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4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
dark
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Really big fan of Labatut's previous book, When We Cease to Understand the World, but I don't think this one really works? I love the triptych structure, and especially the 3rd part dealing with the Lee Sedol vs AlphaGo match, but the bulk of the book dealing with von Neumann frequently feels like regurgitating wikipedia.
dark
emotional
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Suicide
The Maniac by Benjamin Labatut. I think this is the best book I’ve ever read. A literary triptych spanning a century, The Maniac is a prescient, captivating, and haunting exploration of the intellect, bravado, fear, and hubris that birthed computers into the world and connecting it all to our present moment at the cusp of the evolution of computer intelligence into something else entirely. Labatut’s taut writing and multiple perspectives builds unbelievable tension and urgency, even as it explores disparate topics ranging from quantum mechanics to mutually assured destruction to the game Go. I don’t want to say much more. This book is singular and worth discovery. It should be studied. Must Read.
dark
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
After reading the immensely engrossing When We Cease to Understand the World, I couldn't wait to get my hands on The MANIAC. Where When We Cease was concerned with the realm of science, The MANIAC concerns itself with math (more specifically, the life of one mathematician + physics & AI).
Still a hybrid of fiction and non-fiction, Labatut's writing in The MANIAC reads more like straight forward journalism most of the time. That means some parts come off flatter than his previous book, specifically the sections on AlphaGo and some sections in the middle. Still, his mastery of the writing craft (in English this time!) shines through, and I envy someone who can compose a page long sentence and not make it look like work.
As for the content, reading about von Neumann was my impetus to finally watch Oppenheimer. It's safe to say that Labatut beats that film hands down in both entertainment and informational value.
I highly recommend reading both books back to back, or at least closely together
Still a hybrid of fiction and non-fiction, Labatut's writing in The MANIAC reads more like straight forward journalism most of the time. That means some parts come off flatter than his previous book, specifically the sections on AlphaGo and some sections in the middle. Still, his mastery of the writing craft (in English this time!) shines through, and I envy someone who can compose a page long sentence and not make it look like work.
As for the content, reading about von Neumann was my impetus to finally watch Oppenheimer. It's safe to say that Labatut beats that film hands down in both entertainment and informational value.
I highly recommend reading both books back to back, or at least closely together
Sensacional. Incrível trabalho de pesquisa e de escrita. Leitura muito fluida, história extremamente interessante, difícil deixar o livro de lado.
challenging
dark
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
N/A
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No