Perfect Rigour: A Genius And The Mathematical Breakthrough Of The Century

Author: Masha Gessen

Stock information

General Fields

  • : 25.00 NZD
  • : 9781848313019
  • : icon
  • : Icon Books Ltd
  • :
  • :
  • : January 2011
  • : 198mm X 129mm X 20mm
  • : United Kingdom
  • : 24.99
  • : December 2011
  • :
  • :
  • : books

Special Fields

  • :
  • :
  • : Masha Gessen
  • :
  • : Paperback
  • : 1
  • :
  • : en
  • : 510.92
  • :
  • :
  • : 242
  • :
  • :
  • :
  • :
  • :
  • :
  • :
  • :
Barcode 9781848313019
9781848313019

Description

In 2006, an eccentric Russian mathematician named Grigori Perelman solved one of the world's greatest intellectual puzzles. The Poincare conjecture is an extremely complex topological problem that had eluded the best minds for over a century. In 2000, the Clay Institute in Boston named it one of seven great unsolved mathematical problems, and promised a million dollars to anyone who could find a solution. Perelman was awarded the prize this year - and declined the money. Journalist Masha Gessen was determined to find out why. Drawing on interviews with Perelman's teachers, classmates, coaches, teammates, and colleagues in Russia and the US - and informed by her own background as a math whiz raised in Russia - she set out to uncover the nature of Perelman's astonishing abilities. In telling his story, Masha Gessen has constructed a gripping and tragic tale that sheds rare light on the unique burden of genius.

Reviews

'Perelman and the world of Soviet maths training make a fascinating, moving tale, and in Perfect Rigor Masha Gessen tells it brilliantly.' Tom Stoppard, Guardian 'Perelman possessed and developed a perfect mathematical mind with which he achieved a unique triumph in maths. But having a perfect mind in an imperfect world, is almost bound to end in tragedy, as Masha Gessen's brilliant book reveals.' Johnny Ball 'Gessen provides a thorough account of the circumstances that led to Perelman's rise in the vicious, backstabbing little worldA" of Soviet mathematics and a brilliant reconstruction of the twisted logic that might have led to his mysterious exit. In so doing she has written something rare: an accessible book about an unreachable man.' New York Times

Author description

Masha Gessen is a journalist who has written for Slate, Seed, the New Republic, the New York Times, and other publications, and is the author of two previous books.