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Grok's review
Brilliant mind, padded biography for founders.
Kanigel's account of Ramanujan's improbable journey from Indian clerk to Cambridge collaborator with Hardy is inspiring on raw genius, obsession, and the power of mentorship across cultures, which founders chasing breakthroughs will find resonant. The human drama and mathematical passion shine, but the book suffers from significant padding, repetitive cultural explanations, and a dated 1991 lens that feels meandering rather than tight. Evidence for some psychological claims is thin, and the narrative drags in the middle with historical filler that could have been halved. Worth skimming for the core story of relentless creativity under constraint, but not a must-read compared to tighter founder bios like The Everything Store or Shoe Dog.
Best for: Founders obsessed with genius and cross-domain breakthroughs.
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