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In this episode of Writer’s Voice, we talk with Aaron Robertson about his fascinating book, The Black Utopians: Searching for Paradise and the Promised Land in America. It’s about the hidden legacies of Black utopian experiments and what they teach us about the power of community today.
Then, we talk with best-selling novelist, journalist and activist Cory Doctorow about his new crime thriller, the latest installment in the Martin Hench series, Picks and Shovels. It tells the origin stories of forensic accountant Martin Hench and the most powerful tool for crime ever invented: the personal computer.
Black History Month on Writer’s Voice
Every week this month, we’ll be featuring books about key times in America’s Black History, a history that enriches and enlightens us all. We talk with:
- Aaron Robertson, BLACK UTOPIANS
- Aran Shetterly about MORNINGSIDE: The 1979 Greensboro Massacre
- Victoria Christopher Murray about her novel of the Harlem Renaissance, HARLEM RHAPSODY
- Bernadette Atuahene about her history of how racist policies undermine Black home ownership In America, PLUNDERED
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Key Words: Black utopian communities, Aaron Robertson, The Black Utopians, Promiseland Tennessee, Black Christian nationalism, Albert Cleage Jr., Black History Month, Cory Doctorow, Picks and Shovels book, enshittification, digital rights, big tech antitrust
Segment 1: Aaron Robertson
Aaron Robertson’s book The Black Utopians uncovers the rich yet often overlooked history of Black utopian communities in America—places born from struggle, but driven by hope, self-determination, and perserverance. From the historic town of Promiseland, Tennessee, to the radical vision of Black Christian nationalism in Detroit, Robertson takes us on a journey through forgotten movements that sought to build a better world right here in America.
“Moments of crisis are often when utopian experiments flourish. When existing systems fail, people turn to each other and create something new.“ — Aaron Robertson
Topics Covered
- The history and significance of Black utopian communities
- Promiseland, Tennessee: A historic all-Black town
- The role of Black Christian nationalism and its leader, Albert Cleage Jr.
- How Black utopian movements contrast with white countercultural movements of the 1960s
- Why mainstream narratives have overlooked Black utopian experiments
- Lessons from The Black Utopians for building resilient communities today
Segment 2: Cory Doctorow
We welcome back Cory Doctorow—bestselling author, activist, and one of the most incisive voices on the intersection of technology, capitalism, and digital rights. His latest book, Picks and Shovels, is a gripping prequel to Red Team Blues and The Bezel, diving into the dawn of the personal computing era in 1986. Through the eyes of forensic accountant Martin Hench, Doctorow explores corporate fraud, the rise of monopolies, and what he famously calls the “enshittification” of technology.
We also discuss how modern fraud operates, the power of spreadsheets in financial crimes, Amazon’s monopoly over the audiobook industry, and why Doctorow is hopeful—not optimistic—about the future of digital rights and labor movements.
“We stopped enforcing antitrust laws, and we got monopolies. This shouldn’t surprise anyone.” — Cory Doctorow
Topics Covered
- Why Doctorow set his novel in 1986 and how it serves as a prequel to his previous books
- How the character Martin Hench uses forensic accounting to uncover fraud using spreadsheets, and why fraudsters often think they’re untouchable.
- How the early PC industry was a Wild West of innovation, scams, and untapped potential.
- The “Enshittification” of Everything: A deep dive into how monopolies, regulatory capture, and digital lock-in have turned once-great platforms into exploitative systems.
- Amazon and the Audiobook Monopoly: Why Doctorow refuses to sell his audiobooks on Audible and how he’s fighting back with Kickstarter.
- How unions and collective action can push back against corporate overreach.