Classics, Cons, and Cosmic Awards: Hugo Tidbits & Timeless Reads

In this episode of Galaxies and Goddesses, join Andrea and Elizabeth as they recap Andrea’s recent experience at WorldCon 2025 in Seattle. They delve into the Hugo Awards, explaining their significance and highlighting the 2025 winners in categories like Best Novel, Best Novella, and Best Series. The episode also covers what makes a book a sci-fi or fantasy classic, mentioning influential books from the hosts' reading journeys. From Frank Herbert’s Dune to J.R.R. Tolkien's Lord of the Rings, some classics live on and inspire the next generation. The episode concludes with an announcement for their next book pick, The Dispossessed by Ursula K. Le Guin.00:00 Worldcon, Hugos, & Classics03:35 Hugo Awards Mini FAQ05:23 2025 Hugo Award Winner Highlights09:02 Previous Hugo Award Winning Novels14:18 Other Notable Awards17:00 How Would You Define a Classic?19:02 Sci-Fi Classics Being Film Adaptations26:00 Back to Defining Classics28:58 Next Month's Book PickPrevious WorldCon Locationshttps://www.worldcon.org/worldcon-history/WorldCon 2026, August 27-31st, at the Anaheim Convention Center (LACon V)https://www.lacon.org/about/2025 Hugo Award Winners:https://locusmag.com/2025/08/hugo-lodestar-and-astounding-awards-winners-2/Previous Hugo Award Winners By Year:https://www.sfadb.com/Hugo_Awards_Winners_By_CategoryLateral Episode: When Brad Pitt Caused a Walk Outhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CHIbBMowOkcOrg Chart 30 Rock: Sheinhardt Wig Company, the fictional parent company of NBChttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G03R3fvLIhI