Thoughtful and moving piece about the later life of the great mathematician Alexander Grothendieck.

A complex and troubled life, empathetically and intelligently reconstructed by writer Phil Hoad. We meet Grothendieck's family and fellow mathematiciens. Deeply insightful.

I usually enjoy the "long read" articles you sometimes find in the weekend papers. This is Long Read at its best.

https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/aug/31/alexander-grothendieck-huawei-ai-artificial-intelligence?CMP=share_btn_url

#AlexanderGrothendieck #mathematicians #mathematics #biographies #PhilHoad

‘He was in mystic delirium’: was this hermit mathematician a forgotten genius whose ideas could transform AI – or a lonely madman?

In isolation, Alexander Grothendieck seemed to have lost touch with reality, but some say his metaphysical theories could contain wonders

The Guardian
Kings, pawns and little citizens: the island where children love chess

Corsica’s schools have become a laboratory for a chess revolution that’s about much more than winning moves

The Guardian