This exceptional graphic novel recounts the spiritual odyssey of philosopher Bertrand Russell. In his agonized search for absolute truth, Russell crosses paths with legendary thinkers like Gottlob Frege, David Hilbert, and Kurt Gödel, and finds a passionate student in the great Ludwig Wittgenstein. But his most ambitious goal-to establish unshakable logical foundations of mathematics-continues to loom before him. Through love and hate, peace and war, Russell persists in the dogged mission that threatens to claim both his career and his personal happiness, finally driving him to the brink of insanity. This story is at the same time a historical novel and an accessible explication of some of the biggest ideas of mathematics and modern philosophy. With rich characterizations and expressive, atmospheric artwork, the book spins the pursuit of these ideas into a highly satisfying tale. Probing and ingeniously layered, the book throws light on Russell's inner struggles while setting them in the context of the timeless questions he spent his life trying to answer. At its heart, Logicomix is a story about the conflict between an ideal rationality and the unchanging, flawed fabric of reality. Book Description This exceptional graphic novel recounts the spiritual odyssey of philosopher Bertrand Russell. In his agonized search for absolute truth, Russell crosses paths with legendary thinkers like Gottlob Frege, David Hilbert, and Kurt Gödel, and finds a passionate student in the great Ludwig Wittgenstein. But his most ambitious goal--to establish unshakable logical foundations of mathematics--continues to loom before him. Through love and hate, peace and war, Russell persists in the dogged mission that threatens to claim both his career and his personal happiness, finally driving him to the brink of insanity. Take a Look Inside The creators of Logicomix introduce us to Bertrand Russell in 1939 during one of his public lectures. Russell explores the question, "What is logic?" by telling the story of "one of [logic’s] most ardent fans"--himself. The panels that follow (click each image to see the full page) reimagine the life of a brilliant young man with a passion for mathematics. “A delight to the eye and the mind, a result that justifies the years of work invested in it by the authors and illustrators.” ― Athens Plus “This is an extraordinary graphic novel, wildly ambitious in daring to put into words and drawings the life and thought of one of the great philosophers of the last century, Bertrand Russell. The book depicts Russell's fascinating encounters with the great philosophers and logicians of his time. This involves breathtaking excursions into logic, and mathematics, in language we can all understand. Interwoven with these heady ideas is the trajectory of Russell's personal life-his parents and grandparents, his wives, his inner conflicts. The book is a rare intellectual and artistic achievement, which will, I am sure, lead its readers to explore realms of knowledge they thought were forbidden to them.” ― Howard Zinn Apostolis Doxadis received a Bachelor's Degree in Mathematics from Columbia University and a Master's Degree in Applied Mathematics from the Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes in Paris. He has run a number of successful computer companies, as well as written and directed for both the screen and the stage. The second of his two feature films, Tetriem, won the prize of the International Center for Artistic Cinema at the 1988 Berlin International Film Festival. Mr. Doxiadis lives in Athens, Greece Christos Papadimitriou is a professor of Computer Science at Cal-Berkeley. He is the author of several books on computer science, as well as the novel Turing: A Novel about Computation. From The Washington Post's Book World/washingtonpost.com Reviewed by Dan Kois Though it may serve as a primer on early 20th-century philosophy and mathematics, "Logicomix" is no textbook -- it's a comic book. "The form is perfect for stories of heroes in search of great goals!" exclaims one co-author to the other. In this case, the superhero is the philosopher Bertrand Russell, and the adventure is his quest for a rational foundation to mathematics and logic, from his childhood in 1870s England to the eve of World War II. Along the way, we also catch glimpses of philosophical luminaries like Gödel and Wittgenstein -- and of the madness to which so many of the discipline's great thinkers succumbed, and which Russell himself feared all his life. A clever framing story, set in Athens and starring the authors themselves, clarifies the more complicated ideas for the lay reader, as the writers helpfully explain the philosophical issues to their bewildered artists. Stepping back into the book at the end, the authors find a poetic counterpoint for Russell's journey in Aeschylus' "Oresteia." The story -- and Russell's philosophical evolution -- comes to a head days after the Nazi invasion of Poland. Now in