Light On Light Through

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 93, in which I explore how Marshall McLuhan's "tetrad" or four laws of media, first publicly propounded in the mid-late 1970s, can explain the "selfie" which didn't exist until a few years ago and is so vividly in evidence today.

This is the photograph which instigated this train of thought - thanks to Ian Bogost for pushing it out of the station.

You might also enjoy this podcast episode: Marshall McLuhan and the Kindle. See also Tetrad on Eyeglasses Fliiping into Google Glass and Photography Flips into Snapchat.

more about McLuhan

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 92, in which I explain - as an author who is both traditionally and independently published - why I think Amazon has the right of it in its much-criticized dispute with Hachette. I address some famous authors, such as Nobel-laureate Paul Krugman, and why I see their attacks on Amazon as not only wrong-headed, but serving as part of Hachette's classic appeal-to-authority propaganda. In sum, Amazon has revolutionized the author's ability to reach potential readers, in as profound a way as the printing press before it.

Some of my novels, now independently published on Amazon:

See also -

1. Nobel laureate Krugman cites Asimov's Foundation as Inspiration
2. Marshall McLuhan and the Kindle (a podcast episode)
3. recent interview with me (written) with more about this issue

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 91, in which I read my short story, "The Last Train to Margaretville," published in John Mierau's shared world science fiction anthology, Walk the Fire 2, published in May 2014. You can learn more about the anthology by clicking on the title, where you'll also find out more about the Walk the Fire series.

Or read just the story here.

If you'd like more of my science fiction about those tunnels under Keating Hall in Fordham University, here's a free alternate history story about The Beatles, "It's Real Life".

And if you enjoy my science fiction, you might like any of these novels

Or, if short fiction is more your cup of tea, you'll find my short story "Extra Credit" in the new cyberpunk anthology, Altered States.

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 90, in which I discuss how Marshall McLuhan (1911-1980), who never wrote for a Kindle and of course didn't even know about it, nonetheless correctly foresaw its revolutionary impact on authors when he wrote, in Laws of the Media (1977) that the "Xerox makes everyone a publisher". I also discuss the practical advantages of self-publishing on Kindle rather than via traditional publishers, and how such opening of the gates may ameliorate Thomas Gray's lament (1751) "Full many a flow'r is born to blush unseen, And waste its sweetness on the desert air."

You might also enjoy this episode, The Selfie and Marshall McLuhan

my science fiction on Kindle

and Digital McLuhan and New New Media on Kindle

Welcome to Light On Light Through, Episode 89, which contains Patrick Rands and Carl Thien's recent "spotlight" on my science fiction and music, broadcast a few days ago on Patrick's WZBC Radio show. Patrick decided to do this segment after hearing Sundial Symphony's new recording of my "Looking for Sunsets (in the Early Morning)". He put together a wild, cool set of my music over the years, and began by inviting Carl to talk about my science fiction.

The playlist follows. More about Sundial Symphony - consisting of Don Frankel (who played keyboard on the 1972 recording of Looking for Sunsets) and Robbie Rist (cousin Oliver on The Brady Bunch, the bus driver on Sharknado, and everything in between) - on their Facebook page.

1. Ring Around My Rosie - recorded by Protozoa - song written by David Fox, produced by Paul Levinson, Ed Fox, and Herb Abramson, Buddah Records, 1969

2. Sunshine Mind - recorded by Donna Marie (who sang in the Archies) - song written by Paul Levinson, produced by Jimmy "Wiz" Wisner, released on Columbia, 1968

3. Love Colored Glasses - studio demo recorded by Mikie Harris & Paul Levinson, written by Paul Levinson & Mikie Harris, 1968

4. Not Yet Ready to Say Goodbye - recorded by Paul Levinson, with Ed Fox and Peter Rosenthal (Paul singing lead) - written by Paul Levinson & Linda Kaplan, produced by Paul Levinson & Ed Fox, released on Twice Upon A Rhyme LP, HappySad Records, 1972 (musicians on this album also include Don Frankel, Jay Sackett, Alan Fuhr, Boris Midney)

5. Skyscraper - studio demo by Linda Kaplan (later wrote "Toys 'R Us" jingle), written by Paul Levinson & Linda Kaplan, 1968

6. Lime Streets - live performance by Paul Levinson on Patrick Rands’ 2006 WZBC Radio show, written by Paul Levinson, 2006

7. Looking for Sunsets (in the Early Morning) - Sundial Symphony (Don Frankel & Robbie Rist), written by Paul Levinson & Ed Fox, 1969 (released on Twice Upon A Rhyme LP, HappySad Records, 1972), 2013 (mastered by Steve Katz)

more about my music at Twice Upon a Rhyme

my science fiction now on Kindle

You might also enjoy Patrick Rands' 2006 60-minute WZBC Radio show about my music, with interview.

