Stephen Presents: Late Show Book Club | 'Orbital'

Summary

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert: "Stephen Presents: Late Show Book Club | 'Orbital'"

Release Date: June 27, 2025

Introduction to the Late Show Book Club

In this special episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert, the hosts transition from their usual comedic banter to introduce a new segment: the Late Show Book Club. Stephen Colbert, along with producer Becca and Ali Jaffe, delve into the inaugural book selection, setting the stage for engaging literary discussions.

Launching the Book Club

Stephen Colbert opens the segment by sharing the genesis of the Late Show Book Club. He attributes the idea to Ali Jaffe, a producer who convinced him to embark on this literary journey despite the daily demands of their show. Colbert remarks, “We got a show to do every day. But she finally got bent my ear long enough to go like, yeah, book club would be a great idea” (04:14). This collaboration marks the first step in integrating thoughtful book discussions into the show's dynamic format.

Introduction to 'Orbital' by Samantha Harvey

The spotlight turns to the selected book, Orbital by Booker Prize-winning author Samantha Harvey. Stephen expresses his enthusiasm for the book, stating, “I love Low Orbit. Low Orbital seemed like a good book” (04:34). The hosts reveal their excitement for the upcoming reads, hinting at future selections that will continue to engage their audience in meaningful conversations about literature.

In-Depth Interview with Samantha Harvey

A significant portion of the episode features a Zoom Q&A between producer Ali Jaffe and Samantha Harvey, providing listeners with an intimate look into Harvey's creative process and the themes explored in Orbital.

Exploring the Essence of 'Orbital'

When asked to describe Orbital in one sentence, Samantha Harvey responds, “Orbital is a novel that takes place over one 24 hour period orbiting the Earth in a space station and takes place over 16 orbits around the planet” (05:09). This concise description sets the stage for a narrative deeply entrenched in the isolation and beauty of space, reflecting on humanity's relationship with our planet from an extraterrestrial perspective.

Inspiration Behind the Novel

Harvey delves into the origins of her inspiration, reminiscing about her teenage years spent gazing at Earth from space through images in books. She shares, “I wanted to write a book that was about the natural world...a novel that was about beauty” (05:27). Her fascination with astronaut quotes and the serene view of Earth from the International Space Station (ISS) culminated in a story that intertwines nature writing with speculative fiction, offering a melancholic yet reverent homage to our planet.

Reception Among Astronauts and the Scientific Community

Despite initial apprehensions about how astronauts might perceive her portrayal of space life, Harvey reveals, “A couple of them have been in touch with me and they've been incredibly generous” (07:00). She highlights the positive reception from the scientific community, noting a growing openness to integrating the arts with scientific endeavors. This blend fosters a richer, more nuanced understanding of space exploration and its impact on humanity.

Reflection on the International Space Station (ISS)

Harvey provides a poignant reflection on the impending deorbiting of the ISS in 2030. She articulates a sense of loss for what she describes as “a peaceful era of space travel” and the collaborative spirit the ISS symbolized. Harvey laments, “We can see very clearly that we are entering or have already entered a very new paradigm in terms of world politics...a relatively peaceful era” (09:13). Her sentiments underscore the ISS as not just a scientific hub, but a beacon of international cooperation and peace.

Personal Insights and Literary Advice

When queried about whether writing Orbital inspired her to become an astronaut, Harvey humorously admits, “I would make a terrible astronaut” (08:23). She emphasizes her emotional and unadventurous nature, contrasting sharply with the daring life of an astronaut. Offering advice to aspiring writers, Harvey underscores the importance of perseverance: “the problems of the novel...are never solved by thinking about it. They're only solved by sitting and writing it” (13:35). Her insights advocate for a hands-on approach to writing, encouraging writers to navigate challenges through active creation rather than mere contemplation.

Symbolic Naming on the ISS

In a light-hearted exchange, Harvey contemplates what item on the ISS she would desire to have named after her. She thoughtfully chooses “the unit that the poor mice live in,” expressing empathy for the animals involved in space missions. This choice reflects her deep compassion and respect for all creatures, even those contributing to scientific advancements without recognition.

Conclusion: Embracing 'Orbital'

As the episode concludes, Stephen and Becca invite listeners to enjoy Orbital and engage with the insightful interview conducted by Ali Jaffe. They encourage the audience to join the Late Show Book Club, fostering a community of readers eager to explore diverse literary worlds.

