Paul Erdös was (1913-1996) a Hungarian-born mathematician known for being prolific (about 1,500 papers with about 510 co-authors) and eccentric. As to the latter, he spent most of his life traveling from place to place, staying in the homes of colleagues. Most of his possessions fit into …

I am not sure what was more difficult: studying the material, writing the research proposal, assembling an exam committee, or completing the paperwork. But after (what seemed to me to be) a long oral exam, I was told with a hearty handshake that I had passed my university GBO (Graduate Board …