A powerful new biography of Roger Penrose

Available November 12. In The Impossible Man: Roger Penrose and the Cost of Genius, Patchen Barss draws on years of research, interviews, and previously unpublished letters, journals, and other papers, to present a deeply moving, eye-opening portrait of Penrose the Nobel Prize-winning scientist and Roger the human being.

“Beautifully composed and revealing.”

Anjana Ahuja, Financial Times

“A notch above other ‘great minds’ biographies… a haunting portrait of a brilliant scientist unwilling to confront his personal shortcomings.”

Starred review, Publishers Weekly

“A stunning achievement.”

Kai Bird, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer

“A new landmark of scientific biography.”

Ananyo Bhattacharya, author of The Man from the Future

“Charming and gripping, edifying and soulful”

Siobhan Roberts, author of Genius at Play, The Curious Mind of John Horton Conway