ISBN: 9780613263078

Recognized as a mathematics prodigy at the age of seventeen, Hungarian-born Paul Erdos spent most of his life moving from place to place, rarely holding a job or establishing a home of hi… Mehr…

Recognized as a mathematics prodigy at the age of seventeen, Hungarian-born Paul Erdos spent most of his life moving from place to place, rarely holding a job or establishing a home of his own. He appeared unannounced at the homes of colleagues around the world, declaring with charming confidence, "My brain is open". Erdos's peripatetic existence, however, never interfered with his abiding focus on the beauty of mathematics or affected his abilities to make extraordinary contributions to the field of number theory. His work proved pivotal in the development of computer science and continues influence cutting-edge theory today. Bruce Schechter interweaves the story of Erdos's bizarre life with his odd, endearing ways. A critically acclaimed work, My Brain is Open is at once a fascinating, in-depth look at an eccentric genius at work and an eye-opening journey through the world of higher mathematics. My Brain Is Open: The Mathematical Journeys of Paul Erdos Schechter, Bruce, San Val<