The Number Devil : A Mathematical Adventure
by Hans Magnus Enzensberger, Rotraut Susanne Berner, Michael Henry Heim
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 October, 1998)
list price: $30.00
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Editorial Review

Young Robert's dreams have taken a decided turn for the weird. Instead of falling down holes and such, he's visiting a bizarre magical land of number tricks with the number devil as his host. Starting at one and adding zero and all the rest of the numbers, Robert and the number devil use giant furry calculators, piles of coconuts, and endlessly scrolling paper to introduce basic concepts of numeracy, from interesting number sequences to exponents to matrices. Author Hans Magnus Enzensberger's dry humor and sense of wonder will keep you and your kids entranced while you learn (shhh!) mathematical principles. Who could resist the little red guy who calls prime numbers "prima donnas," irrational numbers "unreasonable," and roots "rutabagas"? Not that the number devil is without his devilish qualities.He loses his temper when Robert looks for the easy way out of a number puzzle or dismisses math as boring and useless. "What do you expect?" he asks. "I'm the number devil, not Santa Claus." (Ages 10 to adult) --Therese Littleton ... Read more

Reviews (51)

A Good Children's Book That Skips a Few Grades
I read this book knowing that is was targeted at a younger age than I.However, I was not disappointed.The book contains colorful and often helpful illustrations, and the story isn't half bad, if not a bit monotonous.It also has fun and interesting mathematical tricks and facts, as well as a little of the basics.I found the idea of a Number Hell and Heaven very funny and interesting.There were only two problems that I had with this book:
1. The mathematics presented in each chapter varies greatly.In the first few chapters, simple math, or "the basics" are reviewed.Then, after a few chapters, the book suddenly jumps to more complicated math, like factorials, basic geometry, infinity theory, and more.It looks like half the book is for 8-12 year-olds, and half of it is for 13-14 year-olds.The jump is very sudden, and depletes the book of it's easy-to-understand flow that is good for a child.
2. Understandably, the author uses made-up names for the topics he is presenting in the book.This is not such a bad idea, to have names that a child will find funny and will be able to remember.However, the author provides almost no way to check what the made-up names are in real life.Not only are there made up names for the math, but also for famous mathematics pioneers that are mentioned.These two things are sometimes confusing and frustrating.
Despite these flaws, the book is very well written and follows in the spirit of Flatland and The Phantom Tollbooth: a magical story about numbers.

No Foundation Of Number Sense
I read this book as a result of coworkers telling me how great it was.To be honest I was not all that impressed.I am a middle school math teacher and have seen all of the "tricks" to solving problems.The problem is that the book doesn't give the reader a strong foundation of number sense as to why these "tricks" work.I felt like I was just reading a Cliff's Notes book to math.I truly was not impressed.

A Mathematical Masterpiece
The Number Devil is about a young boy who has nightmares in his sleep every night until one night the number devil, who is a low-tempered mathematician, starts to tell him mathematical secrets and tricks for solving even the most compicated problems. This book is filled with famous mathematical problems and theories such as Pascal's triangle, Goldbach's Conjecture, the works of Pythagoras and Arichimedes, and so much more. I found this book incredibly interesting for it's wonderful simplicity towards complicated subjects. Whether you're a kid who wants some further knowledge in math (or just find it interesting) or an adult with mathematical knowledge, you'll find this book an elightening source of enjoyment and knowledge.-C Dubs- ... Read more

Isbn: 0805057706
Subjects:  1. Bedtime & Dreams    2. Children's 9-12 - Fiction - General    3. Children: Grades 2-3    4. Concepts - Counting    5. Dreams    6. Fiction    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Mathematics    9. Numbers    10. Numbers, Natural    11. Science & Technology - Mathematics    12. Mathematics / General   

The Adventures of Penrose the Mathematical Cat
by Theoni Pappas
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 November, 1997)
list price: $10.95 -- our price: $8.76
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Reviews (8)

Mathematics Made Simple
This book is a good resource for teachers!It is full of fun, interesting, and relatively simple activities that make abstract mathematical concepts come to life.Math is made less intimidating, because the mystery behind it is revealed by a curious cat with whom children can relate.The book takes mathematical concepts that might otherwise be too complex for children to grasp and simplifies them, making them more "kid friendly."Younger children, who are more likely to enjoy the cat's stories, may not fully appreciate the mathematical content.They will, however, benefit from the books pleasant introduction to mathematical concepts. Similarly, older children, who are more likely to fully appreciate the mathematical content, may not enjoy Penrose as much (or at least they might not admit that they do). However, learning with Penrose will still make the experience less intimidating.The book is clever and a great tool for teaching math, while easing and/or preventing math phobia.I will definitely use this book in my own classroom!

