The Story of the Time Traveler

From a review of Ronald Mallett's Time Traveler:

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 and so see his beloved father again are inspirational. (Publishers Weekly)

The story of how the death of his father drove him to build a time machine--and led him to theoretical physics--is beautifully told in this installment of "This American Life" entitled "My Brilliant Plan." (The story is about 33 minutes into the episode.)

[H/t Linta Varghese.]