I think A Beautiful Mind is a balancing act. It is both a page-turner and comprehensive. It manages to be consistently interesting while also feeling scrupulously detailed.

The citations are numerous in a reassuring way. I was never unsure if I was reading the author's conjecture or a direct quote or known fact. Even better, I was aware of this only at a subconscious level. It's anything but a dull history lesson.

There is another balancing act in the telling of Nash's life. The author could very easily have made Nash out to be a heroic character. On the other hand, a cold retelling of the facts of his life would surely be a depressing and alienating affair. Sylvia Nasar shows that you can be candid and still tell a sympathetic story.

Most importantly, the people and culture of Nash's life are given plenty of time on the page. I think it would be impossible to make any sense of Nash's rise and fall without understanding the friends, relatives, and institutions which shaped his world.

A Beautiful Mind is a fascinating book and very readable.