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Episode Description
Acclaimed debut novelist Austin Taylor spoke with us about the pressure cooker of Harvard life, studying AI law in the heart of Silicon Valley, and the inspiration behind her debut set in the biotech startup world of NOTES ON INFINITY.
Austin Taylor graduated from Harvard University in 2021 with a joint degree in Chemistry and English. She is currently pursuing a JD at Stanford Law School as a Knight-Hennessy Scholar, with a focus on generative AI, copyright, and authorship.
Her debut novel, Notes on Infinity, was named an Oprah Daily “Best Summer Read,” a Zibby Owens’ “Summer Read,” a Goodreads “Hottest Debut of 2025,” and is inspired in part by her undergraduate studies, peers, and lab work in Harvard’s chemistry department.
Booklist wrote of the book, "With a trajectory that echoes that of Elizabeth Holmes’ Theranos, Taylor's debut provides an insider's glimpse into the high-stakes Ivy League climate and the potentially devastating personal consequences for those caught up in ambition beyond their abilities."
Austin is also a private pilot, a registered Maine guide, and a bassist.
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In this file Austin Taylor, Milena, and I discussed:
What it was like to grow up on a dairy farm in Maine
Writing her debut novel during her gap year
How The Social Network helped her capture the "momentum and excitement” of startup life
Her morning ritual and daily word counts
Why bad writing days are "almost always because [she’s] not reading enough" good stuff
Balancing law school and writing her sophomore novel
And a lot more!
Show Notes:
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Notes on Infinity: A Novel by Austin Taylor
Milena Gonzalez | Writer | Reader | Book Reviewer
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