Genius or Mad Person? Life Stories of Brilliant People

"Aleph" tells the story of Georg Cantor (1845-1918), a Russian-born German who created set theory, the concept of infinite numbers, and the "continuum hypothesis", which challenged the very foundations of mathematics. Illustrations.

Diane Arbus's unsettling photographs of dwarves, twins, transvestites, and giants both polarized and inspired, and her work had already become legendary when she committed suicide in 1971. This groundbreaking biography examines the private life behind Arbus's controversial art.

The first full-length biography of Mark Rothko, one of the greatest artists of the 20th century, tells the story of a life in art and the convergence of genius and ego, culture and commerce that defined the New York art scene of the 1930s, '40s, and '50s. 21 color plates.

Now back in paperback comes the fascinating portrait of Nikola Tesla, one of the most brilliant scientists and inventors of the 20th century, from the impact of his seminal accomplishments to the eccentricities and obsessions of the man behind the science. of photos.

In August 1859 Bernhard Riemann, a little-known 32-year old mathematician, presented a paper to the Berlin Academy titled: "On the Number of Prime Numbers Less Than a Given Quantity." In the middle of that paper, Riemann made an incidental remark a guess, a hypothesis. What he tossed out to the assembled mathematicians that day has proven to be almost cruelly compelling to countless scholars in the ensuing years. Today, after 150 years of careful research and exhaustive study, the question remains. Is the hypothesis true or false?

Riemann's basic inquiry, the primary topic of his paper, concerned a straightforward but nevertheless important matter of arithmetic defining a precise formula to track and identify the occurrence of prime numbers. But it is that incidental remark the Riemann Hypothesis that is the truly astonishing legacy of

In this outstanding biography, Freedman traces Rilke's extraordinary career by combining detailed accounts of salient episodes from the poet's restless life with an intimate reading of the verse and prose that refract them. 65 halftones.

Considered the 20th century's greatest mathematician, Kurt Godel is the subject of this lucid and accessible study, which explains the significance of his theorems and the remarkable vision behind them, while bringing this eccentric, tortured genius and his world to life.

This first full-length biography of the legendary pianist/composer tells the story of the tragic life and creative genius of Thelonious Monk. Based on scores of interviews with his family, friends, and compatriots. Beautifully illustrated with rare photos.

Alan Turing (1912-1954) was a British mathematician who made history: His breaking of the German U-boat Enigma cipher in World War II ensured Allied-American control of the Atlantic. But Turing's vision went far beyond the desperate wartime struggle. Already in the 1930s he had defined the concept of the universal machine, which underpins the computer revolution. In 1945 he was a pioneer of electronic computer design. But Turing's true goal was the scientific understanding of the mind, brought out in the drama and wit of the famous "Turing test" for machine intelligence, and his prophecy for the twenty-first century.

Drawn into the cockpit of world events and the forefront of technological innovation, Alan Turing was also an innocent and unpretentious gay man trying to live in a society that criminalized him. In 1952, he revealed his ho

In this groundbreaking book, renowned magic expert Kalush and bestselling writer Sloman team up to expose Harry Houdinis secret life as a spy, and the stunning plot to murder the magician and destroy his legacy. Photos throughout.

"The best single volume on Berryman's life and work". -- Kirkus Reviews

Wittgenstein possessed one of the most acute philosophical minds of the 20th century. In this incisive portrait, Monk offers a unique insight into the life and work of a modern genius who radically redirected philosophical thought in our time.

The dramatic story of John Forbes Nash, Jr., a mathematical genius who slipped into madness at the height of his career, endured three decades of schizophrenia, and, after a miraculous recovery, was awarded the Nobel Prize for his groundbreaking work. of photos. Index.

A gorgeous, inimitable singer and songwriter, Nina Simone (1933-2003) changed the face of both music and race relations in America. She struck a chord with bluesy jazz ballads like "Put a Little Sugar in My Bowl" and powerful protest songs such as "Mississippi Goddam" and "To Be Young, Gifted, and Black," the anthem of the American Civil Rights movement. Coinciding with the re-release of her famous Philips Recordings, here are the reflections of the "High Priestess of Soul" on her own life.

The riveting true story of Dr. W.C. Minor--the ingenious but insane American Civil War veteran who contributed more than 10,000 definitions to the Oxford English Dictionary.