Everyone has heard of the Nobel Prize. Not so many are familiar with the personalities of those who have won the honour. One man (apart from the Swedish king) who knows all the living Nobel laureates personally is Peter Badge. For 13 years he has been travelling the world to commission, photographing these illustrious luminaries.To date, the Berlin photographer has met and photographed more than 400 of them, usually in locations they have chosen and in poses of their own preference. Now Peter Badge has collected his unique record in a book: INGENIOUS ENCOUNTERS. The book, lav- ishly illustrated with photographs, is also a travel book, for Badge's meetings with the Nobel laureates were far more than just photo shoots. He took a look behind the scenes, got to know the human beings behind the achievements, and found himself in unusual situations. There were comical moments with schizophrenic John Nash, who was so wonderfully portrayed in the film A Beautiful Mind. There was danger when he went looking for Alexander Solzhenitsyn in Moscow without a valid visa. And there were moving times, such as photographing Bruce Merrifield on his death-bed. He accompanied Jose¿ Ramos- Horta on a state visit and Linda Buck when she bought her wedding dress. And he overheard a tetchy telephone call between Frederik Willem de Klerk and Nelson Mandela.With INGENIOUS ENCOUNTERS, Badge puts his laconic, humorous story-telling talents at the service of unique moments. He and Sandra Zarrinbal give the reader an impression of expert professionals' global networks, they also unlock their motivation, their thinking, their reservations, their hopes, and their everyday lives. The result is an informative group portrait with real value as a history of the age. This book is a must-have for anyone who wants a closer knowledge of the scientists, writers and fighters for peace and liberty who have been honoured with the Nobel Prize.Ingenious