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Chapters: Kazimierz Kuratowski, Lodovico Ferrari, Rolf Nevanlinna, Viggo Brun, Thomas Fincke, François D'aguilon, Julius Petersen, Sporus of Nicaea, T. O. Engset, Rafael Bombelli, Béla Bollobás, Jacques Tits, Petr Vopěnka, Conrad Dasypodius, Ennio de Giorgi, Guido Zappa, James Maccullagh, Jan Brożek, Børge Jessen, Baldassarre Boncompagni, Thorvald N. Thiele, Antonio Signorini, Georg Kreisel, Alfréd Rényi, José Echegaray, Stanisław Zaremba, Cato Maximilian Guldberg, Dănuţ Marcu, Pietro Abbati Marescotti, Diederik Korteweg, Imre Bárány, Odd Magnus Faltinsen, Leon Chwistek, Tadeusz Banachiewicz, Karol Borsuk, David J. Simms, Sy Friedman, John Toland, Valentin Poénaru, Bent Fuglede, Frigyes Riesz, Arend Heyting, László Rédei, Endre Szemerédi, Béla Szőkefalvi-Nagy, Endre Süli, Dinostratus, Ion Barbu, Jan Graliński, Nicolaus Ii Bernoulli, Stanisław Jaśkowski, Johannes Hudde, Al-Jayyani, Georg Alexander Pick, Mykhailo Vaschenko-Zakharchenko, Mauro Picone, Stanisław Mazur, Idun Reiten, Hendrik Kloosterman, Erno Lendvai, Vera T. Sós, András Frank, Kurt Mahler, Theaetetus, Enrico Betti, Jean-Charles de La Faille, Bruno Buchberger, Ruy Luís Gomes, Giulio Carlo De' Toschi Di Fagnano, Johan Van Benthem, Jan Śniadecki, Axel Thue, Jørgen Pedersen Gram, Edmund Hlawka, Paul Zimmermann, Jabir Ibn Aflah, Jakob Hermann, Tatyana Pavlovna Ehrenfest, Damiaen Joan Van Doorninck, Marcel Grossmann, Felix Pollaczek, Carlo Alberto Castigliano, Claus P. Schnorr, Eduard Jan Dijksterhuis, Stefan Mazurkiewicz, Ákos Császár, Geir Ellingsrud, Vincent Rijmen, Józef H. Przytycki, Péter Frankl, Tibor Radó, François Walther de Sluze, Giuseppe Colombo, Marianna Csörnyei, Leopold Gegenbauer, Erik Ivar Fredholm, István Fáry, Andrzej Mostowski, Torkel Franzén, Miklós Laczkovich, Jakob Rosanes, Tibor Šalát, Gyula O. H. Katona, Andrea Naccari, Alexander Bukalov, Caspar Wessel, Hendrik Lenstra, Arjen Lenstra, Franciszek Leja, Władysław Ślebodziński, Simon Antoine Jean L...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=46075 ... Read more

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What makes mathematicians tick? How do their minds process formulas and concepts that, for most of the rest of the world's population, remain mysterious and beyond comprehension? Is there a connection between mathematical creativity and mental illness?

In The Mind of the Mathematician, internationally famous mathematician Ioan James and accomplished psychiatrist Michael Fitzgerald look at the complex world of mathematics and the mind. Together they explore the behavior and personality traits that tend to fit the profile of a mathematician. They discuss mathematics and the arts, savants, gender and mathematical ability, and the impact of autism, personality disorders, and mood disorders.

These topics, together with a succinct analysis of some of the great mathematical personalities of the past three centuries, combine to form an eclectic and fascinating blend of story and scientific inquiry.

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Contrary to popular belief--and despite the expulsion, emigration, or death of many German mathematicians--substantial mathematics was produced in Germany during 1933-1945. In this landmark social history of the mathematics community in Nazi Germany, Sanford Segal examines how the Nazi years affected the personal and academic lives of those German mathematicians who continued to work in Germany.

