Light On Light Through

Welcome to Light On Light Through episode 420, in which I interview Deana Weibel about her new book, The Ultraview Effect.  I consider Deana the Margaret Mead of outerspace -- find out why in this interview. Relevant links: More about The Ultraview Effect here Touching the Face of the Cosmos -- the anthology with Deana's Weibel's "Pennies from Heaven" Paul Levinson's reviews of For All Mankind and Star City Interview with Lance Strate in which we discuss his and Neil Postman's views of the space program  

Welcome to Light On Light Through episode 419, in which I review Solvej Balle's On the Calculation of Volume (Vols 1-4). Relevant links: written review of Solvej Balle's On the Calculation of Volume (Vols 1-4) It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles McLuhan in an Age of Social Media

Welcome to Light On Light Through episode 418, in which I interview Dan Abella about The Philip K. Dick Film Festival to take place in New York City, March 13-14, 2026. Relevant links: Philip K. Dick Film Festival details my interview with Rufus Sewell about The Man in the High Castle TV series my novelette The Chronology Protection Case ... short film adapatation of The Chronology Protection Case by Jay Kensinger ... Edgar-nominated radio play adaptation by Mark Shanahan  

Welcome to Light On Light Through episode 417, in which Sarah Clarke Stuart and her husband Jonathan Oakes join me and my wife Tina Vozick in a conversation about Sarah's debut novel, Song of the Unsung Mushroom, published January 15, 2026 by Connected Editions (a boutique publisher that I and Tina created and operate).  At times joining our conversation are Alexis Stuart (who created the cover for Sarah's novel), Susan Clarke, Molly Vozick-Levinson, Elizabeth Clarke, Chryssi Steven, Meghan Vickers, Bud Gundy, and Edwin Stepp (thanks to the last three for providing blurbs for the novel). Relevant links: Kindle, paperback, hardcover, audiobook (read by Sarah for Listen and Live Audio) of the novel here trailer for Song of the Unsung Mushroom here More about Connected Editions here YouTube video of this conversation  here  

Welcome to Light On Light Through episode 416, in which I review the The Beatles Anthology 2025 documentary. Relevant links: my written review of Anthology 2025 my 2024 podcast review of Beatles '64 my 1972 article in The Village Voice: Murray the K in Nostalgia's Noose my 1971 article in The Village Voice: A Vote for McCartney my 1972 song Murray the K's Back In Town my 2024 novel It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles 2023 radioplay It's Real Life on Killerwatt Radio adapted from first chapter of my novel (audiobook of radioplay here) my 2025 written review of One to One: John & Yoko my 2017-2018 written reviews of Rob Sheffield's book Dreaming the Beatles (I review every chapter!) my 2016 review of Billy J. Kramer's book Do You Wanna Know a Secret? my thoughts about The Beatles' Now and Then "The Beatles and Podcasts" my Fall 2023 essay in the Journal of Beatles Studies my 2023 written review of John Lennon: Murder Without a Trial my 2021 podcast reviews of Peter Jackson's The Beatles: Get Back Chris Willman's interview with Oliver Murray in Variety Note added at February 10, 2026: Ten-Minute Take on Current Beatles Books and Documentaries on Rock Talk Studio podcast with Big Rick

Welcome to Light On Light Through episode 415, in which I interview Brooklyn Demme about Paul Thomas Anderson's movie One Battle After Another, in which Brooklyn played a minor role.  But in a movie this great, every role is important. Relevant links: my review of One Battle After Another Simon Vozick-Levinson's A Guide to the Revolutionary Music in 'One Battle After Another' in Rolling Stone, September 29, 2025 screening of That Kid (produced by Brooklyn Demme) in Nyack, NY November 1, 2025 at 12 Noon

Welcome to Light On Light Though episode 414, the complete "radio documentary" on WFDU-FM from 1977 -- "Life & Death of a 20th Century Troubadour" -- in which Josh Meyrowitz and I discuss the life, death, and timeless impact of Phil Ochs and his music. Relevant links: Lou Canto media conversions Marilyn and Monet

