Discussion with writer Paul Jessup about The Tombs of Atuan

Intro 0:00


Paul’s 1st encounter with Le Guin and 1st read of THE TOMBS OF ATUAN 3:35


The place of ATUAN in the greater collection/its difference from the cycle 5:42


Anthropological influences/Ishi of Two Worlds (Yana group) 8:10


ATUAN’s compression/density/atmosphere/structure (Paul mistakes the opening scene for the one in THE FARTHEST SHORE. Oops!) 11:15


Belated, brief summary of book (spoilers!) 15:25


Bildungsromans/the book’s rituals/religious mythos 18:00


Claims of “austerity” in Le Guin’s prose/Kyle’s shock/the poetry and mis-expectation of overwriting in fantasy 28:30


Tolkien’s influence, positive and negative, on writers of Le Guin’s generation 38:05


ATUAN and folk horror (THE WICKER MAN was released 5 yrs after ATUAN in 1975!) 41:40


Relationship btw character prior to Ged’s appearing halfway thru 43:10


Reversal of agency/power in ATUAN/Le Guin’s narrative subversion 48:50


Jungian psychology in ATUAN 51:48


The leaving behind of childhood 55:35


Ring of Erreth-Akbe as MacGuffin 57:12


Maps, map confusion, and psychogeography of book 1:01:00