Mathematical Concepts Made Simple
This book is a great resource for teachers!It is full of fun, interesting, and easy activities that really help its abstract mathematical concepts come to life. The book takes concepts that might otherwise be hard to grasp in their complexity and simplifies them, making them more "kid friendly." Learning from and with a cat, who is just as curious as they are, also helps make things less intimidating for children who are slightly math phobic. I will definitely be using this book in my own classroom!

a mathmatical cat?
Hi I'm a Pima Community College student and, I read the book to a friend's daughter for homework. She loved the book because it was a cat doing and solving math. The book had a lot of short stories about Penrose doing math. Some of the topics she didn't get but, that was because, she was not to that level of math in school. ... Read more

Isbn: 1884550142
Sales Rank: 12293
Subjects:  1. Children's 9-12 - Mathematics    2. Children: Grades 3-4    3. Juvenile Fiction    4. Mathematics    5. Science & Technology    6. Science & Technology - Mathematics    7. Study and teaching (Elementary    8. Study and teaching (Elementary)   

Sir Cumference and the First Round Table: A Math Adventure
by Cindy Newschwander, Cindy Neuschwander, Wayne Geehan, Wayne Geehan
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 April, 1997)
list price: $6.95 -- our price: $6.95
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Reviews (11)

Classroom Friendly
I have used this book with 6th, 7th and 8th graders.They all enjoyed it and always seem to remember the circle concepts now.Great for middle school teachers to use!

Unbelievably Cute!
I can remember reading this when I was in elementary school--maybe fourth or fifth grade--and I absolutely loved it. The puns are bad, yes, but wonderfully so. Buy this book because it has a wonderful, cute story, even if you don't need any help with circle math.

Sir Cumference Book Review
I read this book to a 1st grade class. Although they followed along, they were not very impressed with the book. In fact, one student commented that "The King gives me a headache everytime he asks for a new table." And then rolled his eyes. This book is meant for a higher grade, and would probably be better understood if read to higher grades. ... Read more

Isbn: 1570911525
Sales Rank: 5831
Subjects:  1. Action & Adventure    2. Children's 4-8 - Mathematics    3. Children: Grades 4-6    4. Geometry    5. Juvenile Nonfiction    6. Juvenile literature    7. Mathematics - Geometry    8. Science & Technology - Mathematics    9. Shape   

Sir Cumference and the Dragon of Pi: A Math Adventure
by Cindy Neuschwander, Wayne Geehan
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 April, 1999)
list price: $6.95 -- our price: $6.95
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Reviews (7)

Great for Middle School kids
I have use this book in my middle school classroom.The kids enjoy it.Yes, it is silly but heck so are middle school kids!Since reading the book and discussing it, the kids have a much better understanding of what pi really is, instead of just saying about 3.14.

Discovering PI in a mid evil kind of way.
Radius has to discover PI in order to save his father, Sir cumference from the evil curse of the fire breathing Dragon. I read this book to a fourth grade class and they really got a kick out of it.They wanted to learn pie along with Radius through his adventures to conquer the curse.This is a creative way to introduce a math lesson to children.There is even places to stop and let the kids try a couple problems.The activities include measuring and dividing.Teachers this is a must have.

Very disappointing
The story is REALLY silly.
Moreover, throughout the book the value given to Pi
is WRONG (it is stated to be 22/7, and only at the very end is itcasually mentioned to be an approximation).
This book is a perfect example of how NOT to attract kids to Math. ... Read more

Isbn: 1570911649
Sales Rank: 11461
Subjects:  1. Animals - Dragons    2. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    3. Children: Grades 1-2    4. Circle    5. Concepts - General    6. Geometry    7. Juvenile Fiction    8. Juvenile Fiction / Science & Technology    9. Juvenile literature    10. Royalty (kingsqueensprincesprincessesknightsetc.)    11. Science & Technology - Mathematics    12. Science & Technology   

Math Curse
by Jon Scieszka, Lane Smith
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (01 October, 1995)
list price: $16.99 -- our price: $11.55
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Editorial Review

Did you ever wake up to one of those days where everything is a problem?You have 10 things to do, but only 30 minutes till thebus leaves.Is there enough time?You have 3 shirts and 2 pairs ofpants -- can you make 1 good outfit?Don't worry -- it's just the Math Curse striking! An amusing book about dealing with numbers in everyday life. ... Read more

Reviews (42)

"Math Curse" A recommendation for all.
"Math Curse" is a realization for all that math is all around us, all the time.An elementary student addresses many situations familiar to everybody that involve math.Her situations and problems are on-going and lead in many different directions, yet all still relative to math.The book is thought provoking and discussion inspiring.
The book is most effective in teaching the relevance of mathematics in everyday life through creative humor.Through its illustrations and imaginitive word problems the book creates laughter with every turn of the page for all ages."Math Curse" is a huge success at motivating everyone to see mathematics as a fun necessity.

Very appealing to school-age kids and many adults
Short summary:This is a fun, oversized-square of a book that applies different math principles to every day issues, like telling time, dividing food into equal portions, counting objects, and so on.It is best for kids who have some idea how fractions work.Some math problems are easy, and some are not so easy, so everyone can be successful at least part of the time.


