Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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62 of 67 people found the following review helpful:
2.0 out of 5 stars
Pretty book of mystical lore related to geometry, but weak on math, November 15, 2006
This book is pleasant to browse, containing various lore about geometry, history, geography and the occult. It is very attractive visually, containing many nice photographs and diagrams. Unfortunately, given the important place of mathematics in the book, I am afraid to say that the author appears to know rather more about art and mysticism than he does about mathematics. For example, on page 52 we read: "For modern mathematics irrational numbers are those that cannot be pinned down to a few digits. They are, in fact, repeating decimals that go on forever." In fact, of course, irrational numbers are characterized by having decimal expansions that do not repeat. Also, on page 51, it is apparent that the author does not understand the construction of the mathematical curve known as the Conchoid of Nicomedes. This is a pity, because it would have been very easy to give the correct description since the relevant diagram is already included on the page.
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35 of 37 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A book that changed my view of the world around me!!, July 10, 2007
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QUESTION: What do the following have in common? A daisy, an eagle's beak, snowflakes, structure of DNA, Egyptian pyramids, crop circles, the stable elements of the periodic table, and Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper."
ANSWER: They are all based on geometry or numbers that are considered "sacred."
This is exactly what "world-renowned expert" Stephen Skinner shows the reader in this beautiful and informative book: how certain types of geometry (a Greek word that means `measurement of the Earth') and numbers are considered sacred.
Geometry was one of the first branches of mathematics to be extensively developed. Long before the Christian era, the Egyptians and later the Greeks had made exhaustive studies of the properties of geometrical figures. While the Egyptians were concerned mainly with practical applications (witness the pyramids), the Greeks were interested in the mental exercise involved in the study of Geometry. Many of these ancient Greek scholars believed that if they pursued the study of geometry far enough they would unlock some of the deepest mysteries of the universe.
Thus we have geometry and numbers that they and other civilizations considered sacred. Why sacred? Because they arrange systematically the hidden order of creation.
The book itself is divided into parts. These are entitled (1) The hidden order (2) The geometry of nature and (3) The geometry of the [human] made world. Each part begins with a brief overview (in italics) that summarizes a particular part.
Each part itself is divided into chapters. Here are the chapter titles for part (3): (i) Sacred geometry and the landscape (ii) Sacred geometry in architecture and (iii) Sacred geometry in art.
Each chapter is divided into sections. The sections for the chapter entitled "Pure arithmetic" are as follows: (I) Pythagoras and the worship of number (II) Music, vibration, and whole numbers (III) The value of fractions (IV) Measuring the Earth with two sticks (V) Original units of measurement (VI) The curious nature of prime numbers and (VII) The Golden Mean--the arithmetic of growth.
A highlight of this book are the many mainly color and truly beautiful pictures and illustrations. I counted almost 200. By the way, the picture on the book's cover (displayed above by Amazon) is a "nautilus shell," a "living spiral" actually found in nature.
Another highlight of this book are its numerous tables of significant numbers that reveal a pattern. My favorite is entitled "The [Egyptian] Pyramids and their Dimensions."
Yet, another highlight are the numerous isolated (from the main narrative) boxes that contain information the author feels is important for the reader to know. My favorite is entitled "Visual tricks" that describes "one of the unique tricks of geometry incorporated into the [ancient temple called the] Parthenon [of Athens, Greece]."
Want to know how to draw a special type of snowflake (called a Koch snowflake)? How about a special curve known as the logarithmic spiral? This book provides step-by-step constructions (in isolated boxes outside the main narrative) on how to draw (using a compass and ruler) these geometric figures and others.
Fans of Dan Brown's book "The Da Vinci Code" should find the material in the last chapter entitled "Sacred geometry in art" very interesting.
There are a few non-serious typos in this book. Unfortunately, a typo occurs for a definition of irrational numbers. The author states:
"Irrational numbers are those that cannot be pinned down to a few digits. They are, in fact, repeating decimals that go on forever." Examples include the square root of 2, the square root of 3, and the square root of 5."
The second statement in the above quotation is actually incorrect. But this is a typo. How do I know this? By the third statement above. The square root of 2 is 1.4142136..., the square root of 3 is 1.7320508..., and the square root of 5 is 2.236068.... The typo is that they're non-repeating decimals (not repeating decimals).
I make it a policy not to condemn books that have a few typos unless they're in too many key spots.
Finally, the only problem I had with this book is that I don't really know anything about the author, Stephen Skinner. We're told on the book's back cover that he's a "world-renowned expert" and that's it! I would have liked to have known more about the author.
In conclusion, this remarkable book changed my view of the world around me!!
(first published 2006; introduction; 3 parts or 7 chapters; conclusion; main narrative 150 pages; bibliography; index; acknowledgements)
<<Stephen Pletko or "Uncle Stevie," London, Ontario, Canada>>
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13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sacred Geometry, May 29, 2007
Sacred Geometry: Deciphering the Code
From cover to cover, this book is packed with information about sacred geometry. The difference between geometry and sacred geometry is easily explained, "When it was pleasing to the gods, it became 'sacred'." (p. 6) This book also explains how sacred geometry can be used in landscaping, architecture, and in art. This book is not just for mathematicians. It is for anyone who is interested in creating sacred space or just a space that is pleasing to the mind, heart, and spirit.
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