Episode 140: Joe Haldeman's The Forever War
After the disappointment the trio felt towards The Dispossessed, Josh thought that it was time that they tackle another example of speculative science fiction. As such, this book club featured The Forever War, a look at warfare and its effect on the soldiers by Joe Haldeman. The trio is joined by Rachel Stiles, a long time listener who weighs in on the science fiction classic. They talk about the clear symbolism pulled from Haldeman's experience in Vietnam, as he uses time dilation and relativity to show soldiers becoming more and more distant from the culture they're defending. Chris is a bit cooler on this book, while Rachel, Dietrich and Josh all are fairly impressed by the stark look at violence, indoctrination, and alienation. Before that, Rachel discusses an old podcast favorite by Lev Grossman, Chris continues his exploration of Joseph Campbell's work, Josh raves about a book by Victor LaValle, and Dietrich is pleasantly surprised by the second in Brandon Sanderson's series. They wrap up with a board game convention, a literary festival, and a look at the first season of True Detective. You can send questions or comments to questions@thelibrarypolice.net.
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What We've Been Reading
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The Forever War
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Off The Bookshelves
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