KPFA - Radio WolinskyAuthor: KPFA
A podcast posted every Sunday featuring extended interviews and discussions from Bookwaves, Art-Waves, and Bookwaves Artwaves Hour programs on KPFA, and newly digitized and edited archive interviews from the pre-digital Probabilities series dating back to 1977. Literature, theater, film, the visual arts: in-depth interviews from a progressive and artistic viewpoint, with long-time KPFA/Pacifica host Richard Wolinsky. Language: en-us Contact email: Get it Feed URL: Get it iTunes ID: Get it |
Listen Now...
The Probabilities Archive: Science Fiction Grandmaster Poul Anderson (1926-2001), 1978
Sunday, 1 March, 2026
Poul Anderson (1926-2001), noted science fiction and fantasy author, winner of seven Hugo Awards and three Nebula Awards, in conversation with the late Lawrence Davidson, recorded for the Probabilities radio program on KPFA on June 10, 1978. The late Poul Anderson, who died on July 31, 2001 at the age of 74, is considered one of the greatest science fiction and fantasy authors of the twentieth century. He even has an asteroid named in his honor. Known for his hard science writing, in particular his Polysotechnic League series as well as his Landry series and his Time Patrol series, he was also a master of fantasy. There were also historical novels and mysteries. His career began in 1947 at the age of 21 with stories in Astounding Science Fiction, and he became a professional writer a year later. One of his novels became a film, the Hugo nominated novel, The High Crusade, in 1994 about an alien spaceship landing in medieval England. It is currently not streaming in the United States though if you search, you can find a DVD copy. As with many of the writers of the pulp and paperback era, Poul Anderson is ripe for rediscovery. After Probabilities got its start in 1977, it was natural that the Orinda-based writer would become a guest on the show, though his libertarian politics put him at odds with much of the KPFA audience. This conversation with co-host Lawrence Davidson, recorded June 10, 1978, was likely Davidson’s very first solo interview and came before the show’s focus turned to the history of modern science fiction. For some unfathomable reason, Lawrence seemed to keep turning the focus to Anderson’s politics, to which the writer finally explained, a little exasperated, that he was basically a story-teller. The interview was digitized, remastered and edited on February 22, 2026, using the Adobe Podcast app to remove noise and echo. . The post The Probabilities Archive: Science Fiction Grandmaster Poul Anderson (1926-2001), 1978 appeared first on KPFA.
