The Mathematical Magpie (Paperback)

~ Clifton Fadiman (Author) "JEHAN SHUMAN was used to dealing with the men in authority on long-embattled earth..." (more)
Key Phrases: fur side, transfinite numbers, hula skirt, Professor Squarepunt, Ford Fordsen, Mein Herr (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

The companion volume to Fantasia Mathematica, first published in 1962, this second anthology of mathematical writings is even more varied and contains stories, cartoons, essays, rhymes, music, anecdotes, aphorisms, and other oddments. Authors include Arthur C. Clarke, Isaac Asimov, Mark Twain, and Lewis Carroll. 19 illus.

About the Author

Clifton Fadiman's prolific career as an essayist, critic, anthologist, and radio show host has spanned the last five decades. His books include The Lifetime Reading Plan and a collection of essays, Party of One. He served for many years on the board of editors of the Book-of-the-Month Club.

Product Details

• Paperback: 303 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 2nd edition (April 4, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 038794950X
• ISBN-13: 978-0387949505
• Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.1 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,014,913 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great sequel, May 3, 2000

By	Bill Smythe (Chicago) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This anthology might as well be titled Fantasia Mathematica, Volume 2. When Volume 1 first appeared in 1958, readers couldn't get enough, so this work followed in 1962, and is now back in print. I first read Volume 1 as a teenager, so the current title doesn't carry for me the nostalgia of the original, but there's still lots of good stuff. This time, the best section appears first, A Set of Imaginaries, to get the reader hooked. Two of the better stories are The Appendix And The Spectacles, and Coconuts. As with the original, you don't have to be mathematically inclined, but it helps -- or does it hurt?

0 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Why, why, why, February 5, 2008

By	Douglas Forney "book worm" (Concord, CA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This looks like a good book. I heard about it from my math teacher and read the sample online. My question is, why would anyone want to pay over $50 for a copy of the same book they can get for $14? Are the pages made of gold? I recommend the book to anyone who wants a lighthearted look at numbers.