Customer Reviews

Count Down: The Race for Beautiful Solutions at the International Mathematical Olympiad

5 star:		(14)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Imagine a world where talent is honored, nurtured and rewarded. Imagine further that this world is populated by attractive, intelligent high school students who confidently pursue their goal to be the best in the world at what they do.

While it sounds like a great premise for a novel, Steve Olson's book, Countdown, is actually the non-fiction story of six high school students who are competing in the Forty-second International Mathematical Olympiad. What sets this book apart is the reverence and respect that Mr. Olson brings to the story of the six teens who were chosen from an applicant pool of nearly a half million candidates.

In evocative language usually reserved for sports heroes, Mr. Olson tells the story of the Olympiad and at the same time shatters nearly every math-geek stereotype that currently prevails in today's popular culture. Former Olympiad team member, Melanie Wood, is described as "an attractive, green-eyed, vivacious blond college student." On an appearance on Good Morning America Oaz Nir, "with his casual good looks and easygoing nature," is selected to answer a question that he is hearing for the first time on live television. The question: "How can you use a nineteen-degree angle to construct a one-degree angle?" No plot spoilers here, you'll have to read the book to find out the outcome.

Mr. Olson also touches on a range of philosophical issues and, in general, rejects explanations of the students' success that are based on determinism, genetics or racial background. Instead, he emphasizes that the success of all the students is a result of a keen intellectual curiosity, a playful and creative approach to problem-solving and a devotion to hard work.

The solution to the six math problems that made up the Forty-second Mathematical Olympiad are presented in the book's appendix. The source material that Mr. Olson used is summarized and offers a fascinating trove of additional material that readers might want to explore.

Countdown: Six Kids Vie for Glory at the World's Toughest Math Competition is an inspirational story of achievement. That the story is told by someone who clearly admires the accomplishments of these students makes the book a remarkable achievement in itself.

Having loved SPELLBOUND, and being both a mathematics major in college and a high school math teacher, I opened this book with great anticipation. Unfortunately, I closed it in utter disappointment a week later after forcing myself to finish it. From its name (an absurd attempt to create a sense of excitement which the author completely fails to deliver) to its cover subtitle to its book jacket text, this book promises to introduce us to "the kids," the brilliant young people who pursue mathematics out of talent, but also out of love for its artistry and unparalleled aesthetics. Instead, the author gives us rehash after rehash of "expert" opinion about genius, creativity, talent, problem-solving, and the like. Not one new or original idea, just repetition of material that's better read in its originals (e.g., Martin Gardner, or "Einstein and Picasso"). The one area that could have been truly original was to introduce the reader to the young mathematicians themselves. To prospective readers: if you read the generic, one-paragraph description of the six contestants from the book jacket, you'll know almost as much about these youngsters as if you had read the whole book.

Count Down is a missed opportunity, and unfortunately, its publication probably prohibits anyone else from writing the book that should have been written. Who are these six young people? Who are their families and teachers? How do they interact with the world, and how does the world interact with them? What are the dynamics among the six young people who make the team? What are they thinking as they try to solve the problems from the Olympiad? Steve Olson leaves these six very human youngsters as stick figures, wooden, nearly devoid of personality. He offers us no significant insight into their characters, their lives, or their families. As I read this book, I kept thinking how far short it falls from the richness of SPELLBOUND, both as a sociological statement about family, discipline, and goal-setting, as well as an exploration of directed intelligence and its effects on the young participants.

As one example, Chapter 8 is supposed to introduce us to a young man named Oaz Nir. After learning far more about his private school than we need (its motto, its wooded location helped with an unnecessarily pretentious quote from Faulkner, and knowing that the Mississippi Symphony played a concert there), we are treated to the following insights from his teachers:
"He was a good writer, interested in history."

"He was a good citizen at this school."
"We had to think of things to keep him busy."
"He taught me as much as I taught him."

It's a miracle he learned anything from teachers with this much depth and insight, and it's a waste of the reader's time to read such drivel. When Oaz learns that he has been invited to a summer math training camp, his response (according to the author) is: "I was very excited about going." A page later, the author apparently needs to cite David Brooks from the Atlantic Monthly to tell us that high schools have cliques, that "that's just the way life is."

Count Down is a huge disappointment, filled with banalities, wandering among topics like Good Will Hunting and a far-too-lengthy discussion of Andrew Wiles' experiences with Fermat's Last Theorem, and seemingly doing everything possible to avoid actually talking about the kids. What could have been a fascinating human study turns out to be a rehash of old math stories and quotations and debates about nature vs. nurture, genius, talent, creativity, and the like. The book lacks focus and utterly fails to introduce us to six fascinating young people. Even the attempts to make the Olympiad outcome exciting are feeble, including a misleading chapter title of "Triumph" and a bizarre build-up about the team coach and one player's score that inexplicably falls flat by ending with the coach saying "Five's fine," as though it never happened.

The ending includes a reference to a famous formula, e to the (i x pi) power = -1. The author mentions the amazing interconnectedness of different fields of math study displayed by this formula which only mathematicians will really appreciate. At the same time, he fails to note that another representation, e to the (i x pi) power + 1 = 0, which is far easier for the average reader to see the beauty of, since e, i, pi, 1, and 0, the five most significant values in mathematics, are related in a single equation.

All in all, a huge disappointment. The one star is for trying, and for at least writing a general interest book about math. But if you're looking for a math equivalent to SPELLBOUND, you'll have to look elsewhere.

When I first entered the International Math Olympiad, "the World's Toughtest Math Competition" in 1999, I wondered why aren't there more exposure to this great competition. It has its share of classical element and drama -- contestants from more than 80 countries matching wits (actually, mathematical problem solving skills) with each other, a long and proud tradition, global standard, and the lovely "genius factor". Within the competition, the standard of "genius" is shot through the roof; the hometown math wizard would be as common as the guy next door. In the age where people crave for the over-the-edge competitiveness (cue Spellbound documentary and Word Freak), this is an untap reservoir. Olympiad competitions, especially the Math Olympiad, are the pinnacle of common-knowledge, skill-centered academic competitiveness.

Read this if you want to peek into the world of the real math kids, as opposed to those 1000s of kids on the street whose moms brag about being "a math whiz".

This is an interesting read, in that unlike typical pop-mathematics books, the focus isn't on one particular person or problem. The book describes 6 US students' different perceptions on each of the 6 Math Olympiad problems at the 42nd annual meeting.

Each student is introduced to the reader, then a brief (page or so) biography is given about each and the road that he or she took to get to the Olympiad. The book does not contain a lot of mathematical problems, however all 6 Olympiad problems are listed along with the solution and method a student used for a particular problem.

I recommend this book to 2 people: those who feel math is an inborn natured characteristic (i.e. you can only be good at math if you are born that way, and you will be refuted), and those interested in learning about various methods of problem solving not traditionally taught in most schools.

Steve Olson was a National Book Award finalist for his previous book, "Mapping Human History," which examined what discoveries in genetics and related fields are teaching us about the course of human migration around the world. That book was about much more than migration, however; what made it so interesting was how it prodded us to rethink our notions of racial, religious, national and other differences. It showed how, in general, these differences are simultaneously more trivial and more complex than many of us imagined.

Now, in "Count Down," Olson turns his attention to mathematics. Yet, as before, his book is much more than it seems -- in this case, much more than a "math book." Once again, Olson examines far broader questions, such as the nature of creativity and genius. He builds his narrative around several teenagers in a single mathematics competition, but that is largely a device to look beyond equations and algorithms to deeper matters about what makes us human.

I thought this was a splendid book -- readable, provocative, even heart-warming. I'm already looking forward to seeing what topic Olson decides to tackle next.

If you love Math, or you know someone who does; or if you are fascinated by those with exceptional abilities, you will enjoy this book. The book is a combination of biographical sketches of math olympiads, insights into their problem solving abilities, theories on genius, cultural differences, teaching methods... It is a potpourri of intellectual and educational insights. My family may not want to read it simply because I've already told them almost everything in it!

This beautifully written narrative goes well beyond its ostensible topic -- the little known world of middle school math competitions and some of the people who inhabit that world.

In addition to painting vivid portraits of six students who perform extraordinarily well in this highly competitive realm (while remaining remarkably well rounded), author Steve Olson reminds us of the sheer beauty and elegance of mathematics. For those who enjoy mathematics, Olson does an exceptional job of explaining competition math problems and solutions, while providing insights into why each is particularly challenging. And for those who are intrigued by wider and more abstract issues, Olson uses the details of each student's life to pose and probe intriguing social and cognitive questions, such as the nature of creativity and of genius, the pros and cons of competition, and the possible role of gender and ethnicity in influencing how kids approach and solve mathematical problems under pressure.

