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3.56 AVERAGE
3.56 AVERAGE
I really wanted to get into this because I'm a sucker for the golden ratio/golden spiral/golden mean, but the information was just not presented in a way that drew me in. I gave up.
This book is in a 50/50 realm for me. 50% of it is worth 5 stars. It is at its best when describing mathematics and physics. Discussions of the Fibonacci sequence, phi, and other theorems are lucid, straightforward, and easily understood even for non-mathematicians. The other 50% is worth 0 stars in that it focuses on a deconstruction of claims about phi in human endeavors (art, architecture, music, etc) which is plagued by its own argument - namely that Livio discounts possible examples of phi in these works as numberism while never acknowledging his own reversion to the numbers that make the most sense to him - namely random ones when applied to human endeavors, as its own form of numberism. Like many “natural” scientists this flawed reasoning makes perfect sense because it conforms to the scientific “culture’s” own sense of appropriate relations. So ultimately, I give this book 3 stars, given that the mean of my two reviews (5 + 0)/2 is 2.5, which is not possible to give in goodreads, so, with accepted rounding rules, the review gets 3 stars.
The problem with books like this is that they attempt to integrate two areas of human thought - simplistically noted as math & art - in which the author has only been able to develop a deep understanding in one area. I have the same problem with books by non-mathematicians that attempt to comment on all the intricacies of math in relation to human endeavors. These often veer into a new age kind of mysticism. Sigh.
The problem with books like this is that they attempt to integrate two areas of human thought - simplistically noted as math & art - in which the author has only been able to develop a deep understanding in one area. I have the same problem with books by non-mathematicians that attempt to comment on all the intricacies of math in relation to human endeavors. These often veer into a new age kind of mysticism. Sigh.
I thought this book was a little too light on actual math. I think this is more for hobbyist types; possibly Da Vinci code fans. The author is pretty fluffy in his coverage of some topics, and seems more interested in searching out patterns and significant coincidences than proving anything concrete. Sometimes I really think the conclusions or the "discoveries" of the use/existence of phi are reaching. Still, I think this might be a decent book to open up haters into the beautiful world of mathematics. Especially for those who, though numerically challenged, like puzzles or possibly conspiracy theories.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Easy to read and very informative
An interesting look at Phi, but not something I'd love to have on my shelf. This was a well-written book, only I am not the audience. For me the most interesting sections of the book were the mathematical parts, not the historical parts (which are major).
Terrible book. Poorly written. Vague. No direction.
This book is more numerology. The author creates loose and thin parallels to Phi, then refutes them. This happens repeatedly throughout the book.
The great pyramids might be built based on a ratio similar to phi. Oh, no, maybe not.
Oh, these painting might contain phi built into some of the geometry. Oh, wait, nope. They don't. The artist didn't even know what phi is.
The content makes no sense.
The author goes into lengthy sidebars about art and astronomy that do not play into the material. The author prattels on about Kepler and some of his work and how it related to phi, and then that all of his work was bunk. The author writes at length about how some artist might have based their paintings on the golden ratio, but then writes that the dimensions are off. This book is a waste. It is hoaky.
I find it interesting it is pretty much built upon the mythos of the golden ration that Dan Brown built with the "Da Vinci Code," but the author goes out of his way to state that he will not cover the mona lisa.
Save your time and money. Do not read this steam pile of self indulgent crap.
This book is more numerology. The author creates loose and thin parallels to Phi, then refutes them. This happens repeatedly throughout the book.
The great pyramids might be built based on a ratio similar to phi. Oh, no, maybe not.
Oh, these painting might contain phi built into some of the geometry. Oh, wait, nope. They don't. The artist didn't even know what phi is.
The content makes no sense.
The author goes into lengthy sidebars about art and astronomy that do not play into the material. The author prattels on about Kepler and some of his work and how it related to phi, and then that all of his work was bunk. The author writes at length about how some artist might have based their paintings on the golden ratio, but then writes that the dimensions are off. This book is a waste. It is hoaky.
I find it interesting it is pretty much built upon the mythos of the golden ration that Dan Brown built with the "Da Vinci Code," but the author goes out of his way to state that he will not cover the mona lisa.
Save your time and money. Do not read this steam pile of self indulgent crap.
A historical exploration of what Livio characterizes as "Golden Numberism"
Personally I would have thought that there was plenty of fodder in our world to put into a thoroughly fascinating full-length book on the irrational number that mathematicians have universally come to call "the Golden Ratio". Mario Livio's THE GOLDEN RATIO is not one of those books.
It is almost exclusively a history book and, at that, it's not even a history of mathematics so much as a dry-as-dust, rather turgid outline of over-wrought historical efforts by numerologists to prove by any means that architects and artists around the world used the golden ratio in their work. A few pages of this kind of information is interesting. An entire book is not.
Paul Weiss
Personally I would have thought that there was plenty of fodder in our world to put into a thoroughly fascinating full-length book on the irrational number that mathematicians have universally come to call "the Golden Ratio". Mario Livio's THE GOLDEN RATIO is not one of those books.
It is almost exclusively a history book and, at that, it's not even a history of mathematics so much as a dry-as-dust, rather turgid outline of over-wrought historical efforts by numerologists to prove by any means that architects and artists around the world used the golden ratio in their work. A few pages of this kind of information is interesting. An entire book is not.
Paul Weiss
An interesting tour of the history of mathematics through the usage and reference of the golden ratio over time. I learned quite a bit from this book, and the more mathy parts i thought were very good. However there is a long detour into art only for the purpose of dispelling myths - it feels like this could be made much shorter. This book is accessible without the feeling of being dumbed down and will ultimately be the gateway drug for me to read more math books.
Ok, so let me be honest...I am not at all a math fan. In fact, I have a strong phobia of all things mathematical. However, having recently went back to college, I am having to write a sizable paper about Fibonacci and The Golden Ratio. So far, this book has helped me the most. It is easy to read, in mostly plain, understandable language and I might have even enjoyed some parts of it. =)
I think this is a necessary book. Whether you have read a lot about phi or not, this one is a "must read" if you like popular maths.
Mario Livio analyzes the presence of the irrational number phi (golden number, 1.61803...) in several subjects like art or nature.
And by contrast with so many books and articles published through centuries, Dr. Livio tries to refute this presence.
We usually read texts searching phi everywhere. And finding it. In most cases the presence of phi is pretty questionable, both in art and nature.
In "The Golden Ratio" Mario Livio refute this presence, from plants to the pyramids through astronomy. Sometimes true, sometime false and often doubtful.
I think Livio's view is successfull because he base his opinions about architecture above all in one fact: Was golden ratio known when they built it? If not, it seems obvius to me presence of phi must be random.
Furthermore, Livio says, and I agree, many times measures that show golden ratio are approximate, and "golden lovers" focus only on that which result golden ratio avoiding anything else.
Mario Livio analyzes the presence of the irrational number phi (golden number, 1.61803...) in several subjects like art or nature.
And by contrast with so many books and articles published through centuries, Dr. Livio tries to refute this presence.
We usually read texts searching phi everywhere. And finding it. In most cases the presence of phi is pretty questionable, both in art and nature.
In "The Golden Ratio" Mario Livio refute this presence, from plants to the pyramids through astronomy. Sometimes true, sometime false and often doubtful.
I think Livio's view is successfull because he base his opinions about architecture above all in one fact: Was golden ratio known when they built it? If not, it seems obvius to me presence of phi must be random.
Furthermore, Livio says, and I agree, many times measures that show golden ratio are approximate, and "golden lovers" focus only on that which result golden ratio avoiding anything else.