Rating: 
Summary: Enjoyable and Uplifting
Review: Edward Herrmann does a fine job of reading excerpts from Sylvia Nasar's biography of Noble Prize Winning Mathematician/Economist John Forbes Nash Jr. Although abridged, I do recommend this audio book; it touches upon the key issues and episodes in this brilliant man's life.
Nasar touches upon Nash's childhood, his early interest in mathematics, his college and graduate student life by intermingling his chronological milestones with his corresponding thoughts in mathematics. (The theory touched upon in the audio book was thoroughly interesting and well-presented.) We get a sense of the encumberment of genius from a social standpoint. Nasar tells us that Nash could not just live in that beautiful mind of his, he needed to reach out and relate to other people--how he does this is related on most of the second tape where we are informed of his variely of relationships with other men, the mother of his first born, his wife Alicia and his colleagues. When Nash descends into the depths schizophrenia, we are privy to the sense of helplessness that those reponsible for him endured and we are pleased that the mathematical community, recognizing how atypical this man's brilliance is, banded together to help him in any way they could. Most remarkable of all is Nash's ascendance from delusion resulting in his present ability to rejoin the research community as a viable member.
The sheer magic of this man's brain and willpower will tantalize you with a tiny glimpse of genius while the magnanimity of his family and friends kalidescope around you with the possibilities that community can help one man achieve. Nasar's style is both chatty and informative--this book is an all around winner.
Rating:
Summary: We never know what a genius is
Review: Nash, Erdos, Schmann, Tchaikovsky, Shelly, Gould, Mozart, and many many more.Important theorems in Games, in Differential geometry, in Differential equation only before 30, and by intuition. Alas. (Alas, Since I major in mathematics.) We never know what a genius is, never know what on earth does lurk in his mind, never understand the struggle of such an uneasy spirit; unless we are genius ourself. However, usually a genius is not interested in other genius's life. This fact really hurts, since I have read this book. While it makes me feel so good that Nash has recovered.
Rating: 
Summary: DEFINATLY NOT WHAT I EXPECTED
Review: Ok, so maybe in buying this book I was looking for a biography. A true biography in the sense of a well written review of someone elses life, that is both captivating and inspiring. Instead, most of this book reads like a text book. Not just a advanced mathmatics text, for the endless pages of mathmatical jarble of which i could understand none. But also, a history book. A comprehensive history of mathematics in the 20th century. The book reviews and discuss every major mathemetician, economist and a good portion of the physicists of the 1940's and 50's.
I suppose I shouldn't be too hard on the book, because, like i stated earlier i was looking for an inspiring biography and also an argument for the age old battle about books and movies and which is better. well, i suppose this book wins, because it decided for me to never see the movie.
Rating:
Summary: A stunning and informative story...& you'll LEARN something!
Review: If you are looking for an uplifting Oscar-winning version of John Nash's life story, go see Russell Crowe. This book requires fewer hankies (if you are a crier), but it is better, more entertaining, more involving, truer, and fairer than the movie. Sylvia Nassar gives us as close a sense of what it "feels" like to be a mathematical genius as it is possible to get--even if you don't have any mathematical talents yourself. And what's more she gives us as close a sense of what it "feels" like to be under the influence of schizophrenia (without being there yourself). Although Nash does not appear a very nice man, he gets a fair and unbiased hearing in this book. Other reviewers have complained about the lengthy introduction that helps explain the world of mathematics in mid-century. I loved this part. Without it, Nash's contribution would have been almost impossible to appreciate. Nassar presents everything clearly and an a non-technical way, so I thought this part very interesting and useful. The book may be not "just" a biography, but a social history as well. All good, from my perspective. Definitely worth the effort!
Rating:
Summary: A thoroughly researched and absorbing biography
Review: The book is a thoroughly researched biography that provides a fascinating look into a math genius, the math world, and his life. The math passages were difficult for me to follow, but they did not interfere with my enjoyment of the book. Truly worth the time!
Rating: 
Summary: Superb
Review: This is a superb book. Even though the reader is fully aware of how the story ends, the drama builds throughout as the author gracefully weaves details of Nash's life together. The book provides a fascinating view of the making of a true genius, and then an even more powerful view of his near destruction by mental illness. Eventually, we also find his remarkable steps toward recovery. I also recommend a book titled "Open Your Mind, Open Your Life" by Taro Gold which I heard John Nash mention in an interview recently. It is an excellent book of wisdom that Nash has used to focus his mind, and I have found it quite enlightening as well.
Rating: 
Summary: Very different from movie
Review: I bought this book after seeing the movie, which I loved, hoping to get more insight about the life of John Nash. And I did, but only after suffering through the first 2/3s of this book. The author goes into way too much detail of mathematical theories, etc., which in my opinion was just extraneous information and did not lend anything to the story. The parts of the book that actually dealt with John Nash's life were very interesting. However, be forewarned, the movie was LOOSELY based on this book, very loosely. But it's still an interesting read if you don't mind skipping over the boring parts.
Rating:
Summary: Its heavy going but worth it
Review: This wonderful work plays out the tale of John Nash's life against the backdrop of the world and context from which he emerged. In the course of it we see Nash, a brilliant mathematician whose struggle for sanity should seem every bit as much a search for victory as the mathematical strivings that lead to his Nobel Prize. But we also see the state of the field in which he worked his accomplishments, and the state of the world in which he carried on his struggles to interact with humanity around him. If you are going to tackle this book you need to be ready for a dense read, an historical work, heavily referenced and with a great deal of attention to historical details that give this book the solid structure of a real biography rather than a pseudo-biographical novel. I hope that comment will invite you to roll up your sleeves and dive deeply into the history of John Nash's times and field along with his life, rather than sending you away in search of something more shallow.
Rating:
Summary: watch the movie, but be sure to read the book
Review: Watch the movie for the Hollywood treatment of Nash's life, but read the book for the real story. (Love does not cure schizophrenia, but time does.) Sylvia Nasser is to be commended for her evenhanded, compassionate treatment of a complex man and his complex body of work. Although her detailed descriptions of his mathematical endeavors may prove to be heavy going, she also brings Nash to life in his glory as an innovative thinker, and in his ordeal as a victim of mental illness. A caveat to keep in mind: Not every genius is schizophrenic, and not every schizophrenic person is brilliant. Also remember that Nash's anti-Semitic ravings stemmed from his disorder, not from the man himself.
Rating:
Summary: An insightful journey revealing the complex nature of mind
Review: The mysteries of the mind are myriad and multi-faceted. Nash's story reminds us that there are always new ways of looking at the world, and I gained a fresh perspective on just how much the mind controls our sense of what is real and what is not. I admired his courage in facing the foe of mental illness, and his attempt to control his own anguished psyche through various techniques. The story certainly makes him a sort of groundbreaking example of a successful recovery and triumph over terrible inner forces. The chemistry and workings of the brain are certainly as complex as many mathematical theories, and Nash's approach to his own illness is as much a product of his genius as it was of his delusions. Fractured realities can cause the victum to suffer from nightmares while awake which are as or more terrifying than those experienced in a sleep state. Tracy Harris' book "The Music of Madness" is another shining example of how a person's mind can bend that reality, and is also an example of how the mind can be used with proper aid to help control the mis-information feed from that reality. I reccommend both books to anyone looking for inspiration in their search for a cure, as well as for those who live with and care for such persons during their search. As a relative of someone who has mental distress, I see these books as providing bright beacons of hope in the swirling darkness which despair brings to the mentally afflicted. Kudos to both authors for courageously bringing these stories to light.
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