A Quantum Life is a gripping memoir that follows the improbable journey of James Edward Plummer, a NASA astrophysicist, as he overcomes poverty, crime, and addiction to become one of the nation's top physics PhD students at Stanford.

Born into extreme poverty and emotional deprivation, James adopts the hybrid persona of a "gangsta nerd" - dealing with drugs in juke joints while winning science fairs with computer programs that untangle Einstein's relativity theory.

When he gains admission to Stanford's elite Physics PhD program, James must confront his dangerous crack cocaine habit and find a way to balance his love of science with his personal demons.

With the encouragement of his mentor Art Walker, James finally seizes his dream of a life in science and becomes his true adult self, changing his name to Hakeem Muata Oluseyi in honor of his African heritage.

This inspiring journey is fueled by hope, hustle, and a hungry mind, as James charts his development as a young scientist and plumbs the mysteries of the universe where potential personal outcomes are as infinite as the stars in the sky.