A Four Part Series from TTBOOK!

Public Radio International

Wisconsin Public Radio

REALITY

Program 10-01-10-B

Listen (RealAudio) OR Download mp3

It's not quite the Manhattan that we're familiar with. "The New York Times" is available in a "War-Free Edition" and there are rumors of an escaped tiger on the prowl in the Upper East Side. This is the setting of Jonathan Lethem's critically-acclaimed new novel, "Chronic City." In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge , Jonathan Lethem talks about the real and the unreal, as we explore the nature of reality. And we'll look at "The Simulated Universe" Argument. Is this the real life or is this just fantasy?

SEGMENT 1:

Jonathan Lethem's new novel is "Chronic City." The book has been described as a cross between the famous borough-centric New Yorker cartoon and the darkest episode of "Seinfeld." Lethem reads a bit and talks aout the book with Jim Fleming.

SEGMENT 2:

Chuck Klosterman is the author of several books focusing on pop culture. The latest is a collection of essays called "Eating the Dinosaur." In the final essay, called "Fail," Klosterman examines the thinking behind the so-called "Unabomber Manifesto." He tells Steve Paulson that while he doesn't condone Ted Kaczynski's murders, he thinks there are some interesting ideas in his writing. Also, V. Vale has published four books by J.G. Ballard through his independent publishing house, RE/Search Publications. Ballard is considered a science fiction writer, but described his fiction as "picturing the psychology of the future." Vale talks with Steve Paulson about the prophetic powers of J.G. Ballard. And we hear a bit from a CBC Radio dramatization of a Ballard short story from their "Vanishing Point" series.

SEGMENT 3:

Brent Silby teaches philosophy in Christchurch, New Zealand and is the author of an article in "Philosophy Now" magazine called "The Simulated Universe." He talks with Anne Strainchamps about the argument it makes.

CD copies are available at 1-800-747-7444. Ask for program number 10-01-10-B.

................................................................

Books & CDs:

Jonathan Lethem, Chronic City (Doubleday)
Chuck Klosterman, Eating the Dinosaur (Scribner)
"J.G. Ballard: Quotes" Quotations Selected by V. Vale & Mike Ryan (RE/Search)
"J.G. Ballard: Conversations" With V. Vale, Mark Pauline, Graeme Revell, David Pringle and others Edited by V. Vale (RE/Search)
J.G. Ballard, The Atrocity Exhibition (RE/Search)
"RE/Search #8/9: J.G. Ballard" by V. Vale (RE/Search)
"The Complete Stories of J.G. Ballard" with an introduction by Martin Amis (W.W. Norton)
Brent Silby, The Simulated Universe – article from Issue 75 (Sept./Oct. 09) of "Philosophy Now: A Magazine of Ideas"

Websites:

• -- Jonathan Lethem
  http://www.jonathanlethem.com/
  
• -- Chuck Klosterman/"Eating the Dinosaur"
  http://promo.simonandschuster.com/chuckklosterman/
  
• -- V. Vale, RE/Search Publications
  http://researchpubs.com/Blog/
  
• -- Brent Silby/"The Simulated Universe" article in "Philosophy Now"
  http://www.def-logic.com/silbyproject.html
  http://www.philosophynow.org/
  

Clips:

• -- Clips used in "Reality" Mash-Up taken from:
  "What Is The Real Reality?"
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukbFvxusMMI
  
• -- J.G. Ballard sound bite
  from "Future Now" Interview with J.G. Ballard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lA8lXDcA8KA
  
• -- Dramatization of "Having a Wonderful Time" by J.G. Ballard from "The Stories of J.G. Ballard" from the CBC Radio drama series, "Vanishing Point"
  http://www.archive.org/search.php?query=J.G.%20Ballard

Music:

• -- Music used in "Reality" Mash-Up:
  "Bohemian Rhapsody"/Queen
  from the CD, "A Night at the Opera" (Hollywood Records)
  -- "The Andromeda Strain: Desert Trip"
  Performed by Gil Melle
  from the CD box set, "Bran in a Box: The Science Fiction Collection" (Rhino) http://www.rhino.com/
  -- "Lost: Main Title"
  from the CD, "Lost: Original Television Soundtrack" (Varese Sarabande) Music Composed by Michael Giacchino
  http://www.varesesarabande.com/details.asp?pid=302-066-721-2
  http://www.varesesarabande.com/
  ---
  
• -- Music heard after Jonathan Lethem interview:
  "Window #3 (Declan's window)"/Steve Nieve from the CD, "Windows: Music for Musician(s) & Open Windows" (Rapide Epistle/Valley Entertainment) http://www.stevenieve.com/
  
• -- Music heard after V. Vale interview and Dramatization of J.G. Ballard's "Having a Wonderful Time":
  "Window #4 (Jackson's window)"/Steve Nieve from the CD, "Windows: Music for Musician(s) & Open Windows" (Rapide Epistle/Valley Entertainment) http://www.stevenieve.com/
  
• -- Music heard after Brent Silby interview:
  "Window #2"/Steve Nieve
  from the CD, "Windows: Music for Musician(s) & Open Windows" (Rapide Epistle/Valley Entertainment)
  http://www.stevenieve.com/

Distribution dates: week of 11/07/2010 - hour 2 week of 01/10/2010 - hour 2 click HERE for timings and cues

Listen (RealAudio) OR Download mp3

................................................................

Questions and comments can be addressed to: flemingj@wpr.org

Wisconsin Public Radio is a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension.

Page design and management by Jim Fleming at Wisconsin Public Radio and Sarah Fleming.

© 2009 WHA Radio and the Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System. All rights reserved.