This volume by Bradley Steven deserves appreciation for highlighting the greatness of the revolutionary contribution made by Ibn al-Haytham and also adds to the evidence of Muslim contributions in the world of knowledge. It also dispels the myth that scientific thought originated in the West just as it proves that there is no conflict between faith and science. The book is essential for all those interested in Islamic science and its history.

– Anis Ahmad, The Muslim World

“This new coffee table edition of Steffens’s biography of Ibn al-Haytham is a thing of beauty, with stunning photographs and illustrations adding to the scholarly yet accessible biographical text. Ibn al-Haytham is rightly regarded as one of the greatest scientists in history and should be a household name everywhere in the world. The fact that he led such a colourful life is a delightful bonus. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know, and even those I don’t.”

– Jim Al-Khalili, Author of House of Wisdom

“This new coffee table edition of Steffens’s biography of Ibn al-Haytham is a thing of beauty, with stunning photographs and illustrations adding to the scholarly yet accessible biographical text. Ibn al-Haytham is rightly regarded as one of the greatest scientists in history and should be a household name everywhere in the world. The fact that he led such a colourful life is a delightful bonus. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know, and even those I don’t.”

– Ertan Salik, The Fountain

In this clearly written, carefully reasoned profile, Steffens not only traces the scantly documented life of one of early modern science’s giants (better known in Europe as Alhazen), but also places him both within the broader contexts of early Muslim society, and of the whole history of science. A prolific writer who spent most of his life in Basra and Cairo, Ibn al-Haytham is chiefly remembered today for his work in optics, and as an exponent of enquiry through direct, repeatable experimentation rather than inductive reasoning alone. Along with easy-to-understand discussions of his achievements, readers will find a speculative but credible character study of a devout, brilliant polymath who was rather conveniently subject to mysterious bouts of mental illness that twice rescued him from onerous government jobs. Despite captions that are printed in red and therefore largely illegible, the many color pictures enhance this illuminating narrative with maps, diagrams, prints (including an old portrait of Muhammad) and images of illustrated manuscript pages.

– Kirkus Reviews