Notable Quotes

• Stephen Colbert on starting the Book Club: “I think it might have literally might have been years ago at this point...” (04:14)
• Samantha Harvey on writing through challenges: “They're only solved by sitting and writing it...” (13:35)
• Harvey's reflection on the ISS: “...this peaceful era of space travel... symbolized by the ISS” (09:13)
• Harvey's humorous take on being an astronaut: “I would make a terrible astronaut. Terrible.” (08:23)

Conclusion

This episode of The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert seamlessly blends humor with intellectual discussion, introducing the Late Show Book Club and diving deep into Samantha Harvey's Orbital. Listeners are treated to a thoughtful exploration of space, literature, and the human condition, making it a compelling listen for both fans of the show and literary enthusiasts alike.

Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, everybody. Stephen Colbert here about to read the copy for our sponsor. This is from our friends at Wonderful Pistachios. And I was the wonderful pistachio spokesman for years. Yeah, I have a real close association with nut meat. Okay. You know what they say when they reach for a snack? Don't hold back. And that's exactly the approach with Wonderful Pistachios. The don't hold back snack. These little wonders are so tasty, it feels like getting away with something. But surprise. Each serving has 6 grams of protein and 0 grams of regret. That's right. No guilt. Just glory, glory in our nuts. Whether it's a satisfying crack of in shell pistachios, and that's capitalized in shell, or the smooth, instant gratification of no shells. No judgment. That's just it. Just eat. No judgment. I take issue with one thing. It's instant gratification. It's super tasty smooth.

[Becca]

It's a hard nut smooth.

[Stephen Colbert]

Exactly. I mean, even out of the shell, it's still a nut.

[Becca]

We can't disparage the nuts.

[Samantha Harvey]

You.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm not disparaging the nut. I'm describing the nut.

[Becca]

Don't disparage any flavors.

[Stephen Colbert]

I'm not. I am celebrating the pistachio right now. I'm on board. I love pistachios. I love. I love crushed pistachio. Like a pistachio crusted trout. Oh, unbelievable. Instead of a trout amandine, a trout pistachio. Fantastic. Enough butter? Who cares?

[Becca]

Very good.

[Stephen Colbert]

And I love pistachio ice cream.

[Becca]

Have you had the sea salt and vinegar? Wonderful pistachio. It's delicious. I get em.

[Stephen Colbert]

I didn't even know I get them.

[Becca]

Before the softball games.

[Stephen Colbert]

But that's. You see, it's been a while since I've been the spokesman for wonderful pistachios. I didn't realize we'd achieved new pistachio technology.

[Becca]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. Wonderful pistachios has every snack style covered. Right now. There's an obsession with jalapeno lime. There is an obsession session. It's almost a disorder. It's spicy, it's zesty. It's basically a flavor roller coaster in a nut. Snacking on the go. Grab a bag of no shells. Feeling contemplative and want to work for it a little. So earning it, they're saying if you want to earn your nut, crack open those in shell beauties. Either way, it's snacking like a champ. So the next time hunger strikes, don't hold back. Unless it's a hunger strike. And Then it's important that you do, because whatever you're doing that for, I'm sure it's a worthwhile cause. Snack like you mean it with wonderful pistachios. Visit wonderfulpistachios.com to learn more.

[Becca]

That was a wonderful.

[Stephen Colbert]

I wonder what more there is to learn. We just told them so much. We just told them so much about pistachios. But evidently there's a whole other world. There's an unexplored vista.

[Becca]

They got a bunch of flavors. They got dill pickle, jalapeno lime, as we learned, smoky barbecue. There's a lot of different flavors.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow. And I would not disparage any of them.

[Becca]

No, no, no.

[Stephen Colbert]

Bring it on.

[Becca]

Nothing bad to say.

[Stephen Colbert]

Nut me, nut, nut me with nut meat.

[Becca]

We're nut.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, we got nothing but nut. Nutty, nutty, nutty, nutty. Talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about, talk about nutty.

[Ali Jaffe]

Good.

[Dermalogica Ad]

Get smoother, brighter skin instantly. In one easy step, Dermalogica's daily microfoliant gives you the smooth, glowy skin you want without damaging your skin barrier. This gentle exfoliating powder activates with water to smooth out rough texture and brighten skin. It's powerful enough to deliver results, yet gentle enough to use every single day, even on sensitive skin. See the results for yourself. Visit dermalogica.com and use code smooth at cart for an exclusive free gift with $60 purchase.

