The acclaimed author of A Tour of the Calculus and The Infinite Ascent offers an enlightening and enthralling tour of the basics of mathematics, and reveals a world of fascination in fundamental mathematical ideas.
One, Two, Three is David Berlinski’s captivating exploration of the foundation of mathematics, its fundamental ideas, and why they matter. By unraveling the complex answers to these most elementary questions—What is a number? How do addition, subtraction, and other functions actually work? What are geometry and logic?—Berlinski reveals the intricacy behind their seemingly simple exteriors. Peppered with enlightening historical anecdotes and asides on some of history’s most fascinating mathematicians, One, Two, Three, revels in the beauty of numbers as Berlinski shows us how and why these often slippery concepts are as essential to the field of mathematics as to who we are.
One, Two, Three: Absolutely Elementary Mathematics
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Review
“It is candy for the intellectually curious.”
—Leonard Mlodinow, bestselling author of The Drunkard’s Walk
“David Berlinski plus any topic equals an extraordinary book. . . . Making simple and accessible that which had previously been murky and intimidating is Berlinski’s specialty.”
—Chicago Tribune
“A writer who takes immense pleasure in [his subject] and tries to create it in others.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“With broad culture and wry humor, Berlinski takes a look at some basic concepts in math and the people who worried about them. A treat!”
—Gregory Chaitin, author of Meta Math!
“He is both poet and genius. And he’s funny . . . The writing is clean and powerful . . . Go, Berlinski, go.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“Remarkable. . . . Using simple speech—and a flare for literary wordplay—Berlinski spells out historically necessary numerical notions for the public.”
—Sacramento Book Review
“Berlinski releases math from its textbook script and restores its majestic drama.”
—Booklist
“A tour de force by a mathematician who wants the intellectually curious and logically minded . . . to understand the foundations and beauty of one of the major branches of mathematics.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“A logician, professor, novelist, and accomplished writer, Berlinski revels in riffs, employing a jazzy style.”
—National Review
“With wit and philosophy, with the clash of symbols and history, Berlinski displays the inner soul of simple arithmetic.”
—Philip J. Davis, professor emeritus of applied mathematics, Brown University
“For mathematically challenged folk like me, David Berlinski . . . renders mathematics not easy, but accessible and absorbing. . . . You’ll enjoy yourself.”
–Paul McHugh, Distinguished Service Professor of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University
—Leonard Mlodinow, bestselling author of The Drunkard’s Walk
“David Berlinski plus any topic equals an extraordinary book. . . . Making simple and accessible that which had previously been murky and intimidating is Berlinski’s specialty.”
—Chicago Tribune
“A writer who takes immense pleasure in [his subject] and tries to create it in others.”
—The New York Times Book Review
“With broad culture and wry humor, Berlinski takes a look at some basic concepts in math and the people who worried about them. A treat!”
—Gregory Chaitin, author of Meta Math!
“He is both poet and genius. And he’s funny . . . The writing is clean and powerful . . . Go, Berlinski, go.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“Remarkable. . . . Using simple speech—and a flare for literary wordplay—Berlinski spells out historically necessary numerical notions for the public.”
—Sacramento Book Review
“Berlinski releases math from its textbook script and restores its majestic drama.”
—Booklist
“A tour de force by a mathematician who wants the intellectually curious and logically minded . . . to understand the foundations and beauty of one of the major branches of mathematics.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“A logician, professor, novelist, and accomplished writer, Berlinski revels in riffs, employing a jazzy style.”
—National Review
“With wit and philosophy, with the clash of symbols and history, Berlinski displays the inner soul of simple arithmetic.”
—Philip J. Davis, professor emeritus of applied mathematics, Brown University
“For mathematically challenged folk like me, David Berlinski . . . renders mathematics not easy, but accessible and absorbing. . . . You’ll enjoy yourself.”
–Paul McHugh, Distinguished Service Professor of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins University
About the Author
David Berlinski received a B.A. from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from Princeton University. He has taught mathematics and philosophy at universities in the United States and France, and currently lives in Paris.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
3.8 out of 5 stars
11 reviews
23 of 23 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Another hit by Berlinski.
July 13 2011
By Adam Patterson
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Being one who is typically a "review reader", and not a "review writer", I felt the need to contradict the first reviers statments. Had I never read "A Tour of the Calculus" I may have turned away from picking up this book due to the inaccurate description given by the first reviewer of this work. I will have to say I am pleased with myself for following my instinct on this one. Berlinski has a way with making mathematics an enjoyable subject like no other author I have ever read. "One, Two, Three" was not only historically enlightening, but a pleasure to read from the first page to the last.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Curious?
July 18 2011
By Jerebeth
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I stumbled across this book while searching for other related pop books about math. I am very pleased that I took the chance to order and read it. It is entertaining, and informative on the history of math. The most intriguing portion to me was how Berlinski explained the origin of the negative numbers, the mysterious digit zero, why multiplication is different than addition, why a base number taken to the zeroth power equals one and why division by one equals the number, as these were all areas where many math textbooks and teachers have never explained why to suit my curiosity. I encourage the curious reader to get this must read book!
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
A chance to start over and love math this time around
Jan 18 2012
By Susan L Bowyer
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
If you are bright and verbal and curious, but somehow got turned off from math early in life, I would suggest that Dr. Berlinski can help. Mathematics, at its origin, was not based on the rote following of formulas, but on the solving of complex mental puzzles. Once you see that, you can become a math person. Berlinski has finally written the book with which to start. Please ignore the noisy minority of one star granters to Berlinski's work which has nothing to do his mathematical quality and everything to do with angry atheists lashing out at a man who dares to question their particular brand of jihad.
I've had the pleasure of interviewing David on the radio and it was a real treat.
Review by Jerry Bowyer.
I've had the pleasure of interviewing David on the radio and it was a real treat.
Review by Jerry Bowyer.
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 11 reviews
3.8 out of 5 stars
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