A Mind at Play
| Industry | Publishing |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Products | Books |
| Website | https://www.simonandschuster.com |
A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age is a biography chronicling the life of Claude Shannon, the distinguished American mathematician, electrical engineer, and cryptographer often hailed as the pioneer of information theory. Authored by Jimmy Soni and Rob Goodman, this book was released by Simon & Schuster in 2017. It follows their previous biographical work, Rome's Last Citizen, which focused on Cato.
Background
During a conversation with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Soni revealed that his fascination with Shannon's character and the absence of a comprehensive biography inspired him to write A Mind at Play.
Synopsis
Born in Petoskey, Michigan in 1916 and raised in Gaylord, Michigan, Shannon is celebrated for founding the theory of digital circuit design. At 21, while pursuing his master's degree at MIT, he authored his thesis in 1937, demonstrating how electrical implementations of Boolean algebra could model any logical numerical relationship. His 1948 publication, A Mathematical Theory of Communication, laid the groundwork for information theory, paving the way for innovations such as mobile phones and the Internet. The biography explores these key achievements alongside his collaborations and interactions with figures like Albert Einstein, Alan Turing, John von Neumann, and Steve Jobs.
In addition to his scientific contributions, Shannon engaged in hobbies like juggling, unicycling, and playing chess. He created inventive devices including a Roman numeral calculator named THROBAC, mechanical juggling apparatuses, and a flame-throwing trumpet. Furthermore, he is recognized as co-creator of one of the earliest wearable computers with Edward O. Thorp, developed to enhance success rates in roulette.
Reception
The book A Mind at Play garnered positive critiques from outlets such as The Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Nature, and Fortune Magazine. Selections appeared in media including The Daily Beast and Nautilus. Prominent technology leaders like Ruby on Rails creator David Heinemeier Hansson and Amazon CTO Werner Vogels publicly praised the work on social platforms.
Internet pioneer Vint Cerf described it as "an invaluable resource for those interested in [Shannon's] profoundly impactful life — marked by whimsy, independence, and relentless curiosity."
In recognition of their efforts, Soni and Goodman received the 2017 Neumann Prize from the British Society for the History of Mathematics for this biography. Additionally, it earned a silver medal in the Biography category at the Axiom Business Book Awards.