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The Formative Years of Paul Erdős
This chapter explores the early life of mathematician Paul Erdős, born in Budapest, and how personal losses and sociopolitical upheavals shaped his genius. It highlights his early mathematical brilliance, collaborations with peers, and significant contributions to number theory, including an accessible reproof of Chebyshev's theorem. The narrative also delves into his transition to America amid rising anti-Semitism and the challenges he faced in securing a position at Princeton, alongside his flourishing interest in discrete mathematics and graph theory.