How it has (or hasn't) worked in my own house:I found Math Curse at the used bookstore and dropped it on the kids' bookshelf.It stayed there for a long while until the four-year-old neighbor girl discovered it.

She LOVES it -- vivid pictures, odd shapes, silly problems, offbeat style -- and I'm getting a little tired of it, perhaps because it's pretty challenging to read it in a way that makes sense to a four year old.

Part of the challenge is that there is more on the page than the story; it's a stop-and-look-and-discuss-and-OH MY!LOOK WHAT HAPPENED! book, and most of the math is beyond a four year old's immediate grasp, so after a while I find myself thinking with every page, "Do I read (and explain and explain and explain) this side bit, or do I give up on the Educational Value today and stick to the bare plot so that we can reach the end of the book before dinner time?"

It's an increasingly difficult decision, which I think reflects the fact that I'm getting bored with it after several dozen readings.(On the other hand, reading this book isn't supposed to be "all about me," so I've chosen to grin and bear it.)


This is a GOOD math book for kids aged 8 to 10 or so.It will also read a LOT faster with anyone who knows anything about arithmetic and fractions.

However, as this book turns up very frequently in middle-elementary grade classrooms, I recommend that you think twice about buying it for home -- and teachers, if possible, I suggest you ask your students' prior teacher(s) if they read the book last year.

Cursed be the quadratic equations!Arrrgh!
I'm always fascinated by those picture books so incredibly popular that they inspire highly sought after sequels.We expect sequels from popular movies and television shows, but picture books are a different matter entirely.What is it about a good book for children that causes masses of people to clamor for another of its ilk?I ask all of this because Jon Scieszka's ingenious, "Math Curse", is a perfect example of what I'm asking.Telling a simple tale of a boy (or possibly a girl) as he/she becomes enmeshed in a never ending day o' math problems, the book has recently been joined by the equally amusing "Science Curse".As such, it deserves closer inspection.

One day our protagonist (who, for lack of a gender, I will refer to in as unbiased a manner as I possibly can) wakes up with a problem.Just the day before, the kid's teacher pronounced that, "You know, you can think of almost everything as a math problem".Whoopsie!Before you know it our hero is spinning in an out-of-control vortex of mathematically inspired thoughts and questions.These range from the practical questions you'd often receive in school ("Mrs. Fibonacci has this CHART of what month everyone's birthday is in: 1. Which month has the most birthdays?2. Which month has the fewest") to the downright silly ("What is another way to say 1/2 of an apple pie?a. 2/6.b. 3/6.c. la moitie d'une tarte aux pommes").By the end of the day our little protagonist can't take it any more.Fortunately a fortuitous dream ends all math problems and in the morning everything's the same again.This is until the teacher thinks to mention, "You know, you can think of almost everything as a science experiment".

Don't get the impression by this review that this book is going to be dull to you parental English majors out there.I can personally assure you that as a child/teen/adult I have hated and continue to hate all math related ventures.Nonetheless, this book charmed me.First of all, that has a lot to do with its creators.I turn your attention now to the incomparable Jon Scieszka (pronounced shiss-ka, or so I am told) and his partner in crime Lane Smith.If you're already familiar with their particularly original, "The Stinky Cheese Man, and Other Fairly Stupid Tales" or "The True Story of the Three Little Pigs", then you have some sort of an idea what to expect.Both men are delightful twisted, but twisted in entirely different ways.While Scieszka puns and takes an especial pleasure in silly statements and questions, Lane illustrates his pictures with creative psychotic aplomb.The result is a book that's as vastly original as it is enjoyable to read through.

Genuinely funny picture books are always too far and few between.Since I can honestly tell you that this book is a droll little piece of chicanery that you should be sure not to miss, you've no need to worry.Just go out and purchase it for your kids, your kids' friends, and children you've never seen before in your life but who may enjoy the laudable, "Math Curse".It'll do you a spot of good.
... Read more

Isbn: 0670861944
Subjects:  1. Children's 4-8 - Picturebooks    2. Children: Grades 2-3    3. Concepts - Counting    4. Fiction    5. Juvenile Fiction    6. Math anxiety    7. Mathematics    8. School & Education    9. School stories    10. Schools    11. Science & Technology - Mathematics   

Fantasia Mathematica: Being a Set of Stories, Together With a Group of Oddments and Diversions, All Drawn from the Universe of Mathematics
by Clifton Fadiman
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 April, 1997)
list price: $19.95 -- our price: $13.57
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Reviews (6)

Great to see an old favorite back in print!
I first read this book when I was in elemetary school. I had borrowed my father's copy, and now, 25 years later, it is held together with a rubber band required after numerous re-readings. I was fortunate to read this book before most of my math studies and these tales certainly enhanced and enriched my math experience later on. Like math or not, these are wonderful tales of fantasy, science fiction, of math. I plan to buy a new copy with a fresh binding to give to my son to read as soon as possible.

