Phillip Mann and Ecological Sci Fi

Science fiction writer Phillip Mann, in conversation with journalist and sci fi fan David Larsen, discusses his writing process, the influence of the New Zealand landscape on his work, and the story of having his extraordinary science fiction novel The Disestablishment of Paradise published. He describes this novel as 'a vindication of love'. Despite 40 years of writing, Mann revealed an astonishing fact to the Going West audience - this was the first time he'd ever been invited to a book festival, his first time sitting at the podium talking about his books in either the UK or New Zealand. In this enlightening conversation, he reveals why that might be. The Disestablishment of Paradise is an epic tale of love and destruction on a strange planet called Paradise. It is concerned with ecological protection and was, in part, written in response to the horror Mann felt about the destruction of the Amazonian rain forests and other ecological disasters such as that in the Gulf of Mexico. He hoped the book would serve as a warning, a wake-up call. In writing it he went back to a technique he had used in other works; a story-teller who can stand aside from the action and comment on it, thus allowing irony and discussion. Mann established the first University Drama Dept at a New Zealand university, worked in the theatre, had a stint in the New China News Agency in China and is a teacher, theatre director and the author of numerous science fiction novels.