Book · 2023 · Fiction
Babel
Or the Necessity of Violence: an Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution
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Now another recent book is um RF quang's Babel which has the most astonishing examination of imperialism and language and appropriation as part of its uh fantasy plot.
Adrian Tchaikovsky · The Ezra Klein Show · Feb 2023 Listen at 1:01:48 Why people recommend it
Babel is a fantasy novel by R. F. Kuang that blends historical fiction with magic rooted in translation and etymology. On The Ezra Klein Show, guest Adrian Tchaikovsky recommended the novel as another recent work that left a strong impression on him, specifically highlighting its thematic depth. Tchaikovsky praised the book for containing what he considered the most astonishing examination of imperialism, language, and cultural appropriation woven directly into its fantasy plot. The conversation touched upon how speculative fiction can effectively address heavy historical and sociological themes through imaginative world-building and narrative conflict. By drawing attention to the novel's intricate magic system based on silver-working and translation, Tchaikovsky illustrated how genre literature can serve as a powerful vehicle for political and cultural critique. The recommendation highlighted the book's ability to engage readers with urgent real-world issues while delivering an immersive and imaginative story. Listeners interested in inventive storytelling that tackles systemic power dynamics were thus directed toward a critically acclaimed work that uses fantasy to interrogate the dark legacies of empire and the politics of language in human history.
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Adrian Tchaikovsky now another recent book is um RF quang's Babel which has the most astonishing examination of imperialism an… 1
“now another recent book is um RF quang's Babel which has the most astonishing examination of imperialism and language and appropriation as part of its uh fantasy plot”
Also mentioned in the same episodes
Other mentions (7: passing, ad reads, own books)
“RF Kuang, who you might know for yellowface, babble, or catavistus”
“So with um Babel, it was reading the Victorian cannon and sitting a lot with Dickens and mirroring their”
“And people who then read Babel were like, "This sounds too modern.”
“And even in an earlier book like Babel, it is about mastery of a language and and using it and making magic with it.”
“She's known for the Poppy War trilogy. She's known for Babel.”
“Today I'm here with Rebecca Kuang, who is a New York Times number one best-selling author with her earlier book, Babel.”
“and then she also had a book out called Babel which is sort of like the secret history”