The Crossing of Heaven : Memoirs of a Mathematician

Among the group of physics honors students huddled in 1957 on a Colorado mountain watching Sputnik bisect the heavens, one young scientist was destined, three short years later, to become a key player in America’s own top-secret spy satellite program. One of our era’s most prolific mathematicians, Karl Gustafson was given just two weeks to write the first US spy satellite’s software. The project would fundamentally alter America’s Cold War strategy, and this autobiographical account of a remarkable academic life spent in the top flight tells this fascinating inside story for the first time. Gustafson takes you from his early pioneering work in computing, through fascinating encounters with Nobel laureates and Fields medalists, to his current observations on mathematics, science and life. He tells of brushes with death, being struck by lightning, and the beautiful women who have been a part of his journey. As One Of The Most Prolific Mathematicians Of Our Time, Karl Gustafson Has Been A Central Figure In The Astonishing Technological Revolution Of The Last Half-century—a Revolution Which Has Transformed Human Life. This, His Own Account Of His Journey Through Those Decades, Takes The Reader From His Early Pioneering Work In Computing And Espionage, Where His Contribution Was Vital To The American Cold War Effort, To His Observations On Core Contemporary Issues Such As The Stability Of The World’s Financial System. Gustafson’s Crucial Role In Top-secret Military Intelligence, Which Saw Him Tracking Russian Submarines, Intercepting Electronic Intelligence And Writing The Software For America’s First Spy Satellite, Is Related Here For The First Time. His Narrative Includes Fascinating Encounters With Nobel Laureates And Figures Of Historical Importance, The European Post-doctoral Fellowships That Expanded His Perspectives On Science And Life, And Hair-raising Stories From His Early Rock-climbing Days Including Brushes With Death Then And Later, Such As Being Struck By Lightning And Knocked Unconscious Near A Mountain Top. Gustafson’s Wide-ranging Mathematical Accomplishments Have Led To Invitations And Travel Throughout The World, And He Tells Of The Great—and At Times Strange—personalities He Has Met Along The Way. His Unique Journey Has Included Hard Knocks And Beautiful Women, Who Have, As He Likes To Say, Added To The Great Adventure. Preface -- 1 The Child In Iowa -- 2 The Boy In Boulder -- 3 The Student In Poverty -- 4 Computers And Espionage -- 5 First Publication -- 6 Into Academia -- 7 The World Opens -- 8 Personas And Personalities -- 9 Wives, Lovers, Friends -- 10 Close Calls -- 11 Mathematics -- 12 High Finance -- 13 The Improbabilities -- 14 Realities -- 15 The Crossing Of Heaven -- Appendix. Karl Gustafson. Includes Bibliographical References. Résumé : As one of the most prolific mathematicians of our time, Karl Gustafson has been a central figure in the astonishing technological revolution of the last half-century-a revolution which has transformed human life. This, his own account of his journey through those decades, takes the reader from his early pioneering work in computing and espionage, where his contribution was vital to the American Cold War effort, to his observations on core contemporary issues such as the stability of the world's financial system. Gustafson's crucial role in top-secret military intelligence, which saw him tracking Russian submarines, intercepting electronic intelligence and writing the software for America's first spy satellite, is related here for the first time. His narrative includes fascinating encounters with Nobel laureates and figures of historical importance, the European post-doctoral fellowships that expanded his perspectives on science and life, and hair-raising stories from his early rock-climbing days including brushes with death then and later, such as being struck by lightning and knocked unconscious near a mountain top. Gustafson's wide-ranging mathematical accomplishments have led to invitations and travel throughout the world, and he tells of the great-and at times strange-personalities he has met along the way. His unique journey has included hard knocks and beautiful women, who have, as he likes to say, added to the great adventure Front Matter....Pages i-xvi 1. The Child in Iowa....Pages 1-9 2. The Boy in Boulder....Pages 11-18 3. The Student in Poverty....Pages 19-26 4. Computers and Espionage....Pages 27-36 5. First Publication....Pages 37-47 6. Into Academia....Pages 49-56 7. The World Opens....Pages 57-101 8. Personas and Personalities....Pages 103-112 9. Wives, Lovers, Friends....Pages 113-123 10. Close Calls....Pages 125-132 11. Mathematics....Pages 133-143 12. High Finance....Pages 145-154 13. The Improbabilities....Pages 155-165 14. Realities....Pages 167-174 15. The Crossing of Heaven....Pages 175-176