From one of the greatest minds in contemporary mathematics, Professor
E.T. Bell, comes a witty, accessible, and fascinating look at the
beautiful craft and enthralling history of mathematics.
Men of Mathematics provides a rich account of major mathematical
milestones, from the geometry of the Greeks through Newton's calculus,
and on to the laws of probability, symbolic logic, and the fourth
dimension. Bell breaks down this majestic history of ideas into a series
of engrossing biographies of the great mathematicians who made progress
possible--and who also led intriguing, complicated, and often
surprisingly entertaining lives.
Never pedantic or dense, Bell writes with clarity and simplicity to
distill great mathematical concepts into their most understandable forms
for the curious everyday reader. Anyone with an interest in math may
learn from these rich lessons, an advanced degree or extensive research
is never necessary.