Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.71 AVERAGE
3.71 AVERAGE
I wanted to love this book. Ellenberg has a knack for writing, and there are many humorous turns of phrase and edifying sentences in this book.
But there are many, MANY sentences in this book. Mixed in with the geometry are discussions of history and art and pretty much every other science. It's a style designed to make math palatable to the disinclined, and to show how geometric ideas are woven into the fabric of society. Unfortunately, it's also a style that allows for a lot of rambling, and a more aggressive editorial pen (perhaps an editorial scythe?) was needed to shape the long-winded chapters about subjects ranging from game theory to random walks to political science.
I enjoyed this book. I kept picking it up, again and again, until I got to the end of it. But I would have enjoyed it a lot more if there had been less of it, and that's not something I usually say about leisure reading.
But there are many, MANY sentences in this book. Mixed in with the geometry are discussions of history and art and pretty much every other science. It's a style designed to make math palatable to the disinclined, and to show how geometric ideas are woven into the fabric of society. Unfortunately, it's also a style that allows for a lot of rambling, and a more aggressive editorial pen (perhaps an editorial scythe?) was needed to shape the long-winded chapters about subjects ranging from game theory to random walks to political science.
I enjoyed this book. I kept picking it up, again and again, until I got to the end of it. But I would have enjoyed it a lot more if there had been less of it, and that's not something I usually say about leisure reading.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
This book was a pleasure to read. The topics explored are very well-chosen. They are intrinsically interesting applications of math and provide excellent context for exploring mathematical ideas. This book shrewdly navigates between the Scylla of explanations that are simplified to the point of insipidity and the Charybdis or explanations that are too technical to be comprehended. Besides all that, the book is just generally well-written. The author's enthusiasm and general intelligence shine through, and the result is a book that the reader is as eager to read as the author clearly was to write it.
A fascinating and deeply thoughtful book about geometry. If you like math you’ll enjoy it, and if you hate math you’ll enjoy it even more.
It’s really hard for a writer to make math, let alone geometry, a fun and inviting subject. Ellenberg does about as good a job as possible for those not well versed in this area (even after taking courses up to Calc V and diff equations in college I am not familiar with most of his topics in any sort of depth). His style keeps the reader engaged, although some of the concepts still get a bit tough to meticulously follow such as the larger portion near the end on jerrymandering. The charts and figures in the book do help somewhat and would have been difficult to follow the audiobook alone for this particular one.
informative
medium-paced
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Settle in for an entertaining view of some mathematical subjects from a historical lens. Ellenberg mixes in the backstory and current uses of topics that are obscure to many of us. If you read this and want more consider his earlier book [b: How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking|18693884|How Not to Be Wrong The Power of Mathematical Thinking|Jordan Ellenberg|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1387726285l/18693884._SY75_.jpg|26542434] or [b:E=mc²: A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation|2802|E=mc² A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation|David Bodanis|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1429810533l/2802._SY75_.jpg|2352922].
A Broader View Of Geometry
Jordan Ellenberg has written a beautiful book about geometry. He had me at “Geometry is the cilantro of mathematics” - I had to read the book. I especially liked his discussion of democracy and map making. If only our Supreme Court had been able to understand the argument. The writing is a tribute to his combination of Ph.D. and MFA.
Jordan Ellenberg has written a beautiful book about geometry. He had me at “Geometry is the cilantro of mathematics” - I had to read the book. I especially liked his discussion of democracy and map making. If only our Supreme Court had been able to understand the argument. The writing is a tribute to his combination of Ph.D. and MFA.
informative