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genizah's review against another edition
challenging
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
Absolutely delightful. The best kind of popular science, since it covers actual concepts but also introduces a huge number of bonkers characters both historical and current.
thomcat's review against another edition
4.0
Surprising Excursion - check, check. This is not an exhaustive history of mathematics, but rather a few stops along that road. Some great anecdotes along the way, and even the table of contents tells a story. I understand that some of the proofs and other math bits are on the author's website. A good read!
aceray's review against another edition
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
3.75
forkdogforkfruit's review against another edition
4.0
A heavy read with lots of mathematic equations. I am pretty sure I didn't get half of what was discussed but I still really enjoyed the passion with which the author wrote. I have to admit it has kindled a small fire with regards to my interest in mathematics. Many of the concepts that were explained here I was familiar with in principal but this book took a number of them further and expanded my understanding and in doing so blew my mind (Hilberts hotel and proof that one infinity can be bigger than another infinity to name one).
I initially started reading this book in 2011 but abandoned it for something else. I am very glad that I have returned to it and started from the beginning. Finishing this book has given me a sense of achievement and has had the hoped for effect of me wanting to revisit mathematics for fun.
I initially started reading this book in 2011 but abandoned it for something else. I am very glad that I have returned to it and started from the beginning. Finishing this book has given me a sense of achievement and has had the hoped for effect of me wanting to revisit mathematics for fun.
alperezq's review against another edition
5.0
What a wonderful ride! each chapter deals with the discovery of a mathematical concept and its implications: the discovery of numbers, the number zero, pi, "x", probability, sudoku, the normal distribution, infinity... It's all very were written and sprinkled with fun trivia and anecdotes.
lovemusicreplay's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
4.0
From the 10th anniversary edition.
Bellos sets the book out as a memoir of all the interviews he has had with various people who have influenced the world using maths,combined the retelling of stories of various mathmaticians.
At the beginning, Bellos had made the mathematical concepts in the book easy to explain, but towards the end of the book, this lost touch, and I felt that you needed a background level of maths that was A level (post 16 UK education) to understand, which is s shame because I would have liked Alex Bellos to continue that theme.
I think that some of the parts about giant culture shifts within recent history such as he rize of maths puzzles and gambilng were excellent chapter, which contrasted with chapters that were more abstract. If this book was adapted into a web or tv series, I thibk that would help explain some of the other concepts. However, with the book being almost like a memoir, I reckon that some of those people in the book may no longer be around.
Nevertheless, from a nerdy perspective I ofund this book mostly a delight to revel in, but I think if it was planning on being readable general audience, it could have been more accessible.
Bellos sets the book out as a memoir of all the interviews he has had with various people who have influenced the world using maths,combined the retelling of stories of various mathmaticians.
At the beginning, Bellos had made the mathematical concepts in the book easy to explain, but towards the end of the book, this lost touch, and I felt that you needed a background level of maths that was A level (post 16 UK education) to understand, which is s shame because I would have liked Alex Bellos to continue that theme.
I think that some of the parts about giant culture shifts within recent history such as he rize of maths puzzles and gambilng were excellent chapter, which contrasted with chapters that were more abstract. If this book was adapted into a web or tv series, I thibk that would help explain some of the other concepts. However, with the book being almost like a memoir, I reckon that some of those people in the book may no longer be around.
Nevertheless, from a nerdy perspective I ofund this book mostly a delight to revel in, but I think if it was planning on being readable general audience, it could have been more accessible.
rory_john14's review against another edition
informative
medium-paced
3.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Ableism, Misogyny, and Sexism