A blend of fantasy scenarios and scientific theories, the novel inspired a stage play and a musical, and was followed by more than 20 similarly thoughtful books, including novels, nonfiction, essay collections and a Memphis-heavy memoir with a title that alludes to his family's movie business, 'Screening Room.

In 1992, his debut novel, 'Einstein's Dream,' became an international best-seller. But it’s the original 1972 to 1978 version that burned holes in my evolving brain. There were two runs of it, most recently from 1999 to 2005. Lightman's research into gravitation theory and black holes has been significant, but his mainstream fame is due to his ability to present big ideas in artful ways that appeal even to audiences untrained in science. ZOOM was a PBS kids show produced in Boston and syndicated nationally. Memphis concerts: The Beatles, Elvis, Jay-Z and more: 15 Mid-South Coliseum concerts to rememberīook news: How 'Memphis' author went from 'poor, poor, poor' to literary smash with debut novel (He and his wife Jean, a painter, live in Concord, Massachusetts the couple also has a home on an island in Maine - which explains that earlier-mentioned book title.) He earned a physics degree at Princeton with a senior thesis titled: 'Design and Construction of a Gas Scintillation Detector Capable of Time-of-Flight Measurements of Fission Isomer Decays.' He went on to earn degrees, to study and to teach at some of the nation's most prestigious institutions, including Cal-Tech, Harvard, and MIT, where he is now on the faculty.

A member of the White Station High School Class of 1966 that also produced Oscar-winning actress Kathy Bates, Lightman left the movies behind for science.

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