James Lovelock was the scientist who invented Gaia Theory, that of a biosphere which acts as a single complex system which we can affect as it, in turn, affects us.
Homage to Gaia is his life story and it was updated with a new edition for the year in which he celebrated his 100th birthday (2019).
Why We Love Homage to Gaia
James is a fascinating figure, even if we were to leave aside his work on Gaia Theory, how many scientists get to work with companies like Shell and organizations like NASA and the Marine Biological Association too?
He spent years traveling the globe to puzzle out how CFCs were destroying the ozone layer and still had time to come up with one of the most controversial theories in the history of science.
This autobiography is as witty and sharp as the man himself and he takes great delight in entertaining the reader as he deals with his own moments of frustration and success.
You don’t even have to be interested in science to enjoy this incredible self-portrait of a larger than life figure with a never ending thirst for knowledge and a better world.
James won many accolades and achieved many patents across the course of his career but Homage To Gaia may be the icing on a very attractive cake, it’s a truly excellent book.
Final Thoughts On Homage to Gaia
If you’re only going to read one book on Gaia Theory or by James Lovelock, make it this one. We promise you won’t be disappointed, in fact, we think you’ll find it very hard to put down once you start reading.
If you’re looking for other work by James Lovelock then you should also look at Healing Gaia, Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth and you can also find his influence in Microscosmos.
You can grab a copy online here.