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Tasting the Universe: A most delectable memoir for those with a curious palate 11 Dec. 2012 By Grace - Published on Amazon.com

Maureen Seaberg is a New York City journalist who has always had an extra sense of sorts. Ever since she can remember all her "K"s have been teal and her "A"s have been yellow. Whenever she listens to music, colors and patterns overtake her which she cannot describe.

This sense that Seaberg has is shared by people around the world. This "extra sense" is known as synesthesia, by definition the mixing of senses. As children, and even as adults many synesthetes, including Seaberg, are confused about their condition, lost and alone, knowing few who share their special abilities, sometimes not knowing even what their unique gift is called. …..As a young child Seaberg was eager to attend school so as to know why her letters and numbers were always tied to certain colors. While attending school, however, she was told, as many other synesthetes are, that it was probably because of an alphabet book she read to learn her letters. Although Seaberg knew this was not the case she cast her synesthesia aside feeling like no one knew the truth. She finally discovered the name for her gift when she one day stumbled upon neuroscientist Dr. Richard Cytowic's novel, "The Man Who Tasted Shapes", while shopping. She immediately related, and knew the sensations she felt were synesthesia.

Seaberg's account of her journey provides a wonderful background of the synesthetic world. She discusses with a passion how synesthesia was highly revered and celebrated in the time of the renaissance, but then became stifled by a conformist society. Seaberg attempts to reopen the passion for this gift that few know much about through her memoir. Her passion is evident in the way that she details her own experiences with synesthesia. You can feel her emotions throughout her journey such as the sadness she feels when she learns upon entering school that not everyone shares her ability to see colored letters, and is told that her gift is not genuine, that it must have arisen from the colored letter books she read as a child. You feel her hope when she listens to Stevie Nicks' songs feeling like she and Stevie both "see the crystal visions. [Both] keeping the visions to [themselves]". You feel her elation when she discovers "The Man Who Tasted Shapes", and knows immediately she has synesthesia. These emotions show you where her passion for her gift, and desire to share it with the world, come from.
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Introduction -"A Blonder Shade of Synesthesia" - Seaberg

I pack my bags for the Norman Mailer Writers Colony ...and find myself reflecting on the late Mr. Mailers' words: `writing is spooky'. Mr. Mailer clearly had a deep seeking side. Synesthesia is a spooky topic...Where are the words coming from? And why do mine appear in full color? What I don't realize is that through his colleagues at the Colony, Mr. Mailer will have some answers for me, even in death"