In 1913, a young unschooled Indian clerk wrote a letter to G H Hardy, begging the preeminent English mathematician's opinion on several ideas he had about numbers. Realizing the letter was the work of a genius, Hardy arranged for Srinivasa Ramanujan to come to England. Thus began one of the most improbable and productive collaborations ever chronicled. With a passion for rich and evocative detail, Robert Kanigel takes us from the temples and slums of Madras to the courts and chapels of Cambridge University, where the devout Hindu Ramanujan, 'the Prince of Intuition,' tested his brilliant theories alongside the sophisticated and eccentric Hardy, 'the Apostle of Proof.' In time, Ramanujan's creative intensity took its toll: he died at the age of thirty-two and left behind a magical and inspired legacy that is still being plumbed for its secrets today.
The Man Who Knew Infinity
and over one million other books are available for Amazon Kindle. Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Book Description
Frequently Bought Together
Product Details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
Product Description
From Publishers Weekly
This moving and astonishing biography tells the improbable story of India-born Srinavasa Ramanujan Iyengar, self-taught mathematical prodigy. In 1913 Ramanujan, a 25-year-old clerk who had flunked out of two colleges, wrote a letter filled with startlingly original theorems to eminent English mathematician G. H. Hardy. Struck by the Indian's genius, Hardy, member of the Cambridge Apostles and an obsessive cricket aficionado, brought Ramanujan to England. Over the next five years, the vegetarian Brahmin who claimed his discoveries were revealed to him by a Hindu goddess turned out influential mathematical propositions. Cut off from his young Indian wife left at home and emotionally neglected by fatherly yet aloof Hardy, Ramanujan returned to India in 1919, depressed, sullen and quarrelsome; he died one year later of tuberculosis. Kanigel ( Apprentice to Genius ) gives nontechnical readers the flavor of how Ramanujan arrived at his mathematical ideas, which are used today in cosmology and computer science. BOMC featured alternate; QPB alternate.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
This biography traces the life of one of the greatest geniuses of the 20th century, Ramanujan. This incredibly brilliant Indian mathematician, working alone in relative obscurity and lacking the usual academic credentials, could easily have passed unnoticed. However, with the help of a handful of friends and the ultimate support of renowned English mathematician G.H. Hardy, his work was brought to the attention of the world. When he died in 1920 at 32 he had become a folk-hero in his own country. He left a rich lode of original mathematics, which is still being mined today. This extremely well-researched and well-written biography is a "must" addition to any library collection.
- Harold D. Shane, Baruch Coll., CUNY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
- Harold D. Shane, Baruch Coll., CUNY
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
First Sentence
He heard it all his life-the slow, measured thwap . . . thwap . . . thwap . . . of wet clothes being pounded clean on rocks jutting up from the waters of the Cauvery River. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
He heard it all his life-the slow, measured thwap . . . thwap . . . thwap . . . of wet clothes being pounded clean on rocks jutting up from the waters of the Cauvery River. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By Librum
Format:Paperback
An exemplary piece of biographical writing. Kanigel brings Ramanujan, his times, and his contemporaries vividly to life. I wish even more of Ramanujan's mathematical contributions had been treated, but appreciate that a biographer has many priorities. Kanigel handles them all deftly. One of the finest (most informative and engaging) biographies I've ever read.
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This is an amazing book about an amazing man, just reading about him makes most math geniuses feel like a complete idiot. If Ramanujan had a proper education in the field, he could have become the greatest mathematician of his time, even greater than Hilbert.
Format:Paperback
This is a splendid book- both exquisite care and extensive research clearly went into creating it. Kanigel is both a great writer and a great journalist and scholar, since he is able to provide such an intimate description of the life of the mathematical genius Ramanujan. Not only is Kanigel's research and writing skill top notch, but also he has picked such an interesting topic to write about. Highly recommended for anyone remotely interested in the subject of genius. Avery Z. Conner, author of "Fevers of the Mind".
Want to see more reviews on this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 68 reviews
4.5 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
worthless
I think the worst book on mathematics or mathematicians I have read. The reader would have some knowledge, perhaps to the 9th grade, but is informed what a coefficient is, that the... Read more
Published on Jun 23 2004 by R. W. Tuttle
5.0 out of 5 stars
If you are curious to look into a genius' mind..
I admit that I bought this book primarily because I come from the same geographical location in India that Ramanujan was raised in. Read more
Published on Feb 5 2003 by "19785542"
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspirational account of the life of a Mathematical genius
An Inspirational account of the life of a Mathematical genius
Srinivasa Ramanujan is rightly a member of the Mathematicians' Hall of Fame. Read more
Published on Nov 26 2002 by "jayjina"
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb
Robert Kanigel touches upon what should be elaborated upon in transcultural experiences. In current times, more than ever, immigrants from developing countries are creating names... Read more
Published on Oct 15 2002 by Mr. Prasad Seshadri
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb
Robert Kanigel touches upon what should be elaborated upon in transcultural experiences. In current times, more than ever, immigrants from developing countries are creating names... Read more
Published on Oct 15 2002 by Mr. Prasad Seshadri
5.0 out of 5 stars
A touching biography
Im not too fond of biographies, but I would give this book an exception.
The life of Ramanujan is amazing and one is pushed to only awe the limits of mind. Read more
Published on July 29 2002 by Vasudevan Srinivasan
5.0 out of 5 stars
an extraordinary story...
What strikes me most about Robert Kanigel's singular achievement is that he miraculously managed to capture on paper the story of a man that lived through three widely different... Read more
Published on Mar 2 2002 by F. Juma
5.0 out of 5 stars
Never have read a more enthusiastic biography
Easily one of the most enjoyable books I have read so far. Mr. Robert Kanigel is probably one of the few intellects who has seen precision, poetry and pricelessness in the works of... Read more
Published on Feb 6 2002 by "chennaiman"
5.0 out of 5 stars
Not just a biography ....
What a way to introduce the genius!Robert kaniegal introduces this man from a *remote* place to the world through the renowned Mozart,Beethoven etc.. Read more
Published on Nov 29 2001 by sowmya
1.0 out of 5 stars
Long and difficult prose style
Probably an exciting life; however, it refers back to pre-war I as a begining, seems very old, and is a terribly long book with a very old fashioned, boring writing style. Read more
Published on Aug 28 2001 by Dr Martin J Kaplan
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Feedback
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
