In 2019, I wrote a book about Jim Simons, the pioneering quant who started Renaissance Technologies, the hedge fund with the ridiculous average annual returns (66% or so, for decades. And stop emailing, it wasn't a Ponzi).
I devoted several years of my life to the project and it was rewarding, though a bit of a nightmare. Simons ran Wall Street's most secretive firm. Even his rivals didn't want to speak with me, out of fear of offending Jim.
Eventually, Simons, who died last year, sat for 12 hours of interviews. They were captivating, but he was a notorious chain smoker and wouldn't think of stopping for me.
This story is from the January 28, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.
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This story is from the January 28, 2025 edition of The Wall Street Journal.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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