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Do you like science fiction? Join the Jefferson Humanists Sci Fi Discussion Group where we discuss sci-fi short stories, novellas and movies. We typically meet by Zoom on the 4th Thursday of each month and occasionally meet in-person to watch sci-fi movies.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In March, we invite you to read two short stories, "Even the Queen" by Connie Willis and " by "Story of your Life" by Ted Chiang.
"Even the Queen" s a real jewel of a story, combining humour with a glimpse of a future made possible by an advance in technology. In this case, the outrageous technological advance is that menstruation has become an optional extra. Three generations of women look at this advancement with different eyes. The Village Voice considers it "light-hearted" and "a comedy of identity politics and mother-daughter relations",while Billboard, reviewing the audiobook, describes it as a "sly jab at both feminists and anti-feminists . "Willis won the 1993 Hugo Award for Best Short Story for "Even the Queen."
"Story of Your Life" is narrated by linguist Dr. Louise Banks the day her daughter is conceived. Addressed to her daughter, the story alternates between recounting the past: the coming of the aliens and the deciphering of their language; and remembering the future: what will happen to her daughter as she grows up. "Story of Your Life" won the 2000 Nebula Award for Best Novella, as well as the 1999 Theodore Sturgeon Award. It was nominated for the 1999 Hugo Award for Best Novella and was the basis for the 2016 movie, Arrival, starring Amy Adams.
You can find an audio version of "Even the Queen" at https://escapepod.org/2017/12/28/escape-pod-608-even-queen/. A written copy can be found in "The Best of Connie Willis" found at the Jeffco Library.
"Story of your Life" is online at https://noorsiddiqui.com/papers/ted-chiang-story-of-your-life.pdf
Please read these stories on your own and come to the meeting on March 28th to share your thoughts.
RSVP to this Meetup or email [email protected]. Only those who RSVP will receive the Zoom link for the discussion. Attendance is limited to the first 15 people who RSVP.
To get on the JH Sci Fi Discussion Group email list, email [email protected].
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“There’s a joke that I once heard a comedienne tell. It goes like this: “I’m not sure if I’m ready to have children. I asked a friend of mine who has children, ‘Suppose I do have kids. What if when they grow up, they blame me for everything that’s wrong with their lives?’ She laughed and said, ‘What do you mean, if?’ ” - Ted Chiang, Stories of Your Life and Others
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
14350 W 32nd Ave, Golden, CO, United States, Colorado 80401