How the Universe Got Its Spots: Diary of a Finite Time in a Finite Space

I've read several of the books that Dr. Levin references in this book so I was a little worried that this one might be a tiresome rehash of these previous works. Not so! Dr. Levin's explanation of even the more predictable topics (Flatland) are new and interesting. I found her discussion of topology particularly enlightening. The narration was also first rate. Ms. Williams didn't just read the text, she rendered an interpretation of the work that captures the passion that Dr. Levin clearly brings to her work.

I went in looking for a lot of hard physics, since the previous audiobook I'd listened to was "The Black Hole War". This touched on some physics, but not a lot - it was mostly a story of Janna Levin's life in CA and England. As a woman engineer, it was interesting to hear from another woman scientist about conferences, and career/family tradeoffs, and so forth. It's written as a series of letters to her mother, which was a neat way to present it.

The story's presentation was pretty neat. The narrator did a very good job, it was very approachable and lyrical.

This is an odd book. The book tells the story of cosmology to the author’s mom (non-scientist) mom blending that story with stories of her life. I found little new or interesting in this book. The level and tone might be perfect for non-technical listeners.

More art than science, but art for those with some understanding of the science. And I think that may have been the author's intent. I expected science, but credit the author for doing well that which she chose to do.