[Stephen Colbert]

Hi, it's Stephen Colbert. You're listening to the Late Show Book Club.

[Becca]

I'm Becca. I'm a producer here at the Late Show.

[Stephen Colbert]

We're doing something special today.

[Becca]

We have a very special zoom Q and A between our producer Ali Jaffe and the author Samantha Harvey. Steven, you want to tell them why we're talking to Samantha Harvey?

[Stephen Colbert]

Because we have a Late show book club, which was started by Ali, who came to me. I think it might have literally might have been years ago at this point. But, you know, we got a show to do every day. But she finally got bent my ear long enough to go like, yeah, book club would be a great idea. And so now this is the first book of our book club.

[Becca]

Totally. And we love to read.

[Stephen Colbert]

Sure. And I love Low Orbit. Low Orbital seemed like a good book.

[Becca]

Yeah. Great.

[Stephen Colbert]

So we've already got a few more stacked up to come.

[Becca]

Totally.

[Stephen Colbert]

I don't want to give anything away.

[Becca]

No. The next one's gonna be announced next week, so stay tuned and get your library cards out because it's readin time.

[Stephen Colbert]

Keep your books turned on.

[Becca]

All right, so Enjoy Orbital and check out this interview that Ali, our producer did. It's Booker Prize winning author, Samantha Harvey.

[Samantha Harvey]

Hi, I'm Samantha Harvey and I am the author of Orbital.

[Interviewer]

How would you describe Orbital, your novel, in one sentence?

[Samantha Harvey]

Orbital is a novel that takes place over one 24 hour period orbiting the Earth in a space station and takes place over 16 orbits around the planet.

[Interviewer]

Where did the inspiration for this story come from?

[Samantha Harvey]

No, I was, when I was a teenager, I was looking, I spent a lot of time looking at images in books of the Earth from space. I don't know why, but this was something I like to do and I, and I also like to collect quotes from astronauts of things that they had said after space missions. And I, when I was sort of, I sort of forgotten about that preoccupation. But when I was coming to write my next novel, I wanted to write a book that was about the natural world. And it felt attentive to the natural world and quite reverential and, and also that was somewhat melancholic and nostalgic about the, the facts of what we're doing to the planet. But really a book that was about beauty. And these quotes from astronauts came back to me. I thought about them and I thought wouldn't it be interesting to set a novel in orbit that was looking at the Earth and could do a kind of nature writing about the Earth, but from that perspective, particularly given that we as a species do live in space. You know, we have been living in space for 25 years on the ISS. There's a realist novel there to be written and a novel that is about that sort of could feel pastoral, that can feel that it's about the natural world, but from a quite radically different viewpoint.

[Interviewer]

Have you heard from any astronauts who have been to space and read your book? What do they think?

[Samantha Harvey]

I have, yeah. So while I was writing the book, I didn't speak to any astronauts. And I did think when I read books by them and I watched countless interviews with them and you know, I stalked them online, but I didn't speak to any. And I did think when I was writing the book, I'd be terrified if an astronaut reads this book, what will they think about someone, you know, in, in southwest England sort of sitting there just making stuff up about what they do? You know, it seemed, it seemed quite impertinent of me to write it in some ways. And I thought, you know, I'd be happy if no astronauts read it. But some have, and a couple of them have been in touch with me and they've been incredibly generous. I found that the whole scientific community actually has been incredibly generous towards this book, you know, receptive to it and open to it. And there's a sort of a warmth there, a readiness, I think, for this for some people in the, in the scientific community, and particularly in the spacefaring community, to try to open, you know, widen the remit to, to the arts.

[Interviewer]

Did all of your research and writing of this, of this story, make you want to go to space? Do you think you would make a good astronaut?

[Samantha Harvey]

Oh, I would make a terrible astronaut. Terrible. I'm incredibly unadventurous. The least intrepid person in the universe. I get travel sick. I get height sick. I'm overly emotional. I would be terrible. Nobody would want me as part of their crew. Would I go if I, if I could? You know, it probably not. I think I would love to see the Earth from space, you know, for real. You know, not through a YouTube video, not through the ISS Live camera. I would love to see it.

[Interviewer]

The International Space Station is going to be deorbited in 2030, which is coming up. It's the end of an era. What do you hope the world remembers about the ISS and what it stood for?

