Special guest Matt Bird joins the panel as Infinite Gestation continues its Dystopian Novel Series with Paris in the Twentieth Century – the “lost novel” by Jules Verne. Though completed in 1863, the work remained unpublished until 1994, subsequent to its rediscovery in a safe belonging to the author’s heirs. Though predating everything within the cannon of dystopian literature (thereby technically hailing as the genre’s first entry), the work’s belated publication negates any claim to such a title while essentially robbing it of one hundred thirty plus years of influence, prestige, homage and pastiche.
Episode highlights include ongoing arguments for the importance of the humanities within all levels of academia, the sordid politics of standardized testing and the strong assertion that the English Major is more than just 4+ years of drinking beer and smoking weed.
Todays episode was brought to you by a profound appreciation for public libraries.
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Matt Bird, besides steadily fourth-wheeling on Infinite Gestation, is a librarian, former movie projectionist, and occasional college lecturer. His course subjects have included classical mythology, the history of the book, library history, and teaching the university-level student. In this episode, Matt shares his experience of teaching high school English, which he firmly believes was a better time than any sales job he ever possessed.
You will not find him outside playing Pokemon-Go, though he believes if that’s your thing–fantastic. Just drink plenty of water and avoid dehydration so EMTs don’t have to play their own version to find you.
