Makers of Mathematics (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Fascinating and highly readable, this book recounts the history of mathematics as revealed in the lives and writings of Archimedes, Descartes, Fermat, Pascal, Newton, Leibniz, Euler, Gauss, Hamilton, Einstein, and others. Primarily biographical, it also discusses major historical themes and explains new ideas and techniques. 1989 edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 464 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications (May 26, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486450074
• ISBN-13: 978-0486450070
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.4 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #1,420,360 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars For anyone interested in the History of Math, April 24, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Makers of Mathematics (Penguin mathematics) (Paperback)

I enjoyed this book immensely as it painted the picture of how modern mathematics evolved from ancient times. The author does a great job of bringing you through the issues of time when the theories were forming and providing an understanding of how ancient cultures dealt with math that is otherwise rudimentary today.

If you have always enjoyed math (as a hobby or career) you will most likely appreciate the road that has been paved before us by the mathematical giants detailed in the book. For those who may not have much math experience, this book does a decent job at explaining most of the concepts before referring to them.

However, if you are merely interested in a good story and lack the appreciation for the mathematical contributions of these great thinkers (as another reviewer has) this book is not for you.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good history of mathematics, December 17, 2006

By	Andres C. Salama (Buenos Aires, Argentina) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

A very interesting history of mathematics by british author Stuart Hollingdale. The book is arranged in chronological order, with the first chapter dealing with the mathematics of ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia and the last chapter with the latest developments in math. The mathematics of ancient Greece is covered very thoroughly, in particular. Each chapter, with the exception of the first one, takes the work of one mathematician to analyze the mathematics of the period. One can argue with the book here and there (putting Einstein as a mathematician, covering very little of 20th century developments) but all in all this is a good volume. Note: while the book is not overly complex, it is not for the completely uninitiated either, as it supposes some previous knowledge of math to understand it.

5.0 out of 5 stars Stand in awe..., November 15, 2009

By	Circle_of_confusion (New York City) - See all my reviews

Somehow this book found its way into my library 20 years ago. (I am a land surveyor who does trig and geometry for a living.) I value it highly, and since it is yellowing, I searched Amazon to see if it is still available. Thankfully, it is. The chapter on Archimedes, and especially his "Method" of "mechanically" relating weights, levers, and volumes, should humble the most vain intelligence out there.