Welcome to Light On Light Through episode 413, in which I interview Mike Grynbaum about his book Empire of the Elite: Inside Condé Nast, the Media Dynasty That Reshaped America, which was just published today. Condé Nast is the publisher of The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Vogue, GQ, Wired, and other iconic magazines, so we had a lot to talk about. order Empire of the Elite Maureen Dowd interviews Mike Grynbaum at the 92nd Street Y tonight! Mike Grynbaum's "Mangia Mafia! Food, Punishment, and Cultural Identity in The Sopranos" in The Essential Sopranos Reader, eds. David Lavery, Douglas Howard, and Paul Levinson; University Press of Kentucky, 2011 Excerpt from Empire of the Elite in The Hollywood Reporter

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 412, in which I interview Tom Cooper about his new book Wisdom Weavers: The Lives and Thought of Harold Innis and Marshall McLuhan published on May 1, 2025 by Connected Editions. A group of 51 scholars from the US, Canada, Mexico, Brazil, Australia, and Poland gathered on May 1 via Zoom -- a mini global village -- to see this interview with Tom Cooper. The interview and subsequent Q&A is presented here in audio its entirety. We started off with some casual conversation ... Transcript of the complete Zoom Chat that took place after the interview Get the book in Kindle, paperback, and hardcover here Other audio interviews about Wisdom Weavers:  Captain Phil interviews Paul Levinson about Wisdom Weavers on WUSB Radio ... Frank LoBuono interviews Paul Levinson and Tom Cooper about Wisdom Weavers on the Being Frank podcast Watch the entire interview on video  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 411: I returned to Captain Phil's Planet on WUSB (Stony Brook University) Radio the other day to talk to  Captain Phil about Tom Cooper's new book, Wisdom Weavers: The Lives and Thought of Harold Innis and Marshall McLuhan, to be pubished by Connected Editions (my publishing company) on May 1.   As we discussed in the interview, I'll be interviewing Tom about his book via Zoom on the evening of Wisdom Weavers' publication -- 8pm (New York time), May 1.  If you'd like to attend, email me at Levinson at Fordham dot edu and I'll be happy to send the Zoom URL to you. In the meantime, check out my Marshall McLuhan playlist on YouTube for 50 of my lectures, interviews, etc about McLuhan over the past 20 years.  Here are my two books about McLuhan: Digital McLuhan and McLuhan in an Age of Social Media.  You'll also find numerous essays about McLuhan on my Academia.edu page.  And, if you're a fan of audio podcasts, just search on "McLuhan" on my Light On Light Through podcast page.

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 410, in which I interview Kingsley Marin and Massimo Seriale, two freshmen at Fordham University, who have created and edit a new publication (independent of the University), The Polar. More about The Polar here.  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 409, in which I interview Simon Vozick-Levinson, Deputy Editor of Rolling Stone, about the magazine's list of the 100 Best Protest Songs of All Time.  We talk in particular about Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, and Sam Cooke, and also discuss the importance of publications like Rolling Stone standing up for democracy in these politically troubling times. As a special treat, at the end of this interview, I play a song, "Dance with Destiny," from James Harris's new LP, The Moons of Jupiter.  This is consistent with Phil Ochs' view that we needs works of beauty especially in troubled times. Relevant links: Rolling Stone's list of the 100 Best Protest Songs of All Time The science fantasy story I wrote, "Sam's Requests," inspired by Sam Cooke's song "Having a Party" ... read the story here ... or here (free) My review of Trupa Trupa at the Bowery Electric, Manhattan, 1 March 2025 My Light On Light Through interview with David Browne about his book, Talkin' Greenwich Village NY Times listing of the three-hour show Joshua Meyrowitz and I did about Phil Ochs, after his death in 1976, on WFDU-FM Radio My Light On Light Through interview with Sarah Seltzer about her novel The Singer Sisters The Moons of Jupiter on Bandcamp (soundscapes by Nicky Rowe, vocals by James Harris)

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 408, and my in-depth interview with Lance Strare about his new book, Not A, Not Be &C. Relevant links: Get a copy of Not A, Not Be &C Come see Lance, Thom Gencarelli, and me talking about Lance's book at The Players in Manhattan on 19 February 2025 at 6pm.  More information about this book launch, including FREE registration, here Frank LoBuono's Facebook page -- where he will be live streaming the dramatic reading from my novel, It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles, taking place at Big Red Books in Nyack, NY, 23 February 2025.