The effects of the Nazi regime on the lives of mathematicians ranged from limitations on foreign contact to power struggles that rattled entire institutions, from changed work patterns to military draft, deportation, and death. Based on extensive archival research, Mathematicians under the Nazis shows how these mathematicians, variously motivated, reacted to the period's intense political pressures. It details the consequences of their actions on their colleagues and on the practice and organs of German mathematics, including its curricula, institutions, and journals. Throughout, Segal's focus is on the biographies of individuals, including mathematicians who resisted the injection of ideology into their profession, some who worked in concentration camps, and others (such as Ludwig Bieberbach) who used the "Aryanization" of their profession to further their own agendas. Some of the figures are no longer well known; others still tower over the field. All lived lives complicated by Nazi power.

Presenting a wealth of previously unavailable information, this book is a large contribution to the history of mathematics--as well as a unique view of what it was like to live and work in Nazi Germany. ... Read more

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Mathematicians under the Nazis
This is not a history of mathematics in German universities during the Nazi regime. It is a history of politics among German mathematicians during the Nazi regime. The names are here but the mathematics is not. I began to read it, then abandoned it and reverted to skimming each page when it became clear in the fourth chapter what little the book had to do with mathematics per se. The author could just as well be talking about German academic basket weavers for all it matters that the discussion refers to mathematicians. My rating of it gives it the benefit of the doubt that for those readers who care about the subject it may indeed be a valuable book. ... Read more

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This volume offers a unique collection of outstanding contributions from renowned women mathematicians who met in Cambridge for a conference under the auspices of European Women in Mathematics (EWM). These contributions serve as excellent surveys of their subject areas, including symplectic topology, combinatorics and number theory. The volume moreover sheds light on prominent women mathematicians who worked in Cambridge in the late 19th and early 20th centuries by providing an insightful historical introduction at the beginning of the volume. The volume concludes with short contributions from women mathematicians from across Europe working in various areas of mathematics ranging from group theory to magnetic fields. ... Read more

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This volume can be divided into two parts: a purely mathematical part with contributions on finance mathematics, interactions between geometry and physics and different areas of mathematics; another part on the popularization of mathematics and the situation of women in mathematics. ... Read more

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She is best known for her curve, the witch of Agnesi, which appears in almost all high school and undergraduate math books. She was a child prodigy who frequented the salon circuit, discussing mathematics, philosophy, history, and music in multiple languages. She wrote one of the first vernacular textbooks on calculus and was appointed chair of mathematics at the university in Bologna. In later years, however, she became a prominent figure within the Catholic Enlightenment, gave up the academic world, and devoted herself to the poor, the sick, the hungry, and the homeless. Indeed, the life of Maria Agnesi reveals a complex and enigmatic figure -- one of the most fascinating characters in the history of mathematics.

Using newly discovered archival documents, Massimo Mazzotti reconstructs the wide spectrum of Agnesi's social experience and examines her relationships to various traditions -- religious, political, social, and mathematical. This meticulous study shows how she and her fellow Enlightenment Catholics modified tradition in an effort to reconcile aspects of modern philosophy and science with traditional morality and theology.

Mazzotti's original and provocative investigation is also the first targeted study of the Catholic Enlightenment and its influence on modern science. He argues that Agnesi's life is the perfect lens through which we can gain a greater understanding of mid-eighteenth-century cultural trends in continental Europe.

