The Man Who Solved the Market: How Jim Simons Launched the Quant Revolution

by Gregory Zuckerman

recalcitrant

Simons once quoted Benjamin, the donkey in Animal Farm, to explain his attitude: “‘God gave me a tail to keep off the flies. But I’d rather have had no tail and no flies.’ That’s kind of the way I feel about publicity.”

Creases

preternatural

gullible.

concoct

insouciance

binoculars

colitis

steroids

archery.

amusing.

tumultuous

newfangled

would make us a stronger country to rebuild Watts than it would to bomb Hanoi,” Simons wrote. “It would make us stronger to construct decent transportation on our East Coast than it would to destroy all the bridges in Vietnam.”

Those who valued money got raises; those focused on personal research got lighter class loads, extra leave, generous research support, and help evading irritating administrative requirements.

bolt.

hoax,

squandering

genomics

spectacles,

guileless.

supine

hogs

spuds!”

invective

pique

dudgeon.

ameliorate

askance.

curt.

digressions,

crooks.”

charlatans,

devised

prognosticator

derision,

“dreary

ensnared

donned

propensity

mirages—they

presciently.

No one ever made a decision because of a number. They need a story.

paragon

hosiery

had a very strong belief that the Germans were obsessed with inflation,”

savvy

moxie.

Sharpe