Marooned! On Mars With Matt And Hilary

Matt and Hilary continue their discussion of "Tariqat," Part 6 of KSR's Green Mars. We focus on the emergent political economy of Mars' demimonde, as practiced by Coyote as he circulates between the various underground factions. M & H try to figure out the nitrogen-based gift economy and about the place of gifts within social relations. References include Gayle Rubin, "The Traffic in Women;" David Graeber, "Debt;" and a comment about Chinese railroad workers that was misattributed to KSR but which actually comes from McKenzie Wark's article on Occupy, "This Shit is Fucked Up and Bullshit." In the background, please enjoy the sounds of the Chicago Air & Water (mostly air) Show dress rehearsals and our old friends the cicadas. Also, near the end, the ice cream truck. Enjoy us on the Anchor.fm app, where you can leave us voicemails! Rate and review: iTunes @podcastonmars Email: maroonedonmarspodcast@gmail Music: The Spirit of Space Next week: Nadia and the new Martian constitution! --- Support

Matt & Hilary discuss Part 6 of Green Mars, "Tariqat." Focalized through Nirgal, we also get a healthy dose of the the way Spencer and Art come to know the underground of Mars, as they, along with Coyote and Sax, drive around in a boulder car after the daring jailbreak in Part 5. Our discussion of "Tariqat" is divided into two parts, as there's just too much going on. Here, we focus on Nirgal, Art, and Coyote, especially Nirgal's experience of Sabishii and its (highly enviable) university system, the continued emergence of uniquely Martian cultures, and a bit about Sax's rehabilitation. Next time we'll talk the gift economy and the beginning of Nadia's search for a political resolution to the conflicts among the demimonde. Follow us on Twitter @podcastonmars Email us at maroonedonmarspodcast@gmail.com Rate/review us on iTunes Music by The Spirit of Space If you download the Anchor.fm app you can leave us voicemails! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilar

Matt and Hilary discuss Part Five of Kim Stanley Robinson's Green Mars, "Homeless," from the perspective of Michel. This one's action packed, as Michel and Maya break into the Martian prison at Kasei Vallis to rescue Sax from his torturer-interrogators! Coyote has a few tricks up his sleeve. Memory and childhood take a central place in this chapter, as the first hundred are getting older and continuing to forget things--and that seems to be analogous to the reader's experience with these very long novels! We've switched podcast hosts to anchor.fm, so hopefully there is no interruption in service. There's now an option to support our (still free!) podcast. We'll soon be available on lots more platforms besides just iTunes and Google Play, as well. Follow us on Twitter @podcastonmars Email us at maroonedonmarspodcast@gmail.com Rate and review us on iTunes and wherever you review podcasts on the Google Play thingie. Original title music by The Spirit of Space --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/

Matt and Hilary discuss Part Four of Kim Stanley Robinson's "Green Mars," "The Scientist as Hero," told from the perspective of Sax Russell. The first chapter from the perspective of Sax, and it's unique in that it contains a lot of overlap with other chapters, so we see the full conversation between Ann and Sax from Part 3 that Ann couldn't remember, and we get an oblique reference to Art Randolph. We also get our greatest exposure to Phyllis, who was last seen on Clarke, speeding toward Jupiter on Clarke faster than any human had ever gone, after the cable was broken. M & H discuss the meaning of "The Scientist as Hero," which, upon extra-podcast inspection, is a reference to Martin Arrowsmith, the title character of Sinclair Lewis’s novel *Arrowsmith* (Hilary was right…again). An article in *American Quarterly* from 1963 by Charles E. Rosenberg, “Martin Arrowsmith: The Scientist as Hero,” describes him as research a scientist cast as a heroic protagonist. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor

