11/08/2021
John von Neumann (1903–1957) was one of the most important scientists of the 20th century and “probably the smartest man on Earth,” contends journalist Bhattacharya in his knotty debut. Born in Budapest, von Neumann was a child prodigy who excelled at math and transformed the field: he was largely responsible for the architecture of modern computers, helped shape the present understanding of quantum mechanics, made important contributions to the Manhattan Project, was one of the founders of game theory, was responsible for the idea behind self-replicating machines, and was “name checked” in works by Philip K. Dick and Kurt Vonnegut. Bhattacharya’s admiration for his subject is clear: “His thinking is so pertinent to the challenges we face today that it is tempting to wonder if he was a time traveler, quietly seeding ideas that he knew would be needed to shape the Earth’s future.” But von Neumann ends up something of a bit player in his own story—instead of focusing on what made him tick, Bhattacharya spends most of his time on von Neumann’s ideas and discoveries and those who developed them further, and explanations of the underlying science remain fairly complex. Those with a strong grounding in the material will be entranced, though it’s likely too daunting for more casual readers. (Feb.)
"More than just a biography, The Man from the Future elucidates the breath-taking scientific progress in the mid-20th century, skillfully woven together in the story of one man, John von Neumann."
"This is a sparkling book, with an intoxicating mix of pen-portraits and grand historical narrative. Above all, it fizzes with a dizzying mix of deliciously vital ideas. The Man from the Future is a staggering achievement."
"Despite his central contributions to the theory of computation, economics, logic, complexity, and quantum physics, somehow John von Neumann never became a household name to rival Einstein and Feynman. Ananyo Bhattacharya’s biography deserves to change that. Consistently clear and careful without sacrificing elegance or accessibility, it does full justice to this legendary figure of twentieth-century science."
"[Bhattacharya's] crystal-clear prose…mak[es] for a tour de force of enjoyable science writing….[A] marvelously bracing biography of the ideas of John von Neumann, ideas that continue to grow and flourish with a life of their own."
Wall Street Journal - Stephen Budiansky
"Bhattacharya tells the story tremendously well, situating von Neumann’s work—in fields from quantum mechanics to game theory to cellular automata—as comfortably as I’ve ever seen it done. He’s also good at deadpan humor."
Financial Times - David Bodanis
"A gripping tale of the most significant mathematical, scientific and geopolitical events of the early 20th century. Bhattacharya’s storytelling seamlessly weaves together the science, the vibrant social and historical context, and the private idiosyncrasies of John von Neumann and the fascinating geniuses around him, without mythologizing."
"Lucid and rewarding….Bhattacharya composes a rich intellectual map of von Neumann’s pursuits, shading in their histories and evolutions, and tracing the routes and connections between them."
The New Republic - Samanth Subramanian
"Vivid…[The Man From the Future is] devoted to exploring the ideas and technological inquiries [von Neumann] inspired."
New York Times - Jennifer Szalai
"An engaging and fascinating book that blends science and history. I loved it."
"Examines the tremendous impact von Neumann had on various scientific disciplines in eight exceptional chapters."
Science - Dov Greenbaum and Mark Gerstein
"Offers us a striking portrait of a man who contributed as much to the technological transformation of the world as any other scientist of the 20th century…[A]lways engaging and generally illuminating."
The Nation - David Nirenberg
"[An] agile, intelligent, intellectually enraptured account of Von Neumann’s life."
Sunday Telegraph - Simon Ings
"Bhattacharya both begins and concludes this impressive biography of John von Neumann by celebrating his contribution to the 'march of ideas.'"
New York Journal of Books - Francis P. Sempa
"Non-Euclidean geometry, set theory, the prisoner’s dilemma, Gödel’s incompleteness theorems, self-replicating machines, game theory and nonlocality are among the astonishing range of topics that science journalist Ananyo Bhattacharya covers as he takes us on a whistle-stop tour through Von Neumann’s restless mind…[A] splendid new biography."
"Any future intelligence capable of sending a representative back in time to help invent itself will be intelligent enough to conceal this from us. Ananyo Bhattacharya’s The Man from the Future is therefore unable to confirm this suggestion, but much else about John von Neumann’s presence in the twentieth century is revealed along the way."
