The book is a mix of biography, history, and game theory, but it struggles to balance these elements effectively. While it provides interesting insights into John Von Neumann's life and the Cold War, it falls short in delivering a comprehensive understanding of game theory. The narrative feels disjointed, especially after Von Neumann's death, and the book's structure is criticized for not tying the threads together satisfactorily.
The book attempts to cover three distinct but interconnected topics: the biography of John Von Neumann, an introduction to game theory, and a history of the Cold War arms race. The reviewer appreciates the interesting subjects and the intertwining of these narratives but finds the execution lacking. The book's structure is criticized for feeling disjointed, particularly after the death of Von Neumann, which leaves the narrative feeling incomplete. The reviewer also expresses disappointment in the lack of depth in the explanation of game theory, finding it more accessible through other media like the TV show Numb3rs. Despite these issues, the book is considered a nice read but not entirely satisfying.
Quick quotes
The book is sort of three books in one. It's kind of a look at Game Theory. Sometimes it's a biography of John Von Neumann, and then at other times it's a primer about early Cold War paranoia and the beginning of the arms race.
Once Von Neumann died it was like the book came to a slow halt, everything else after it felt like filler, even if it wasn't, it just felt like an after-thought.
I don't know much about math, and reading this book I don't know anything more about math.