Matt and Hilary discuss Part Three of Green Mars by Kim Stanley Robinson, "Long Runout," an Ann Clayborne chapter. We find Ann in mourning, stunned after the losses of Simon, Frank, and Mars itself, driving around the surface, conducting research and trying to think like a stone. Matt and Hilary make jokes about the problem of the other minds, and they read and discuss some recent Mars news, including a front page essay in the New York Times (which they critique heartily) and an interview with KSR in good ol' news aggregator Huffington Post. Then it's a deep dive into Ann and Coyote's attempts to activate her back into (political) life. Go to meetings! Get involved! Be happy to see other people! We're all we've got! This one is really good, folks! And long! Now available on Google Play. Follow us on Twitter @podcastonmars Email us at maroonedonmarspodcast@gmail.com Rate and review us on iTunes and Google Play! Original title music by The Spirit of Space --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.f

Matt and Hilary discuss Part Two of Green Mars, The Ambassador. Suddenly we're back to Earth and introduced to Art Randolph and William Fort, who set out to "acquire" Mars. The space elevator gets reconnected in the prologue, and eccentric jillionaire scientist guru Praxis-head William Fort and Steve Jobs/ Willy Wonka wannabe invites Art Randolph to one of his infamous, mysterious seminars and tasks him with "acquiring" Mars. Art gets nauseous on the trip to the Red Planet, and meets a real live Martian! Matt really likes Art Randolph and misses being in seminars. Hilary likes the idea of getting up really early and going for a hike through the fog by the ocean. Great convo'! Follow us on Twitter @podcastonmars Email us at maroonedonmarspodcast@gmail.com Rate and review us on iTunes! Original title music by The Spirit of Space. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilary/support

Matt and Hilary start the second volume of Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy, *Green Mars*! Told from the perspective of Nirgal, a true Martian, we're re-introduced to the world of Mars, the first hundred, and a sense of wonder. We get to see Dr. Robot, the Good Witch, and the Bad Witch as teachers to a new generation of humans born on Mars, with a whole different relationship to and idea of family, planetariness, love, sex, embodiment, and everything else. We're also introduced to Hiroko's concept of viriditas and Sax's idea of The Great Unexplainable, which Nirgal imagines as "the green and the white." Matt and Hilary talk about the defamiliarizing qualities of this chapter, including the thick descriptions of the town of Zygote, hidden under the southern ice cap. We get a lot more about Coyote (including his real name) and his efforts to create a new Martian economy--all seen through the eyes of a child. Follow us on Twitter @podcastonmars Email us at maroonedonmarspodcast@gma --- Support this pod

Matt and Hilary say goodbye to *Red Mars.* We talk about the New York Times' review of the book (Matt was too lazy and busy to find other, more relevant reviews). Hilary tells us how to read science fiction. We take a deepish dive into Arkady and Hiroko, two charismatic and enigmatic characters that the reader has to construct based on other characters' perceptions and interactions. We talk about SF's status as a literary genre and Matt hits Hilary with a doozy of a question about the status of *Red Mars* as a realist novel, which Hilary handles with her characteristic aplomb and brilliance, and gives a primer on realism vs. utopia the likes of which will not be surpassed in any other KSR-based podcast, I can tell you! Matt reads a line from Walter Benjamin to try to appear smart. We set goals for the podcast going forward, foremost of which is GUESTS, especially SCIENTISTS. If you're a SCIENTIST who wants to be a GUEST, please get in touch! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-w

The last part of *Red Mars!* Hilary and Matt discuss Part Eight, "Shikata Ga Nai." Told through Ann's perspective, another major character dies, a small group of refugees drives around Mars in a couple of boulder cars, and they arrive at their new home! Hilary teaches Matt about why the Mars Trilogy is not a feminist text. Matt does a brief Arnold Schwarzenegger impression. Matt says "yeah" a lot. Hilary says "like" a lot. We're people, give us a break. Spoiler alerts about both *Red Mars* and late eighteenth century Gothic novels and Victorian literature. And, spoiler alert, I don't have a PhD in Thomas Paine Studies. Follow us on Twitter: @maroonedonmarspodcast Email us at maroonedonmarspodcast@gmail.com Rate and review us on iTunes! Original title music by The Spirit of Space. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilary/support

