Paul Erdos was one of t he most prolific and eccentric mathematicians of our time, a man who possessed unimaginable powers of thought yet was unable to manage some of the simplest daily tasks. For more than two decades he lived out of two tattered suitcases, crisscrossing four continents at a frenzied pace, chasing mathematical problems in pursuit of lasting beauty and ultimate truth.

Paul Hoffman's brilliantly inventive, bestselling biography provides an intimate look at Erdos's life, introducing readers to a cast of remarkable geniuses, as well as the most important mathematical discoveries of the twentieth century. Drawing on years of interviews with Erdos and his friends and collaborators, Hoffman has composed a vibrant portrait of the fascinating philosopher-scientist whose accomplishments continue to enrich and inform our world.