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 407, and my in-depth interview with Sarah Seltzer about her novel, The Singer Sisters. Relevant links: Get a copy of The Singer Sisters My review of The Singer Sisters Sarah Seltzer personal appearances at JCC-MidWestchester (Scarsdale, NY) February 28, and JCC-Rockland (West Nyack, NY) March 12 Dramatic reading from It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles with Paul Levinson, Anthony Marinelli, Amanda Greer, Frank LoBuono, and Denise Reed, at Big Red Books, Nyack NY, February 23.  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 406, and my in-depth interview with Rolling Stone writer David Browne about his masterful book, Talkin' Greenwich Village. We talk at length about Dave Van Ronk, Joni Mitchell, Phil Ochs, Bob Dylan, The Blues Project, Bob Lind, and a little less about many others, including Hegel and his spirit of an age. Relevant links: Get a copy of Talkin' Greenwich Village My review of Talkin' Greenwich Village Catch David Browne at Big Red Books in Nyack, NY, March 6 Catch me at Big Red Books, Nyack, NY, February 23, doing a dramatic reading from It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles, with Anthony Marinelli and Amanda Greer, real people who appear as characters in the novel, and Frank LoBuono and Denise Reed.

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 405: Howard Margolin invited me to join him on his Destinies: The Voice of Science Fiction show (on WUSB Radio) in a dramatic reading from the second chapter of my 2024 novel, It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles.  Here's the reading, with some commentary before and after by me. Relevant links: Get the Kindle, paperback, or hardcover of the novel Read the award-winning first chapter of the novel, FREE Listen to the award-winning radioplay adapted from the 1st chapter, FREE Anne Reburn's recording of "Real Love" for the radioplay Watch my reading the 1st chapter of the novel at its book launch at The Players in NYC, March 27, 2024 Interview about the novel on Bloggerythms February 23, 2025 up-coming in-person dramatic reading from parts of the novel -- at Big Red Books in Nyack, NY -- featuring Anthony Marinelli (playwright, director) and Amanda Greer (actor), who are real-life characters in the novel My reviews of Max & Domino (play), and Why I Had to Kill You While You Slept (movie), both written and directed by Anthony Marinelli and starring Amanda Greer Listen to the full episode of Destinies: The Voice of Science Fiction, with both the reading in this podcast, and Howard Margolin's interview with me, before and after our reading, December 27, 2024, FREE

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 404, in which I review A Complete Unknown, the new Bob Dylan biopic, which my wife and I went to see on its opening day, Christmas, in New York. Relevant links: my written review of A Complete Unknown Frank LoBuono's podcast interview with Terri Thal, Dylan's first manager my written review of Jack Dann's The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History ... my podcast interview with Jack Dann my video interview of Sarah Seltzer, author The Singer Sisters, a novel about a folk-singing family It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles (my novel)

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 403, in which I interview Jared Moshe about his movie Aporia, a time-travel movie on Hulu that explores, in a way I've never seen before, the wrenching ethical dilemmas that arise when you try to change the past. Relevant links: my written review of Aporia Aporia on Hulu more about Jared Moshe here my best-known time travel novel my best-known alternate history novel

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 402, in which I review Dexter: Original Sin on Paramount+Showtime. Relevant links: written reviews of Dexter: Original Sin 1.1 and 1.2-1.3 (with links to written reviews of all episodes of Dexter: New Blood and all eight seasons of the original Dexter)  audio podcast reviews of Dexter: New Blood 1.1 ... 1.2 ... 1.3 ... 1.4 ... 1.5-1.6 ... 1.7-1.8 ... 1.9-1.10  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 401, in which I interview Dan Abella about The Psychedelic Film and Music Festival, NYC, 14 Dec 2024. (Kendall Brown, Operations Manager for the Festival, joins us in the interview.) Relevant links: The Psychedelic Film and Music Festival written interview with me by Evan Levine, in which I discuss Hegel's "spirit of an age" (see 10th question in the interview) Dan Abella's play, "Timothy X's Journey from PTSD to Wholeness," to be performed live at the Festival [scroll down] McLuhan in an Age of Social Media Lioness (streaming on Paramount+)

