fulloflemons's review against another edition
informative
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
It's not really explored, but it is shown, Bertrand Russells attitudes I think this comic maybe could have explored the ideal he [Bertrand] was advocating, and many great intellects such as himself fell short of the mark. But maybe that's too much scope for one graphic novel; this focused on the development of logic and was shy of 400 pages. The interludes with the makers of the comic was enjoyable, a good way to show different opinions of the man, the subject, the history.
Spoiler
towards women, mainly through his relationship with his wives. He may never have touched upon it, but the interludes with the artists didn't delve into that; a famous logician talking about using logic in human affairs not really broaching the subject of women's suffrage. Similarly, his position and attitudes towards Jewish people was left only briefly hinted at with his recollection on Frege's frothing at the mouth.
Content Warnings
Minor: Antisemitism and Mental illness
grid's review against another edition
4.0
Super interesting, this is somewhere between a non-fiction biography of Bertrand Russell and a history of early logical thinking.
vinterthunder's review against another edition
5.0
It is the most interesting comic book I have ever read.
chelsl's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
informative
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
rafelath's review against another edition
4.0
a little bit comfusing for teenagers,but it was really interesting and motivating for me
duarte_medeiros's review against another edition
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jekutree's review against another edition
2.0
Wasn’t crazy about this. The story of Russel for the most part, was interesting. I liked his character and most of the time I was engaged. The last bit of his story though was super rushed and just blocks of text and exposition. The book as a whole is poorly paced and was a chore to read.
My main problem with this book however as the self referential narrative that takes up a good portion of the book. It tries to do what Maus does but with 0 impact of the self referential nature of Maus. The creators of the book are all uninteresting and rather obnoxious and it completely derails the book in terms of pace and theme.
The art isn’t bad though I think the coloring is rather weak. The book would’ve aesthetically benefitted from a similar way the cartoonist Seth colors his book. They’re in a more two tone, monochrome style. The lettering is also abysmal in some places. The bubbles have poor placement creating a confusing flow of dialogue and sometimes they have too many words in each bubble which is daunting and overwhelming to the reader.
It’s not the worst thing I’ve read, but I’ve been reading nothing but amazing stuff recently so this hit me like a ton of bricks.
4/10
My main problem with this book however as the self referential narrative that takes up a good portion of the book. It tries to do what Maus does but with 0 impact of the self referential nature of Maus. The creators of the book are all uninteresting and rather obnoxious and it completely derails the book in terms of pace and theme.
The art isn’t bad though I think the coloring is rather weak. The book would’ve aesthetically benefitted from a similar way the cartoonist Seth colors his book. They’re in a more two tone, monochrome style. The lettering is also abysmal in some places. The bubbles have poor placement creating a confusing flow of dialogue and sometimes they have too many words in each bubble which is daunting and overwhelming to the reader.
It’s not the worst thing I’ve read, but I’ve been reading nothing but amazing stuff recently so this hit me like a ton of bricks.
4/10
docpacey's review against another edition
2.0
Disappointed is the one word I would use to describe my experience with this book. It's hefty, and, on first glance, appears to be rather substantial; but the fact is, it ends up being a short story (perhaps it would fill 50 pages of conventional text) peppered mostly with illustrations of Bertrand Russell lighting a pipe.
I am familiar with this story. I would guess that most readers interested enough in the characters (Russell, Wittgenstein, Godel) would be as well. The authors clearly state early on that Logicomix is not meant to be "Logic for Dummies", and it isn't; but its not much else either.
The essence of the book (caution spoilers) is that Bertrand Russell, celebrated mathematician and philosopher and noted pacifist, is confronted, early in the 2nd World War, by isolationists hoping to have their position validated by a sound logical argument. Russell proceeds to tell them of his epic search for a language of truth (mathematics) to lay a firm foundation for expressing things in an objective universe. The authors, who liberally inject themselves into the narrative, then begin an argument over whether madness (a pervading theme in both Russell's life and his professional associations) is a product of logic or a symptom of the search for it.
At this point i would have thought that the medium (illustration) of this work would have made itself felt, and that the authors would have taken some care to illustrate some of the trickier aspects of the mathematics or philosophies that the story revolves around. In fairness, they try just that with Russell's Paradox (and some cute barbers), but there is far too little of this and far too much of great minds doing mundane things. Frege harvests roses; Cantor scribbles madness; Russell lights a pipe.
Now I wasn't expecting another Godel, Escher, Bach, but Doxiadis has written better books before, so I was at least expecting that he would respect the audience who would naturally pick up a book of this type enough to ask his illustrators to do more than draw themselves walking around Athens, or draw Bertrand Russell smoking a pipe.
In the end Russell gets around to explaining to his audience that if the greatest minds of his age (Wittgenstein not withstanding) could not figure a way to ground the foundations of logic in an objective reality, then there could be no infallible logical argument against fighting the nazis. Here should have endeth the lesson, but somehow the authors felt the need (madness perhaps) to take us on a journey to see Aeschylus' Oresteia, the moral of which (mercy?) seems to have no place at the end of this story.
I was hoping I could recommend this book to those who might want to become more familiar with the characters without charging into GEB, or DFW's Everything and More, or even, *-forbid, the Tractatus, but it's just not very well executed.
I am familiar with this story. I would guess that most readers interested enough in the characters (Russell, Wittgenstein, Godel) would be as well. The authors clearly state early on that Logicomix is not meant to be "Logic for Dummies", and it isn't; but its not much else either.
The essence of the book (caution spoilers) is that Bertrand Russell, celebrated mathematician and philosopher and noted pacifist, is confronted, early in the 2nd World War, by isolationists hoping to have their position validated by a sound logical argument. Russell proceeds to tell them of his epic search for a language of truth (mathematics) to lay a firm foundation for expressing things in an objective universe. The authors, who liberally inject themselves into the narrative, then begin an argument over whether madness (a pervading theme in both Russell's life and his professional associations) is a product of logic or a symptom of the search for it.
At this point i would have thought that the medium (illustration) of this work would have made itself felt, and that the authors would have taken some care to illustrate some of the trickier aspects of the mathematics or philosophies that the story revolves around. In fairness, they try just that with Russell's Paradox (and some cute barbers), but there is far too little of this and far too much of great minds doing mundane things. Frege harvests roses; Cantor scribbles madness; Russell lights a pipe.
Now I wasn't expecting another Godel, Escher, Bach, but Doxiadis has written better books before, so I was at least expecting that he would respect the audience who would naturally pick up a book of this type enough to ask his illustrators to do more than draw themselves walking around Athens, or draw Bertrand Russell smoking a pipe.
In the end Russell gets around to explaining to his audience that if the greatest minds of his age (Wittgenstein not withstanding) could not figure a way to ground the foundations of logic in an objective reality, then there could be no infallible logical argument against fighting the nazis. Here should have endeth the lesson, but somehow the authors felt the need (madness perhaps) to take us on a journey to see Aeschylus' Oresteia, the moral of which (mercy?) seems to have no place at the end of this story.
I was hoping I could recommend this book to those who might want to become more familiar with the characters without charging into GEB, or DFW's Everything and More, or even, *-forbid, the Tractatus, but it's just not very well executed.
yasimine's review against another edition
challenging
informative
inspiring
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75