Welcome to Episode 88 of Llght On Light Through. I've just finished writing the concluding chapter of Unburning Alexandria - sequel to The Plot to Save Socrates - which will be published on Kindle, iTunes, etc as an ebook by JoSara MeDia in a few days. As a little appetizer, I thought you might enjoy this brief reading I did from Unburning Alexandria at Robin's Books (the famous book store which closed in 2012) in Philadelphia, as part of Oz Fontecchio's Philadelphia Fantastic series. The reading comes from the beginning of the novel, which was published in November 2008 in Analog Magazine as a novelette, and which is in the 2012 ebook of The Plot to Save Socrates. (The ebook of Unburning Alexandria picks up the narrative right after.) Following the reading, I talk to Oz Fontecchio about time travel, and take questions from audience, including one from Gerry Elman. Thanks to Larry Robin, Ray Garman, Oz Fontecchio, Gerry Elman, Trevor Quachri, and Chuck Sterin, who in one way or another helped with this video, and to David Hartwell and Stan Schmidt, who helped with the print publications of The Plot to Save Socrates and Unburning Alexandria.

The Plot to Save Socrates on Kindle

Unburning Alexandria on Kindle

Chronica on Kindle

Welcome to Episode 87 of Light On Light Through, in which I offer ongoing commentary about Occupy Wall Street, September 27 through November 23, 2011. The commentary first appeared in 15 blog posts - dates, titles, and links to the text of the blog posts are listed below. Main themes include Occupy Wall Street as a resurgence of direct democracy, police violation of the First Amendment in their violence against protesters and the press, failure of the Obama administration to protect the rights of Occupy citizens attacked by munipalities, and much more. This podcast is about 55 minutes in length. It is intended as both analysis and eyewitness to one of the most important revolutions in human history. Further chronicles will appear here in subsequent months.

Helpful links -

1. Sept 27, 2011 NYC Police Disgrace Themselves in Brutal Treatment of Wall Street Protesters
2. Oct 6, 2011 Advice to President Obama: Join Occupy Wall Street
3. Oct 16, 2011 Occupy Wall Street, Direct Democracy, Social Media: A Thumbnail History of Media and Politics Since Ancient Athens
4. Oct 21, 2011 Obama Should Call in National Guard to Restrain NYPD in Occupy Wall Street
5. Oct 26, 2011 No Expiration Date on First Amendment
6. Oct 29, 2011 Into the Mind of a Conservative Bully
7. Nov 2, 2011 Bank of America Bends to Will of the People
8. Nov 10, 2011 Open Letter to Governor Jerry Brown
9. Nov 13, 2011 Lame CBS Broadcasts Only First Hour of Republican Foreign Policy Debate
10. Nov 15, 2011 Mayor Bloomberg's Poor Understanding of the First Amendment
11. Nov 16, 2011 Violation of First Amendment to Cover Up Violation of First Amendment
12. Nov 20, 2011 What OWS Has Shown Us about Bloomberg, Jerry Brown, Obama
13. Nov 20, 2011 Jay Carney (and Obama) Have It All Wrong about Police and OWS
14. Nov 20, 2011 Failure of Budget Super-Committee Shows Further Decay of Representative Democracy
15. Nov 23, 2011 First Amendment Trampling Bloomberg Caves: NYPD Ordered to Let Press Do Its Job

My television interviews about OWS ... with Chuck Scarborough on NY Nightly News ... on FOX 5 NY ...

my home page: http://paullevinson.info

more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv

more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com

videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006

my latest media book: New New Media

my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates

"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly

"Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News

and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Welcome to Episode 86 of Light On Light Through, in which I share a recently recovered voicemail from Marshall McLuhan, from August 1978, about my doctoral dissertation, "Human Replay: A Theory of the Evolution of Media," which I had mailed up to him in Canada, a few weeks earlier, before I left with my wife Tina on our summer vacation ...

Helpful links (updated 2025)

• my most recent book about McLuhan (2015/2024): McLuhan in Age of Social Media
• speeches about McLuhan into audiobooks: 2014 Keynote Address Baylor University ... 2011 Keynote Address St. Francis College ... 2017 Lecture at Fordham University
• Human Replay: A Theory of the Evolution of Media (1978/2017)
• 57 videos of me talking about McLuhan

Welcome to Episode 85 of Light On Light Through, in which I discuss the inadvisability of unconstitutional wars - that is, wars not declared by both houses of Congress, as required by the U.S. Constitution - such as the one we're now waging in Lybia...

Helpful links -

1. my blog post: On the Road to Another Unconstitutional War?
2. my blog post: Wrong for NATO Strike to Kill Gaddafi Grandchildren

my home page: http://paullevinson.info

more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv

more podcasts: http://Levinsonnewsclips.com

videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006

my latest media book: New New Media

my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates

"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly

"Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News

and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

The title of Episode 84 of Light On Light Through says it all: the continuing nuclear crisis in Japan shows why it's long since time to take our leave of nuclear power as a mainstream energy source on this planet.

Helpful links - my blog post: Time to Say Goodbye to Nuclear Energy

my home page: http://paullevinson.info

more blogs: http://InfiniteRegress.tv

videoclips: http://www.youtube.com/user/PLev20062006

my latest media book: New New Media

my latest novel: The Plot to Save Socrates

"challenging fun" - Entertainment Weekly

"Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News

and Brian Charles Clarke says The Plot to Save Socrates "resonates with the current political climate . . . Sierra Waters is sexy as hell . . . there's a bite to Levinson's wit"-- in Curled Up With A Good Book