JEEPERS! An interesting book about math?
What a relief to open the pages of this book.I approach mathematics as a subject necessary, but always painful, to learn.Dare I say I love this book?Some of the short stories are humorous, some are endearing, some have common characters.All deal with mathematics in one way or another.Fadiman's book succeeded where so many others failed--it interested me.

A LIFE LEARNING POINT: This book closely tied math with imagination and fantasy--a connection never clearly drawn in my public education.I think, though, that it's very important to present mathematics as the language for interpreting the world that it is...rather than as a cold and mostly irrelevant subject to get C minuses in!IT MADE MATH EXCITING.Yikes, did I say that?It is another way to know why your baseball is going to break the window, how to build a spaceship in your back yard, and how to teleport to Argentina in 0 seconds flat.

A real tangible benefit to reading this book was learning the derivation of Pythagoras' Theorom.Not to sound like an idiot, but I think most of us went through high school geometry having no clue where a2 + b2 = c2 came from.In two pages, this book explained it so clearly to me that I laughed out loud.IF ONLY THEY USED THIS TO TEACH ME INSTEAD OF A BRUTAL MATH BOOK!

This book is worth it in Hard Cover or Paperback.Own it and you too can open up to your closest friends and admit you liked a book about math...

Fantasia the Great
You don't have to be mathematically inclined to enjoy this collection, but it helps.On the other hand, if you take your math too seriously, this book may go right under your head.This anthology was first assembled in 1958, with some stories dating back to the 1920s, so some of the accountsof how machines could be used in the future now make one want to say,"If only you knew".Some of the best stories, however, aretimeless.Section 2 (Imaginaries) is the best; my favorites are A SubwayNamed Moebius, And He Built a Crooked House, A Botts and the Moebius Strip,The Captured Cross-Section, and No-Sided Professor.A science-fictionwriter friend once pooh-poohed this collection as amateurish sci-fi, butthe rest of us will love it.It's great to have it back in print. ... Read more

Isbn: 0387949313
Sales Rank: 48572
Subjects:  1. General    2. Literary collections    3. Mathematics    4. Science    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Special Subjects In Literature   

The Mathematical Magpie
by Clifton Fadiman
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (04 April, 1997)
list price: $19.95
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Reviews (1)

A great sequel
This anthology might as well be titled Fantasia Mathematica, Volume 2.When Volume 1 first appeared in 1958, readers couldn't get enough, so this work followed in 1962, and is now back in print.I first read Volume 1 asa teenager, so the current title doesn't carry for me the nostalgia of theoriginal, but there's still lots of good stuff.This time, the bestsection appears first, A Set of Imaginaries, to get the reader hooked.Twoof the better stories are The Appendix And The Spectacles, and Coconuts. As with the original, you don't have to be mathematically inclined, but ithelps -- or does it hurt? ... Read more

Isbn: 038794950X
Sales Rank: 310457
Subjects:  1. General    2. Literary Criticism    3. Literary collections    4. Mathematics    5. Science    6. Special Subjects In Literature    7. Mathematical Stories    8. Mathematics / General    9. mathematical anecdotes    10. mathematical cartoons    11. mathematical essays   

Fractals, Googols and Other Mathematical Tales
by Theoni Pappas
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 February, 1993)
list price: $10.95 -- our price: $8.76
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Reviews (5)

The Story of Pi
I was disappointed.While skimming through the book prior to giving it to my 7 year old son,I stumbled on the Chapter on "PI".It was obviously wrong stating that the diameter of a circle would wrap around the circle "3 and a little bit".Now, how can I trust this book knowing that the editors missed such a glaring error?Could be very confusing to a young aspiring mathmetician.

Attention Math Teachers
This book explores a wide range of mathematical concepts, including many of the traditional "fun" topics like Fibonacci numbers.For each topic (covered on two large pages typically) there is a simple story written to be accessible to even young children, followed by a franker and more mature mathematical discussion.This two part approach makes the text accessible to a wide audience while having a solid mathematical foundation.The articles serve as a solid foundation to spark student interest in further exploration, or stand alone as interesting mathematical shorts.Some of the topics will have direct curricular applications, including articles on the real number system and the transcendental number pi.This is a wonderful text and is suitable for elementary through high school students.

Wish I had this when I was young
I discovered this book in a homeschooling catalog (FunBooks.com).The good review in there enticed me to buy it for my then 6 year old, who is a voracious but difficult to please reader.He devoured it, loved it, and insisted that I read it too!

