Monk's biography is perfect in every possible sense and in accordance with all imaginable criteria.

It delves deep into the life and times of this remarkable individual, uncovering the hidden aspects and the significant events that shaped his character and his journey.

The author has painstakingly researched and presented a vivid and detailed account, leaving no stone unturned.

From his early beginnings to his rise to prominence, every step is chronicled with precision and care.

The biography not only provides a factual narrative but also offers valuable insights into Monk's thoughts, emotions, and motivations.

It is a captivating read that will engage and inspire readers, transporting them into the world of this extraordinary person.

Whether you are a fan of Monk or simply interested in a well-written and engaging biography, this book is sure to satisfy.

It is a true masterpiece that will stand the test of time and be cherished by readers for years to come.

This is a highly engaging and readable biography of a truly remarkable and captivating individual. Ray Monk has evidently conducted in-depth research, and his narrative is extremely compelling.

Wittgenstein was indeed an enigmatic figure, and while some of Monk's interpretations of what Wittgenstein might have been thinking or feeling seem a bit off to me at times.

In addition to presenting a detailed and fascinating portrayal of Wittgenstein's life, Monk also offers a fairly comprehensive account of his philosophical perspectives. However, he doesn't delve into overly minute details, and once again, there are certain aspects of his account that may not be entirely accurate.

Overall, though, this biography is well worth reading for anyone with an interest in philosophy or those who simply enjoy reading biographies. After all, Wittgenstein's life was anything but uneventful!

It provides valuable insights into the mind and life of a complex and influential thinker, making it a worthwhile addition to any bookshelf.

What good does all my talent do me, if, at heart, I am unhappy? What help is it to me to solve philosophical problems, if I cannot settle the chief, most important thing? Talent is often regarded as a precious asset, something that sets one apart from others. However, when one's inner self is filled with unhappiness, that talent seems to lose its luster. Solving philosophical problems may give one a sense of intellectual achievement, but if it doesn't address the core issue of one's own well-being, it feels rather empty. The chief, most important thing in life is finding true happiness and contentment within oneself. Without this, all the external accomplishments and knowledge mean little. We should strive to balance our pursuit of talent and intellectual growth with the cultivation of our inner selves. Only then can we truly say that we are living a fulfilling and meaningful life.

**Ray Monk's Duty of Genius**

Ray Monk's work on Wittgenstein offers a profound exploration of the philosopher's life and thought. Wittgenstein's ideas on various aspects such as religion, ethics, logic, and language are presented in a detailed and engaging manner. His discussions with Russell reveal his unique perspective on moral and religious experiences. For example, his view that the feeling of being 'absolutely safe' is paradigmatic of religious experience is quite thought-provoking. His thoughts on the connection between logic and the meaning of life, through the distinction of'saying' and'showing', are also explored. The work delves into Wittgenstein's views on grammar, internal relations, and how they contrast with causal views of meaning. His ideas on aesthetics, such as the variety of forms of artistic appreciation and the concept of family resemblances, add another dimension to his philosophical repertoire. Overall, Monk's work provides a comprehensive and valuable account of Wittgenstein's genius.

Monk's account of Wittgenstein truly sets a very high standard for the biographical genre.

Monk vividly details the life of the eccentric philosopher Ludwig Wittgenstein. The greatest achievement of this book lies in its remarkable ability to reveal the inner workings of a brilliant, yet deeply troubled mind. We come to discover that brilliance is often unfortunately accompanied by pain and tragedy.

Monk exposes the extraordinary genius that Wittgenstein was, whose life was equally extraordinary. Wittgenstein was born into a life of great wealth, privilege, and high society. He was a prodigy hailing from a family of industrialists and musicians.

In the book, he is depicted as an outsider among his peers due to his odd behaviors. We witness his unbridled arrogance in the writing of the Tractatus Logico Philosophicus, a work which he haughtily declared would solve all the problems of philosophy. We also see how his relationship with Bertrand Russell profoundly influenced him. And, in turn, we observe how his work would shape the direction of analytic philosophy in the 20th century and far beyond.

