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Books by Janna Levin mentioned on podcasts
Janna Levin's contributions to science communication, literature, and astrophysics are celebrated by Neil deGrasse Tyson on StarTalk Radio. Across multiple appearances and episodes, Tyson repeatedly highlighted Levin's body of work, expressing deep admiration for her writing. Levin joined StarTalk Radio to discuss Einstein's greatest papers while showcasing her compact, dense book Black Hole Survival Guide, which she playfully noted mirrors the physical properties of an actual black hole. Tyson frequently praised How the Universe Got Its Spots, identifying it as one of his absolute favorite books and specifically pointing out the distinct British cover edition titled Black Hole Blues. During fan question segments, Tyson prompted Levin to recall her published titles, leading to discussions covering both Black Hole Survival Guide and Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space. Levin also mentioned her fiction writing on the podcast, introducing her novel A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines while acknowledging that the title might be considered slightly long. Tyson routinely praised Levin in her capacity as an author and as editor-in-chief of the Pioneer Works podcast, cementing her status as a celebrated guest and recurring scientific voice on the program.
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Black hole blues
Black hole blues by Janna Levin is a compelling chronicle detailing the decades-long development of the massive scientific machines designed to detect gravitational waves.
Recommended“She's totally into this with the black hole blues. The black hole blues. She got a whole book. That's her book.”
Where to get it
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Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space
Black Hole Blues and Other Songs from Outer Space by Janna Levin is a captivating non-fiction chronicle detailing the scientific quest to detect gravitational waves and capture the elusive signals of black holes colliding in the distant universe.
Recommended“She's totally into this with the black hole blues. The black hole blues. She got a whole book. That's her book.”
Where to get it
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Black Hole Survival Guide
Black Hole Survival Guide by Janna Levin is a pocket-sized, accessible exploration of astrophysics that explains everything a reader needs to know about visiting a black hole without perishing.
Discussed“one of my favorites uh black hole Survival Guide”
Where to get it
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A madman dreams of Turing machines
A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines by Janna Levin is a biographical novel that weaves together the lives and intellectual pursuits of logician Kurt Gödel and mathematician Alan Turing, exploring the intersections of computation, mental fragility, and genius.
Recommended“and the book is called a madman dreams of Turing machines and perhaps it's best described as a mathematical historical novel”
Where to get it
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How the Universe Got Its Spots
How the Universe Got Its Spots by Janna Levin is a popular science book exploring the topology of the universe, chaos theory, and the cosmic microwave background.
Discussed“editor-in chief of the pioneer Works podcast author of How the Universe Got Its Spots one of my favorites uh black hole”
Where to get it