The fascinating topics include decimals, magic squares, Fibonacci sequence, tangrams, the abacus, and much more.Some of the stories seem a little silly to me, but then that is probably the appeal for kids.:)

This is one of those books that you must own rather than borrow from the library because it covers such a range of topics that your child (and you!) will want and need to refer back to it every so often.In fact, I will likely buy all the other books involving Penrose the Cat if they are as educational and fun as this book is. ... Read more

Isbn: 0933174896
Sales Rank: 7725
Subjects:  1. General    2. Juvenile literature    3. Mathematics    4. Mathematics (General)    5. Science/Mathematics   

Powers of Ten (Scientific American Library Paperback)
by Philip Morrison, Phylis Morrison
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 September, 1994)
list price: $22.95
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Editorial Review

Back in 1968, designers Charles and Ray Eames made a 10-minute documentary film, titled Powers of Ten, showing what the universe looks like at different scales. Philip and Phylis Morrison were scientific advisors on the movie, which Philip narrated, and it was chosen in 1998 for preservation in the National Film Registry, which selects "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant motion pictures" for preservation. The Morrisons' book translates the film onto paper.

Starting with a view of a billion light-years, the book (like the film) moves inward, with each page being at one-tenth the scale of the previous one. In 25 steps, you're looking at a picnic by the shores of Lake Michigan, then plunging into a human hand, down through the cells inside it, the DNA inside the cells, the atoms inside the DNA, and the subatomic particles inside the atom. By the time you've gone a total of 40 steps, you're in a world of quantum uncertainty.

There is no better guide to the relative sizes of things in the universe, and no better teacher about what exponential, scientific notation really means. --Mary Ellen Curtin ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Another Scientific American Masterpiece
I purchased this book years ago when I began collecting the magnificent Scientific American Collection.It has since been published in paperback and I have heard there is a corresponding book that decreases by powers of ten.This is easily the most approachable of all the books in the series and I have used it with both my boys when they were younger.

Parenthetically, anything that would stimulate American interest in science - and stem the tide toward a universal scientific illiteracy - should be welcome.I have seen this powers of ten device several times but the one that stands out in my mind is the opening scene of CONTACT that was marred only by the pitiful displays of stupidity heard from the members of the audience. ("Is that Saturn?" "Yeah, it was once a star and that's how it got its rings.""That's what I thought.")

Back to the book, we start off matter of factly then proceed outward.The commentary is sparse because little is needed.In this case, the picture IS worth a thousand words - more if you get down to it.Get this now-affordable volume and give it to a youngster.

Scale and exponential notation.
This book is an introductory peek at one of the most foundational mathematical tools needed for any consideration of cosmology, astronomy, and/or particle physics:
"At one end, far out where the galaxies appear like glowing froth in darkness, all our sciences become only one: cosmology. ... At the other end, for the very small we again have one science only: particle physics. There are even hints that the two ends inform each other." Evidence, perhaps, that television isn't all bad, the concept here was developed for a TV special program (quite a few years ago now), then plucked from video to print. It's a 'can't miss' premise but I find the writing to be slightly awkward and there may be too many illustrations. For a book that begs me to pick it up, it too easily invites me to put it down. Even so, it makes for a reasonably good overview of a universe more than 20 billion light years wide made out of stuff so small that we must describe it using negative powers of ten. The idea here is to illustrate the dramatic changes of scale involved in only a few powers of ten, and thus the "power" of powers of ten. The book's theme is itself quite modest, but for the reader unfamiliar with the concept of exponential notation, this small volume may be a startling revelation. To those familiar with the concept, the book may be a mere novelty, perhaps a "coffee table book."

A picture is worth a 10³ words! Amazing!
I've seen this book for the first time in 1985, when I was kid. It is still my all-time favorite.

Although the book does have lots of textual info pages, the core of the book is a series of 42 full-page pictures which depict the an ordinary picnic photo in different scales.

Starting from an ordinary dude resting on the grass, each page turn shows the scene from 10 times farther away. First we see the park he is picnicing on, then the entire city, and before you know it we are in deep space racing towards the outskirts of the Universe.

On the other side of the journey, each page turn magnifies the last picture tenfold. First by viewing a close-up view of the picnicing guy's hand, you quickly find yourself probing deeper and deeper through the realms of biology and chemistry right into the core of a single atom.

The really cool thing about the whole deal, is that all the images are centered at the same object: a single atom on the picnicing dude's hand.

In short, the idea is absolutely brilliant. The images chosen for the presentation is not perfect, but they are still amazing. Of-course, the film is much more impressive then the book, but you can't take a film with you to a camping trip... ... Read more

Isbn: 0716760088
Subjects:  1. General    2. Science    3. Science/Mathematics   

A Gebra Named Al: A Novel
by Wendy Isdell, Wendy Isdell
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (August, 1993)
list price: $5.95 -- our price: $5.95
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Reviews (11)

Hello! This was written by a KID.
What the heck is up with some of these reviewers?HELLO!This story was written by a LITTLE GIRL, not a teacher!What is wrong with you people?Shame on you!...Now, for everybody with a conscience, check it out: This story is cute.It's not Hemingway, it's not Shakespeare, but it's cute.If you read it for entertainment's sake, and keep in mind a kid wrote it, you'll like it.(And hey--if you're not reading for entertainment, you won't enjoy it no matter WHAT it is.Some of these kids' reviews sound like they were forced on pain of death to read the thing, sheesh.)It's a story about a girl and a talking zebra-thing who knows math, and a bunch of scientific horses.I repeat: it's cute.

