Dune cinnamon spice cookies in front of orange lettered book

Dune Spice Cookies

Community

Imagine you’ve somehow entered the science fiction universe of Frank Herbert’s Dune and you’re on the planet Arrakis… What does it smell like? What does the precious spice or ‘melange’ on which so many things depend taste like? Cinnamon. At least ten references to the odor or taste of cinnamon appear in the book. When Duke Leto and Paul are checking out the spice mining operations and open the door of their ornithopter, “Immediately, their nostrils were assailed by the odor of cinnamon—heavy and pungent.” When a sandworm pursues Jessica and Paul in the desert, “Cinnamon yelled in their nostrils.” Infused with melange, coffee

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Newspaper headline for interview on Frank Herbert's Dune

Newspaper Interview and Illustrations

Criticism

My first newspaper interview on my research on Frank Herbert’s Dune series has hit the press, including a preview of some of my book’s illustrations: “What makes a world work? Exploring the groundbreaking universe of Frank Herbert’s ‘Dune’“. Thanks to David Herkt and the Sunday Star Times for the opportunity to share some of my work with the public.

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Gertrude Bell with King Faisal and company at picnic in 1922

Gertrude Bell and Jessica of Dune: Influencers in the Halls of Power

Criticism

The parallels between the life of Gertrude Bell, British archaeologist and writer, and the character Lady Jessica in Frank Herbert’s Dune make for an interesting study of how women can successfully carry themselves in unfamiliar territory and exert influence. Although T.E. Lawrence (1888 – 1935) is more well-known, in no small part due to the popular movie based on his time in the Middle East (Lawrence of Arabia (1962)), Gertrude Bell (1868 – 1926) was a significant Western figure in the Middle East in the 20th century and arguably more extraordinary in terms of her influence. Known as a queen or daughter of

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Dune Talk podcast video title card

Podcast Interview on the Bene Gesserit of Dune

Criticism

I’ve been researching and writing about the women of the Bene Gesserit Sisterhood of Frank Herbert’s Dune for a while, but haven’t had the opportunity to discuss it verbally much outside of conferences. So I was appreciative of Dune Talk – A Dune News Net Show for the chance to be interviewed on their podcast and talk about my favorite topic and aspects of analysis from my forthcoming book on Dune, based on my PhD research. We also talked about the new Dune film and our thoughts on how it will handle the characterization of key women in its adaptation. I hope people

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globe with words meaning translation crossing it

Translations of Article “Epic World-Building: Names and Cultures in Dune”

Criticism

My 2016 journal article “Epic World-Building: Names and Cultures in Dune” has been translated into several non-English languages. Many thanks to the translators for their work. My hope is that this makes some of my scholarship more accessible elsewhere in the world! French: “Construction d’un Univers épique: Noms et cultures dans Dune” Spanish: “Un Portentoso Mundo Ficticio: Nombres y Culturas en Dune” Arabic: “ملحمة بناء العالم : الأسماء والحضارات في رواية الكثبان“ Portuguese: “Construção de Mundo Épica: Nomes e Culturas em Duna“

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