The Universe in Verse, Maria Popova
The Universe in Verse, Maria Popova
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The Universe in Verse
15 Portals to Wonder through Science & Poetry

Author: Maria Popova

Narrator: Maria Popova, Lili Taylor

Unabridged: 1 hr 28 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 10/01/2024


Synopsis

In this audiobook Maria Popova, creator of The Marginalian, presents a celebration of the human search for truth and beauty through the lenses of science and poetry.

Poetry and science, as Popova writes in her introduction, "are instruments for knowing the world more intimately and loving it more deeply." In 15 short essays on subjects ranging from the mystery of dark matter and the infinity of pi to the resilience of trees and the intelligence of octopuses, Popova tells the stories of scientific searching and discovery. These stories are interwoven with details from the very real and human lives of scientists—many of them women, many underrecognized—and poets inspired by the same questions and the beauty they reveal. Each essay is paired with a poem reflecting its subject by poets ranging from Emily Dickinson, W. H. Auden, and Edna St. Vincent Millay to Maya Angelou, Diane Ackerman, and Tracy K. Smith. Together, they wake us to a "reality aglow with wonder." 

Reviews

Goodreads review by Scott on February 27, 2025

Science writing and poetry aren't styles of writing one would think could mesh well together. Editor Maria Popova shatters that assumption easily in her beautiful book of science poetry, "The Universe in Verse: 15 Portals to Wonder through Science & Poetry". Brief science essays on a range of topics......more

Goodreads review by Paula on May 17, 2024

In Maria Popova's "The Universe in Verse," the marriage of science and poetry takes center stage, orchestrating a symphony where the left and right brain work in unison. This captivating exploration transcends conventional boundaries, offering an exquisite ode to wonder and a poignant journey throug......more

Goodreads review by BooksAsDreams (Tiffany) on June 04, 2024

Wow! What a beautiful collection of poetry from a diverse group of poets. Each chapter has an introduction followed by a poem. The addition of the art is a wonderful touch. Thank you Net Galley for the ARC! I will definitely be buying a hard copy for my home library!......more

Goodreads review by LeastTorque on January 21, 2025

It’s hard to imagine what it would be like to read this book if you didn’t already know the facts and the people covered here. I suppose it would be especially wonderful. However, I am not one of those people. So I was here strictly for the presentation. And because the book was a gift from a cheris......more

Goodreads review by Vivek on November 16, 2024

Maria Popova does it again. She is the only one who when speaks about science, I will listen. I will listen wholeheartedly, and with all my attention. There are chances I will even shed a tear or two, reading what she has to say about the magnificence of our universe, of the world we inhabit, of our......more


Quotes

“This book is a wonder. Science writing so often negates the inherent wonder of science, which comes so brilliantly alive here. Something bursts open in the mind. And let me say this: Maria Popova has the rare gift of starting a sentence and leaving you in trance by its end. I'd read anything she writes.”—Jad Abumrad, creator, Radiolab