"Taking the Back off the Watch" is a comprehensive retrospective on the life of the remarkable astrophysicist Thomas Gold, known for his innovative ideas and controversial theories. The book is based on a complete autobiography edited by Simon Mitton, an astrophysicist and science historian at the University of Cambridge. Gold, who fled Vienna in 1933, settled in England and earned an engineering degree from Trinity College, Cambridge. During World War II, he worked on the development of naval radar and later played a key role in the emergence of steady-state cosmology. His discovery of pulsars as rotating neutron stars and his involvement in transforming the Arecibo Observatory into a premier instrument for radio astronomy are just a few highlights of his career. The book not only provides insights into Gold's scientific achievements but also into his diverse interests, ranging from astronomy to geophysics. With a captivating foreword by Freeman Dyson, this work is a significant historical document for anyone interested in the history of science.