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 400, in which I review the Beatles '64 documentary that just went up yesterday on Disney+. Here are links to some of the many people and things I discuss in the podcast: my written review of Beatles '64 my 1972 article about  Murray the K in The Village Voice my 1971 article about Paul McCartney in The Village Voice the song I wrote and recorded about Murray the K my podcast reviews of Peter Jackson's The Beatles: Get Back my podcast review of Maestro McLuhan in an Age of Social Media It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles Evan Levine's 25 November 2024 written interview with me  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 399, in which I review Dune: Prophecy 1.1-1.2 on HBO Max. written review of Dune Prophecy 1.1-1.2

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 398, in which I interview Andrew Hoskins about the new book he is writing, The Deadbot Society: AI and the End of the Human Past. Relevant links: "AI and Memory" an article by Andrew Hoskins the AI-created video I mentioned in our conversation more about McLuhan in an Age of Social Media

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 397, in which I interview Gerrit Van Houtenberg about his new multiple universe feature film, Quantum Suicide, debuting on Amazon Prime Video on October 18. Relevant links: my review of Quantum Suicide The Chronology Protection Case movie on Amazon Prime Video The Chronology Protection Case novelette

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 396, in which I interview Bob Hutchins about AI.  My guess is you'll find this discussion much more optimistic about AI than what you'll usually hear. Discussed or mentioned in this interview: "On Behalf of Humanity: The Technological Edge" my 1996 article The Media Ecology Association New Explorations: Studies in Culture and Communication my review of Confronting the Presidents    

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 395, in which Patrick Rands interviews me about It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles on his WZBC Radio program Abstract Terrain. more about It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles here say hello at the Meet and Greet at Big Red Books, 120 Main Street, Nyack, NY, Sunday, October 6, 12noon-2pm  It's Real Life radioplay on Killerwatt Radio Anne Reburn's cover of Real Love my interview with Anne Reburn Yoko Ono's Cambridge 1969  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 394, in which I interview Dan Abella about The New York Science Fiction Film Festival, to take place Saturday, September 14, 2024 at the Stuart Cinema and Cafe, 79 West Street in Brooklyn, NY. more details here my review of Gerrit Van Woudenberg's Quantum Suicide my in-depth interview with Rufus Sewell about The Man in the High Castle Among the science fiction filmmakers we discuss: Gerrit Van Woudenberg, Jay Kensinger, Frank Spotnitz, M. Night Shyamalan, Francis Ford Coppola Among the science fiction authors we discuss: Philip K. Dick, Sam Delany, Robert Harris, Walter Mosley  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 393, in which I argue that debate performance has nothing to do with how a candidate actually performs as President. See also: It's the Debate that Failed Last Night, Not Biden blog post NY Times Editorial Board: President Biden Should Leave the Race What's Wrong with The New York Times blog post Philadelphia Inquirer Editorial: Donald Trump Should Leave the Race

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 392, in which I review Dark Matter 1.9 on Apple TV+. Further places: podcast review of Dark Matter 1.1-1.2 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.3-1.4 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.5 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.6 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.7 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.8 written blog post review of episode 1.9 See also Deadline's interview with Blake Crouch

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 391, in which I review Dark Matter 1.8 on Apple TV+. Further places: podcast review of Dark Matter 1.1-1.2 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.3-1.4 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.5 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.6 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.7 written blog post review of episode 1.8

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 390, in which I review Dark Matter 1.7 on Apple TV+. Further places: podcast review of Dark Matter 1.1-1.2 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.3-1.4 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.5 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.6 written blog post review of episode 1.7

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 389, in which I review Dark Matter 1.6 on AppleTV+. Further places: podcast review of Dark Matter 1.1-1.2 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.3-1.4 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.5 written blog post review of episode 1.6

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 388, in which I review Dark Matter 1.5 on AppleTV+. Further places: podcast review of Dark Matter 1.1-1.2 podcast review of Dark Matter 1.3-1.4 written blog post review of episode 1.5    

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 387, in which I review Dark Matter 1.3-1.4 on AppleTV+. Further places: podcast review of Dark Matter 1.1-1.2 written blog post reviews of episodes 1.3 and 1.4  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 386, in which I talk to Mark Dawidziak about his latest book A Mystery of Mysteries: The Death and Life of Edgar Allan Poe, and another iconic author Mark has written about, Mark Twain. more about A Mystery of Mysteries  watch a video of this interiew written review of The Pale Blue Eye more about It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 385, in which I review Dark Matter 1.1-1.2 on AppleTV+. Further places: written blog post review of Dark Matter 1.1-1.2 written blog post review of Quantum Suicide audio podcast review of Constellation alternate reality short story "The Other Car" It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles Tetrad on History and Alternate History  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 384, in which I review Rebel Moon, Parts 1 and 2. Written blog post reviews of Rebel Moon, Part 1 and Part 2.

