Babel, or the Necessity of Violence

So I listened to a good hour and a half of it last night on the way back.

I think I've realized what RF Kuang does and what annoyed me with Babel probably.

I can't remember why I put down Babel.

I think the only reason I listened to the last chunk is because I had an hour and a half's drive.

And that's the only reason I actually got through it.

I'm still trying to piece together who's who and it's just been an entire shift in the characters that are involved and it annoyed me.

I'm not going to put it down because I've got a commute to get through for the next week or so.

I've realised I think that was probably a similar reason for why I probably put down Babel.

Now, obviously, a huge happy 500 episodes to read on the audiobook show.

Now, the book I would like to recommend is my favorite historical fantasy novel and a title that really refreshed the dark academia genre, Babel or the Necessity of Violence by R.F. Kuang.

This fabulous book is set in an alternate 1836 Oxford during the peak of British colonialism.

It follows Robin Swift, an orphaned boy stolen from his home in Canton by a mysterious guardian.

Taught the art of translation, he soon finds himself studying at Babel, the prestigious Royal Institute of Translation.

Placed at the heart of the growing British Empire, the Institute plays a vital part in its expansion.

But will the power of the Institute lure Robin in? Or will he reject everything that was handed to him and choose a different path for himself? I read this story for the first time earlier this year and I would wholeheartedly recommend it.

Plus if you're a fan of dark academia stories the Oxford setting offers a lot of charm to contrast those darker themes of the story.

that.

But God, Babel stays with you.

Babel stays with you, man.

Every once in a while, I think about that magic system.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, I

mean, that's also an R.F. Kuang, so...

God, if you haven't read Babel, you should.

Babel has not simply been reproduced as a biblical story.

It has been reinterpreted as a cultural metaphor.

You could argue that Bruegel is not merely illustrating the story.

They have nurtured, amazed and sustained us.

They have brought us right up to this moment, right here, right now.

Welcome to Babel for the Bible Curious.

Episode 13 The Art of Babble The Tower of Babel story has inspired and influenced all kinds of human creativity and works of art, paintings, literature, fiction and films, and even philosophy.

Babel has not simply been reproduced as a biblical story.

...

the one that I truly still can't believe that I haven't read, one of the, one of the tops is Babel by R.F. Kuang because I have read-

Oh, I read Babel, yeah

...

so many, like I loved Cataba- or she pronounces it Catabasis.

She pronounces Babel Babel, so I'm just trying to follow her pronunciation.

But I loved Catabasis, and then I really loved Yellowface as well.

Mm-hmm.

R.F. Kuang, who has Taipei Story, is her latest.

She wrote Babel and Katabasis and many other things.

And she is just 30 years old.

And I think this was her seventh book.

And when I unpack, I like to listen either to nonfiction books or fantasy novels, because those are things that I don't, like, read on my own time always.

And so I've been listening to RF Kuang, and I listened to Babel, which is amazing.

I don't know if you guys have read it.

It's, like, genius.