Gary S. Becker's career, personality, and contributions are reviewed and commented upon. Special note is taken of his seriousness of purpose, his willingness to take chances, and his persistence in the face of criticism and hostility. Becker's exceptional influence has taken several forms: enlargement of our understanding of traditional economic subjects such as labor economics, the opening up of new fields of research such as law and economics, and the transformation of other social sciences--especially sociology.