This is tape recordings being made February 3rd, 1969, in the home of Frank Herbert in Fairfax, California.

Frank and his wife, Bev, are sitting around myself.

In February, 1969, just four years after the release of Dune, Frank Herbert and his wife, Beverly Stewart, sat down with their friend, Willis McNally, in their home.

This wasn't a formal interview for a newspaper or a press event to promote Frank's books.

It was just some friends geeking out about a story they were all passionate about.

Frank and his wife, Bev, are sitting around myself, Dr. Willisie McNally of Cal State,

English department in Florida, California, sitting around talking about science fiction.

McNally recorded the almost 90-minute-long conversation,

which covered everything from Frank's inspiration for Dune

to heady discussions about morality and ethics.

It was a podcast before there were podcasts.

If I'd known, I would have brought in the best of parents.

By the way, we have another wine in there, do you?

No, I'm going to stick the coffee for a while.

Thanks.

I'll be up all my reading, but then what difference is it made?

It's clear from the tape how much of a fan McNally is,

even interrupting the recording at one point to compare his notes on sandworm life cycles with Frank.

The final, let's say, complete life cycle of Shiavo.

Yeah, do you want me to pin it down for you? I can. I mean, I had it in mind.

You had it in mind?

Yeah, but... I had it worked out, too. Let's, uh, let's compare notes.

...