Beautiful Mind

First, the book itself is a delight; I found it gripping from beginning to end. Besides conveying the behavior of Nash and the character of those who had to learn how to live with him, the book describes in a respectable amount of detail the locations where Nash spent the most time. I enjoyed being transported to mid-twentieth century Bluefield and Princeton. And the book does not talk down to the reader - historical figures and events, as well as mathematical and scientific ideas, are often presented without explanation, with the assumption that the reader is already familiar with them (or is willing to look them up if needed.)

Second, I can't help but feel for the plight of the paranoid schizophrenic. Yes, Nash was self-centered and annoying, a big jerk to everyone around him. The tragedies are that he couldn't comprehend that he was being a big jerk, and that - for all he accomplished - he could have accomplished so much more if not for his illness.

But the biggest tragedy I take away from this is not Nash's. In ways he was very lucky. He had the good fortune of being naturally gifted mentally, and of growing up with parents who knew how to set him up with success. Because of these factors, he was able to win admirers and contribute to society. When his illness incapacitated him, people were willing to give him a pass and try to take care of him, because they saw him as someone who could contribute to society. But what if he had no natural talents to speak of, and hadn't had the benefit of a good upbringing? He would have suffered doubly: from a crippling mental illness, and from the rejection of a society that would just be happier if he didn't exist. That's the tragedy to me - the thought of the paranoid schizophrenics whose story will never be told, and whose fight to make sense of a chaotic, distressing world they are fighting alone.