If you have been following me on Instagram or Goodreads, you probably know by now that I have been reading “The Math Book” by Clifford A. Pickover. This was one of the books chosen in the LThMath Book Club on Goodreads for the June-July reading challenge.
General public description
Math’s infinite mysteries and beauty unfold in this follow-up to the best-selling The Science Book. Beginning millions of years ago with ancient “ant odometers” and moving through time to our modern-day quest for new dimensions, it covers 250 milestones in mathematical history. Among the numerous delights readers will learn about as they dip into this inviting anthology: cicada-generated prime numbers, magic squares from centuries ago, the discovery of pi and calculus, and the butterfly effect. Each topic gets a lavishly illustrated spread with stunning color art, along with formulas and concepts, fascinating facts about scientists’ lives, and real-world applications of the theorems.
My opinion
The author has set a big goal for this book: discussing different mathematical breakthroughs from B.C up to 2007. It is hard to briefly describe them and make it interesting for the general public, but the book is delivering it.
It is very interesting how the author decided to attach an image to every aspect. You will find everything from paintings, graphs, photos, drawings. I consider that the images for each topic are so good and they just give so much more to the text-description. With this book, it just shows how much an image does to understanding mathematics and its applications.
Moreover, this book does such a good job at talking about the applications of different mathematical concepts into other fields. Even if there are just a short mention at the end of a page or something, I observed that the author didn’t stop at the basic examples and gave full on details about some aspects.
On the other hand, the book might seem boring from time to time if you are not completely griped by the topic described. Short descriptions are important for getting the general idea, but they might seem a little dry from time to time. I recommend you give yourself some time in between seatings for this book. Read a couple of pages at a time and them do some research on your own for the most interesting aspect you discovered (check the “Notes and Further Reading” at the end) and so on. You might bet more from the book if you do it this way.
More about the author
Clifford A. Pickover is an American author, editor, and columnist in the fields of science, mathematics, and science fiction. He received his Ph.D. in 1982 from Yale University’s Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, where he conducted research on X-ray scattering and protein structure.
His primary interest is in finding new ways to expand creativity by melding art, science, mathematics, and other seemingly disparate areas of human endeavor. He is an inventor with dozens of patents, the author of puzzle calendars, and puzzle contributor to magazines geared to children and adults. Moreover, he is the author of hundreds of technical papers in diverse fields, ranging from the creative visualizations of fossil seashells, genetic sequences, cardiac and speech sounds, and virtual caverns and lava lamps, to fractal and mathematically based studies.
Other books by the same author
The Physics Book; Strange Brains and Genius: The Secret Lives Of Eccentric Scientists And Madmen; Wonders of Numbers: Adventures in Mathematics, Mind, and Meaning; The Möbius Strip: Dr. August Möbius’s Marvelous Band in Mathematics, Games, Literature, Art, Technology, and Cosmology; Calculus and Pizza: A Cookbook for the Hungry Mind (I am incredibly curious to read the last two books on this list) and many more.
Final Words – Video
Let me know what you think about this book. Have you read it? Do you plan to read it soon? Enjoy the day. If you have ideas for future blog posts, let us know. Don’t forget to check our last post: Day 5 | Studying Logic. You can find us on Facebook, Tumblr, Google+, Twitter and Instagram. We will try to post there as often as possible.
Lots of love and don’t forget that maths is everywhere! Enjoy!
Life Through A Mathematician's Eyes 