Biographers in Conversation

Patchen Barss "The Impossible Man: Roger Penrose and the Cost of Genius"

Listen Later

In this episode of Biographers in Conversation, Patchen Barss chats with Dr Gabriella Kelly-Davies about his choices while crafting The Impossible Man: Roger Penrose and the Cost of Genius, the biography of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Roger Penrose.  

  

Here’s what you’ll discover in this episode:  

  • Patchen Barss’s painstaking research strategy  
  • How Patchen grasped complicated information about quantum physics and mathematics  
  • How he crafted erudite, poetic and propulsive narrative from seemingly incomprehensible scientific information and mathematical equations  
  • How he balanced Roger Penrose’s scientific, public, personal and inner lives to craft a kaleidoscopic portrait of an extraordinary human being  
  • How he represented Roger’s relationship difficulties truthfully and with sensitivity and dignity  
  • How Patchen navigated the perils of writing about a 93-year-old living subject who has a strong autobiographical voice  
  • Patchen’s response to the question: ‘Who gets to be a genius, and who makes the sacrifices that allow an individual to be one?’  
    • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store
    Biographers in ConversationBy Gabriella
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5

    5

    3 ratings

    More shows like Biographers in Conversation

    View all
    Late Night Live - Full program podcast by ABC listen

    Late Night Live - Full program podcast

    88 Listeners

    Health Report - Full program podcast by ABC listen

    Health Report - Full program podcast

    132 Listeners

    Conversations by ABC listen

    Conversations

    869 Listeners

    The Book Review by The New York Times

    The Book Review

    3,862 Listeners

    Big Ideas by ABC listen

    Big Ideas

    102 Listeners

    Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast by ABC listen

    Late Night Live - Separate stories podcast

    43 Listeners

    Desert Island Discs by BBC Radio 4

    Desert Island Discs

    2,064 Listeners

    The Bookshelf by ABC listen

    The Bookshelf

    36 Listeners

    The LRB Podcast by The London Review of Books

    The LRB Podcast

    290 Listeners

    The TLS Podcast by The TLS

    The TLS Podcast

    182 Listeners

    Chat 10 Looks 3 by Chat 10 Looks 3

    Chat 10 Looks 3

    262 Listeners

    Stories Behind the Story with Better Reading by Better Reading Podcast

    Stories Behind the Story with Better Reading

    13 Listeners

    The Book Show by ABC listen

    The Book Show

    14 Listeners

    The Rest Is Politics: US by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is Politics: US

    2,334 Listeners

    Secret Life of Books by Sophie Gee and Jonty Claypole

    Secret Life of Books

    31 Listeners