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Emil J. Gumbel (1891-1966) began his career simply as a professor of mathematical statistics in Heidelberg, but he is most remembered as a political activist militantly advocating for pacifism during the complicated and volatile times of the Weimar Republic in Germany. As a Jew with left-wing socialist and democratic sensibilities, he was exiled to France and later America. Ironically, the same writings on political terror and politicized justice in Nazi Germany that caused his ostracization saved his life. A courageous man, Gumbel spoke out passionately against the Nazis and came to symbolize a "one-man party" at the centre of controversy in German academia. His intellectual and moral vigour never waned, and despite his significant scientific contributions, it is his legacy of political ideology that endures for later generations to learn from. This biography chronicles the public life of a man not entirely part of the political or the academic world, but who has earned his place in history nonetheless. ... Read more

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The International Congress of Mathematicians (ICM) is held every four years. It is a major scientific event, bringing together mathematicians from all over the world and demonstrating the vital role that mathematics play in our society. In particular, the Fields Medals are awarded to recognize outstanding mathematical achievement. At the same time, the International Mathematical Union awards the Nevanlinna Prize for work in the field of theoretical computer science.The proceedings of ICM 2006, published as a three-volume set, present an overview of current research in all areas of mathematics and provide a permanent record the congress. The first volume features the works of Fields Medallists and the Nevanlinna Prize winner, the plenary lectures, and the speeches and pictures of the opening and closing ceremonies and award sessions. The other two volumes present the invited lectures, arranged according to their mathematical subject.A publication of the European Mathematical Society (EMS). Distributed within the Americas by the American Mathematical Society. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Eye-opening
This is an important work and makes clear yet more aspects of the impact of the Holocaust on the course of modern history.It may be a bit hard to follow for people to whom the names of prominent 20th Century mathematicians are not well-known, but it shows how the Nazis changed the course of scientific history by scattering and murdering so many in one important discipline.

Interesting but pedantic
When the author begins by saying "We need to define what a mathematician is", you know you are in for a slog. The book consists of case studies, which are quite varied. No clear gestalt emerges from the individual situations or even if one is possible. ... Read more

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A Representational Autobiography of Its Time and Place
Ever since high school when I read Fights, Games, and DebatesI've been an admirer of Anatol Rapoport and his take on Game Theory, and I was pleased to see him figure prominently in Robert Axelrod's seminal workThe Evolution of Cooperation As a university student I had the privilege of hearing him speak twice in my final year and one of my larger regrets was not realizing that I might have been able to take a course with him. He was an amazing communicator.

That being said this autobiography of his earlier life is a bit of a disappointment.It's a pretty standard account of Jewish life in Russia during the earlier part of the 20th century and escape to North America.We learn of his attraction to Tolstoy, the various pulls between intellectual and political lives, the perspective of children on revolutionary politics, but very little of what spurred his academic interests. The immigrant experience does resonate with me personally and it's not a bad book of this kind and its quite readable but I was hoping for something more exceptional.

Useful if one were trying to understand the period or one's own immigrant history and could use a comparator.I've made a note to look at his Certainties and Doubts: A Philosophy of Life at some later point which may tell me more about his intellectual development.
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Featuring 130 illustrations, nearly one hundred of them in color, a look into the mind of the creator of Alice in Wonderland recounts the life of the mathematician-turned-writer and explores the enduring allure of his story. Original." ... Read more

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Delightful 'train book' for the Wonderland lover
I mention the 'train book' aspect because this book is just the size to tuck into a handbag. As one who loves Lewis Carroll's works, and has studied Victorian England in depth, I found this work to be a surprisingly rich, delightful treatment of Lewis Carroll's life and work.

It is not an in-depth study of all aspects of his life, and, somehow, I found it most refreshing that, unlike some books which are, there were no diversions into Freudian speculation or treatments of bizarre theories about Dodgson's ways. Instead, the reader is treated to a fairly thorough survey of biographical information and essentials of Lewis Carroll's writings.

The illustrations are exceptionally extensive, including many photographs (of or by Carroll), varied illustrations from editions of "Alice," and, as far as textual illustrations are concerned, excerpts from Dodgson's private correspondence and diaries. One comes to the end of the book with a sense of having covered an amazingly large scope. For example, other authors have mentioned (without showing) the supposedly notorious nude photographs of children which Dodgson prepared. This book not only includes the pictures (which tend to the cherubic, with no flavour of the erotic), but places them into the Victorian cultural perspective with taste and dignity.

