Two Chairs Talking

Episode 95: A mixed bag of goodies

David and Perry discuss a wide range of reading and movie watching, ranging from Restoration period historical fiction through a contemporary true story to the fantastic and not-so-fantastic futures of science fiction.
Introduction (04:40)
General News (08:31)
Hugo Voting Package 2023 (02:59)
Worldcon Site Selection 2023 (01:36)
Ditmar Awards Ballot 2023 (02:29)
Other Awards (01:22)
What we've been reading and watching (01:16:30)
Red Notice by Bill Browder (07:15)
Every Version of You by Grace Chan (13:18)
Act of Oblivion by Robert Harris (08:52)
The Migration by Helen Marshall (09:31)
All Systems Red by Martha Wells (10:00)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 (07:32)
The Moon Maid by Edgar Rice Burroughs (06:30)
Oppenheimer (13:10)
Windup (00:36)
Illustration generated by Wombo Art.

Episode 94: Just a feeling in my water

Perry and David discuss audiobooks, cover a swag of awards and recent news, and then go on to talk about what they've read (or listened to) recently. And Perry talks about a great TV series he recommends.
Introduction (01:40)
Listening to audiobooks (11:57)
General News (13:42)
Hugo Ballot 2023 (06:20)
World Fantasy Awards 2023 (01:32)
Cordwainer Smith Rediscovery Award 2023 (00:37)
Miles Franklin Award Winner 2023 (00:58)
The Booker Prize long list 2023 (02:46)
Death of Milan Kundera (01:20)
What we've been reading (55:00)
The Long and Faraway Gone by Lou Berney (07:18)
Utterly Dark and the Heart of the Wild by Philip Reeve (07:33)
An Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro (07:04)
Conjure Wife by Fritz Leiber (07:28)
Here’s Luck by Lennie Lower (04:24)
The Russia House by John Le Carre (11:05)
The Bear (08:33)
Windup (01:34)
Illustration generated by Wombo Art.

Episode 93: Yesterday’s Tomorrows

David and Perry take the Hugo Time Machine back to 1970, the year that The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin won the Best Novel Hugo. David has a bone to pick, and Perry discusses the latest Indiana Jones movie.
Introduction (03:46)
General News (10:01)
Hugo Voting ballot (04:53)
Locus Awards 2023 (03:49)
Death of Cormac McCarthy (01:13)
Hugo Time Machine 1970 (01:13:46)
Heicon '70 Convention (04:11)
Short Stories (12:28)
Deeper Than the Darkness by Gregory Benford (00:46)
Winter’s King by Ursula K. Le Guin (00:40)
Not Long Before the End by Larry Niven (01:46)
Passengers by Robert Silverberg (01:17)
Time Considered as a Helix of Semi-Precious Stones by Samuel R. Delany (05:19)
Other possible nominees (02:12)
Novellas (10:18)
We All Die Naked by James Blish (00:10)
A Boy and His Dog by Harlan Ellison (01:26)
Dramatic Mission by Anne McCaffrey (01:01)
To Jorslem by Robert Silverberg (01:22)
Ship of Shadows by Fritz Leiber (03:41)
Other possible nominees (02:11)
Novels (46:38)
Macroscope by Piers Anthony (05:07)
Up the Line by Robert Silverberg (03:23)
Bug Jack Barron by Norman Spinrad (06:11)
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. (10:44)
The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula K. Le Guin (18:30)
Other possible nominees (02:34)
What we've been watching (06:15)
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (06:09)
Windup (00:21)
Image generated by Wombo Art.

Episode 92: A goldfinch in a graveyard

Perry and David discuss the volunteer work they've been doing recently, then go on to talk about their recent reading and watching.
Intro (02:13)
What we've been doing recently (08:05)
Standard Ebooks productions (02:05)
Wikipedia editing (05:54)
General News (08:45)
Australian Book Design Awards (02:25)
Arthur C. Clarke Award shortlist (01:39)
Aurealis Awards 2023 (00:51)
Hugo Ballot 2023 still coming (03:45)
What we've been reading (43:33)
Real Tigers by Mick Herron (11:52)
David's Reading (00:45)
The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman (05:29)
Witness for the Dead by Katherine Addison (05:30)
All's Well by Mona Awad (04:23)
Death in Brunswick by Boyd Oxlade (06:20)
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt (09:05)
What we've been watching (12:05)
The Batman (2022) (04:41)
Drive My Car (2021) (07:16)
Windup (00:15)
Next episode (01:13)
Image generated by Wombo Art.

Episode 91: Looking at things from a different angle

David and Perry discuss Perry's recent overseas trip, and then talk about their recent reading, including several books which take existing stories and look at them from a different viewpoint.
Introduction (06:51)
Perry's trip to Morrocco (04:06)
David's news (02:28)
General News (16:29)
Death of Martin Amis (06:08)
Nebula Award Winners (04:12)
Miles Franklin Award Longlist. (03:06)
New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards (03:00)
What we've been reading lately. (50:13)
David's reading slow-down (01:27)
Five Decembers by James Kestrel (08:59)
Unknown Shore by Robert Ruby (05:02)
A Mirror Mended by Alix E. Harrow (04:38)
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams. (04:28)
Spear by Nicola Griffith (06:43)
Fire With Fire by Candice Fox (04:15)
Even Though I Knew the End by C. L. Polk (04:07)
Red Team Blues by Cory Doctorow (04:57)
Top Gun Maverick (05:32)
Windup (00:59)
Illustration generated by Wombo Art

