Emanuel Derman
Emanuel Derman is a former theoretical physicist and a figure in quantitative finance, having shifted from physics to a career on Wall Street. He is known for his work on financial models, particularly in valuing options and assessing volatility. Derman grew up in Cape Town, South Africa, completed his PhD in physics at Columbia University, and has written extensively, including his memoir 'My Life As A Quant'. Besides his professional contributions, he has also written various editions for 'Why is this interesting?' on diverse topics ranging from being foreign, volatility, to personal hobbies like watercolor painting.
Recommendations
An excellent memoir by Emanuel Derman that reflects on his life in physics and financial markets.
Fluorescent-pink running shoes, noted for their use by Eliud Kipchoge when he broke the world marathon record. They feature a carbon-fiber plate in the forefoot which supposedly propels the runner.
The book is adapted from a chapter in Emanuel Derman's book, which explores the distinction between models and reality, particularly in the context of financial modeling and the consequences of confusing the model with reality.
Editions
On family, stoicism, and eidelkeit.
On Cape Town, theoretical physics, and Alien Hearts
On aural images, sending cassettes, and space vs. time.
On emojis, phone calls, and how little we say to each other now.
On watercolors, perfectionism and paper stock.
On watercolors, 4H, and learning
On age, time, and awareness
On finance, physics, and the models we use to understand the world
On science, thermodynamics, and believing in things we can't see
On God, language, and knowledge
On cities, tourism, and getting to know a foreign place
On learning, mathematica, and being a novice
On memory, organization, and architecting the past
On sports, competition, and the quest for perpetual enhancement
On God, language, and knowledge
On finance, physics, and the models we use to understand the world
On David Hockney, vision, and the fracturing of space and time
On consciousness, cities, and science
On jetlag, the Hotel Okura, and liminal states