In this inspiring autobiography, Lovelock tells the story of his life as an independent scientist--from his first job as a lab assistant to his energetic crusade to save the ozone layer. We see how Lovelock came to develop his inventions and theories--he recounts the history behind his famous Gaia theory and talks us through his many inventions. We learn about the electron capture detector, which was extremely important in the development of environmental awareness, revealing for the first time the ubiquitous distribution of pesticide residues in the environment and the global distribution of CFCs. He talks about his work with NASA, where his ideas were adopted in the program for planetary exploration. And he tells about the work he has done for organizations like the Ministry of Defence, The Marine Biological Association, and companies such as Shell and Hewlett Packard.

Written in a sharp and energetic style, James Lovelock's book will entertain and inspire anyone interested in science or the creative spirit.