“A great read for anyone who wants to learn what math really is, no prerequisites required. And those of us in the field are reminded of what first drew us to it." Maria Chudnovsky, Princeton University and 2012 MacArthur Fellow
“An elegant sampler of many beautiful and interesting mathematical topics. This could become one of the best books available for a popular audience interested in what mathematics really is.” —Jayadev Athreya, University of Washington
Apologies for my slightly redundant book blurbs lately, but I again want to re-mention a new volume I already praised. The above publicity blurbs are for “The Mathematics Lover’s Companion” by Ed Scheinerman, and it is so far, my favorite book of this young year. I’m a sucker for volumes that offer up a buffet of interesting math topics without lingering too long on any one. You can view the Table of Contents (and some of the content) here:
I especially like Part 3 of the volume on “Uncertainty” (though it is the shortest section), but the other two parts, covering a nice selection of algebraic and geometry topics, are very good as well.
The reason for even bothering to note this book again, is my disappointment at how little “buzz” I see it getting in cyberspace (I do see it regularly in my local Barnes & Noble outlets, so I know it’s being well-distributed). My only guess is that the publisher, Yale University Press, just doesn’t put as much energy into promotion as some of its counterparts. This is a fabulous book, especially for a lay audience, but also for folks farther along their mathematics journey, so I'd hate to see it ignored... especially if you already love mathematics!
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