Below the jump, I mention the books that I received recently. They are gifts, review copies that arrived in the mail, or books that I purchased. These are the books that I may review in more depth later, either here or in print somewhere in the world.
When I get new books, I like to share them with people. Unfortunately, you are all so far away, so I cannot host a book party in my crib where you can look them over, so I'll do the next best thing. I'll host a book party on my blog each Friday of the week when I either purchase books or when they arrive in the mail. In this New Book Party, I will try to be your eyes by presenting my quick "first impression" -- almost as if we are browsing the shelves in a bookstore -- and I'll also provide relevant videos about the book and links so you can get a copy of your own.
Although books on a variety of topics arrived this week (including that big stack that I purchased), I am sharing the maths books with you today. (I am saving mention of the others until next week.)
Books that arrived recently:
Math Bytes: Google Bombs, Chocolate-Covered Pi, and Other Cool Bits in Computing by Tim Chartier [Princeton University Press, 2014; Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US/kindle US]
Publisher's synopsis This book provides a fun, hands-on approach to learning how mathematics and computing relate to the world around us and help us to better understand it. How can reposting on Twitter kill a movie's opening weekend? How can you use mathematics to find your celebrity look-alike? What is Homer Simpson's method for disproving Fermat's Last Theorem? Each topic in this refreshingly inviting book illustrates a famous mathematical algorithm or result -- such as Google's PageRank and the traveling salesman problem -- and the applications grow more challenging as you progress through the chapters. But don't worry, helpful solutions are provided each step of the way.
Math Bytes shows you how to do calculus using a bag of chocolate chips, and how to prove the Euler characteristic simply by doodling. Generously illustrated in color throughout, this lively and entertaining book also explains how to create fractal landscapes with a roll of the dice, pick a competitive bracket for March Madness, decipher the math that makes it possible to resize a computer font or launch an Angry Bird -- and much, much more. All of the applications are presented in an accessible and engaging way, enabling beginners and advanced readers alike to learn and explore at their own pace -- a bit and a byte at a time.
My first impression: Printed on glossy paper and filled with colourful photographs, illustrations and diagrams on nearly every page, this book discusses mathematical ideas that can help us make sense of the digital world. The author's offbeat viewpoint comes from a truly unusual background; he studied mime with the legendary Marcel Marceau whilst pursuing his doctorate in applied maths. Of course, that the first draft of this book was completed whilst the author on sabbatical at the University of Washington in Seattle (my alma mater) probably helped inspire him, too.
Everyday Calculus: Discovering the Hidden Math All Around Us by Oscar E. Fernandez [Princeton University Press, 2014; Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US/kindle US]
Publisher's synopsis Calculus. For some of us, the word conjures up memories of ten-pound textbooks and visions of tedious abstract equations. And yet, in reality, calculus is fun, accessible, and surrounds us everywhere we go. In Everyday Calculus, Oscar Fernandez shows us how to see the math in our coffee, on the highway, and even in the night sky.
Fernandez uses our everyday experiences to skillfully reveal the hidden calculus behind a typical day's events. He guides us through how math naturally emerges from simple observations -- how hot coffee cools down, for example -- and in discussions of over fifty familiar events and activities. Fernandez demonstrates that calculus can be used to explore practically any aspect of our lives, including the most effective number of hours to sleep and the fastest route to get to work. He also shows that calculus can be both useful -- determining which seat at the theater leads to the best viewing experience, for instance -- and fascinating -- exploring topics such as time travel and the age of the universe. Throughout, Fernandez presents straightforward concepts, and no prior mathematical knowledge is required. For advanced math fans, the mathematical derivations are included in the appendixes.
Whether you're new to mathematics or already a curious math enthusiast, Everyday Calculus invites you to spend a day discovering the calculus all around you. The book will convince even die-hard skeptics to view this area of math in a whole new way.
My first impression: Yep, another maths book! This book follows one mathematician as he goes through a typical Friday, from the moment when he awakens to "smell the functions" to evening when he seeks the best seat in the house at a local Tandoori restaurant. Although there are lots of mathematical formulae, the author explains how to use them in practical ways, such as calculating lost productivity due to sending email, texts and tweets, using integrals to estimate train wait times, and explaining the commonalities shared by your retirement income and traffic. Written in a bright conversational tone, this book wonderfully integrates calculus into everyday life.
Count Like an Egyptian: A Hands-on Introduction to Ancient Mathematics by David Reimer [Princeton University Press, 2014; Guardian Bookshop; Amazon UK; Amazon US; kindle US]
Publisher's synopsis The mathematics of ancient Egypt was fundamentally different from our math today. Contrary to what people might think, it wasn't a primitive forerunner of modern mathematics. In fact, it can't be understood using our current computational methods. Count Like an Egyptian provides a fun, hands-on introduction to the intuitive and often-surprising art of ancient Egyptian math. David Reimer guides you step-by-step through addition, subtraction, multiplication, and more. He even shows you how fractions and decimals may have been calculated -- they technically didn't exist in the land of the pharaohs. You'll be counting like an Egyptian in no time, and along the way you'll learn firsthand how mathematics is an expression of the culture that uses it, and why there's more to math than rote memorization and bewildering abstraction.
Reimer takes you on a lively and entertaining tour of the ancient Egyptian world, providing rich historical details and amusing anecdotes as he presents a host of mathematical problems drawn from different eras of the Egyptian past. Each of these problems is like a tantalizing puzzle, often with a beautiful and elegant solution. As you solve them, you'll be immersed in many facets of Egyptian life, from hieroglyphs and pyramid building to agriculture, religion, and even bread baking and beer brewing.
Fully illustrated in color throughout, Count Like an Egyptian also teaches you some Babylonian computation -- the precursor to our modern system -- and compares ancient Egyptian mathematics to today's math, letting you decide for yourself which is better.
My first impression: Why bother learning about Egyptian arithmetic? The author argues:
There are a number of reasons to learn Egyptian mathematics. Puzzle lovers will find it fun and challenging. History lovers will gain insight into the Egyptian mind-set. However, I believe the most important reason to study Egyptian mathematics is because it is so different. We're taught throughout our entire education that math simply is. We learn laws and memorize steps, never questioning what is laid out before us, for if math is "fact," how could mathematics be wrong? When you're exposed to a different system, you're forced to reconsider the immutability of "the math." [...]
The joy of mathematics has to be beaten out of us by endless drills and subjugation to seemingly arbitrary rules. Perhaps by starting over, this time with Egyptian mathematics, you'll get a fresh chance to revive some of the delight you felt as a child. It's time to get back in touch with the math nerd in us all. (pp. ix-x)
An interesting combination of history, ancient literature and mythology, arithmetic puzzles and mathematics, and lavishly illustrated with numerous colour diagrams, this engaging book is unusual, thought-provoking and just plain fun to read.
What book(s) are you reading? How far are you along in the book? What do you think of it so far? Do you think your book is worth recommending to others?
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When she's not reading a book, GrrlScientist can also be found here: Maniraptora. She's very active on twitter @GrrlScientist and sometimes lurks on social media: facebook, G+, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
