Too often math gets a bad rap, characterized as dry and difficult. But,
Alex Bellos says, "math can be inspiring and brilliantly creative.
Mathematical thought is one of the great achievements of the human race,
and arguably the foundation of all human progress. The world of
mathematics is a remarkable place."
Bellos has traveled all around the globe and has plunged into history to
uncover fascinating stories of mathematical achievement, from the
breakthroughs of Euclid, the greatest mathematician of all time, to the
creations of the Zen master of origami, one of the hottest areas of
mathematical work today. Taking us into the wilds of the Amazon, he
tells the story of a tribe there who can count only to five and reports
on the latest findings about the math instinct--including the revelation
that ants can actually count how many steps they've taken. Journeying to
the Bay of Bengal, he interviews a Hindu sage about the brilliant
mathematical insights of the Buddha, while in Japan he visits the
godfather of Sudoku and introduces the brainteasing delights of
mathematical games.
Exploring the mysteries of randomness, he explains why it is impossible
for our iPods to truly randomly select songs. In probing the many
intrigues of that most beloved of numbers, pi, he visits with two
brothers so obsessed with the elusive number that they built a
supercomputer in their Manhattan apartment to study it. Throughout, the
journey is enhanced with a wealth of intriguing illustrations, such as
of the clever puzzles known as tangrams and the crochet creation of an
American math professor who suddenly realized one day that she could
knit a representation of higher dimensional space that no one had been
able to visualize.
Whether writing about how algebra solved Swedish traffic problems,
visiting the Mental Calculation World Cup to disclose the secrets of
lightning calculation, or exploring the links between pineapples and
beautiful teeth, Bellos is a wonderfully engaging guide who never fails
to delight even as he edifies. Here's Looking at Euclid is a rare gem
that brings the beauty of math to life.
