Carl Friedrich Gauss: Titan of Science (Spectrum) [Hardcover]

G. Waldo Dunnington (Author), Jeremy Gray (Author), Fritz-Egbert Dohse (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 14, 2004 | Series: Spectrum

This biography of Gauss, by far the most comprehensive in English, is the work of a professor of German, G. Waldo Dunnington, who devoted most of his scholarly career to studying the life of Germany's greatest mathematician. The author was inspired to pursue this project at the age of twelve when he learned from his teacher in Missouri that no full biography of Gauss existed at the time. His teacher was Gauss's great granddaughter, Minna Waldeck Gauss. Long out of print and almost impossible to find on the used book market, this valuable piece of scholarship is being reissued in an augmented form with introductory remarks, an expanded and updated bibliography, and a commentary on Gauss's mathematical diary, by the eminent British mathematical historian, Jeremy Gray.

Editorial Reviews

Book Description

This biography of Gauss, Germany's greatest mathematician, is easily the most comprehensive in English. Long out of print and very rare in the used book market, this valuable piece of scholarship is being reissued in an augmented form with additional material by the eminent British mathematical historian, Jeremy Gray.

About the Author

G. Waldo Dunnington taught German at Northwestern State University from 1946-1969. "Gauss: Titan of Science" was written in 1955 and was the first complete biography of Gauss, considered to be one of the greatest mathematicians who ever lived.

Eminent British mathematical historian, Jeremy Gray wrote the "Introduction" provided an expanded bibliography, and wrote the commentary on Gauss's mathematical diary for this expanded edition of "Gauss: Titan of Science.Jeremy Gray has worked at the Open University in England since 1975, and as a senior Lecturer since 1987. He has been a member of the British Society for the History of Mathematics since its early days. He was the first Chair of the Whiteman Prize Committee of the American Mathematical Society (the prize, to be awarded in 2001, was established in 1998 for notable exposition on the history of mathematics). He was elected a corresponding member of Académie Internationale d'Histoire des Sciences/ International Academy of the History of Science in 1993, and in February 1997 he was elected a member of the International Commission on the History of Mathematics. He is currently on the editorial board of: Archive for History of exact Sciences, Centaurus, Historia Mathematica, The Mathematical Intelligencer, and Revue d'histoire des mathématiques.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 568 pages
• Publisher: The Mathematical Association of America (October 14, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 088385547X
• ISBN-13: 978-0883855478
• Product Dimensions: 8.1 x 5.6 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,216,500 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars The best book available on the life of Gauss, November 30, 2005

By 

Jacob Bourjaily (Princeton) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Carl Friedrich Gauss: Titan of Science (Spectrum) (Hardcover)

Being an aficianado of the history of mathematics and science I did not hesitate to buy this book; and I would recommend it to anyone who loves stories about mathematicians. But it is much more of a (dry) 'unmathematical' biography than I expected. The author has done an amazing amount of research---the book is teeming with anectdotal stories about people related to Gauss and is filled with references to source material. This is certainly a book I enjoy 'having read' more than I enjoyed reading.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good for the Math/Science History Nerd, April 17, 2006

By 

Matthew Schnall (McLean VA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Carl Friedrich Gauss: Titan of Science (Spectrum) (Hardcover)

This book is a very dry and scholarly biography of Gauss. It shows an incredible amount of research on the part of the author and includes pretty much anything you would want to know about Gauss. It also includes a large number of letters that he sent and received which is a very nice touch. Despite most of it being fairly dry it does include some very fun stories. You will defiantly have a "favorite Gauss story" when you finish reading this book.

The author does an exceptional job on his researcher and his book contains a wealth of knowledge. All of the information is portrayed well, but without any type of personal flair. The book is well organized if one where using it for research purposes. However, if you plan to pick this up and read it cover to cover the chronology of his life is sometimes hard to grasp.

Overall this is definitely the best biography there is on one of the most important scientist of the early 19th century. I would recommend it if you are truly interested in the topic. I myself enjoy much more talking about what I learned from this book than actually reading it.

9 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Finally Republished !!, February 13, 2004

By 

S. Chambless "mathsinger" (Maryland Heights, MO United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Carl Friedrich Gauss: Titan of Science (Spectrum) (Hardcover)

I am so glad to see this book back in print. I am a great great great granddaughter of Gauss and have been referring people to this book for the last several years, always knowing it was hard to find. It is my primary reference for Gauss, and much of it is very readable. It addresses Gauss' personal life, as well as his mathmatics, and the original edition has short biographies of Gauss' children, and a genealogy.