In 1956 two Bell Labs scientists discovered the scientific formula for getting rich. One was mathematician Claude Shannon, neurotic father of our digital age, whose genius is ranked with Einstein's. The other was John L. Kelly Jr., a Texas-born, gun-toting physicist. Together they applied the science of information theory--the basis of computers and the Internet--to the problem of making as much money as possible, as fast as possible. Shannon and MIT mathematician Edward O. Thorp took the "Kelly formula" to Las Vegas. It worked. They realized that there was even more money to be made in the stock market. Thorp used the Kelly system with his phenomenonally successful hedge fund, Princeton-Newport Partners. Shannon became a successful investor, too, topping even Warren Buffett's rate of return. "Fortune's Formula "traces how the Kelly formula sparked controversy" "even as it made fortunes at racetracks, casinos, and trading" "desks. It reveals the dark side of this alluring scheme, which is" "founded on exploiting an insider's edge.""Shannon believed it was possible for a smart investor to beat" "the market--and "Fortune's Formula "will convince you that he was right.

威廉·庞德斯通（Williarm Poundstone），曾在麻省理工学院学习物理学，定居于洛杉矶。他为世界各地的报刊、杂志以及电视台撰稿，是《哈帕斯》杂志和《纽约时报书评》的长期撰稿人。庞德斯通己出版10部著作，其中包括《卡尔·萨根》、《囚徒的抉择》、《推理迷宫》、《大秘密系列》等，其中两部获普利策奖提名。