[Samantha Harvey]

One of the reasons I wanted to write this book and one of the reasons that I sort of got excited about the idea of setting it on a space station was because I could see that the, you know, the, the lifespan of the ISS was coming to an end. And I could see that this peaceful era of space travel that has been sort of occupying the last 25 years really is coming to an end. And the peace project that is the ISS is coming to an end. And we can see very clearly that we are entering or have already entered a very new paradigm in terms of world politics and the way nations come together or don't come together, and the complete collapse of the relationship between Russia and the West. For me, it was always a book that was about looking with some degree of nostalgia, I think, at the passing of that era and the fact that we are moving into something quite different and that isn't centered upon the Earth, that isn't a kind of collaborative project between nations that is circling the Earth and looking back at the Earth, but one that is much more driven by individuals, much more exploitative, much more sort of a land grab to go to the Moon and to get back to Mars and one that is getting away from the Earth, you know, sort of turning its back on the Earth and going further away. And I think Although some of that is, you know, part of a natural human curiosity. I think there's a sadness there for me as I feel it's more of an abstract, conceptual sadness, I think, about the ending of a. Of a relatively peaceful era. And that era is very much, I think, symbolized by the issuance. You know, it's been an incredibly powerful peace project.

[Interviewer]

Do you know that NASA named the treadmill aboard the ISS Colbert Combined operational load bearing external resistance treadmill. What item on the ISS would you want named after you?

[Samantha Harvey]

That's a really good question. I think it would be. This is. This is a slightly counterintuitive answer, but I think I would want. There are these little cages, units in which the mice live on the iss. I have a great kind of feeling for these mice. I feel incredibly sorry for them in some senses because they're not surviving that mission at the same time. What incredible creatures they are to have, you know, been through the atmosphere and to have found themselves in low Earth orbit and many of them go back to Earth and are plunged into the Pacific and, you know, are rescued from there and then are later sacrificed to science. They really are the wonderful, heroic, even if unwittingly heroic creatures. And also, you know, they get to learn to move in microgravity while they're there, and that's very moving. So I think that maybe it would be that unit that the poor mice live in. I'd just like to give them something to dignify them a little.

[Interviewer]

If you did go spend a few months on the International Space Station and you could bring one book, what book would it be?

[Samantha Harvey]

That's an almost impossible question to answer. I'm gonna say possibly Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf. I mean, I've read it so many times, so it's probably a bad choice. I probably should take a book I've never read, but I always find new depth in it and it always makes me want to write.

[Interviewer]

Do you have a piece of advice you give to aspiring writers? I.

[Samantha Harvey]

The only advice I really think is useful is that, at least for myself, everything that every problem I have ever solved with writing has come in the doing. It's never. It might be that I go for a walk and something becomes a bit clearer. For me, that might be true. But I think that the problems of the novel and all the challenges that it sets the writer are never solved by thinking about it. They're only solved by sitting and writing it and working your way through them and coming to one dead end after another and backing up and going down a different. A different corridor, maybe backing up again, learning, learning through trial and error. It's not an efficient process for me, ever. It's not quick. And I sometimes despair of how I can keep stumbling with every novel. I can stumble over the same things as. As if it was my first novel, you know? But each novel has its own very particular set of problems and challenges. And you can only resolve them, I think, by writing.

[Interviewer]

Thanks, Samantha. For more Late Show Book Club, follow olberellateshow.

[Stephen Colbert]

Thank you for listening to the Late Show Pod show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips exclusives.

[Ali Jaffe]

This summer, Pluto TV is exploding with thousands of free movies presenting summer of cinema stream hits like Good Burger.

[Stephen Colbert]

Can I take your order?

[Ali Jaffe]

Four Brothers the Wood, Paid in Full and Beverly Hills Cop 1, 2 and 3.

[Samantha Harvey]

How you doing?

[Ali Jaffe]

All for free. Get ready to feel the free with all the blockbusters one summer can handle. And keep up with the action from virtually any of your devices. Summer will never be the same. Pluto TV Stream now pay Never.

[Stephen Colbert]

Killed two girls.

[Samantha Harvey]

My grandbabies and her friends, they're dead.

[Ali Jaffe]

A Paramount plus original.

[Stephen Colbert]

She wants to find more young women for him to kill.

[Ali Jaffe]

The untold stories of the real cases.

[Stephen Colbert]

Each one he gets away with. He's emboldened the FBI can't shake.

[Samantha Harvey]

It's very satisfying to be able to look at a bad guy and go.

[Stephen Colbert]

We never forgot you.

[Ali Jaffe]

An all new season of FBI True. Streaming now on Paramount plus.