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Who Put the "Punk" in Steampunk? The Roots and Evolution of Steampunk

the library ladder

80,858 views

Has steampunk lost its edge? What began as a kind of protest against the constraints and conventions of Victorian and Golden Age science fiction has evolved into a wide-ranging category that's difficult to define. Is it a discrete literary genre? Is it an ideology? Is it a counterculture movement? Or is it simply an aesthetic or style?

In this video, I discuss the origins of steampunk and how it has morphed and adapted throughout its history.

1:11 What Is Steampunk?
3:21 Steampunk as a Protest Movement
7:45 Cautionary SF Becomes the Exception
10:35 Early Steampunk Rebels
12:20 Mervyn Peake
13:24 Keith Laumer
14:46 Keith Roberts
17:24 Ronald Clark
19:06 Jack Finney
20:06 Michael Moorcock
26:07 Japan's Steampunk Tradition
28:40 Cyberpunk Influences
31:48 Has Steampunk Lost Its Edge?
34:12 Or Is Steampunk Inherently Transgressive?

Links to some of my other videos about SFF history:
A History of Gnome Press - The Tiny Publisher That Kickstarted Modern...
A History of Arkham House - The Greatest Small Publisher of Horror, Sc...
The Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series - The Ballantine Adult Fantasy Series Charte...
A Tribute to Lord Dunsany - The 20th Century Renaissance Man Who Pione...
A History of Science Fiction Anthologies - Why Short Story Anthologies Are the Best I...

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Art Credits:
Giovani
Didier Graffet
Rodney Matthews
Mike Savad
Sheer Madness
Varvara Snegiriov
Stijn Windig

#steampunk #scifi #sfalliance #fantasy #booktubesff #booktube

20 Comments

@thelibraryladder Creator 2 years ago Pinned

Due to other commitments, I've neglected the care and feeding of my channel lately. I'm very happy to get back to uploading content. There's plenty more to come. Thanks for your patience, everyone!

@keithhealing1115 2 years ago

At a Steampunk event a couple of years ago I witnessed a little old lady approach a huge, fully-bedecked Steampunk and ask "so, what is Steampunk?" He leant forward, looked around conspiratorially, and said, "As far as I can tell, it is an excuse for adults to dress up and be very nice to each other."

@pe003 2 years ago

Although it's not a book, oddly the legend of Kora is probably one of the better examples of modern steampunk, it begins to examine questions of law and social responsibility in Transitioning from a traditional to an industrial society, where the role of spiritually is in a post traditional society and what it means to be born powerless in a world dominated by the privilege of power and how technology shifts the balance of power but, because it is a kids cartoon, it never really develops the ideas to full fill a resolution

@HonoreDeBalzacH20 2 years ago

How does this man manage to stay in the intro voice and music the whole way through 30mins and make it so good?

@ilFanEditore 2 years ago

So good to have the most relaxing and interesting book-related channel back!

@paulcooper3611 2 years ago

The Difference Engine by William Gibson and Bruce Sterling was my first introduction to Steampunk. One of the unremembered side effects of the novel was bringing Lady Ada Lovelace, daughter of Lord Byron, to the attention of the public. She was a mathematician and champion of Charles Babbage's Difference Engine and is quite possibly the first computer programmer. She certainly is in the book.

So, when the government decided in the 1990s that they needed a unified computer language that all government code would be written in, they naturally named it Ada in her honor. I remember, when I was working for a NASA contractor, being sent to a course on the language, since all of NASA's code was to be written in it in the future. Alas, Ada was supposed to be all things to all people and, therefore, was nothing to anybody. It still exists, but you don't see any adds for Ada programmers. It sounds very much like the plot of a Steampunk novel.

Lady Ada deserved better. The book was fun, though.

@UN-SOUND 2 years ago

I think "re-imagining the past" sums it up best for me

@ARKAY5354 2 years ago

Loved that antithesis-type comparison of intellectuals of the Victorian era being revered for their speaking prowess vs current era manufactured celebrities famous only for their ability to attract attention. Priceless, and quintessential TLL. I'm relieved you posted again, I was beginning to think the worst! Great subject to expound on. Cheers.

@andrewkoastephens4090 2 years ago

I thought steampunk was just an excuse for us aging goth folks to wear the colour brown. Alas, there is a whole literary genre creating context for my broken clock parts jewellery!!

@josephzamer5802 2 years ago

I dont know why, but I always think that Jules Verne created steampunk in a "steampunk time"

@VoodoChile89 2 years ago

When you click a video on your frontpage, listen for a minute, look at the titles of other videos of the channel and you realize you just found an absolute treasure of YT-Channel. Thank you!!

@blackraptor311 2 years ago

I have always pictured the city in Titus Alone in a futuristic Art Deco sort of world. That's just me.

@DPRK_Best_Korea 1 year ago

Vintage fashion and technology are cool, it is just a shame that most steampunk enthusiasts lack any understanding of either.

@MoeOuan666 2 years ago

Just a small message from Europe to congratulate you for your channel, and encourage you to keep the great work.
Your content is very interesting and well presented, and your soothing tone is both original and very easy to understand for a native french speaker who sometimes struggle with some accents (Hollywood movies, I look at you 😂). Thanks for the content you create 👍

@Mecharnie_Dobbs 2 years ago

Steampunk is defined as an alternate dimension wherin the Victorian era continued indefinitely. Largely defined by technology, but also goggles, smart suits and corsets.

@waldo8791 2 years ago

I thought the other day that I may have forgotten to subscribe because I haven’t gotten anything in my notifications but thankfully I had. Happy to see you uploaded

@LiamsLyceum 2 years ago

Look at that young Michael Moorcock photo!

@lannadelarosa 2 years ago

Ok, you win for "Don't get me started on the romance genre that generates a different kind of steam." I agree that most are more steampunk scene dressing, with the exception of Meljean Brook's The Iron Seas. The steampunk worldbuilding significantly outshines the romances.

@samuelleask1132 2 years ago

Your videos are always such a joy to watch. Thanks for all the work you do!

@andreasboe4509 2 years ago (edited)

A great essay as usual, but I believe the background music loop did something abominable with my brain. Looking forward to the next one. I can warmly recomment the Japanese animated movie "Steamboy".