On October 25, 1946, in a crowded room in Cambridge, Ludwig Wittgenstein and Karl Popper met for the first and last time. The meeting lasted only ten minutes and did not go well. Almost immediately, rumors began to spread worldwide that the two philosophers had come to blows, holding red-hot pokers in their hands. But what really happened? "Wittgenstein's Poker" charmingly blends philosophy, history, and biography into a captivating piece of investigative work. It approaches from the perspective of assimilated Jews at the dawn of the 20th century in Vienna, to the impact of memory under pressure, and a vivid portrayal of Cambridge and the idiosyncratic circle of philosophy teachers, including Bertrand Russell (who acted as referee during the showdown). At the center of the story are the philosophers themselves, proud, eccentric, exaggerated, and eager for a dispute. "Those ten minutes literally shook the world of Western philosophy to its foundations... Edmonds and Eidinow have a very good story to tell, and they tell it superbly." Irish Times "A hefty, brilliantly researched, and compelling book. In its dramatic readability, "Wittgenstein's Poker" is reminiscent of Simon Winchester's "The Professor and the Madman." In the depth and breadth of its support, it refers to Carl Schorske's "Fin-de-siècle Vienna"... a marvel of passionate journalism." San Francisco Chronicle

Pages: 304, Dimensions: 12.8x12.8cm