RMBL Reads Monthly Book Club: Maria Popova | The Universe in Verse: 15 Portals to Wonder Through Science and Poetry

Join other readers for a free monthly book club in Crested Butte, co-hosted by Townie Books. All are welcome, including those who may not have had a chance to read the book ahead of time.

The Universe in Verse: 15 Portals to Wonder Through Science & Poetry by Maria Popova is a 2024 book that pairs 15 illustrated essays with poems, exploring the intersection of scientific discovery and poetic wonder. Each chapter features a short essay on a scientific concept (like dark matter, pi, or entropy) and a corresponding poem by poets such as Emily Dickinson, Maya Angelou, and W.H. Auden, with illustrations by Ofra Amit. The book, an extension of Popova’s annual event, celebrates how science and poetry both serve as “instruments for knowing the world more intimately and loving it more deeply”.

Key aspects of the book:
Format: A collection of 15 illustrated essays.
Content: Each essay discusses a scientific theme (e.g., the singularity, radioactivity, octopus intelligence) and is paired with a poem that reflects on the same subject.
Authors: Written by Maria Popova, with illustrations by Ofra Amit.
Poets featured: Includes works by W.H. Auden, Maya Angelou, Emily Dickinson, Tracy K. Smith, Sylvia Plath, and others.
Themes: Explores the wonder in science and the human search for truth and beauty, bridging scientific concepts with emotional and philosophical meaning.

Where: RMBL 365, 615 Teocalli Ave., Crested Butte