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The Rainbow of Mathematics: A History of the Mathematical Sciences (The Norton History of Science) Paperback – May 17, 2000

by Ivor Grattan-Guinness (Author)

5 customer reviews

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Beginning with the Babylonian and Egyptian mathematicians of antiquity, Ivor Grattan-Guinness "succeeds masterfully in viewing the history of mathematics from a new perspective" (Professor Karen Hunger Parshall, editor of Historia Mathematica).

He charts the growth of mathematics through its refinement by ancient Greeks and then medieval Arabs, to its systematic development by Europeans from the Middle Ages to the early twentieth century. This book describes the evolution of arithmetic and geometry, trigonometry and algebra; the interplay between mathematics, physics, and mathematical astronomy; and "new" branches such as probability and statistics. Authoritative and comprehensive, The Rainbow of Mathematics is a unique account of the development of the science that is at the heart of so many other sciences. Originally published under the title The Norton History of the Mathematical Sciences.

The Rainbow of Mathematics: A History of the Mathematical Sciences (The Norton History of Science)

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Product Details

Series: The Norton History of Science
Paperback: 832 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (May 17, 2000)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0393320308
ISBN-13: 978-0393320305
Product Dimensions: 0.6 x 0.1 x 0.9 inches
Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,107,643 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #901 in Books > Science & Math > Mathematics > History
- #11434 in Books > Science & Math > Physics

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Customer Reviews

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful

Great general reference for history of math (physical science emphasis)

By John P. Wright on April 12, 2007

Format: Paperback

I bought the book to improve my knowledge of the history of mathematics. I'm a High School math teacher, although I never took a history of math course (lots of history which I generally enjoy). Although a significant portion of the math is beyond the High School curriculum, with the density of over 750 pages there are plenty of anecdotes that can be incorporated and interesting to share.

A dense book which covers numerous topics. I've successfully used parts of the book as a personal reference when studying other topics in detail in other books. Referencing this history's summaries on occasion has helped me see the forest through the trees, so to speak. Sometimes this book's summaries of a topic help place a field of mathematics (or a problem within mathematics) in the right context. That said, despite the smallish print and length of the text, the coverage is so wide it's not really going to teach topics in depth as some sort of replacement textbook.

Like any good history, there are many fascinating personalities or shall I say "characters" present in the history of math. Pettiness can be found in any field and some of the mathematician's stories and personal conflicts can be pretty silly in retrospect.

Final observation - while of course one does not need to be a physicist or mathematician to enjoy large parts of the book, one should at least have some calculus. For those looking for a more basic history of the development of algebra and geometry only, look elsewhere. As others noted there's a strong emphasis with physical science mathematics here which can be either fascinating or overwhelming.

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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

A Must-Read for Mathematicians, Scientists, and Engineers

By pamt on September 27, 2006

Format: Paperback

This magnificent work covers mathematics from its recorded beginnings to the end of World War I. It provides remarkable insight into the development of the various branches of mathematics, and into the connections between mathematical and scientific ideas. Readers will find a wealth of interesting and useful information, including a superb
bibliography. Highly recommended!

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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

An up-to-date, bring-your-own-math history of mathematics

By Viktor Blasjo on April 14, 2005

Format: Paperback

In his introduction, Grattan-Guinness makes several good points about what a history of mathematics should contain. In particular he emphasises "the importance of applications to the physical world", setting his book apart from many other histories that follow the "unfortunate attitude" of "snobbery with regard to pure as opposed to applied mathematics". Partly but not entirely as a result of this approach, Grattan-Guinness covers an enormous amount of material. You are likely to find one or two pages of nontechnical, to-the-point discussion on almost any topic you can think of. This is of course valuable, but it also means that nothing is explained in detail and the book is too fragmented to be very enjoyable as a narrative. As a reference, it complements a history such as Kline's Mathematical Thought in that Grattan-Guinness doesn't bother giving detailed references to very many original works, but instead is strong on modern scholarly interpretations of history and provides lots of references to historical research.

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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

A Magnificent Account of the History of Mathematics

By - on July 16, 2006

Format: Paperback

This milestone in the history of mathematics-history covers mathematics from its recorded beginnings to the end of World War I. It is a synthesis of remarkable historical and mathematical scope. Professor Grattan-Guinness has established a new paradigm of excellence in the field of mathematics-history.

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5 of 6 people found the following review helpful

A Brilliant Rainbow

By - on July 16, 2006

Format: Paperback

This much-needed book provides valuable insights into the history of the mathematical sciences. Readers will find a wealth of interesting and useful information, including an excellent bibliography. Highly recommended!

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