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Ask HN: Casual Math Book Suggestions

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Re: Ask HN: Casual Math Book Suggestions

#4

Post by calstad »

These fall more in the "pop-sci" realm, but I think are really good at trying to convey what kinds of things working mathematicians actually think about:

- Colossal Book of Mathematics by Martin Gardner: Uses games and recreational math to introduce areas like group theory and topology.

- Finding Moonshine by Marcus Du Sautoy: Tells the story of the unexpected connection between two areas of math that, on the surface, seem to be completely unrelated.

- The Great Mathematical Problems by Ian Stewart: Does a good job explaining several of the major open problems in math today.

Re: Ask HN: Casual Math Book Suggestions

#7

Post by eimrine »

calstad wrote: post #4

These fall more in the "pop-sci" realm, but I think are really good at trying to convey what kinds of things working mathematicians actually think about: - Colossal Book of Mathematics by Martin Gardner: Uses games and recreational math to introduce areas like group theory and topology. - Finding Moonshine by Marcus Du Sautoy: Tells the story of the unexpected connection between two areas of math that, on the surface…

Ian Stewart never disappoints and seems related to OP's request. His "Nature of Numbers" is exactly that, also this is the first English book (foreign language for me) which I have read without any need of dictionary.

"The Great Mathematical Problems" is about reading a chapter, then taking a rest, then reading another. "Nature of Numbers" can be read in one attempt and my emotion about that is I want this book to be several times thicker. The illustrations are among the best mathematical images I ever seen, despite being monochrome.

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