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 383, in which I review the first season of Constellation. Written blog post review of Constellation. Mentioned in the podcast: "The Chronology Protection Case": novelette, movie, radio play (audio book) It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles: novel, radio play of first chapter, video of book launch "The Other Car": short story, audio book written blog post review of Gerrit Van Woudenberg's Quantum Suicide    

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 382, in which I review the second season of American Rust. written blog post review of the second season of American Rust

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 381, a special Saturday episode of this podcast, in which Captain Phil and I talk about the Philip K. Dick Film Festival going on today at the Musuem of the Moving Image in Astoria, Queens; a panel I'll be moderating there at 2:40 this afternoon on the Anatomy of a Feature Winning Script; my novel It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles which has just been published and for which no movie or TV script has yet been written (but a radio play has been adapted from the first chapter, see the links below); Philip K. Dick; and much more. The Philip K. Dick Film Festival It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles novel It's Real Life the radio play    

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 380, in which I review the first season of 3 Body Problem. written blog post review of first season of 3 Body Problem science fiction works mentioned in the podcast: Ender's Game, Childhood's End, To Serve Man, Dune, Foundation

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 379, in which I take you into the Book Launch and reading I did of It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles, my new novel, based on the award-winning short story of the same name, in the historic Players Club in New York City on March 27, 2024. "Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite meditation on the very nature of alternate history." -- Jack Dann, The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History Watch the video of the Book Launch here. Get the book here. Listen to the radio play adapted from the short story here. Listen to "If I Traveled to the Past" here. Interview about the novel here. More about The Players. More about the New York Society for General Semantics (sponsor of the Book Launch.)  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 378, in which I present the many reasons that banning TikTok in the United States -- or even threatening to ban TikTok in the U.S. -- is a bad idea.

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 377, in which I review the third season of Hightown. written blog post review of the third season of Hightown, with links to my written reviews of most of the episodes of the first two seasons.

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 376, in which I interview Dan Abella in George's Cafe in Manhattan about The Mind Revolution Experience (March 14, 7-9pm at The Producer's Club, 358 W. 44th Street, NYC) and the upcoming Philip K. Dick Film Festival (April 4-7, Musuem of the Moving Image, and other places in NYC). more about The Mind Revolution Experience here more about the PKD Film Festival here more about my novel, It's Real Life: An Alternate History of The Beatles -- that I'll be doing a reading from at the PKD Film Festival -- here

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 375, in which I interview Richard Sparks about his new novel, New Rock, New Role, as well as the joys and woes, the trials and tribulations and triumphs of the writerly life. More about New Rock, New Role  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 374, in which I review the fourth season of True Detective on HBO Max. Written blog post review of True Detective 4.1-4.3 Written blog post review of True Detective 4.4-4.6

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 373, in which I review the second season of Reacher on Amazon Prime Video. podcast review of Reacher 1 written blog post review of Reacher 2  

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 372, in which I review The Greatest Night in Pop: The Untold Story Behind 'We Are the World'. my written blog post review of The Greatest Night in Pop the "We Are the World" video 30-minute documentary made shortly after "We Are the World"

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 371, in which I join Captain Phil on WUSB-FM Radio (Stony Brook, New York) and Marybeth Ritkouski, Michael Rizzo, Bruce Playfair, and Colleen Bement in a 2+ hour in-depth, fun discussion of For All Mankind, Seasons 1-4, on Apple TV+. my written reviews  (w/spoilers) of For All Mankind, Season 4 (link is to my review of the 10th episode, which has links to my reviews of the other 9 episodes) and earlier seasons Chuck Todd's podcast December 26, 2023 interview with me about For All Mankind and  alternate histories "It's Real Life" (alternate history about The Beatles) story and radio play