Usually toward the end of the year I do some sort of review of popular math books from the year gone by, including choosing a “Book of the Year.” That tradition ends this year as I have read no math books (and very few books at all) since last March, having been so distracted by covid and the insane politics of America… moreover that rascal Ben Orlin didn’t put out a book this year, so what is the point of naming a book-of-the-year! Just kidding, there were once again many fabulous books out in 2020 for the dedicated math fan. The four I did look at, and absolutely loved (and recommend), early in the year were, in no special order:
Mathematics for Human Flourishing
Five more recent volumes that have definitely caught my eye are:
Best Writing On Mathematics 2020
…. but many other math volumes appeared in the course of this year and if math books are part of your holiday shopping list you ought have no trouble finding several to select from. Indeed, this almost seems like a Renaissance period of math exposition, with the problem being over-choice, not scarcity!
ADDENDUM: will go ahead and add this volume I just learned of today:
Frank Ramsey: A Sheer Excess of Powers
