“Physicist Mallett’s theory that “space and time can be manipulated” to make time travel possible has gained national media attention. His research and theories flow nicely through this easy-to-read autobiography. Mallett, one of the first African-American Ph.D.s in theoretical physics, has lived under the shadow of his father’s death when he was 10. His struggles with poverty, racism and depression, coupled with his extreme drive to succeed at building a time machine so as to see his beloved father again are inspirational. Mallett’s (and bestselling author Bruce Henderson’s) simple prose makes for clear and concise explanations of the science involved. The author comes across as a warm, inspired, driven, troubled man who is generous in his descriptions of others and must be an excellent teacher at the University of Connecticut. Suited for a general audience, or as an inspirational text for aspiring young scientists.
—Publishers Weekly
“In a parallel universe, Dr. Ronald Mallett is a TV repairman working in his father’s shop. In this one he’s a theoretical physicist. In that other universe his father didn’t die of a heart attack when Mallett was only 10. In this one his father’s death seeded Mallett’s raison d’être: to travel back in time to warn his father to take better care of himself. Time travel? When pigs fly. But perhaps nothing seems impossible to Mallett, who so far hasn’t let anything deter him from pursuing his grand endeavor — not the poverty of his youth or the racism he experienced as an African American, not even the skepticism he still encounters from some of his peers. It isn’t surprising, then, that Mallett’s memoir, Time Traveler, is as inspirational a read as watching underdog Rocky Balboa knock down the impressive Apollo Creed… His path was not always smooth, nor was it straight, but as happens to the fortunate few, certain events converge to make a life appear predestined…
“Whatever physics is needed to follow Mallett on his life’s quest is explained, and without mind-numbing equations. Perhaps because Time Traveler is co-written with Bruce Henderson (True North, And the Sea Will Tell) or because Mallett is used to explaining abstract theories to his students, the result is that even quantum physics is rendered digestible. Happily, Mallett never comes off as a puffy-chested smarty-pants. His delivery is humble, his voice enthusiastic, his optimism contagious. For anyone, but especially for the aspiring scientist, Time Traveler is a worthwhile and surprisingly entertaining read.”
—San Francisco Chronicle