Talbot was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan on September 29, 1953. He was originally afiction/ science fiction author. He also contributed articles to The Village Voice and other publications.

His non-fiction books include Mysticism And The New Physics, Beyond The Quantum, and The Holographic Universe. Talbot often referenced Stanislav Grof, whose work on Holotropic Breathwork was also of obvious influence. It is said that Talbot has made the often esoteric concepts of Bohm, Pribram, et al., accessible to the general public.

Talbot attempted to incorporate spirituality, religion and science to shed light on truly profound questions that we have struggled with since the genesis of humanity. In 1992, Talbot died of lymphocystic leukemia at age 38.

Talbot's book The Holographic Universe, which has become his most popular, explores the metaphysical implications that underline quantum mechanics and suggests that the universe is a hologram. After examining the work of physicist David Bohm and neurophysiologist Karl Pribram, both of whom independently arrived at holographic theories or models of the universe, the book argues that a holographic model could possibly explain supersymmetry and also various paranormal and anomalous phenomena and provide a basis for mystical experience. Melodic death metal band Scar Symmetry based its 2008 album Holographic Universe on this book.

Novels

• The Delicate Dependency - 1982
• The Bog - 1986
• Night Things - 1988

Non-fiction

• Mysticism And The New Physics ISBN 0-14-019328-6 - 1980 (rev. 1992)
• Beyond The Quantum ISBN 0-553-34480-3 - 1986
• Your Past Lives - 1987
• The Holographic Universe ISBN 0-06-092258-3 - 1991