Our ad partner is Multitude. If you’re interested in advertising on Imaginary Worlds, you can contact them here.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices