Pt. 1. A history of the nerd. What is a nerd -- The mark of greatness -- Newt envy, and were there nerds in the 19th century? -- The case against scientists in towers -- The rise of phys ed -- Dawn of the fan -- Sherry Turkle, T. S. Eliot, and the split between feeling and thinking -- The word "nerd" and the birth and growth of the guy in high pants and glasses -- Effeminate Jewish grinds, cyborg Asians -- Pt. 2. Among the nerds. Zack and Jack and high-school debate -- Case study: Darren from the ghetto of Amherst -- The cool nerd: superficial reflections on the hipster -- Nerd love -- The autism spectrum -- Pure pwnage -- The graying of the old-school nerd -- Coronation, or, Why group nerd events are necessary -- Why do people like Dungeons & Dragons and fake swords? -- Case study: Kenneth the Demonslayer -- My credentials.