Customer Reviews

The Bones: A Handy, Where-to-find-it Pocket Reference Companion to Euclid's Elements

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This is one of those books that should be in every mathematical library, academic and personal. It contains a distillation of "Euclid's Elements"; all the common notions, definitions, postulates, and propositions. All that is missing are the proofs. As such, it is the best quick geometry reference in existence and has been placed on my reference shelf where it will remain until it is wore out and I need to purchase another copy. I would argue that it is the most significant 200 pages of published mathematics now in existence.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.

I love the elements, but because of its size, I can only read it at home, which slows me down a lot.
With this book you can bring the Elements with you everywhere. It's quite small, and thin too. I've found it very useful as a learning and reviewing tool; The format (diagram and enunciation without the proof), let you see right away if you understand each proposition. For those you understand, it's immediately obvious as the proof comes to your mind while looking at the diagram. For those you don't, it's really fun to try and come up with the proof, given the diagram is a major tip. whether you succeed or fail, it's a thrill to go back to the Full Elements, and read Euclid's proof, As your understanding is deeper. Another fun exercise when you are familiar with a proposition is trying to prove it in your mind with just the proposition. So many way to use this book, I'm wondering why no one had the idea before. With, this you Can master this timeless classic in a fun way.

Euclid's "Elements" is easily one of the most important books ever assembled and "Bones" is a summary whose quality is unlikely to be surpassed. The diagrams and text are logically laid out, the printing is clear, and the cover and binding are very sturdy. Obviously a lot of effort and care went into producing this companion volume, and any fan of Euclid would be well-served by it.

If you have any interest in Euclid's Elements of Geometry, then this will, I believe, interest you also. It is the Elements without the proofs. It is Heath's translation without his commentary. The design of the book is elegant. The layout is clear and clean. The diagrams have been redrawn and the fonts are crisp and inviting. The cover is durable and the pages are sewn in. The book fits well in the hands. It is a paperback the way paperbacks ought to be made. And it is Euclid. What more do you want?