During his lifetime Kurt Gödel was not well known outside the professional world of
mathematicians philosophers and theoretical physicists. Early in his career for his doctoral
thesis and then for his Habilitation (Dr.Sci.) he wrote earthshaking articles on the
completeness and provability of mathematical-logical systems upsetting the hypotheses of the
most famous mathematicians philosophers of the time. He later delved into theoretical physics
finding a unique solution to Einstein's equations for gravity the 'Gödel Universe' and made
contributions to philosophy the guiding theme of his life. This book includes more details
about the context of Gödel's life than are found in earlier biographies while avoiding an
elaborate treatment of his mathematical scientific philosophical works which have been
described in great detail in other books. In this way it makes him and his times more
accessible to general readers and will allow them to appreciate the lasting effects of Gödel's
contributions (the latter in a more up-to-date context than in previous biographies many of
which were written 15-25 years ago). His work spans or is relevant to a wide spectrum of
intellectual endeavor and this is emphasized in the book with recent examples. This biography
also examines possible sources of his unusual personality which combined mathematical genius
with an almost childlike naiveté concerning everyday life and striking scientific innovations
with timidity and hesitancy in practical matters. How he nevertheless had a long and successful
career inspiring many younger scholars along the way with the help of his loyal wife Adele
and some of his friends is a fascinating story in human nature.