"Rather like the books of Stephen Hawking or Carlo Rovelli…this one is rewarding on different levels. Everyone can grasp the significance of the puzzles posed, and if readers want to follow the genius through the steps of his solutions then Bhattacharya is a clear and authoritative guide."
"Bhattacharya is a first-class science writer with an impeccable pedigree and he does the best job I have seen of explaining the significance of von Neumann's work across many different fields… A fine tribute to von Neumann's genius and his contributions to science."
Literary Review - John Gribbin
"Despite his central contributions to the theory of computation, economics, logic, complexity, and quantum physics, somehow John von Neumann never became a household name to rival Einstein and Feynman. Ananyo Bhattacharya’s biography deserves to change that. Consistently clear and careful without sacrificing elegance or accessibility, it does full justice to this legendary figure of twentieth-century science."
"Highly enjoyable. John von Neumann’s genius lay in synthesising the theoretical knowledge of the time: from quantum and nuclear physics to game theory and computing. Ananyo Bhattacharya’s great insight, which he reveals with engaging clarity, is that von Neumann was also creating a blueprint for how technology would change our world over the next sixty years."
"A fascinating read about a fascinating man. John von Neumann's contributions range from breakthroughs in the most abstract areas of mathematics to revolutionizing economics and other social sciences as a co-inventor of game theory. Before computer science departments were created and before the term AI was coined von Neumann did foundational work on AI. This book is a great read for anybody who is interested in science or history of science."
"An ambitious account of a complex thinker who lived through extraordinary times. Ananyo Bhattacharya’s biography of von Neumann is admirably thorough and accessible."
12/03/2021
Physicist Bhattacharya's effusive biography seeks to elevate the mathematician John von Neumann (1903–57) closer to the status of his Princeton colleague Albert Einstein in the public regard. Perhaps because of his top-secret government work on the atomic bomb (the Manhattan Project and after) and his death at a relatively young age, his name and accomplishments are not widely known outside of computer scientists, theoretical mathematicians, and physicists. The centrality of mathematics to the scientific enterprise, and von Neumann's talent for taking abstract, theoretical insights and crystallizing them into practical applications allowed him to make ground-breaking contributions in a variety of fields. Besides calculations determining the shape and altitude of the atomic bomb detonation, his work on game theory influenced the political decision-making of the Cold War. Eventually, his work in mathematical logic led to foundational ideas in computer architecture, self-replicating machines, and artificial intelligence. The biographical details of the early chapters thin out as the book turns toward his work's implications and influence, leaving readers to feel like they still don't know the morals and motivation of the man behind them. VERDICT This new biography may increase awareness and even appreciation of von Neumann's genius, if not admiration beyond mathematicians and computer engineers.—Wade Lee-Smith, Univ. of Toledo Lib.
2021-12-07
From game theory to quantum mechanics to atom bombs, von Neumann was involved in some of the most profound scientific and technological advances in modern history. Renowned for his extraordinary mathematical ability and prodigious aptitude for applying pure math to other fields, von Neumann “understood that [he had] a path to wealth, influence and the power to transform the world.” In his riveting exploration of von Neumann’s life and work, medical researcher Bhattacharya, a former science correspondent at the Economist and editor at Nature , easily navigates among complicated concepts—von Neumann’s impact was wide-ranging and the effects of his work influenced economics, politics, neuroscience, and computing—and explains the significance of his subject’s accomplishments in terms that are easily understood by nonscientists. The author also deftly interweaves von Neumann’s personal life, relating anecdotes about his background and formative years in his native Hungary, which was blessed with money and prestige, as well as his relationships with his colleagues in Germany and the U.S.—Einstein, Gödel, and Oppenheimer, among others. Often characterized as an unflinching intellect, von Neumann was integral to the success of the Manhattan Project, but he also published critical essays on subjects including artificial intelligence and carbon emissions long before these subjects entered mainstream discourse. Bhattacharya argues that it is von Neumann’s astonishing prescience that sets him apart. He was able to sense how scientific discoveries would affect the future and how advancing technologies would lead to inequality and conflict among people and nations. In a passage that could easily apply today, von Neumann wrote, “any attempt to find automatically safe channels for the present explosive variety of progress must lead to frustration. The only safety possible is relative, and it lies in an intelligent exercise of day-to-day judgment.”
A salient portrait of one of the most electrifying and productive scientists of the past century.