The author's style is superb - with a blend of beautiful language, concise but thorough treatment of the material, and impressive dignity. There is none of the excesses common in many books on Lewis Carroll, where rash speculation and prurient "let's pander to the 21st century love for 'dirt'" ruin the essentials of the story. Lewis Carroll is presented in all his brilliance, humour, and eccentricity. The classic works, with all of their fancy, wit, and wonder, are not ruined by excessive analysis or so filled with 'dark' speculation that one forgets what every child can see: they are delightful diversions.

Pair this book with an annotated edition of Lewis Carroll's works, and you will have the perfect gift for anyone who has ever loved "Alice" and her creator. And creator indeed Carroll was, for, as this book shows well, the Alice of fiction was hardly a model of Alice Liddell. The author speaks in some detail of the relationship of the "real" Alice and Charles Dodgson, with no tired attempts to confuse them with the book's contents. As well, the references to other Victorian literature and art places Carroll's work, and the friendship with the Liddell family, in an enlightening perspective for the contomporary reader.

Witty, insightful, and extensively detailed for a pocket book, I would highly recommend this work for anyone who already loves Lewis Carroll or would like a further acquaintance.

Good for Carroll Fans
I hardly ever buy nonfiction but seeing this at Borders I knew I had to have it. Lewis Carrol is one of the greatest writers of the nineteenth century, surpassing even Tolstoy,Dostoevsky,and Dickens. I have a completecollection of all of his works and enjoy them all(except for the mathpuzzles, math has never been my strongest point.) If you are a fan of LewisCarroll then this is the book for you. Gorgous illustrations andphotographs, an interesting and informative text, this is a wonderfullittle book to own. It is also informative if you are interested inVictorian England such as Iam (probably due to my Lewis Carroll fixation)There are also examples of Lewis Carrolls photography and pictures of theLiddle children. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves the worldof Alice and who is obsessed with Mr. Dodgson's books.

Exceptional!
A small in size book, being about 5 x 6.It is printed on glossy paper with many photographs.It is an exceptional buy for the amount of money tendered.If you read anything by Mr. Carroll you have to have this booktoo.Mr. Carroll's work is a must for anyone writing anything.The simpletruth is his writing means nothingas far as plot, but his style isbrilliant.

Is there anyone out there that knows what the name of thewriting style used by Mr. Carroll.For instance his characters are tellinga story to someonesmallMr. Carroll aims his text at a small animal. The small animal answers back in small type.When someone is running andtalking, there are long drawn out sentences.

Content and presentation are excellent.
This book provides a well written description of the conditions and environment that led to the writing of the Alice books. The reader is immersed in Victorian culture both verbally and visually. The profuselyillustrated book is a joy to read and informative as well. It fills theniche between biography and textual analysis.

Joel Birenbaum, presidentof the Lewis Carroll Society of North America

A nice, simple introduction to the world of Lewis Carroll
This tidy, colorful book presents an evenly balanced look at the life andtimes of Lewis Carroll. The reproductions of rare photos are outstanding,and are cause enough to buy the book on it's own. The text aviods theloathesome practice of trying to find deep symbolism and imagery inCarroll's works, but rather focuses on them with a pleasant reverence. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Europe, 1450 to 1789: An Encyclopedia of the Early Modern World, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 784 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Explores European history from 1450-1789, from the print revolution to the French Revolution. Includes articles written by eminent scholars covering major topics in art, government, and education as well as providing biographical entries on key figures of the period. Also covers topics specific to the era, such as apocalypticism, guilds, food riots, royal mistresses and lovers, the Spanish Inquisition, Utopia and others. ... Read more

