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The Savant

5/5 ( ratings)

Max Weisberg, a mentally disabled mathematical savant, gained a reputation starting in the 1960s as one of America's foremost sports bookmakers. Although nationally known for the accuracy of his odds and point spreads, Max was unable to comprehend his electric bill or care for his massively cluttered duplex apartment in St. Paul, Minnesota. Police routinely raided his home and seized incriminating scoresheets and cash, and courts frequently sent him to prison for breaking gambling laws. All that changed, however, when Max's new lawyer developed a defense of mental incompetence, based on Max's IQ of 70. In this extended essay, writer Jack El-Hai -- author of the nonfiction book The Lobotomist -- interviews Max, investigates his unusual life, and explores why he is drawn to the savant's strange story. Can Max tell right from wrong? How does he perform his mental calculations? Should a savant bookie receive a free pass to take bets?

Language: English

Pages: 20

Format: Kindle Edition

Publisher: Think Piece Publishing

Release: May 11, 2013

The Savant

5/5 ( ratings)

Max Weisberg, a mentally disabled mathematical savant, gained a reputation starting in the 1960s as one of America's foremost sports bookmakers. Although nationally known for the accuracy of his odds and point spreads, Max was unable to comprehend his electric bill or care for his massively cluttered duplex apartment in St. Paul, Minnesota. Police routinely raided his home and seized incriminating scoresheets and cash, and courts frequently sent him to prison for breaking gambling laws. All that changed, however, when Max's new lawyer developed a defense of mental incompetence, based on Max's IQ of 70. In this extended essay, writer Jack El-Hai -- author of the nonfiction book The Lobotomist -- interviews Max, investigates his unusual life, and explores why he is drawn to the savant's strange story. Can Max tell right from wrong? How does he perform his mental calculations? Should a savant bookie receive a free pass to take bets?

Language: English

Pages: 20

Format: Kindle Edition

Publisher: Think Piece Publishing

Release: May 11, 2013

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