James Lovelock remembered by John Gray

The author and philosopher looks back on his friendship with the creator of the Gaia theory, who was ‘the closest to genius’ of anyone he has met

• The Observer
• The Guardian

I first met Jim Lovelock in 1994 when he was staying in Oxford with his devoted wife, Sandy.

He was a visiting fellow at what was then Green College.

We discussed a whole variety of things on that first meeting, including his Gaia theory, and I came away hugely impressed by the extraordinary fluidity of his mind, which ranged over many, many disciplines.

I’ve met some very clever people, but I think he was closest to genius.

He said he…

• James Lovelock remembered…