The impossible man

Roger Penrose is one of the past century’s most influential mathematicians, philosophers and physicists. He received a Nobel Prize, a knighthood and dozens of other prestigious honours. He proved the limitations of general relativity and set a new agenda for theoretical physics. But success came at a price as he struggled to connect with friends, family and especially the women in his life. He has spent his final years alone with his research, intentionally cut off from the people who loved him. Compelling and deeply moving, ‘The Impossible Man’ intimately depicts the relationship between Penrose the scientist and Roger the human being. It reveals the tragic cost – to himself and those closest to him – for his extraordinary life.