Princeton University’s Office of Communications put together a well-written news release concerning the life and tragic death of John Nash: http://www.princeton.edu/main/news/archive/S43/27/52G52/index.xml?section=featured. This very readable article discusses not only his mathematical contributions that ultimately led to his winning the 1994 Nobel Prize in Economics but also the very human side of his mental illness.
John Nash: A Tragic but Meaningful Life
Published
Mean Green Math 