Summary of "Ep. 13: Jewish Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Fandom – with author Valerie Estelle Frankel"
Overview
This episode features Valerie Estelle Frankel (author and editor of pop-culture books) talking with hosts Jonathan Friedman and Joey (Joey Angelfield), with producer/engineer Mike Tomert mentioned. The conversation explores Jewish contributions to science fiction and fantasy, Frankel’s work and process, and the relationship between Judaism and fandom.
Key ideas and concepts
Jewish involvement in American SF/F
- Jewish participation in early American SF publishing was deep and structural. Examples include Hugo Gernsback’s Amazing Stories and other early magazines, comics, and fandom infrastructure.
- Jewish creators played major roles in superhero comics and franchises; Jewish cultural experiences shaped recurring thematic material (outsider narratives, anti-prejudice stories, exile/return motifs).
How Jewish themes appear
- Jewish themes in genre work can be explicit or subtle. A text need not show rituals or characters labeled “Jewish” to carry Jewish sensibilities (Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are was given as an example of Holocaust-shadowed sensibilities without explicit reference).
- Fandom practices (argument, midrashic interpretation, fanfic, filling textual gaps) have parallels with Jewish interpretive traditions.
Fandom and inclusivity
- Fandom tends to be inclusive and diverse; many fans enjoy multiple franchises. Antagonisms (e.g., Star Wars vs. Star Trek, DC vs. Marvel) are often overstated or played for fun.
- Anthologies and “own voices” projects are valuable for discovering Jewish SF/F across different national traditions (Israeli, Latin American, Australian, etc.).
Valerie Frankel’s working habits and approach (productivity lessons)
- Time allocation:
- Few external hobbies; most time devoted to writing, editing, research, and part-time teaching.
- Project prioritization:
- Uses a “front burner / back burner” system: prioritize urgent projects while keeping lower-priority work available to pick up later.
- Juggles multiple projects, focusing on the highest-priority items.
- Research approach:
- Sometimes begins a project as an expert; other times learns while consuming the material and writes contemporaneously.
- Conventions and panels help translate detailed scholarship into accessible talks.
- Attitude toward fandoms:
- Reads and listens widely; embraces multiple fandoms rather than adopting exclusive stances.
- Uses scholarship to enrich panels and help fans deepen their understanding of characters and worlds (example: a talk about the villain’s journey at a steampunk convention).
Definitions & genre notes
- Steampunk: broadly “Victorian-flavored” speculative fiction with retro‑futuristic technology (Jules Verne / H. G. Wells vibe — corsets, top hats, gears).
- Jewish science fiction / fantasy: no single threshold of content required. Works can be explicitly Jewish, thematically resonant, or carry more subconscious Jewish influences.
Recommendations and entry points
Anthologies (useful samplers)
- Wandering Stars (1970s) — early Jewish SF anthology (with an introduction by Isaac Asimov).
- Zion’s Fiction — anthology of Israeli SF/Fantasy.
- Jewish Book of Horror — recent anthology exploring Jewish horror.
- Jewish Fantasy Worldwide — edited by Valerie Frankel; highlights global Jewish fantasy.
Authors and works to explore
- Isaac Asimov — robot stories and Jewish‑tinged theological themes.
- Mike Resnick — short fiction.
- Esther Friesner — humorous, girl‑power fantasy.
- Jane Yolen — e.g., The Devil’s Arithmetic.
- Michael A. Burstein — short stories on theological questions.
- Veronica Schanoes — Burning Girls (historical fantasy).
- Daniel José Older — Riordan Presents (Sephardic/Caribbean pirate fantasy).
- Maurice Sendak — Where the Wild Things Are (example of Jewish-inflected sensibility).
- Translators/anthologists bringing Israeli work into English (e.g., Lavi).
Media examples where Jewish creators or sensibilities appear
- Star Trek, Star Wars, The Mandalorian, X‑Men, Babylon 5, Doctor Who, Buffy, Wonder Woman histories, The Hobbit (parodies and adaptations), Raiders of the Lost Ark.
Practical takeaways for exploring Jewish SF/Fantasy
- Start with anthologies to sample many authors and styles.
- Look for both explicit Jewish content and subtler cultural resonances (exile, return, outsider identity, ethical debate).
- Follow “own voices” projects to discover authentic contemporary perspectives.
- Attend conventions and panels to find compressed, accessible scholarship and fan conversations that illuminate works.
Valerie Frankel’s current and ongoing projects
- Editor of the Jewish Science Fiction & Fantasy series for Lexington Books.
- Jewish Fantasy Worldwide (recently published).
- A multi‑volume project on Jewish science fiction:
- Jewish SF before 1945 (published).
- Post‑Holocaust era volume (in process).
- Subsequent volumes covering later eras (1980s–2000s) — multiple volumes worked on concurrently.
- Other projects: Trans Heroes Journey, an essay anthology on Bridgerton, and various pop‑culture book projects.
Notes about transcription errors
The transcript contains likely mis‑transcriptions (auto‑generated captions), for example:
- “Jaden Roddenberry” → Gene Roddenberry
- “Lawrence castan” → Lawrence Kasdan
- “Esther Fraser” → Esther Friesner
- “Veronica shanos” → Veronica Schanoes
- “H silver” likely refers to a scholar with that surname
Speakers and main sources referenced
Speakers in the conversation:
- Valerie Estelle Frankel — guest (primary speaker)
- Jonathan Friedman — host
- Joey (Joey Angelfield) — co‑host
- Mike Tomert — producer/engineer (mentioned)
Authors, creators, and figures referenced:
- Isaac Asimov
- Hugo Gernsback
- Jules Verne
- H. G. Wells
- Gene Roddenberry
- Jon Favreau
- Taika Waititi
- Lawrence Kasdan
- Mike Resnick
- Peter S. Beagle
- Esther Friesner
- Jane Yolen
- Michael A. Burstein
- Veronica Schanoes
- Daniel José Older
- Maurice Sendak
- Mel Brooks
- Alfred Bester
- Joanna Russ
- Carl Sagan
- Neil Gaiman
- Cory Doctorow
Franchises and works cited as examples: Star Wars, Star Trek, Buffy, Wonder Woman, X‑Men, Babylon 5, Doctor Who, The Mandalorian, The Hobbit, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Where the Wild Things Are.
Category
Educational
Share this summary
Is the summary off?
If you think the summary is inaccurate, you can reprocess it with the latest model.
Preparing reprocess...