Read Runners discussion

Join us as we pay tribute to the legendary John Nash this month by reading by Sylvia Nasar.

Blurb

Stories of famously eccentric Princetonians abound--such as that of chemist Hubert Alyea, the model for The Absent-Minded Professor, or Ralph Nader, said to have had his own key to the library as an undergraduate. Or the "Phantom of Fine Hall," a figure many students had seen shuffling around the corridors of the math and physics building wearing purple sneakers and writing numerology treatises on the blackboards. The Phantom was John Nash, one of the most brilliant mathematicians of his generation, who had spiraled into schizophrenia in the 1950s. His most important work had been in game theory, which by the 1980s was underpinning a large part of economics. When the Nobel Prize committee began debating a prize for game theory, Nash's name inevitably came up--only to be dismissed, since the prize clearly could not go to a madman. But in 1994 Nash, in remission from schizophrenia, shared the Nobel Prize in economics for work done some 45 years previously.
Economist and journalist Sylvia Nasar has written a biography of Nash that looks at all sides of his life. She gives an intelligent, understandable exposition of his mathematical ideas and a picture of schizophrenia that is evocative but decidedly unromantic. Her story of the machinations behind Nash's Nobel is fascinating and one of very few such accounts available in print (the CIA could learn a thing or two from the Nobel committees).

In. IF there's anyone who will join me? Else I'm already behind on too many reads.

Am not sure, Zaara. Wanted to read this for a long while but my plate is too full... :-/

I am in :) Loved the movie based on it and hopefully this is even better :D

Zee - Sumit and Harry are definitely in. In fact, Sumit was the one who proposed this read..so you can count him, I guess!

I will try to read this one but will be moving slowly!

I love this idea, I'm definively in! :)

@Smith...then try and make it. You know how much you enjoy group reads and bookish dissections and I'm sure Rex and Harry make for great reading company.

@Sri..good to know, thanks! Et tu?
@Sherry, when are you starting? We have all month but I'd like to start sometime soon, seeing how the others go.

Zaara, you tempt me.
But for 3 weeks in June I will be out of station and very busy. Plus not sure of my internet access too...

@Zaara I have no idea, I'm quite busy these days. But we can start in the second half of the next week, if you don't mind

Starting today/tomorrow, Zaara. Would love to read along. :)

June?
I thought you were going to read it in July?! O_O

@Rex...great happy reading. Sherry and I will join in from next week.
@Sherry...end of next week sounds great, see you then!

No Ginny :) It's a June read :)

Hajarath Prasad wrote: "No Ginny :) It's a June read :)"

Oh... Need to apologize to someone for another disaster then :P

Hello! I'm new to the group(and to GoodReads) and plan to start reading today. :)

I'm starting now...I know it's shamefully late...how is everyone else getting on?

getting on very poorly!

Haven't started yet, but can start now.

Started reading a week ago .. Read about a quarter of the book ..Nice writing :) Nash really was a man of intuition .. His way of problem solving is really unique

Zaara wrote: "I'm starting now...I know it's shamefully late...how is everyone else getting on?"
I don't even know where to get the book....

@Karina...tried Amazon?
@Rex...great...thought youd have finished by now..it's good to know I'm not reading alone.
@Harry...looks like you're in the lead...how's it going so far?

I mean...is it a fast read, Harry?

Can't say Jaara.. I've difficulty reading paperbacks.. I'm reading slowly but the book is quite interesting :)

Been slow, but finally gaining some momentum in the book. About 10% of the way through.

There are parts that read like a technical article, especially with tons of citations and references. However, I'm guessing those are less annoying in the paperback version - on the iPad screen, the damn numbers appear in bright blue.

John Nash seems to be rather unlikeable in his early years - animal cruelty, aloofness and a general lack of social skills. What say?

Nash : He appears so :) Arrogant and impatient too :)

Anyone reading it? Or completed it?

Reached about 65%. What about you?

70 % and going slow :)

Finished it.. What a life.. I felt very sad while reading the Epilogue.. Writer could've done away with unnecessary details and unclear narrative at times. Still a very satisfying read.

That's what I thought too, Harry. It wasn't written too well, but the story of Nash's life is still worth a read.