“Her name is Binti, and she is the first of the Himba people ever to be offered a place at Oomza University, the finest institution of higher learning in the galaxy. But to accept the offer will mean giving up her place in her family to travel between the stars among strangers who do not share her ways or respect her customs.
Knowledge comes at a cost, one that Binti is willing to pay, but her journey will not be easy. The world she seeks to enter has long warred with the Meduse, an alien race that has become the stuff of nightmares. Oomza University has wronged the Meduse, and Binti’s stellar travel will bring her within their deadly reach.
If Binti hopes to survive the legacy of a war not of her making, she will need both the the gifts of her people and the wisdom enshrined within the University, itself – but first she has to make it there, alive.
Binti is Nnedi Okorafor’s first story set in space.”
Book description from: http://nnedi.com/books/binti.html
Finally! The Spoilers get to talk about Todd’s favorite book, BINTI — and man was it work the wait. Times have been tough lately, but the Spoilers seem enlivened discussing this wonderful award winning novella. They tackle a mess of thorny issues, but they do a lot of laughing along the way. If you want to hear an extensive conversation about a shrimp ship, tentacle hair, ancient tech, and ritual clay application, this episode is for you. And really — who doesn’t want to hear about all that stuff? Mostly, the spoilers talk about being a teenager, the difficulty of leaving home, and those thing we never leave behind when we do.
What the spoilers are reading, watching and listening to + other things we mention in the episode!
What we are reading watching and listening to:
- Adriana: Myriam Gurba, MEAN, LOVE VICTOR
- Todd: SPACE IS THE PLACE, John Zwed, THE GREAT (Hulu), HITTING A STRAIGHT LICK WITH A CROOKED STICK, Zora Neale Hurston
- Crystal: WATCHMEN (HBO, Hulu), INSECURE (HBO)
- Anita: Tressie McMillan Cottom, THICK, POSE, UNC Black Caucus
Mentioned During the Show:
- Octavia Butler, LILITH’s BROOD or XENOGENESIS TRILOGY
- Nnedi Okorafor’s statement on Africanfuturism:
- Alexis Gumbs, UNDROWNED
- Juxtaposition Arts, Minneapolis, MN
