BEYOND GENIUS
A JOURNEY THROUGH THE CHARACTERISTICS
AND LEGACIES OF TRANSFORMATIVE MINDS
by
Published by PEGASUS BOOKS — Distributed by Simon & Schuster
An in-depth and unified exploration of genius in the arts and sciences through the life and works of five seminal intellectual and cultural figures: Leonardo da Vinci, William Shakespeare, Isaac Newton, Ludwig von Beethoven and Albert Einstein.
Who among us hasn't read Hamlet, listened to the Fifth Symphony, gazed at the Mona Lisa, or marveled at the three laws of physics and the Theory of Relativity and been struck with same simple question: how on Earth did they do it? Where did these masters draw inspiration to produce of the most stunning achievements in human history? Were their brains wired differently than ours? Did they have special traits or unique experiences tht set them on the path to greatness? Genius is a broad and elusive concept, one that is divisive and hard to define—and gravely misunderstood. There are "ordinary" geniuses who achieve remarkable feats of brilliance, as well as "magicians" (a term James Gleick invoked to describe Richard Feynman) who make an outsize impact on their given field. But highest among them are transformative geniuses, those rare individuals who redefine their fields or open up new universes of thought altogether.
These are the masters whose genius Bulent Atalay decodes in his engrossing, enlightening, and revelatory book. No, Atalay doesn't have a road map for how we might become the next Einstein or Leonardo, but his revolutionary study of genius gives us a stunning lens through which to view humanty's most prolific thinkers and creators and perhaps pick up some inspiration along the way.
At first, it seems that transformative geniuses don't follow and sort of topography. Their prodigious output looks effortless, they leap from summit to summit, and they probably couldn't explain exactly how they went about solving their problems. The might not even recognize themselves in the ways we talk about them today. Atalay argues that these heroes fit more of a mold than we might think. As evidence, he rigorously dissects the lives, traits, habits, and thought patterns of five explars--Leonardo, Shakespeare, Newton, Beetoven, and Einstein--to map out the path of the the transformative geniuses.
How did Beethoven, who could not perform basic multiplication, innately encode the Fibonacci Sequence in his symphonies? Is it possible that we understate Shakepeare's poetic influence? How did Leonardo become equally prolific in both the arts and the sciences? And what prompted TIME Magazine to declare Einstein, a man who very name is synonymous with genius, the "Individual of the 20th Century"? With great clarity and attention to detail, Atalay expertly traces how these five exemplars ascended to immortality and what their lives and legacies reveal about how transformative geniuses are made.
Beyond Genius (Chinese Edition).
Beyond Genius (Korean Edition)
RAVES and REVIEWS
"This is an absolutely brilliant and profoundly fascinating book about the nature of true genius and the causes of creativity. Weaving together scientific studies with historical insights, Atalay explains how the greatest minds work. A Triumph!
—
Walter Isaacson, author of Steve Jobs, Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Benjamin Franklin, Kissinger, Elon Musk, and Jennifer Doudna
"As only he can do, Professor Atalay presents a fascinating analysis of the similarities and differences in genius in the arts versus the sciences. While his book examines the lives and works of hundreds of gifted men and women, the focus is on just five unrivaled geniuses. Through his unique lens as both a physicist and artist, the author engages with readers of different backgrounds. Having taught the general education course 'Changing Views of the Universe' for many years, I found Beyond Genius a captivating read. A true masterpiece.” —Teresa L. Larkin, Physics Professor and Advisor for Women in Science, American University.
"Bulent Atalay writes about music with the same effervescence, conviction, and illumination that he brings to physics, the visual arts, and all the realms of genius he traverses. He presents to us a Beethoven who is vivid, human, troubled, and even ornery, at the same time that he is unutterably inspired."–
— Alan Fletcher, composer, President of the Aspen Music Festival and School.”
"Beyond Genius is a work of genius. It offers insights into the thought processes and influences impinging on many of the greatest artists, writers, and scientists of all time. It is written with a touch of humor and occasional winks. It also explains complex matters in ways that even us readers with ordinary IQs can underastand."
—Arnold Ludwig, Professor of Psychiatry, emeritus, Brown University Medical School.
In the Chinese Edition only:
"Curiosity drives humanity to keep posing questions, spotting anomalies, and seeking fresh evidence and theories to explain those irregularities. AI can be trained to explore the unkown, iterate through trial and error, identify patterns, and even formulate hypotheses. Yet whether it possesses human curiosity—the kind fueled by wonder, obsession, aesthetic appreciation, and a sense of meaning— remains an open question. Perhaps the frontiers of knowledge will be expanded more and more jointly by humans and machines. Still, that initial spark of "why" stands as the most irreducible element when it comes to understanding human intelligence." —Zhou Jiangong, Founder of Weiyang Research
Purchase a copy now online, wherever fine books are sold, and especially at privately owned bookstores