MOST DULL BOOK EVER WRITTEN
I had to read this book for science class and it was HORRIBLE!!! Not only was the plot too simple and childish, but the explanations for the science and math concepts are like textbook excerpts. We needed to take a quiz about the book at the end, and to prove how much it taught us, all of the questions were about things that weren't even mentioned (the teacher probably couldn't find anything)! NEVER READ THIS BOOK EVER, NOT EVEN FOR A LAUGH!!

WORST BOOK EVER
This book is so bad that it doesn't even deserve a one. I think the author of this book is a complete loser that has absolutely NO FRIENDS WHATSOEVER. If you have a choice to read this book, I STRONGLY RECOMEND NOT READING IT!!! ... Read more

Isbn: 091579358X
Sales Rank: 154555
Subjects:  1. Chemistry    2. Children's 12-Up - Fiction - Fantasy    3. Children: Young Adult (Gr. 7-9)    4. Fantasy    5. Fiction    6. Juvenile Fiction    7. Mathematics    8. School & Education    9. Science Fiction, Fantasy, & Magic    10. Youths' writings, American   

The Book of Numbers
by John Horton Conway, Richard K. Guy
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (27 September, 1996)
list price: $35.00 -- our price: $23.80
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Editorial Review

The Book of Numbers lets readers of all levels of mathematical sophistication (or lack thereof) understand the origins, patterns, and interrelationships of different numbers. Whether it is a visualization of the Catalan numbers or an explanation of how the Fibonacci numbers occur in nature, there is something in here to delight everyone. The diagrams and pictures, many of which are in color, make this book particularly appealing and fun. A few of the discussions may be confusing to those who are not adept mathematicians; those who are may be irked that certain facts are mentioned without an accompanying proof. Nonetheless, The Book of Numbers will succeed in infecting any reader with an enthusiasm for numbers. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Gets off to a strong start
Conway and Guy start this book with an enticing survey of how numbers pervade the English language, showing the hidden (or not-so-hidden) numerical roots of common words. They also mention other numbering systems, including the Roman numerals, Greek, Egyptian, and cuneiform Babylonian - numbers that persist in our 60-based measures of minutes and seconds, in both time and angle.

Next, they move into squares, triangular numbers, and many others with rich geometric meanings. Chapters 1 and 2, especially, create vivid images that bring many of their concepts to life. I had a bit of trouble finding ch.3's focus. It touches briefly combinatorics, a world in itself, and difference techniques. I found "Jackson's Fan" fascinating, but too terse for easy application to real problems. After this, the going gets a lot tougher, fast.

By ch 4, "Famous Families," the illustration is no longer as vivid as before. Ch. 6, on fractions and decimal expansions also held some interest - it touches on complexity in the decimal forms of fractions, and the numeric roots from which it springs. The section on continued fractions is only just enough to titillate without really enlightening. Discussion of imaginary numbers is OK, and offers some enjoyable insights. The section on quaternions, though, does a lot less to invite personal involvement and stir the imagination. Later sections of the book present readable surveys of their topics, but require a lot more form the reader in the way of determination and mathematical background.

If the whole book sustained the initial energy, it would have been an instant classic. The later parts of the book were clear, readable, and even enjoyable, but didn't match the breadth or vividness of the first half. I enjoyed this, but I may not come back to it.

//wiredweird

Artful Numbers
This book is excellent. I am not a mathematician; my Ph.D. is in a social science, but my interest in intellectual history made this book worth it for me. The reason that it seems a bit expensive is because the authors use color illustrations. These are really helpful and make the book more exciting. The book is essentially number theory for a lay person. All you need to have is high school level math in order to start enjoying this book, so don't be afraid. Conway and Guy present a fascinating look at what the human intellect can achieve in the realm of abstract thought. Number theory, and mathematics in general, can be mysterioius, artful, and exciting. Highly recommended.

Numbers used as toys
To these "guys", numbers are toys, where the price of possession is nothing but a little knowledge. It is truly astounding, even for veteran mathematicians such as myself, to see how many different sets of numbers there are. They all have a story behind them, and given the multiple uses for so most of them, there are many more yet to be written.
Presented in a unique and engaging style that one associates with the authors, the numbers come to life with descriptions that hold your interest and leave you wanting more. The level of demonstration is not extremely technical, being well within the range of anyone who has been exposed to the topics of precalculus. Figures are used extensively, giving a visual interpretation of several ways in which the numbers can be used. Many of the numbers covered in the book are named after the person most responsible for making it famous, an aspiration that most mathematicians would no doubt confess to. In some cases, I was previously unaware of the name assigned to the numbers.
When I am in the mood for some light reading in mathematics, my preferred form is some type of listing of the properties of numbers. In this case, I found several hours of enjoyment and recommend it to anyone with similar tastes.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission. ... Read more

