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Every Hugo Ever - Podcast

Every Hugo Ever

Every Hugo Ever is the show exploring the history and legacy of the science fiction genre through the illustrious Hugo Awards! Each week co-hosts Jack Alexander and Samael Johnson will read and discuss the winner of the Hugo Short Story Award, ranking them one by one to discover the best of the best. With over 50 years of history, there's plenty to discover. Join us to read fascinating stories, find your new favorite author, get a fun recommendation, and figure out if we can find the through line across decades of robots, rockets, and ringworlds.

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Fantasy Arts Fiction Science Fiction Books
Update frequency
every 12 days
Average duration
69 minutes
Episodes
23
Years Active
2024 - 2025
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20 -

20 - "Allamagoosa (1955)

In 1955, the first ever Hugo for a Short Story was awarded to Eric Frank Russell. Now at the end of Season 2, Jack and Sam read this inaugural winner. A military spaceship's crew is preparing for a r…

01:01:47  |   Fri 07 Mar 2025
20 - The 2023 Chengdu Worldcon

20 - The 2023 Chengdu Worldcon

In 2023, Worldcon took place in the Chinese city of Chengdu, the first time the event had been hosted in the country. The announcement was already met

with criticism from writers and sci-fi fans, but …

00:42:38  |   Thu 20 Feb 2025
19 -

19 - "The Very Pulse of the Machine" (1999)

Michael Swanwick successfully used his strategy of taking over the nominee slates to win the 1999 Hugo Short Story Award (where Michael Jordan was the Toastmaster?). After discussions on puppets and …

01:12:28  |   Wed 05 Feb 2025
18 -

18 - "The 43 Antarean Dynasties" (1998)

Discussions of abuse and assault allegations against Neil Gaiman from 8:00-15:45


Our first repeat author episode is Mike Resnick, who wrote a story that feels right at home next to "Kirinyaga". But fi…

01:23:30  |   Wed 22 Jan 2025
17 -

17 - "'The Soul Selects Her Own Society: Invasion and Repulsion: A Chronological Reinterpretation of Two of Emily Dickinson's Poems' A Wellsian Perspective" (1997)

At the end of this episode, Sam says "Thank you for watching" despite a podcast being something you listen to, not view. A tragic mistake if there ever was one.


The legendary Connie Willis presents wh…

00:58:25  |   Wed 08 Jan 2025
16 -

16 - "Soldier, Ask Not" (1965)

This is not a short story! The 1960s saw the Hugos group all the non-novel writing awards under "short fiction" and at a whopping 56 pages, Gordon R. Dickson delivers "Soldier, Ask Not", a tale that …

01:01:57  |   Wed 11 Dec 2024
15 -

15 - "The Star" (1956)

Content Warning for discussions of child abuse from 18:00-22:30

Hades game spoilers at 3:10


Scientific studies and organized religion have both benefited from each other and butted heads over the centu…

01:09:37  |   Wed 20 Nov 2024
14 -

14 - "That Hell-Bound Train" (1959)

There's always a devil, a man, a deal to be made. For how sacred a soul is supposed to be, many don't seem to have issues with signing away their eternal fate for a bit of mortal pleasure. Martin is …

01:12:23  |   Wed 06 Nov 2024
13-

13- "Kirinyaga" (1989)

In the 22nd century, the scars of time and colonization still linger. The Kikuyu people have remade their god-given land in out in the vastness of space, and returned to the old ways of conducting th…

01:02:26  |   Wed 23 Oct 2024
12 -

12 - "Bridesicle" (2010)

Welcome back to Every Hugo Ever! Sam and Jack are excited to return to seven decades of science fiction stories, and Will McIntosh delivers a doozy. Deep underground in a cryogenic facility, women ar…

01:01:18  |   Wed 09 Oct 2024
11 - Ranking Time

11 - Ranking Time

11 stories have been read and reviewed. Now is the Day of Judgement. This episode marks the creation of the list that all future Hugo Award winning shirt stories shall be ranked upon! Listen if you d…

01:33:58  |   Wed 07 Aug 2024
10 -

10 - "Seasons of Glass and Iron" (2017)

Originally recorded November 18, 2023


In the final story of the season, we return to the 21st century. Two women from old fables find comradery (and more) in each other as they share their pasts and p…

01:18:39  |   Wed 03 Jul 2024
09 -

09 - "The Pusher" (1982)

Originally recorded October 17, 2023


A suspicious man lingers around a playground, watching. A worrisome start to a story of a man called Ian. Jack and Sam try to figure out his goals and his "interes…

01:06:15  |   Wed 19 Jun 2024
08 -

08 - "Boobs" (1990)

Originally recorded September 4, 2023


Puberty is a difficult time for everyone, but some have it worse than others. One of those is a girl named Kelsey who's early blooming causes endless bullying fro…

01:02:11  |   Wed 05 Jun 2024
07 -

07 - "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas" (1974)

Originally recorded July 25, 2023


We REALLY recommend you read the story first.


When we first looked over the list of stories we had to read, Jack was thrilled at the chance to eventually talk about ho…

01:26:37  |   Wed 22 May 2024
06 -

06 - "Falling onto Mars" (2003)

Originally recorded June 27, 2023


Content Warning for descriptions and discussions regarding sexual assault after the break.


Apologies for the rough audio. These files have been through the virtual wri…

01:20:22  |   Wed 08 May 2024
05 -

05 - "'Impossible Dreams" (2007)

Originally recorded June 20, 2023


Back in my day you had to go to a store, in person, to pick up a DVD or VHS tape if you wanted to watch a specific movie at home. Ok, Sam and Jack aren't that old but…

01:21:20  |   Wed 08 May 2024
04 -

04 - "'Repent, Harlequin!' Said the Ticktockman" (1966)

Originally recorded June 6, 2023


Harlan Ellison is a legendary name in the sci-fi world with numerous award winning novels and stories attributed to him. He is was also an author with a lot of baggage…

01:05:33  |   Wed 10 Apr 2024
03b -

03b - "Eurema's Dam" (1973)

Originally recorded May 11, 2023


1973 had two winners. Listen to 3a - "The Meeting" if you haven't yet!


With over 70 stories to discuss, it was inevitable that one would disappoint. That story is Eurem…

01:17:36  |   Fri 29 Mar 2024
03a -

03a - "The Meeting" (1973)

Originally recorded May 10, 2023


1973 had two winners. The other episode will be uploaded one day after this one!


The Worldcon attendance in 1973 ended in tie for the top spot. The first is "The Meetin…

01:19:56  |   Thu 28 Mar 2024
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