Ronald Mallett's book, Time Traveler: A Scientist's Personal Mission to Make Time Travel a Reality, has become one of the most talked-about science books of the decade. Combining elements of Rocket Boys and Elegant Universe, the book follows Mallett's discovery of Einstein's work on space-time, to his study of Godel's work on a solution of Einstein's equation that might allow for time travel. This, combined with his own groundbreaking research in theoretical physics spanning thirty years, has culminated in his discovery of the effects of circulating laser light, which he believes drags time into a closed loop suitable for time travel.

Underneath the scientific breakthroughs, though, lies a deeply personal and heartbreaking story. Mallett's life changed forever at the age of ten when his father died of a heart attack. He was overwhelmed with grief until he read The Time Machine by H.G. Wells, and became determined to make Wells' fantasy a reality by going back in time to see his father.

A professor of theoretical physics at the University of Connecticut, Ronald Mallett, Ph.D., is a member of the American Physical Society as well as the National Society of Black Physicists. He received his PhD in physics from Pennsylvania State University. Mallett has published many papers on theoretical physics in professional journals and his time-travel research was recently featured in The Learning Channel's special The World's First Time Machine.

Ronald Mallett believes that space and time can be manipulated to make time travel possible. Mallett has developed new theories relating to Einstein's general theory of relativity that plausibly argue for the existence of time travel into the past. In his engaging presentations, Mallett explains, in clear, non-specialist language, his theories and research. He describes the path of his education and his research into black holes and circulating lasers and their effects on time travel. Mallett's science is well-suited for those looking to further investigate time travel. And his personal story—of overcoming poverty and racism to become one of the country's few African-American Ph.D.'s in theoretical physics—serves as an inspiration to aspiring young scientists.