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One golden summer afternoon in 1862, the young Oxford mathematics don Charles Dodgson shared a picnic with three little girls in a boat on the River Thames. One of the sisters, Alice Liddell, asked for a story "with plenty of nonsense in it". The adventure he created for her under the pen name Lewis Carroll and the unforgettable characters he invented - the White Rabbit, the March Hare, the Mad Hatter, the Cheshire Cat, amongst others - have enchanted generations of readers thoughout the world. The world of Lewis Carroll, whose powerful imagination gave us the timeless magic of "Alice in Wonderland" and "Through the Looking Glass", is here vividly brought to life. ... Read more

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This book gives a comprehensive picture of the activities and the creative heritage of Simon Stevin, who made outstanding contributions to various fields of science in particular, physics and mathematics and many more. Among the striking spectrum of his ingenious achievements, it is worth emphasizing that Simon Stevin is rightly considered as the father of decimal fractions as they are in use today. Stevin also urged the universal use of decimal fractions along with standardization in coinage, measures and weights. This was a most visionary proposal. Stevin was the first since Archimedes to make a significant new contribution to statics and hydrostatics. He truly was "homo universalis".The impact of Stevin's work has been multilateral and worldwide, including literature (William Shakespeare), science (from Christian Huygens to Richard Feynman), Politics (Thomas Jefferson) and many other fields. Thomas Jefferson, together with Alexander Hamilton and Robert Morris, advocated introducing the decimal monetary unit in the USA with reference to the book "De Thiende" by S. Stevin and in particular to the English translation of the book: "Disme: The Art of Tenths" by Robert Norton. In accordance with the title of this translation, the name of the first silver coin issued in the USA in 1792 was "disme" (since 1837 the spelling changed to ("dime"). It was considered as a symbol of national independence of the USA. ... Read more

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One of the greatest accomplishments in the history of cryptography occurred in 1940 when a Swedish mathematician broke the German code used for strategic military communications. This story has all the elements of a classic thriller: a desperate wartime situation; a moody and secretive mathematical genius with a talent for cryptography; and a stunning mathematical feat, mysterious to this day. Arne Beurling, the man who inherited Einstein's office at Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study, was the figure who played this role at a crucial moment in world history. Though the cracking of the code from the Geheimschreiber (G-Schreiber) device is every bit as impressive as the breaking of the Enigma code by the Poles and English, this secret has been kept for over 50 years! Through the eyes of a former head of Sweden's signal intelligence organization, Bengt Beckman, the reader will learn about the events leading up to the breakthrough and make the acquaintance of not only a remarkable mathematician, but also a remarkable human being. Arne Beurling was a leading international figure who achieved beautiful results in mathematical analysis. By the arrival of World War II, he was one of the most powerful and original mathematicians in the world and widely considered a genius. During his military service, he demonstrated a flair for code and was well known within Swedish cryptology circles. The natural choice of the Swedish intelligence service was to place Beurling at the center of the group charged with breaking the G-Schreiber code. His single-handed effort "broke the unbreakable". Using only teleprinter tapes and cipher text, he deciphered the code that the Germans believed impossible to crack--in two weeks! The feat, in a word, was astonishing. Many wonder how he did it. But Beurling took his secret to the grave, retorting when asked, "A magician does not reveal his secrets."

The author, Bengt Beckman, for many years was the head of the cryptanalysis department of the Swedish signal intelligence agency. In writing this book, he made extensive use of its archives. He also interviewed many people who participated in the Swedish wartime intelligence effort. He describes in detail Beurling's attack on the G-Schreiber system as well as attacks on several other wartime crypto systems, noting high points from the history of Swedish cryptology.

The book will appeal to a broad audience of readers, from historians and biography buffs to mathematicians to anyone with a passing interest in cryptology and cryptanalysis. This English edition has been translated by Kjell-Ove Widman, Director of Sweden's Mittag-Leffler Insitute. Also on cryptography and available from the AMS is "Cryptography: An Introduction." ... Read more

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