Tales of Our Time

This is a TAKES of Our Time Episode,  a recurring segment where we discuss an ASPECT of storytelling and delve into greater detail to better understand how they shape the stories that shape us.  Following in the thematic footsteps of last week’s episode, we’re going to take a look at one of my favorite genres of stories: fairy tales. But more importantly, I want to spend some...

Our first episode is... ME (Amanda Stephens) talking with returning guest-host Michelle Chiang about a book I really loved in 2025. After discussing with so many guests about their favorite books, movies, video games, and podcasts from 2025 I couldn't help but share my own: Premee Mohamed's "Butcher of the Forest". This short fiction book exemplifies many of the trappings of fairytales, with a hor...

This is a special format episode! Whereas last year (and week) we reviewed the stories that touched us the most in 2025, this week we discuss media coming out in the new year that we CAN'T WAIT to get into! I talk with some of the guests who joined us in 2025 including: English Teacher Jared Friesen, ESL teacher Emily Daniel, and Geek Out Host Michelle Chiang! Topics of Discussion include (in orde...

This is a special format episode! On this special TAKES of Our Time episode, I' m joined by my fellow Rti hosts Hanna Bilinski (of Retro Reels), Tristan Hildebrand  (of Formosa Fauna), and new host Eloise Phillips to talk about the media that moved them the most this year!  Topics of discussion include (in order of discusion): Animal Liberation Now: The Definitive Classic Renewed (by: Pe...

Today is the last of our three-episode collaboration with two classes from the Canadian Independent Micro School, where students share with us some of the most impactful books they've read, and why they could be meaningful to others. This follows a similar format to our regular episodes, but features two books chosen and presented by student groups.  Today we'll close by hearing about Lois Lo...

Today is the second episode of our three-episode collaboration with two classes from the Canadian Independent Micro School, where students share with us some of the most impactful books they've read, and why they could be meaningful to others. This follows a similar format to our regular episodes, but features two books chosen and presented by student groups.  Today we'll be hearing about Of...

Today is the first of a three-episode collaboration with two classes from the Canadian Independent Micro School, where students share with us some of the most impactful books they've read, and why they could be meaningful to others. This follows a similar format to our regular episodes, but features two books chosen and presented by student groups.  Today we're hearing about Pachinko, by Min...

Today we're trying something a little different and more experimental with our TAKES episode, and exploring the science fiction stories that inspire big techm or more specificaly, the people behind big tech. We'll talk mostly about X, Google, and Meta and talking inspiration (and more) they may take from 1961's Stranger in a Strange Land, and 1992's Snow Crash. Sources for today's episode: 1. Stra...

This week, I'm talking with returning guest Cole Jones about the famous book "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. Originally published in Portuguese, the book takes a much more fantatic view of the world than at first blush, offering insights into one's true purpose, and the possiblity to change it or chase it, as well as to enact change in the world at large. We also talk about how reading stories li...

Today we welcome returning guest Janet Snow to discuss Ursula K. Le Guin's "A Wizard of Earthsea".  We discuss how, despite being published in 1968, the story still speaks to timeless themes such as finding self-acceptance, how to balance measuring our success with what is best for us, and which voices we should listen to.

This week, I'm talking one last time with Kris St. Amour Denis before she leaves Taiwan about Maggie Su's "Blob: A Love Story". While it may share some elements of horror, the story presents an interpersonal story about a woman struggling to make and maintain relationships, as well as a meditation about what it means to be human, and how we can strive to be better. ... In addition to some monster-...

This episode has a longer-than-normal summary period. Tigger warnings include: blood, violence, and suicide In our Fall Freakout FINALE episode for 2025, hosts Amanda and Michelle get jumpscared watching and discussing the 2024 Filipino horror film: Strange Frequencies: Taiwan Killer Hospital. We welcome our first NON-TAIWANESE horror film and discuss the bravery of the team for filming on locatio...

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period. This film has stronger than usual content warnings, including: violence, sexual violence, sexual violence against minors, torture, and graphic depitions of murder. This week hosts Amanda and Michelle are tackling 2016's "The Tenants Downstairs" (樓下的房客). We discuss not only how we have found seemingly the creepiest...

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period. This week hosts Amanda and Michelle are tackling 2020's "Hospital" (杏林醫院) -- a movie about a haunted hospital. We discuss the reasons why running an "Underworld tour guaranteed to see your dead relatives" may be a bad idea, the importance of having balanced yin and yang energy, how mental health days can save lives,...

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period. TW: Heavier than usual blood, gore, and upsetting events and imagery. This is not one to look up unless you have a very strong stomach for depravity.  Amanda Stephens and guest co-host Michelle Chiang dive into "The Sadness". Topics of discussion include HOW DID THIS GET MADE, what happens when people have no inhib...

The podcast episode is longer than usual to allow for a longer summary period. Amanda Stephens and guest co-host Michelle Chiang dive into the Taiwanese horror flick "The Rope Curse". They discuss bullying, boy drama, and how detrimental a lack of teaching staff can be.

Today we're warming up for our final theme of the year, our Fall Freakout-- where we watch and discuss Taiwanese horror movies, or horror movies that heavily feature Taiwan, that you may have missed on your radar. Today in the studio, I've invited back Retro Reels host Hanna Bilinski to discuss what we can learn about Taiwan, and what Taiwanese society fears, from watching Taiwanese horror films!...

For September, we're talking about different books we think you should know about as summer turns to fall! Today we're speaking with creative Will Buckingham who, besides being a writer in his own right, recenetly co-editied the book "Tâigael". We talk in-depth about the advernterous project, involving four separate short-fiction authors, and five languages!  Tâigael presents stor...

For September, we're talking about different books we think you should know about as summer turns to fall! This week, I had the extraordinary pleasure of sitting down with Dimko Zhluktenko to discuss his memoir "Ordinary Guy at War". Meant for readers outside of Ukraine, this memoir follows Zhluktenko's life as an ordinary guy fighting for the chance to live freely. We discuss the journey from tex...

For September, we're talking about different books we think you should know about as summer turns to fall! In this episode, we speak to Rti host and author Aurélien Rossanino about his book "80 mots de Taiwan", or Taiwan in 80 Words . Part of a larger project to sum up different countries in just 80 words, Aurélien speaks to us about how he went about choosing words which best repres...

"A Marvellous Light: Creating powerful change in liminal spaces" This is the fourth and final episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. To wrap up our special, we're talking wit...

Things We Never Got Over: Healing takes time, but so does love. This is the third episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. For the third installment of this series, guest Jun w...

"Romeo and Juliette: The Orginal Enemies to Lovers" This is the third episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. Today we're discussing perhaps the TEXTBOOK example of the "doome...

The Seven Husands of Evelyn Hugo: Not your typical romance This is the second episode in our August Spicy Summer series, where we look at one element of the romance genre and put it under the microscope. This year we're looking at the relationship dynamics in different stories, what makes them so unique, and what they contribute to a story. Today Kris St. Amour Denis is back to lead us through "Th...

This week, we kick off our return to last year's August theme: Spicy Summer, where we take a microscope to different elements of the romance genre, to try and understand what keeps it so enduringly popular. Last year we investigated the reptation of the romance genre, and to what degree it was earned. This year we'll be taking a look at different romantic archetypes, patterns that characters and s...