June 09, 2000
A while back, I got A while back, I got interested in mathematics, as my brother has been a math teacher for some years at various prep schools in the States and abroad, and he recommended I read What is Mathematics, Really? by Reuben Hersh. So, I'm still reading it. Among the other books I picked up were Paul Hoffman's The Man Who Loved Only Numbers, the story of Paul Erdos, and A Beautiful Mind, Sylvia Nasar's study of John Forbes Nash, Jr., both excellent books about the relation of madness to the love of mathematics and the pursuit of truth in all its forms. Both books are set against the everpresent backdrop of the Cold War: Erdos flees Hungary, Nash works for the RAND Corporation; Erdos is a whirlwind of manic energy, Nash simply manic. Between the two of them I found a great many reasons to forgo sleep, and also reasons to fear madness. Still and all, they're both amazing books about extraordinary men. Posted by schampeo at June 09, 2000 02:00 AM