Oh Boy, Oh Boy, Oh Boy!

by Daniel Kehlmann

Measuring the World is a fictional account of two genius' lives.  Daniel Kehlmann alternates the story between lives of two great mind, Carl Gauss, the father of mathematics, and adventurer Alexander von Humboldt.  He deftly examines their lives, how they see the world, and traces the journey to their greatness. 

These men were similar in their ambition and greatness, but they different how they see the world and interacted with it.  Gauss' superior attitude and crass behavior is hilarious, even as he hits his oldest son who will never reach his understanding of the world.  Humboldt on the other hand, though sharing Gauss' genius, is not frustrated with others, he is oblivious of them.  His interaction with subtlety also made me laugh.

When these two giants final meet their interaction is beyond funny.  Here is a small part that made me laugh out loud.  Gauss' son has been arrested and Humboldt is trying to use his influence to get him out.

All he (the commander) had to do was go (to) the police jail and send the young man home, said Humboldt.  The name hadn't even been registered.  Nobody would know.

But there was a risk, said Vogt.

But a small one.

Small or not, between civilized people there were ways of recognizing these things.

Humboldt assured him of this gratitude.

Which could express itself in more than one way.

Humboldts promised that he would have a friend in him. And he would be ready to grant any favor.

Favor. Vogt sighed. There were favors and favors.

Humboldt asked what he meant.

Vogt groaned. They looked at each other in embarrassment.

God almighty, said Gauss's voice beside them. Did he really not understand? The fellow wanted a bribe. Poor pathetic little fellow. Poor little shit-eater.

He must protest, shrilled Vogt. He didn't have to listen to such things!

Humboldt made frantic hand signals at Gauss.

Yes he damn well did, said Gauss. Even a piece of vomit like him, a bastard mongrel, a greedy dwarf turd, should be able to bear up under the truth.

That was quite enough, shrieked Vogt.

Nothing like enough, said Gauss.

He would throw them out, said Gauss. They would be bound to be a pair of ne'er-do-wells if they were willing to be ordered around by a dung beetle like him. They could expect to learn the size of his foot, in the ass and elsewhere!

Needless to say, Gauss' son was no released.

This was a great book and I highly recommend it.