Why I started Tube Talk

I'm Vanessa, a freelance journalist with bylines at places like The New York Times, Smithsonian magazine, and Vulture, and I wanted to create a place for people who crave a little bit of weird in their life.

From this, Tube Talk was born: Here, I cover things that are a little bit off-kilter, including surprising histories, offbeat entertainment, and books that make your brain twist in unexpected ways. One of my first deep-dives, for example, was on how mail in NYC used to travel via underground pneumatic tubes. I also love pneumatic tubes (don’t worry, you’ll learn all about them here if you’re not familiar) which is how Tube Talk got its name.

What Tube Talk covers

📺 TV!—> Interested in shows within shows, why the theremin always shows up on television, or interviews with showrunners? I've got you.

📜 History! —> For those curious about scientific seances, the 100-year journey of space mirrors, and how a 19th-century book makes you see ghosts.

📚 Books!—> Interviews with authors, recommended reading, and more.

🔍 Pneumatic Tubes!—> My newsletter's name is partly inspired by my obsession with pneumatic tubes. They were used to move mail, are still used in hospitals, and also show up on TV quite a bit. I love them! You'll see that if you get my zine.