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Sylvia Nasar

シルヴィア・ナサー

Shiruvia Nasā

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1947-08-17 （Rosenheim, Allied-occupied Germany）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
United States (immigrated 1951) → Ankara, Turkey (lived 1960) → Tarrytown, New York (residence)

Career

Occupations
journalist, biographer, professor of journalism
Active Years
1970-
Affiliations
Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, Fortune (former staff writer), The New York Times (economic correspondent)
Influenced By
Wassily Leontief

Education

Antioch College
College of Arts and Sciences / Literature
Degree: BA
Period: 1966–1970
Year of Graduation: 1970
Country: United States
Earned a BA in literature
New York University
Graduate School / Economics
Degree: Master's
Period: 1974–1976
Year of Graduation: 1976
Country: United States
Master's degree in economics

Awards

Los Angeles Times Book Prize (Science & Technology)
2011
Work: Grand Pursuit: The Story of Economic Genius
Category: Science and technology
Organization: Los Angeles Times
Result: winner
National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography
1998
Work: A Beautiful Mind (biography of John Forbes Nash Jr.)
Category: Biography
Organization: National Book Critics Circle
Result: winner
Rhône-Poulenc Prize (nominated)
1999
Work: A Beautiful Mind
Organization: Rhône-Poulenc
Result: nominated
Pulitzer Prize (nominated)
1998
Work: A Beautiful Mind
Category: Biography
Organization: Pulitzer Prize
Result: nominated

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

A Beautiful Mind: A Biography of John Forbes Nash Jr.

1998 Biography 448 pages

A biography of John Forbes Nash Jr., covering his mathematical achievements, personal life, and struggles with severe mental illness, examining both his genius and the challenges he faced.

genius and madnessmathematicsmental illnesshuman side of scientists
Adaptations
  • [Film] A Beautiful Mind / Ron Howard (2001)
Translations
  • A Beautiful Mind (Japanese translation)

Grand Pursuit: The Story of Economic Genius

2011 Economic history / Non-fiction 416 pages

A historical narrative tracing the development of economics and arguing that economics helped improve material conditions by placing control over material circumstances in human hands, presenting major economists and their ideas.

economic historyeconomic thoughthistory of science
Translations
  • Grand Pursuit (Japanese translation)

Bibliography

  • A Beautiful Mind (1998)
  • Grand Pursuit: The Story of Economic Genius (2011)
  • "Manifold Destiny" (article, 2006)

Adaptations

  • A Beautiful Mind (film, 2001)

Translations of Works

  • A Beautiful Mind (Japanese edition)
  • Grand Pursuit (Japanese edition)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
non-fiction narrativebiographical approach to personal portrayalexplanatory style making economic and scientific history accessible
Recurring Motifs
genius and humanitysocial role of economicsstories of science and individuals

Legacy

Sylvia Nasar brought John Nash's life to broad public attention with A Beautiful Mind, and the book's film adaptation amplified its impact beyond academia. Her writings on the history of economics have also been influential, marking significant contributions to journalism and biographical literature.

Academic Societies

  • Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism (faculty)

Archives

  • Columbia University archives (related materials)

In Popular Culture

  • The film adaptation of A Beautiful Mind popularized Nash's story

Trivia

  • Her father, Ruzi (Rusi) Nazar, was of Uzbek origin and later worked with U.S. intelligence agencies.
  • Her family immigrated to the United States in 1951 and lived in Ankara, Turkey in 1960.
  • A Beautiful Mind (1998) was adapted into a film and won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography.
  • In 2013 she filed a lawsuit against Columbia University alleging misuse of endowment funds.