You might enjoy reading Glory Season by David Brin. It's a scifi novel with pirates and a competitive version of Conway's Game of Life- it's not central to the plot, but I've forgotten the plot and still remember Life. I read it several years ago and it piqued my interest the way Brin describes the time spent searching for new patterns.

It won't help you understand the mathematics of the game, but it might help you appreciate the beauty.