Episode 90: De profundis clamavi

Perry and David talk about their recent reading and watching, in particular discussing a novel they have both nominated for this year's Hugo Awards, The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler.
Introduction (01:04)
General News (12:44)
Crime Writers Association Dagger Awards (02:13)
Australian Book Industry Awards (02:07)
Australian Book Design Awards (00:58)
Death of Lee Harding (00:45)
Other News? (06:24)
What we've been reading and watching (01:01:09)
The Mountain in the Sea by Ray Nayler (14:46)
Treacle Walker by Alan Garner (05:06)
Ebooks vs physical books (02:00)
Cold Water by Dave Hutchinson (06:16)
A Prayer for the Crown-Shy by Becky Chambers (05:15)
Dead Lions by Mick Herron (07:04)
Double Indemnity by James M. Cain (04:20)
Alien Oceans by Kevin Hand (06:39)
John Wick: Chapter 4 (05:02)
Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (04:29)
Windup (00:36)
Illustration generated by Wombo Art
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About the episode title: De profundis clamavi ad te, Domine (Latin): "From out of the depths we call thee, Lord".

Episode 89: Again and again and again

David and Perry discuss a number of books dealing with alternate or parallel streams of time, and analyse in depth the novel Life After Life by Kate Atkinson, and the BBC television series based on it.
Introduction (01:50)
General News (06:03)
Phillip K. Dick Award Winner 2023 (01:18)-- City of Last Chances by Adrian Tchaikovsky
BSFA Awards 2023 (03:13)-- The Extractionist by Kimberly Unger
Chengdou Worldcon (01:21)
What we've been reading lately (12:36)
Pavane by Keith Roberts (06:38)
Civilisations by Laurent Binet (05:55)
Discussion of Life After Life, TV series and novel (39:16)
Windup (00:39)
Illustration generated by Wombo.ai

Episode 88: But was it a crime?

Perry and David discuss their recent reading of crime novels, or were they merely crime-adjacent novels? You can choose!
Introduction (02:09)
Loss of three good friends (01:49)
Charles Taylor
Valma Brown
Eve Harvey
ChatGPT - new developments (07:10)
General News (08:37)
Nebula Awards (02:18)
Hugo Awards (01:00)
BSFA Awards (01:06)
Aurealis Awards (01:56)
Nominating for the Hugo Awards (01:44)
Crime Fiction (53:49)
Unforgiven by Sarah Barrie (04:22)
Seeking Whom He May Devour by Fred Vargas (09:10)
In Her Blood by Nicky Crutchley (04:20)
The League of Frightened Men by Rex Stout (07:21)
Shrines of Gaiety by Kate Atkinson (04:43)
In the Woods by Tana French (08:26)
Bodies of Light by Jennifer Down (08:09)
Exiles by Jane Harper (06:42)
Windup and Next Episode (01:45)
Illustration by Wombo.art
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Episode 87: Automated mansplaining

David and Perry spend a while discussing the problems with "generative A.I." and then go on to talk about their recent reading. Perry interviews W.H.Chong about his best reading and watching of 2022.
Introduction (03:50)
General News (02:23)
Chengdu World SF Convention (02:19)
Discussion on Generative AI (21:32)
Ezra Klein podcast on AI
What we've been reading lately (54:38)
Monash's Masterpiece by Peter Fitzsimons (11:35)
Joan by Katherine J. Chen (08:15)
Hex by Jenni Fagan (03:21)
Rizzio by Denise Mina (02:38)
Her by Garry Disher (04:20)
Cold Comfort Farm by Stella Gibbons (05:29)
Embassytown by China Miéville (05:57)
The Employees by Olga Ravn (04:22)
Babel by R. F. Kuang (08:21)
Discussion with W. H. Chong about his 2022 reading and watching (29:13)
The Mountain Under the Sea by Ray Naylor (04:01)
Babel by R. F. Kuang (01:37)
The Absolute Book by Elizabeth Knox (01:33)
The Vintner's Luck by Elizabeth Knox (01:15)
Everything Everywhere All at Once (01:46)
Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (02:42)
Drive My Car (00:43)
Pinnoccio (03:17)
Three Plus One (02:57)
Ted Lasso (01:12)
My Brilliant Friend and The Lying Life of Adults (00:50)
Prey (03:09)
The Last of Us (03:30)
Windup (01:41)
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Episode 86: Your own private screening theatre

Perry talks about the best movies and television he watched during 2022. David discusses his work for Standard Ebooks. Perry interviews Lucy Sussex about the best books she read last year.
Introduction (03:40)
General News (13:50)
Victorian Premier's Literary Awards (03:45)
Locus Recommended Reading List (06:19)
Worldcon 2023 (03:37)
Perry's Best Movies and TV of 2023 (32:09)
Subtitles (01:33)
Overview (01:42)
Movies (14:14)
Honourable Mentions (03:36)
Television (14:13)
Documentaries (01:24)
Comedies (02:41)
Drama (08:05)
Best overall (01:49)
Standard Ebooks and Copyright (09:50)
Interview with Lucy Sussex (32:11)
Skimming Stones by Maria Papas (01:58)
The Islands by Emily Brugman (02:02)
Cold Enough for Snow by Jessica Au (00:53)
Treacle Walker by Alan Garner (01:24)
An Uncommon Hangman by Rachel Franks (01:35)
Nabbing Ned Kelly by David F Dufty (04:48)
Polly Plum by Jenny Coleman (02:11)
The Baby on the Fire Escape by Julie Phillips (01:59)
Laidlaw by William McIlvanney (04:49)
Fatale by Jean-Patrick Manchette (02:20)
After Sappho by Selby Wynn Schwartz (04:36)
Windup (01:01)
Illustration generated by Stable Diffusion