The Smallest Lights in the Universe

Astrophysicist and planetary scientist Sara Seager's poignant memoir of loss and discovery, sensitively narrated by Xe Sands, finds the author embarking upon a new phase in her life after the death of her husband. Listeners share Seager's realization that discoveries and losses--whether related to researching transiting exoplanets, negotiating professional challenges, or dealing with evolving relationships--expand one's understanding of the universe. Sands's attuned performance elicits a range of emotions as Seager navigates family and career while moving through the stages of grief. Sands's tremulous voice, for instance, underscores difficult scenes with the author's father and husband. Seager makes seamless connections, explicit and implied, between astrophysics and the emotional landscape of her memoir. J.R.T. � AudioFile 2020, Portland, Maine