Philosophy

Arguably one of the most important philosophers of the 20th century, Ludwig Wittgenstein was also one of the most intriguing.  See this entry in the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy to learn something of his tremendous philosophical impact.  When it comes to learning more about the man himself, there are fortunately many resources.

A good place to start is Norman Malcolm's article in the London Review of Books, "Wittgenstein's Confessions".  Malcolm also wrote "Ludwig Wittgenstein: A Memoir".  Ray Monk's "Ludwig Wittgenstein: The Duty of Genius" is an excellent biography, and Alexander Waugh takes up the powerful and talented Wittgenstein family in his "The House of Wittgenstein: A Family at War".  Finally, Edmonds and Eidenow's "Wittgenstein's Poker: The Story of a Ten-Minute Argument Between Two Great Philosophers" is thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended.