Episode 69: Alice MacLachlan on Revenge

Deborah Finding's "Vigils for Dead and Dying Girls" is a collection of poems that confronts the pervasive issue of violence against women. The poems are intensely personal, moving between rage, grief, and humor. Finding uses vivid imagery and creative forms to explore the complexities of trauma and the failures of justice. The collection challenges readers to confront difficult emotions and consider the systemic issues that perpetuate violence. It's a powerful and moving work that leaves a lasting impact.

In 'A Half-Built Garden', Judy Wallach-Stevens, a hydrologist in a climate-conscious community near the Chesapeake Bay, discovers an alien spaceship on a routine monitoring mission. The aliens, known as Ringers, propose that humanity abandon Earth to join their multi-species alliance in deep space habitats to escape an impending climate catastrophe. The novel delves into themes of cooperation, mutual agreement, queer and Jewish identity, and the complexities of human and alien cultures. It also explores sustainable human communities, corporate cultures, and the challenges of decision-making and power dynamics in the face of significant global change.