Take a photo of a barcode or cover
4.28 AVERAGE
4.28 AVERAGE
This is the best historical novel I read in recent times. However, it does not depict the history of a particular time or person but the history of an evolving idea. The idea is that our reality and the nature of our universe can be entirely captured by reason alone. The central character is the polymath John von Neumann, who played a pivotal role in the making of all modern computers. However, it tells the stories of many other scientists from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and ends with the advent of AI during the last decade.
Most of the book is in the form of imagined first-person narratives, but they are based on accurate research. Each character, each narration, made me reevaluate my thoughts about many things -- the role of science, the purpose of discoveries, responsibilities, the nature of our understanding, and the limits of knowledge. The book does not propose a specific point of view but instead makes us think deeply about many things. Isn't that the purpose of any great book?
Personally, I felt that the author's definition of 'reason' is a bit narrow. He defines it in terms of formalist mathematicians, where we now know that it is not a complete system and cannot explain everything. However, suppose we define reason as the mechanism through which we can think step by step, systematically, relying on evidence and testability. In that case, we may not feel as uncomfortable as some of the characters in the book felt.
Above all, it is a book that brings us close to the minds of geniuses. We often use the term 'genius' a bit too loosely. Once we come to know the people in this book, it becomes clear that geniuses are rare human beings who can see the world around us in distinctly unique ways and change our thinking forever. They are all maniacs and often beyond good and evil.
challenging
informative
mysterious
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
challenging
dark
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Conceptually, I adored this book. I found myself rethinking what a novel can be, and the role math/science plays in storytelling, which was a fun adventure for me. It gets 4 stars for the richness of thought it provided me.
But something isn't clicking in the totality of the book.
It's biggest weakness (and perhaps one that can't be remedied) is how distant the narration feels. The novel reads almost like an extended New Yorker article, which can be riveting, but at the end... fine.
The final section about AI and Go was particularly limp. A lot of summary with an end result that does leave the reader with any real impression, other than playing Go sounds awful.
But something isn't clicking in the totality of the book.
It's biggest weakness (and perhaps one that can't be remedied) is how distant the narration feels. The novel reads almost like an extended New Yorker article, which can be riveting, but at the end... fine.
The final section about AI and Go was particularly limp. A lot of summary with an end result that does leave the reader with any real impression, other than playing Go sounds awful.
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
"He squats like a gluttonous spider on the web that ties all military and government interests. "
Zeer interessante "biografie" van een briljant iemand, door steeds anderen in zijn omgeving "aan het woord te laten". Een van de grondleggers van de atoombom, computers, etc etc. Maar helaas, zo blijkt, een ongelooflijk hork van een man. Maar goed, dat maakt wel interessante biografieën :-)
"Try as he might, he could not visualize a world that did not include himself thinking within it, so he had none of the grace that some people exhibit when they finally accept their fate."
Zeer interessante "biografie" van een briljant iemand, door steeds anderen in zijn omgeving "aan het woord te laten". Een van de grondleggers van de atoombom, computers, etc etc. Maar helaas, zo blijkt, een ongelooflijk hork van een man. Maar goed, dat maakt wel interessante biografieën :-)
"Try as he might, he could not visualize a world that did not include himself thinking within it, so he had none of the grace that some people exhibit when they finally accept their fate."
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
informative
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
challenging
dark
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced