The Essential John Nash

Great Thinkers in Economics

by John F. Nash, Harold William Kuhn, Sylvia Nasar

When John Nash won the Nobel prize in economics in 1994, many people were surprised to learn that he was alive and well. Since then, Sylvia Nasar's celebrated biography A Beautiful Mind, the basis of a new major motion picture, has revealed the man. The Essential John Nash reveals his work--in his own words. This book presents, for the first time, the full range of Nash's diverse contributions not only to game theory, for which he received the Nobel, but to pure mathematics--from Riemannian geometry and partial differential equations--in which he commands even greater acclaim among academics. Included are nine of Nash's most influential papers, most of them written over the decade beginning in 1949.

From 1959 until his astonishing remission three decades later, the man behind the concepts "Nash equilibrium" and "Nash bargaining"--concepts that today pervade not only economics but nuclear strategy and contract talks in major league sports--had lived in the shadow of a condition diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia. In the introduction to this book, Nasar recounts how Nash had, by the age of thirty, gone from being a wunderkind at Princeton and a rising mathematical star at MIT to the depths of mental illness.

In his preface, Harold Kuhn offers personal insights on his longtime friend and colleague; and in introductions to several of Nash's papers, he provides scholarly context. In an afterword, Nash describes his current work, and he discusses an error in one of his papers. A photo essay chronicles Nash's career from his student days in Princeton to the present. Also included are Nash's Nobel citation and autobiography.

The Essential John Nash makes it plain why one of Nash's colleagues termed his style of intellectual inquiry as "like lightning striking." All those inspired by Nash's dazzling ideas will welcome this unprecedented opportunity to trace these ideas back to the exceptional mind they came from.

Genres: Economics, Mathematics, Biography, Science, Business, Nonfiction

272 pages, Paperback

First published November 19, 2001

About the author

Librarian’s note: There is more than one John F. Nash in the Goodreads database.

John Forbes Nash, Ph.D. was an American mathematician whose works in game theory, differential geometry, and partial differential equations have provided insight into the forces that govern chance and events inside complex systems in daily life. His theories are still used today in market economics, computing, artificial intelligence, accounting and military theory. Serving as a Senior Research Mathematician at Princeton University during the later part of his life, he shared the 1994 Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences with game theorists Reinhard Selten and John Harsanyi.

Nash was also the subject of the Hollywood movie A Beautiful Mind, which was nominated for eight Academy Awards (winning four). The film, based very loosely on the biography of the same name, focuses on Nash's mathematical genius and his struggle with paranoid schizophrenia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_For....

Reviews

[Andrew · Rating 2 out of 5]

I misunderstood the purpose of this book. I thought that this book would be a nice primer for the lay person on the life and work of John Nash. However, while the book does devote some space to discussing biographical notes, the majority of the book is devoted to discussing Nash's theories. I anticipated this, but I thought that it would be presented in a way that a lay person could undertand it. This is not the case. The book is really written for those either majoring or mastering in mathematics. Indeed, if you do not have a solid comprehension of game theory, multivariable calculus, and differential equations, then you really won't even begin to understand what is being discussed in the book. For example, nearly a quarter of the book is devoted to a PhD-level analysis of the imbedding problem for Riemannian manifolds. Again, this book is not for the lay reader.

[Xiaojie Johan · Rating 4 out of 5]

John Forbes Nash was a childhood idol of mine, so I read this book when I was in the 9th grade. Despite it's obvious faults and certain plot twists, it paints a stark picture of the mental illness that inflicts one of the most brilliant geniuses in the last century or so.

[Andy Nelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Essential John Nash is a remarkable collection that brings together nine of John Nash’s most influential papers, showcasing his profound contributions to both game theory and pure mathematics. The book spans topics from the groundbreaking Nash equilibrium and bargaining theory—concepts that have transformed economics, international relations, and beyond—to his acclaimed work in Riemannian geometry and partial differential equations, areas where Nash’s mathematical genius is equally celebrated among academics.

What sets this volume apart is its contextual richness: it features insightful introductions by Harold Kuhn, a close friend and colleague, and a moving introduction by Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind, who traces Nash’s extraordinary journey from prodigy to Nobel laureate and his struggle with mental illness. The inclusion of Nash’s Nobel autobiography, a photo essay chronicling his career, and his own reflections on his work provide a personal dimension rarely found in collections of technical papers.

While the book’s content is mathematically rigorous and best suited for readers with a background in mathematics or economics, it offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage directly with the original writings of one of the twentieth century’s most brilliant minds. For scholars and enthusiasts alike, The Essential John Nash is an invaluable resource.

[Jukka Häkkinen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kirjassa on lyhyesti käyty John Nashin keskeiset elämänvaiheet, jotka on kerrottu yksityiskohtaisemmin Sylvia Nasarin kirjoittamassa elämäkerrassa. John Nashin kirjoittamat omaelämäkerralliset osuudet ovat harmillisen lyhyitä. Kirjaan on liitetty Nashin kirjoittamat tieteelliset julkaisut ja hänen väitöskirjansa, jotka ovat ymmärrettävästi maallikolle mahdottomia ymmärtää.

[Cyprien Saito · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved and reread the contents of this book. Considerably creative memorial volumes of Nash. Please read my article « On the intensified waiting states » (2005).

[Steve · Rating 5 out of 5]

It combines the history, and academic so well. Given an insight to both. With good pictures.

[Erika · Rating 5 out of 5]

more and math

[El Gibran]

I always adore Sir Isaac