This book is an absolute must-read for anyone interested in philosophy, linguistics, or for anyone who desires to gain an understanding of the mind of a profound thinker. It is also excellent for those who feel that society is alien and isolating. It serves as an inspiring narrative for people who aren't content to simply accept the status quo and social norms.

It offers valuable insights into the life and mind of a remarkable individual, and is sure to leave a lasting impression on the reader.

Ludwig Wittgenstein is a figure who is often known for his infamous poker incident with Sir Karl Popper in 1947 at the Moral Philosophy Club in Cambridge. However, aside from this, many people don't know much about him. Ray Monk's lengthy book delves deep into Wittgenstein's life, from his privileged beginnings in Austria, where Gustav Klimt painted his sister and the family lived in the majestic Schoenberg palace in Vienna, to his lonely death from pancreatic cancer in the UK in 1951.

Wittgenstein was influenced by Bertrand Russell in his early academic life and interacted with other luminaries such as John Maynard Keynes, Frank Ramsey, and Francis Skinner. His work, especially the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, had a profound impact on 20th-century philosophy. However, his life was not without controversy, including alleged anti-semitism and homosexuality, which were not accepted at the time.
Monk's writing is detailed, but he resists the temptation to analyze Wittgenstein's philosophy in depth. The narrative is smooth and logical, but at 600 pages, the book is perhaps too long. Overall, it tells the story of a brilliant, yet troubled and lonely man who struggled with his thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. While the book may not have broad appeal, it is a must-read for those interested in the history of philosophy and mathematical logic.

Greatly structured combination of life and work of one of the brightest minds of the 20th century. Ludwig Wittgenstein's ideas have had a profound impact on philosophy and beyond.

L.W: "It is not in practical life that we encounter philosophical problems, but rather, when we are misled by certain analogies in language to ask things like 'What is time? What is a number?' These questions are insoluble, not because they have depth or profundity, but because they are nonsensical. They are a misuse of language." Wittgenstein believed that many philosophical problems arise from misunderstandings of language.

In Wittgenstein's conception, philosophy is a task of clarification. It is not about building a new house but of tidying up a room. This task of clarification has no end and only an arbitrary beginning. He thought that philosophy should help us see the world more clearly by untangling the knots of language.

Moreover, for him, all philosophy, insofar as it is pursued honestly and decently, begins with a confession. It is a thing more of the will than of the intellect. The will to resist the temptation to misunderstand, the will to resist superficiality. Wittgenstein emphasized the importance of intellectual honesty and the need to resist the urge to jump to easy answers.

This biography of Ludwig Wittgenstein by Ray Monk is really a great piece of work in my opinion.

Monk presents to us both the man Ludwig and the philosopher Wittgenstein.

I adored following the evolution of his personality and his thought. I loved his perceptive, straightforward personality, sometimes insecure, often tormented and stubborn.

Professor Wittgenstein had a colorful, flexible and determined mind.

Thanks to Wittgenstein for being in the world, and thanks to Ray Monk who in this book delivers him to us in all his humanity and all his genius.

The detailed exploration of Wittgenstein's life and ideas in Monk's biography provides a fascinating look into the complex and brilliant mind of this influential philosopher. It allows readers to understand not only his philosophical contributions but also the personal experiences and struggles that shaped his thinking.

The book is well-written and engaging, making it accessible to both scholars and general readers interested in philosophy and intellectual history.

Overall, it is a must-read for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of Ludwig Wittgenstein and his place in the history of philosophy.

Well-written, but more importantly, it is written with what feels like a profound understanding of Wittgenstein’s work and character.

I have a great affection for the emphasis placed on LW’s spiritual and aesthetic views. They are constantly thought-provoking and at times, deeply moving.

I’m not entirely sure what exactly accounts for my fascination with LW. However, I find him to be a more compelling thinker and person than almost anyone else I’ve encountered.

