The Great Novel of Mathematics: From Prehistory to Today

Most people like math. The problem is, they don't know it. In prehistoric times, math was born to be useful. Numbers were used to count sheep in a flock. Geometry was used to measure fields and build roads. The story could have ended there, but over the centuries, Homo sapiens were surprised to discover the winding paths of this sometimes abstract science. Of course, the history of mathematics has been written by men and women of astounding genius, but make no mistake: the true heroines of this "great novel" are ideas. These small ideas that germinate one day in the back of a brain, spread from century to century, from continent to continent, amplify, flourish, and reveal to us, almost despite ourselves, a world of breathtaking richness. You will discover that mathematics is beautiful, poetic, surprising, exhilarating, and captivating. The number pi is fascinating. The Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio lead us down unexpected paths. Equations challenge us, and the infinitely small delightfully scratches our minds with its paradoxes. If you've never understood math, if you've even come to hate it, how about giving it a second chance? You might just be surprised...