Isbn: 038797993X
Subjects:  1. Mathematics    2. Number Systems    3. Number Theory    4. Popular works    5. Science/Mathematics    6. Theory Of Numbers   

What Do You Care What Other People Think ? : Further Adventures of a Curious Character
by RICHARD P. FEYNMAN
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 October, 1989)
list price: $15.95
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Editorial Review

A thoughtful companion volume to the earlierSurely You Are Joking Mr. Feynman!. Perhaps the most intriguing parts of the book are the behind-the-scenes descriptions of science and policy colliding in the presidential commission to determine the cause of the Challenger space shuttle explosion; and the scientific sleuthing behind his famously elegantO-ring-in-ice-water demonstration. Not as rollicking as his other memoirs, but in some ways more profound. ... Read more

Reviews (40)

Feynman protects some careers at NASA
I enjoyed this book, but am surprised at how many people (including Feynman himself) seem have bought into the myth that Feynman was the one who worked out what went wrong with Challenger. NASA were well aware of the cause of the disaster long before Feynman came on the scene! If you do not believe this, then read the chapter entitled "Afterthoughts" at the end of the book - making appropriate allowances for Feynman's huge ego. From the point of view of protecting people's careers, it was much better to have the Great Feynman explain the problem with the O-rings to an astonished public after months of careful investigation than simply to name and shame those responsible for the faulty design and/or operation of the shuttle. The notion that the problem could only be solved by one of the greatest minds in theoretical physics was obviously good for NASA as it took away some of their own responsibility.

Prof. Feynman Tells It Like It Is!
Richard Feynman (1918-1988) had a very full and adventurous life as can be gleaned from this great book. The first half is mostly autobiographical and anecdotal and in the typical Feynman way, he leaves nothing to the imagination. He spent the latter part of his life as a Professor of physics at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in Pasadena, Ca.

For hobbies he loved bongos and drums and occasionally performed with a drumming group at Caltech, but was content to spend hours drumming with close friends such as Ralph Leighton at his home. Feynman also enjoyed drawing and painting and some of his artwork is depicted in this book. The artwork was exacting and professional. There are several photos covering Feynman's life and concluding with space shuttle photos and diagrams.

The second half of the book, and some would say the most potent part, is dedicated to Feynman's participation in the investigation of the 1986 space shuttle "Challenger" accident. Feynman demonstrated the ultimate in dogged pursuit of the cause and was not to be intimidated or put-off by NASA and military officials who would have been happy not disclose the damning facts that they were thoroughly warned about safety issues before the launch, yet chose to ignore these warnings in deference to thenPres. Reagan's desire for a political feather in his cap by launching the shuttle on his schedule.

Who knows what, if anything, was explained to Reagan that the weather was too cold to launch (the shuttle was not suppose to be launched in less than 53 degree weather and the temperature at launch time was 29 degrees!). What is known is that the NASA management chose to ignore the warnings and heeded the beck and call of the President to launch. Later, and like typical management weasels, they tried to hush-up the fact that they were warned and then tried to blame the "O"-ring failure on the manufacturer, Thiokol.

During the inquiry, Feyman took the opportunity to demonstrate a simple, common-sense experiment in front of his fellow investigative teammates and news cameras that when the "O"-rings are chilled (he dropped a piece of one held by pliers in a glass of water) they shrink and cannot seal properly, and especially when the violent vibration of the launch process is added for an ultimately disastrous mix.

If not for Feynman's persistence, this simple, but profound demonstration could have been swept under the rug and fingers unfairly pointed at Thiokol. Management refused to take any responsibility for the disaster, yet when in fact, their incompetent dismissal of the freeze conditions were what led to the disaster. Thank God for Richard Feynman! This is not only a fascinating look into Feynman's life, it is a national treasure, for here is where we see the bungling, politically motivated decisions of a great country being jerked around by bureaucrats leading, ultimately, to disaster.

Awe Struck
In my life I have only come across a few books which have been able to exert the same type of force on me as Richard P. Feynman's collection of essays, What Do You Care What Other People Think? has.To use an appropriate analogy: it is the feeling that a massive body exerts on all lesser bodies around it, pulling them down the bent slope of space towards them - it is not a conscious act but rather is just the natural result of the weight of the ideas involved.From nearly the first page on there are passages which you just feel compelled to tell a friend about, like there wonder is too much for you to handle on your own and you need someone else to share that since of awe with. ... Read more

Isbn: 0553347845
Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. General    5. Personal Growth - Happiness    6. Physicists    7. Science    8. Science/Mathematics    9. Space vehicle accidents    10. United States    11. Self-Help / Happiness   

Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions (Signet Classics (Paperback))
by Edwin Abbott Abbott
Average Customer Review:
Mass Market Paperback (01 June, 1984)
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Editorial Review

