Customer Reviews

Prof. E McSquared's Calculus Primer: Expanded Intergalactic Version

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Twenty-six years ago, I had struggled through Calculus twice. The first time I got a D. The second time I raised it to a C. But I was not satisifed. I had always been good at math and I was not going to let it beat me. So, I signed up again. I remember sitting through this stultifying lecture on matrix theory that left me completely baffled and depressed. That afternoon, in a chemistry lab, my new lab partner showed me this photocopied booklet. It was a comic book Calculus book called "Professor E. McSquared's Original and Highly Esoteric Calculus Primer." He said his professor had written it. I asked when his class was and immediately switched sections. Howard Swann turned out to be Prof. McSquared in the flesh -- funny, energetic and the single best teacher of any discipline it has been my pleasure to study under in 22 years of formal education. The best! This book will change the way you look at Calculus. You will laugh and do the problems and, for the first time, you will actually understand what is going on. It will become second nature. The mystery will disappear, the fog will lift, the lock break open, the veil will pass from before your eyes. My classmates and I were among the first to enjoy Prof. McSquared. The book was formally published for the first time the following year, 1974. It is still in print. That has to tell you something. This book will show you that you CAN not only do Calculus but understand it an even enjoy it. Buy it. It will be a gift to you.

I'm a student at University of Chicago, and got into an advanced Calculus class, because of my good luck of having done well on the AP test. Immediately I was thrown into a confusing world of espilons and delta and omegas and proof and theorems not on the AP cirriculum. I am by no means an abstract symbol-based learner, so I was thrown by all these new concepts thrown at me at a breakneck pace.

Three days before my Calc midterm, and desperate to salvage my grade, I ordered McQuared's Calculus Primer.

And I was saved.

If you are a new student thrown by epsilon delta, and need a detailed, non-symbol based explanation to understand, this is the book for you. My only complaint is that the book only goes up to the first couple chapters of an real calc book (though at the high level of explanation it gives, it does those chapters justice at the highest level imaginiable.)

With its cartoony illustrations and backhanded sense of humor, Mc Square Calculus makes Calculus accessable and (dare I say?) makes learning fun.

More years ago than I care to think about (in 1973), I was one of Howard Swann's guinea pigs on the first draft of Prof. E. McSquared's Original and Highly Edifying Calculus Primer in a Calculus class at San Jose State U. It was my third try at Calculus. I had made a D and a C in previous stabs but I was a biology major and needed the class.

Howard's book was a brilliant, entertaining, yet mathematically rigorous treatment of the subject that made it all make sense. I came away not only being able to do Calculus but truly understanding it. Years later, I gave my copy of the first edition of his book by my daughter for her freshman year.

If you have ever struggled with Calculus or are taking it for the first time, this book is worth its weight in gold. Buy it.

Have you ever wondered what all the fuss is about the Calculus? Why do science and engineering students the world over have to take it? Would you like an easy to digest presentation without having to take a class for credit? Then this is the book for you. The title character's cartoon presentation of Newton and Leibnitz, delta and epsilon, and much more will charm you with its simplicity rather than fill you with the test anxiety of the alternative. This book is a treasure for all those who need to know about calculus principles but are intimidated by traditional text book presentations

Reviewer Jerry Harper spotted a typo in the 1975 edition
of Prof. McSquared's book and calls for a reply. The answer
to problem II.3.3 on page 205 contains the WRONG statement
(BUT 1/2 e < -e...). PROF. McSquared GOOFED! It should be
1/2 e < e!! This is corrected in the Expanded Intergalactic
Edition NOW reissued and available: ISBN 0971462402.
H. Swann, co-author, for Prof. McSquared

A GREAT CARTOON VIEW OF HOW TO UNDERSTAND AND DO CALCULUS!!!! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

Of course, I must be biased, since I have not read every intro to calculus book ever, but yet I maintain my position. :-)

I first saw this book when I was about seven years old, and fell in love with the comics. I didn't understand the math at the time, but eventually I got to calculus level mathematics in college, and thanks to this book, I not only had no fear of calculus, but rather looked forward to it.

I only wish that the authors had went on to cover integral calculus and infinite series... but I shan't blame them. This book is great enough as it is. :-)

As one who struggled with Calculus as well as "Math Anxiety", I can only say 'thank you, thank you, thank you'.
I also saw someone with a copy of the book in my first calculus class and I ran to the library. All copies were checked out! Once I went through this wonderful book, it baffled me that not one instructor was using or recommending it. Yet all the students knew about it.
If delta-episilon has you mystified, Prof McSquared can help. It was enlightening, encouraging and confidence building. I still use it as a refresher.
My only question now is - will there ever be a continuation into Calc II & III and differential? I await the arrival.

My father (a physicist) gave me a copy of this book 30 (gasp!) years ago. I have just bought three copies to give to some young relatives who what to be engineers one day. The language is precise. The material is covered thoughtfully and thoroughly. The characters, the humor, and the distinct 70's flair is just too great for words. If you were a high school or college student in the late 70s, this book will take you back. I am re-reading it just for the nostalgia factor alone. But nostalgia is not the only reason to purchase this book. Young students will appreciate the intent of the book, which is to provide first the fundamental motivation for the need for calculus (the "Why are we doing this?") and then giving them in a very thoughtful (and non-intimidating) manner the full explanation of how to do it. It was ahead of it's time, in that regard, and still enjoyable today. (Perhaps some KC and the Sunshine Band playing in the background while you read?).

Prof.E McSquared's surpasses all of the Calculus books in my opinion, thro I'm still studing it, I was coming along good until to page 97, Exercise: II.3.3, I understand all of it until I got to this (2-1/2E<-3x+5<2+1/2E),which is OK, but than look at this (1/2<-E so,(-1)1/2E>(-1)E or-1/2>-E, too). Then [2-E<2-1/2E<-3+5<2+1/2E<2+E or 2-E<-3(x)+5 <2+E!] He should had used page 96 to explain the latter; will he or someone please try to tell me what is he trying to say, or how I could contact him.