A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age by Rob Goodman, Jimmy Soni

Claude Shannon, a polymath and one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century, is the focus of Rob Goodman’s book “A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age”. This informative and entertaining biography explores the life and accomplishments of a quietly brilliant man who was a progenitor in information theory, computer design, and coding devices.

Born in Michigan in 1916, Shannon was a whiz kid with a deep interest in electronics and engineering. After earning a degree in mathematics from the University of Michigan he went on to join the Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he developed a mathematical theory of communication that proved to be the basis for modern information technology. Through this early research, Shannon laid the groundwork for what eventually became the technology industry that now dominates the modern world. Shannon’s most famous contribution was the concept of the “bit”, a unit of information that is fundamental to the construction of computers, phones, and the internet.

Shannon’s passionate embrace of problem solving was not only applied to the business of inventing new technologies, but also to the enjoyment of play. He famously disassembled and reassembled alarm clocks as a child, and played pranks on MIT students. He forged a battery of curious inventions such as robotic mice, built a working fire-breathing dragon, and my favorite, his self-designed version of chess that was an automated grandmaster level player.

But Shannon’s ultimate legacy was his central role in creating what we now know as the “information age”. The inventions he devised are everywhere- from car navigation systems to your smartphone GPS, the world would not be what it is without the concepts that drove Shannon’s pioneering work in information theory. This is especially true of today’s digital media, where mobile phones and world wide web have become integrated into routine life and each of Shannon’s inventions have in some way contributed to it.

While “A Mind at Play” provides readers with a compelling story of Shannon’s life and work, the book’s greatest value is in the window it provides into the creative process of a genius. A brilliant mind at play and largely unconstrained by conventional methods, Shannon’s fascination with and approach to problem solving provide us with insight into the potential of future generations of genius minds. For today’s aspiring innovators, Shannon’s story serves as an instructive and inspiring examination of the power of creative problem solving.

In “A Mind at Play: How Claude Shannon Invented the Information Age” Rob Goodman chronicled the life and achievements of the man who, more than any other, put the science and theory of information technology in the books. From his childhood love of puzzles to his inventions that forever changed the way we communicate, Shannon taught us the power in questioning and solving the puzzles that lead to change. This excellent biography is a must-read for anyone interested in the history of the digital age, the motivations behind true genius, or just an entertaining and inspiring story of an incredible man’s life.