John Forbes Nash, Jr., a prodigy and legend by the age of 30, dazzled the mathematical world by solving a series of deep problems deemed "impossible" by other mathematicians.

But at the height of his fame, Nash suffered a catastrophic mental breakdown and began a harrowing descent into insanity, resigning his post at MIT, slipping into a series of bizarre delusions, and eventually becoming a dreamy, ghostlike figure at Princeton, scrawling numerological messages on blackboards. He was all but forgotten by the outside world - until, remarkably, he emerged from his madness to win the Nobel Prize.

A true drama, A Beautiful Mind is also a fascinating look at the extraordinary and fragile nature of genius.

Listening Length

18 hours and 12 minutes
Author

Sylvia Nasar
Narrator

Anna Fields
Audible release date

26 March 2009
Language

English
Publisher

Blackstone Audio, Inc.
ASIN

B00NP155PQ
Version

Unabridged
Program Type

Audiobook
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Product details

Listening Length	18 hours and 12 minutes
Author	Sylvia Nasar
Narrator	Anna Fields
Audible.com.au Release Date	26 March 2009
Publisher	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Program Type	Audiobook
Version	Unabridged
Language	English
ASIN	B00NP155PQ
Best Sellers Rank	45,706 in Audible Books & Originals (See Top 100 in Audible Books & Originals) 6 in Schizophrenia & Psychotic Disorders 36 in Schizophrenia 37 in Mathematics (Audible Books & Originals)

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2 star		3%
1 star		3%

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Top reviews from Australia

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mattsan2402

fascinating read about a fascinating man

Reviewed in Australia on 30 May 2014

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Like most people I knew of John Nash from the movie "A Beautiful Mind" this book fills in the gaps as well as putting into context a story of a brilliant man.

One person found this helpful

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sally tarbox

"A man all alone in a strange world"

Reviewed in Australia on 3 April 2018

A very interesting biography of mathematician and Nobel prize winner John Forbes Nash. From a 'good' background, Nash soon graduated on to becoming one of the top students at university, developing new theories and re-examining older problems (having only O level maths, much of this went right over my head.) But his behaviour - odd, arrogant, often unsocial - gradually morphed into something much worse, with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.
How Nash continued his work, even after years of illness, makes for a fascinating read. The arguments of the Nobel committee over whether to make an award to a person with mental illness; the gradual rapprochement (and re-marriage to) the wife who had divorced him; the gradual building of a relationship with his illegitimate son (and the sadness of having to cope with the fact that his other son had his father's illness.)

Nasar also helps the reader (even the non-mathematical) in having at least a vague idea of what value Nash's 'game theory' has to the man in the street. She looks at the 1994 'greatest auction ever', where the US government sold off airspace to TV companies etc; and how using the strategies of game theory helped maximize profits.

Informative and very well written.

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Top reviews from other countries

Leigh

The author's knowledge of British and European geography isn't too good - although this may only bother British or European ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 1 November 2015

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Overall, this is readable and quite well paced. It's also thoroughly researched,although it does drop a few too many howlers. The author's knowledge of British and European geography isn't too good - although this may only bother British or European readers. I was surprised to see her use words like "senile" and "retarded" (without the rabbit ears) and, on one occasion, has Nash talking about an event in world affairs that happened seven years later. I found myself speed reading whole passages from time-to-time, when they got bogged down in tangential detail. The style was a bit clumsy in places, with convoluted sentences and Random Capitalisations - and a fair amount of repetition. Author let down by editors, perhaps? I found myself wondering why most characters are introduced with a summary of their socio-economic background? Is that a subtle mirroring of Nash's own petty snobbery and/or a reflection of the class milieu of Ivy League academia? If so, that's pretty allusive stuff. In summary, then - a lumpy book. It does the job it sets out to do, but in a fashion that is (to borrow a mathematical expression) not very elegant. But - worth a read for want of a better Nash biography and a useful antidote to the film.

4 people found this helpful

M Knight

Excellently executed account - don't bother with the film

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 29 May 2013

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As an economist, I was eager to get stuck into a biography of John Nash and it was a pleasant surprise that there was a nice balance between the more technical details of Nash's work and the biographical detailsof his life, relationships and descent and remission from schizophrenia. Admittedly, it does take a short while to get goind, exploring Nash's parents' backgrounds and his early life, but it's all for a reason.

Nasar does presuppose a limited understanding of mathmatics, and some of the more abstract concepts may have been somewhat lost on me, but that didn't deter me int he slightest. The comprehensive referencing that Naser provides is reassuring that the account will be broadly accurate.

I didn't find the writing unduly flattering to Nash's achievements and indeed, ragarding his personal life it did seem to take a "warts and all" approach, giving the subject the objective respect it undoubtedly deserves. Needless to say, the biography did shed a great deal of light on the enigmatic character that is Nash, and I have re-read the book and have no doubt that I will again in the future.

As for comparisons against the film - I am a big fan of the motion-picture inspired by this biography, but rest assured that it isn't an accurate account of Nash's life and work, merely an entertaining fictionalisation of it.

5 people found this helpful

joy page

A beautiful mind

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 26 May 2015

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Felt I had to read this as a few days,ago John Nash was killed with his,wife in a,car accident,Saw the film THIS BEAUTIFUL MIND, often thought of Mr Nash and what his mind,had,done to him,what a shame to end his life in such a way after everything he had gone through also family, rest in peace John Nash ,joy page west Yorkshire England ,

3 people found this helpful

malkiel

A great story. A genius who was America's leading mathematician ...

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 June 2015

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A great story. A genius who was America's leading mathematician but an arrogant and abrasive man.
The author has done a huge amount of research and writes convincingly and well about all aspects of his life, most of which are unknown to the rest of us. I found it a gripping read,

One person found this helpful

Sarah Gillen

Too much padding

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 28 June 2015

Verified Purchase

I started this but got stuck about a quarter way in. When I buy a biography it is not with the intention of reading in depth about the subject's great grandparents. Its redundant and just seems to be used to 'pad out' the book. Disappointing.

One person found this helpful

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