Dukes and Bagg’s challenge each other to recap the second half in three and a half sentences before diving into what makes Weir’s hard sci-fi novel about interstellar friendship so satisfying. Bagg unveils an elaborate beat map based on insights from Robin D. Law’s Hamlet’s Hit Points, and Dukes wonders what is lost and gained by the mostly happy ending. 

Summer is coming! We’d love to hear your summer reading books. Shoot us a voice memo to hello@uppermiddlebrow.com and give us your name and what you’ll be reading this summer.

If you have a bookstore, writing workshop center (or fully fledged MFA program), a lit zine, or something similar, share Upper Middlebrow with your audience, and we’ll bake in an on-air promo spot for your thing. Just send a screencap to hello@uppermiddlebrow.com and some information about your thing.