The Left Hand of Le Guin Podcast

David Naimon, Portland-based writer and Le Guin scholar, and Susan DeFreitas, novelist and editor, explore Le Guin's 'Carrier Bag Theory.' They contrast container narratives with heroic arcs. They discuss Always Coming Home, polyvocal storytelling, diminishing conflict, narrative shapes like spirals, and why markets resist nontraditional forms.

A discussion with Evan Dahm about three classic Le Guin stories: "Semley's Necklace," "The Word of Unbinding," and "Vaster Than Empires and More Slow."

Discussion with June Martin about Le Guin's last novel Lavinia

Discussion of The Eye of the Heron with Mattie Lewis.

A discussion with Prof. Tim Miller of Florida Atlantic University about THE BEGINNING PLACE.

A discussion with Gerry Canavan of Marquette University about two essays.

Discussion of The Left Hand of Darkness with Kate Sheckler of Marianopolis College in Quebec, Canada

Paul Jessup, writer and game designer published in genre magazines, recalls discovering The Tombs of Atuan and why it stayed with him. He discusses the book's dense, ritual-rich atmosphere. They explore anthropological influences, folk-horror vibes, gender and power dynamics, Jungian readings, and the novel’s subversion of rescue tropes.

James Gifford, a close-reader of naming and class-coded language. Simon McNeil, a literary analyst of Taoist themes and magic. They unpack Le Guin’s island and place names, the Old Speech and true names, naming as authority and responsibility, the limits of magic, and the flow/stream metaphors of identity. Short, focused conversations on language, craft, and ethical tensions in A Wizard of Earthsea.

Join the discussion on 'A Wizard of Earthsea' with fantasy literature expert James Gifford and speculative fiction writer Simon McNeil. Topics include the protagonist's journey, naming conventions, Ged's moral development, philosophical challenges, and exploration of heroism, recognition, and friendship.