Matt & Hilary discuss Part Seven, "Senzeni Na." See the revolution through the eyes of Nadia! Materialism and ideology! Space elevators, asteroids! Death! Destruction! Machinations! Let's blow up the moon! (I tried some actual editing on this episode--hope it's not annoying! It was very annoying for me to do. I'm having trouble with the levels. I hate audio editing. Ugh. Sucks. A lot of skill involved. Respect audio producers!) Follow us on Twitter: @maroonedonmarspodcast Email us at maroonedonmarspodcast@gmail.com Rate and review us on iTunes! Original title music by The Spirit of Space. "Senzeni Na" performed by Cape Town Youth Choir: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fDU1PYWT8A (Thank you, please don't sue us.) --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilary/support

We're back! Matt & Hilary talk about the Frank Chalmers section, "Guns Under the Table." Rules, sex, revolution?!?!?! In 2057, will Frank Chalmers successfully negotiate a renewal of the treaty that allows transnational corporations to exploit Mars's resources, while still also limiting immigration from an overcrowded and polluted Earth so that the society being created on Mars won't simply reproduce the mistakes human civilization made in the past? Can revolution be avoided??? FIND OUT!!! Follow us on twitter @podcastonmars Email us at maroonedonmarspodcast@gmail.com Rate and review us on iTunes! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilary/support

In Part 2 of our episode about Part Five, "Falling Into History," Matt and Hilary discuss politics, eco-economics, gifts, and debt! Follow us on Twitter @podcastonmars Email us at maroonedonmarspodcast@gmail.com Rate and review us on iTunes! Don't buy these books on Amazon! Be a guest on our show! Tell your friends! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilary/support

Matt & Hilary discuss Part Five of KSR's Red Mars, Falling Into History. It's the John Boone chapter! This is the first part of a two-part episode, because so much happens in this chapter. Here we discuss Boone, embodiment, drugs, genre, cowboys, Arabs, detectives, and landscape. Next week we'll get more into political economy. Spoiler note: Each episode thoroughly discusses the chapter it's about, but doesn't spoil the later chapters. Follow us on Twitter @podcastonmars Email us your comments, questions, and suggestions at maroonedonmarspodcast@gmail.com Rate and review us on iTunes! Thank you for listening! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilary/support

Matt & Hilary talk about Part Four of Red Mars, "Homesick," which focuses on the lone psychiatrist among the First Hundred, Michel--The Only Frenchman on Mars. Look for a surprise ending (to the chapter, not the episode)! Follow us on Twitter @podcastonmars Email us at maroonedonmarspodcast [at] gmail [dot] com Rate and review us on iTunes! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilary/support

We discuss KSR's Red Mars, Part Three, "The Crucible." It's a Nadia section! Lots of things get built, things start to heat up (literally AND figuratively), and I still don't know how to edit audio, nor do I have the time. But that's okay because we're here to talk about the Mars Trilogy, and that is something that we certainly do in this episode, the description of which you are reading right now. You're welcome, and thank you. We have a Twitter! Follow us @podcastonmars We have a Gmail! Email us at maroonedonmarspodcast at gmail dot com We are on iTunes! Rate and review us at https://apple.co/2IeQPK9 Tell your friends about how great and interesting and fun to listen to we are! --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilary/support

Episode 3 of our discussion of KSR's Mars Trilogy. In "The Voyage Out," we're introduced to the First Hundred as they embark on their year-long voyage to Mars. We say "like" a lot and there is no editing...yet! Oh, and we have a Twitter: @podastonmars. And we have an email: maroonedonmarspodcast@gmail.com. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilary/support

Matt and Hilary dive into the first Part of Kim Stanley Robinson's *Red Mars*, "Festival Night." Meet Frank Chalmers, John Boone, Maya Toitovna, and the citizens of the new Martian town of Nicosia! Sex, intrigue, a political assassination! Wow! Later episodes will be more produced (I'm taking a class...). --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilary/support

Introducing you to the world(s) of Kim Stanley Robinson, Matt, and Hilary, and what this podcast is all about. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/marooned-on-mars-with-matt-and-hilary/support