Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Logicomix

Logicomix: An Epic Search For Truth is a graphic novel. A graphic novel about Bertrand Russell.

That doesn't sound possible, really, but it's both possible and a wonderful, engaging book. Bertrand Russell was one of the most important thinkers of the twentieth century, and his groundbreaking contribution to mathematical logic, Principia Mathematica (written with Alfred Whitehead), shook the foundations of thought.

Logicomix is the most interesting rendering of Russell's life that I've ever read, recounting in poignant detail his search for both mathematical and personal truth, and the incredible frustrations he encountered with both. It also keenly illustrates the mental agony of many great thinkers, particularly logicians, who often must work for years (or decades) to prove a single insight.

It's a unique work, both for its intellectual content and its empathy, and it's well worth your time. Here's an Amazon link (with sample pages to view as well): Logicomix.

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