I’m concerned that I might be falling into the trap of misunderstanding him, which he was constantly worried about. But so often, I feel his philosophy aligning with my thinking and inspiring further thought.

This biography provides a wonderful overview of almost all of LW’s work. Yet, I’m still left desiring to understand more, especially about the opposition to his positions and the current state of philosophy regarding the topics he was interested in.

The section on Mathematics really came alive for me in this biography, and I’m still powerfully drawn to his thinking on language and psychology. I also want to understand more about how his work relates or doesn’t relate to contemporary cognitive science and Bayesian mind theories.

Some of what I learned about his personal beliefs and preferences has deterred me from blindly following him. Nevertheless, I still find a great deal of his thinking about ethics and aesthetics (including music, architecture, clothing, and everything) in line with my own thinking and beautifully expressed.

There’s a lot more I could say about him, but I’ll conclude by emphasizing how inspiring I find the radical honesty that shines through his work and character.

This is an utterly captivating biography of one of the greatest thinkers of the modern age. Or, permit me this hyperbole, perhaps of any age. Wittgenstein might have eschewed this hyperbolic idol worship in favour of actual philosophising. He himself turned against academic tradition and often boasted of never having read much of the philosophical canon.

For example, in a meeting regarding the validity of Descartes' cogito, he turned away from the topic and instead talked about his own philosophy. Nevertheless, his is a great mind and his philosophy is also great, if only we could understand it. Wittgensteinian scholarship is prolific and boundless, but he despaired of being understood in his lifetime. Now that his lifetime is long past, do we have a chance of understanding him or is his despair still valid? His philosophical writings read more like aphorisms from the gnostic gospels than actual philosophical works, commanding the reader to imagine situations like Christ's parables.

Yet, through it all, a question remains: would Wittgenstein approve of the voluminous scholarship about him and his work? Would he have liked our attempts at pseudo-psychoanalysis that links his life and philosophy? When a contemporary suggested his sexuality might influence his philosophy, he disapproved immediately. Would he have approved of this biography that, though not making a big fuss about his sexuality, makes a big fuss about everything else?

Don't get me wrong: this is a superb biography, captivating and engrossing, bringing to life a man who is perhaps larger than life. Yet Wittgenstein was also a neurotic man, capable of stern isolationism and a cloying need for companionship. In the baring of his soul, would he have liked being understood or would he have been annoyed at our need to know everything about him and his life?

Paradoxical as it may seem, I think he would have been capable of both at the same time. And that is our struggle to live with now, no longer his, for his time of struggling is past and it is our turn to grapple with such and many other questions.

5 stars cuz he was bi plus he was obsessed with The Brothers Karamazov. This is a rather interesting and unique combination. The fact that he was bisexual adds an extra layer of complexity to his character. It shows that he had a diverse range of attractions and relationships, which could have influenced his perspective and experiences in life.

Moreover, his obsession with The Brothers Karamazov is also quite significant. This novel is a masterpiece of Russian literature, exploring profound themes such as morality, free will, and the nature of evil. His obsession with it might suggest that he was deeply interested in these themes and was perhaps seeking answers or inspiration from the book.

Overall, Ray Monk did a great job in presenting this individual's story. By highlighting these aspects of his life, Monk has created a more nuanced and engaging portrait. It makes the reader curious to know more about this person and his journey. Well done, Ray Monk!

This book is truly having a profound impact on my life.

Every page I turn reveals new insights and perspectives that I had never considered before.

The author's words seem to speak directly to my soul, touching on themes and emotions that I can deeply relate to.

As I immerse myself in the story, I find myself growing and evolving as a person.

It has made me more aware of the world around me and has given me the courage to face my fears and pursue my dreams.

This book is not just a collection of words on a page; it is a powerful tool for self-discovery and personal growth.

I am grateful to have found it and look forward to seeing how it continues to shape my life in the future.