Ludwig Wittgenstein

“An entertaining and beautifully written fresh new look at one of the major personalities of philosophy.”—A. C. Grayling, author of Wittgenstein: A Very Short Introduction“With philosophical sophistication and writerly grace, Anthony Gottlieb crafts a narrative rich with historical and intellectual detail and subtlety. But though the vistas can be broad, the result is an intimate portrait of a thinker who redefined the boundaries of philosophy.”—Kwame Anthony Appiah, New York University“The outline of Wittgenstein’s life is well known. But he remains enigmatic, and in this book Anthony Gottlieb casts valuable new light on the role of his family, and of his wider intellectual and musical environment, in fashioning the strange and contradictory genius he became.”—Simon Blackburn, author of Think: A Compelling Introduction to Philosophy“I read everything by Anthony Gottlieb for his clarity of mind, engaging style, erudition, and—most of all—his contagious love of philosophy. This book is a real page-turner.”—Nassim Nicholas Taleb, author of the Incerto (The Black Swan and Antifragile)

Anthony Gottlieb is an author, book critic, and former executive editor of The Economist. He is the author of The Dream of Reason: A History of Western Philosophy from the Greeks to the Renaissance and The Dream of Enlightenment: The Rise of Modern Philosophy.