All in all, it is a wonderfully insightful and thoughtful book.

This book is an exceptional book. Being a serious follower of solving Maths Olympiad Problems since my college, I compare it with two of my batchmates who had won gold and silver medal respectively in the IMO in 1991. The book is a superb journey into the competition the 6 kids who have vied for Glory. The book has different angles to it. It gives information on the Maths Olympiad (for parents who have dreams of sending their kids to attaining glory), it tells about team work, problem solving skills, the fundamental change we need in our american math curricula. Congrats Steve on a job well-done. If there would be more than 5 stars I would have gladly given that for this book.

A few years ago, the movie Spellbound gave viewers insight into the world of spelling bees, culminating in the National championship. Since then, I've noticed other competitions getting similar treatments, such as bowling (in The League of Ordinary Gentlemen) and crossword puzzles (Word Play). Although it is a book and not a movie, Steve Olson's Count Down fits right into this genre of the competition documentary.

Count Down deals with the International Mathematical Olympiad, in which high school level students from around the world gather together to solve difficult math problems. How difficult? The first problem they are given reads: "In acute triangle ABC with circumcenter O and altitude AP, angle C is greater than or equal to angle B plus 30 degrees. Prove that angle A plus angle COP is less than 90 degrees." This is the easiest of the six questions the Math Olympians must solve.

Perhaps coincidentally, there also six members in the U.S. team, so Olson dedicates one chapter to each member and his approach to a problem (it is an all male team). It is like going from Los Angeles to New York by car: there are a number of different routes, each with its pluses and minuses. Similarly, these math problems can be solved a number of different ways.

Olson goes beyond the Olympiad itself, however, using it as a launching pad for discussions on topics regarding math education. One key theme that runs through Count Down is how Americans look down on math, often treating those who are good at it with scorns and letting people think that being bad at math is okay. This is contrasted with other countries where math is considered much more valuable. The problem is not merely with the education system but the culture itself.

Other topics include the nature of genius and the effects of environment versus genetics. Are boys naturally better than girls at math (which is to say, more genetically inclined), or is it cultural issues that creates a disparity between the genders? (As Olson notes, in the decades of American participation in the Olympiad, boys have outnumbered girls 118 to 1.) Is it even possible to truly separate the two? Can the abilities that these teenagers have be taught to others?

Olson keeps the math rather simple so even the mathematical layperson should be able to understand all that's going on. If you enjoy math, this is a recommended read. If you don't enjoy math, this is a must read: it will help show why mathematical skill is not merely nice but is essential.

Count Down promises to be the story of six students who compete their way to a place on the 2001 U.S. Math Olympiad Team and what happens once they get to the big contest. I was expecting something like the excellent documentary Spellbound, which was about some of the kids who made it to the National Spelling Bee one year. I was a bit disappointed.

Count Down is best when it is about the students, but author Steve Olson often digresses to talk about topics related to math. He discusses what genius is, how math is taught in the U.S., why there aren't more girls on the U.S. team, the history of math contests, and much more. These are all interesting and pertinent topics, but I found that what I really wanted to know more about was the kids themselves.

Maybe a spelling bee is just inherently more dramatic since it takes place on stage, while the math contest takes place at desks and inside the contestants' heads. The whole notion of a math "team" in this case is misleading, since the members' individual scores are added together to determine the team score. They don't solve the problems as a team, although they train together. The top individuals are recognized as well, so I'm not sure what the point of a "math team" is.

Still, I did learn some odd facts, such as that much of the behavior in nature that is considered inborn or instinctive, isn't. Day-old chicks who were thought to eat mealworms instinctively, fail to do so if the chicks' feet are covered. Young chimpanzees who supposedly have an inborn fear of snakes, do not shy away from snakes if the chimps' diet is changed. This sort of knowledge challenges the nature vs. nurture arguments regarding I.Q. and genius.

Count Down is a good book about math education, but it doesn't have the drama or suspense that a good contest should have. For a good book on competitions, try Cookoff, about cooking competitions in the U.S. For a good book about math, try either My Brain is Open or The Man Who Loved Only Numbers, both good biographies of Paul Erdos, eccentric Hungarian mathematician.