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Summary: A great quick read
Review: This was a great book and i recomend it to everyone. Not only does it discuss in detail game theory, but talks about one of the most interesting people of our time, Von Neumann. The book reads very easily and is very enjoyable. You will not be disapointed.
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Summary: Von Neumann, game theory, and the Cold War
Review: William Poundstone is in his element when he's writing about stuff like this. If you've read his _Labyrinths of Reason_ or _The Recursive Universe_, you already know he's a terrific expositor of the logical and mathematical brain-benders that have driven both mathematics and philosophy for the past century or so. Well, this book really gives him a chance to shine.You see, it's one big story that consists of several sub-stories. In part it's a biography (intellectual and otherwise) of John von Neumann, one of the greatest mathematicians of the twentieth century. It's also a popular exposition of game theory and some of the decision-theoretic puzzles that arise in it (most obviously the one of the book's title). And it's _also_ a history of the Cold War, at least on its strategic side. You pretty much have to be William Poundstone to weave all this together into a coherent and readable narrative. Fortunately, William Poundstone _is_ William Poundstone, and he pulls it off with panache. There's something here for everybody. My favorite parts are the chapters on the various game-theoretic dilemmas (including a _very_ nice exposition of Robert Axelrod's _The Evolution of Cooperation_ that correctly captures what Axelrod did and did not show in his famous computer tournaments). But the biography of von Neumann is fascinating too; great mathematicians tend to be odd and interesting characters, and von Neumann was one of the greatest. And all the Cold War-era history is riveting in its own right, even apart from its relationship to von Neumann (who may have been at least one of the real-life models for Dr. Strangelove). Poundstone is a fine writer with a real gift for this sort of thing. If even one of the strands in this tale sounds engaging to you, you can rest assured that Poundstone will manage to keep you engaged in the other two as well. Look for his other books too. I especially recommend _Labyrinths of Reason_.
Rating: 
Summary: Von Neumann as seen through the lens of the Cold War
Review: William Poundstone's book is an interesting work that really discusses three subjects: the Cold War, Game Theory, and a biography of John von Neumann, the Hungarian mathematician who, along with Einstein, was a founding member of Princeton's Institute for Advanced studies. The book is not a comprehensive look at any of the three subjects, but rather uses the concept of the Prisoner's Dilemma (games in which players are incented to act "badly" rather than in their best interest) as a metaphor for the Cold War and unifies von Neumann's interest in both subjects. The book is the kind that you think about for weeks after you read it; because after understanding the Prisoner's Dilemma you see it cropping up everywhere -- I have used it to analyze behavior of people in my organization and it yields fascinating insights. The book is a very interesting introduction to any of the three subjects, particularly game theory. The book itself has a rather ugly cover de! sign, but once you get past it, it is a very interesting work.
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Summary: No dilemma in reading this book...
Review: Writing a review in 2004 about this book is superfluous. I was reminded how this work has entered the lexicon of contemporary thinking while attending a conference on education recently. Prisoner's Dilemma was cited by three speakers from the diverse fields of literary criticism, physics, and medicine. I could only smile at the assured understanding this book made possible.
William Poundstone writes clearly on the history and theoretical backbone of game theory and cooperation. I credit his work with making it possible for those three speakers to elaborate on their work and my ability to understand them and see the connections.
Needless to say, I recommend this book to anyone (and everyone) who finds themselves with a dilemma.
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