Monday, October 2, 2023
In October, the leaves may fall,
But fear not, for there's a call,
To read these books, so new and grand,
That will whisk you to distant lands.
First on the list, a tale so deep,
"The Maniac", it makes you weep,
BenjamÃn Labatut takes the lead,
A story of genius, dark indeed.
John von Neumann, a man of might,
His mind a beacon, shining bright,
Through physics, economics, he did roam,
Leaving behind a scholarly tome.
The Manhattan Project, his claim to fame,
A secret endeavor, hidden in shame,
Yet Labatut brings it to light,
Through imagined remembrances, day and night.
Colleagues, associates, and loved ones too,
Their voices tell a story, oh so true,
Of a hyper-rational mind, it seems,
That slipped into darkness, beyond our dreams.
Imagine the scenes as they unfold,
A brilliant mind, trapped in a mold,
A study of genius, and its cost,
In "The Maniac," the lines are crossed.
![Read the story](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2023/09/28/books/review/28OctoberBooks/28OctoberBooks-facebookJumbo.jpg)