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11 verk 1,728 medlemmar 30 recensioner 2 favoritmärkta

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Robert Kanigel teaches at MIT and lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Foto taget av: Credit, Michael Lionstar

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Not very well-written (way too long and repetitive, some dated presentations of people from India-- especially for when it was published, very sentimental), but such a fascinating slice of history that I'd say it's worth reading. Now I need to read Hardy's [b:A Mathematician's Apology|154060|A Mathematician's Apology|G.H. Hardy|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172254355s/154060.jpg|1486751].
 
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lschiff | 19 andra recensioner | Sep 24, 2023 |
Born in 1887, S. Ramanujan grew up in a small town in Southern India, his intellectual powers undiscovered due in part to a highly rigid educational structure. He persisted in the attempt to pursue his passion for mathematics, writing to various famous scholars in England. Eventually, he was noticed and invited to Trinity College by British professor G.H. Hardy. On one hand, it proved a fruitful collaboration between a man of intuition and one dedicated to the formality of proof, which advanced the field of mathematics. On the other hand, it proved disastrous in that Ramanujan’s cultural, religious, and emotional well-being atrophied, leading to a severe decline in his health. Overall, I liked this biography. It brought to my attention a genius who overcame significant barriers to become one of the most renowned mathematical scholars. I had a few issues with the book, including repetition and unnecessary levels of detail on matters not critical to the story. In addition, I thought some of the concepts covered in the book may be inaccessible to a person not well-versed in advanced mathematics. Recommended to those interested in the history of mathematics and biographies of geniuses.… (mer)
 
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Castlelass | 19 andra recensioner | Oct 30, 2022 |
A deeply researched biography of Milman Parry, the classics scholar who proved that these poems, like other ancient epics from around the world, came from an oral tradition. They were composed—but not written and the results were handed down through the generations. Such poets and singers were not praised for originality but for their ability to tell these stirring stories in ways that were familiar and always delivered within certain metrical constraints and patterns. This is a fascinating book which will leave you musing about traditions, culture, and what else you may have learned that needs a fresh examination.… (mer)
 
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AnaraGuard | 1 annan recension | Jun 18, 2021 |
Such a great biography. I've never read Homer before, heard of Milman Parry, nor am I a Classicist, yet this book is wonderful. Learned so much. No fears, this is not a dry book on an academic topic wrapped in the veneer of a "big idea". It's difficult to explain why this book is so good because it started a bit boring/confusing, but the elements begin to pile on and it just works: the biography, adventure travel in 1920s Balkans, mysterious death, a big revolutionary idea that has changed the field of literary studies, a brilliant young man and his untimely death who becomes a sort of heroic figure mirroring his subject. And Kanigel is an excellent writer, he has a knack for picking the precise word, it feels carefully done. Richard Poe is the right narrator, the text compliments him to an extent I had not noticed in earlier readings, there is a synergy here.

Why should you care about this topic? Well,we tend to have a bias towards written cultures and view oral as something less. This is why Bob Dylan was reviled for winning the Nobel (even though it is technically written) he was merely a bard, a song writer, is that really literature? Another reason is that Parry showed how self-learning, conviction and hard work can cause an academic revolution. He did nothing but learn Ancient Greek, read Homer, and write down a thesis - in his early 20s. Now he is immortal, there is BP (Before Parry) and AP (After Parry) - even if you disagree he can not be avoided, like a literary Darwin who discovered the key to understanding ancient epic literature.
… (mer)
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Stbalbach | 1 annan recension | May 4, 2021 |

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Verk
11
Medlemmar
1,728
Popularitet
#14,880
Betyg
3.9
Recensioner
30
ISBN
57
Språk
3
Favoritmärkt
2

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