Unless you're a mathematician, the chances of you reading any novels about geometry are probably slender. But if you read only two in your life, these are the ones. Taken together, they form a couple of accessible and charming explanations of geometry and physics for the curious non-mathematician. Flatland, which is also available under separate cover, was published in 1880 and imagines a two-dimensional world inhabited by sentient geometric shapes who think their planar world is all there is. But one Flatlander, a Square, discovers the existence of a third dimension and the limits of his world's assumptions about reality and comes to understand the confusing problem of higher dimensions. The book is also quite a funny satire on society and class distinctions of Victorian England.The further mathematical fantasy, Sphereland, published 60 years later, revisits the world of Flatland in time to explore the mind-bending theories created by Albert Einstein, whose work so completely altered the scientific understanding of space, time, and matter. Among Einstein's many challenges to common sense were the ideas of curved space, an expanding universe and the fact that light does not travel in a straight line. Without use of the mathematical formulae that bar most non-scientists from an understanding of Einstein's theories, Sphereland gives lay readers ways to start comprehending these confusing but fundamental questions of our reality. ... Read more

Reviews (123)

Ok, so we glimpse the 4thD, is this the Spirit World?
I read this book over 20 years ago for extra credit in 10th grade geometry.It has the effect of compressing your mind like a spring, (into 2D) then releasing it.What I got was a different meaning than most.And that is...this could explain "where" Heaven and Hell are.If our 3D existance is a subset of 4D or higher as the book suggests, then it "fits" for an answer to a rather basic question of faith in God.

A sci-fi classic about life in two dimensions
Flatland is a two-dimensional unvierse, inhabited not by people as we know them, but by shapes - triangles, polygons, circles, etc.The narrator, A. Square, introduces the readers to the customs, class distinctions (based on geometric shape), male and female roles, how to tell one another apart, and on general life living in a world of only two dimensions.Square's life is turned upside down when, on the eve of the new millenium, a strange visitor literally drops into his home.This visitor - a Sphere - has chosen Square as his apostle to teach the two-dimensional masses about how more to life there is beyond their flat world view.

At first glance, this comes across as a novel about higher math: geometry, 2- and 3-dimensions, the possiblity of higher cimensions after the third, etc.Author Edwin Abbott examines and illustrates what life would be like living in such flat world, in which everyone resembles a straight line - whether the "person" is a circle, a triangle, or a square - because only one side of them can be seen.On a deeper level, though, Abbott offers a scathing parody of Victorian society.(After all, the book was first published in the late 1880s.)Class distinction based on birth is rampant.The "lower" beings, such as isocoles triangles and irregular shapes, live in shame and are looked down upon by society.They will never attain the good paying jobs or respectability that those shapes with more sides have.Women are seen as merely lines, very dangerous to society, though, so they must be kept uneducated.Their main purpose is to help their male counterparts achieve higher and higher status through breeding.

Quite a remarkable book for its time.

A glimpse into 4D
This is an absolutely fascinating book. It's also a classic, written in 1880, that has definitely stood the test of time. I am mildly interested in math and fascinated by science, and the concept of multiple dimensions (or fewer dimensions) is one of great interest to me. The notion of Pointland, Lineland, Flatland, and above and beyond into 4-D, 5-D, 6-D, and more is, to allow my geek side to show, exciting. The book also has some interesting social statements to make. I can't recommend this book enough to anyone at least mildly interested in math or science. ... Read more

Isbn: 0451522907
Subjects:  1. Fantasy - General    2. Literature - Classics / Criticism    3. Science/Mathematics   

Mathematics: A Human Endeavor, Third Edition
by Harold R Jacobs
Average Customer Review:
Hardcover (15 January, 1994)
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Reviews (4)

Math as science, art and life
What's so truly impressive about Jacobs' book is the way in which hedemonstrates that math is all around.His choice of subjects provides thereader with a broad introduction to the mathematical sciences, includinggeometry, probability, combinatorics, statistics, topology and more.Moreimportantly, his examples and explanations make it relevant andfun.

Jacobs' writing is clear (which cannot be said for many books onmath at any level) and his organization sweeps the reader right along.Though technically a textbook, this is excellent reading for anyone who'sinterested in learning about math.I read it in junior high school, andhave re-read bits and pieces as I progressed through college and graduateschool.His subjects are complex enough to merit rethinking, yet hisexplanations clear enough to be grasped by the first time reader.

Trulyone of the great introductory math texts -- especially for those who thinkthey don't need to know or can't understand math.

This book fosters true love of math.
I'm a 36-year old homeschooling mother who had done calculus in high school and college, and mechanically got some right answers, but never knew why.I hadn't bothered to slow down and notice the beauty and power of thelanguage of mathematics.In his textbook, Mathematics: A Human Endeavor,Harold Jacobs smashed my lack of confidence into a million pieces.Heshowers the student with so much real-life relevance and humor, that even aslight amount of curiosity about the subject bears delicous fruit.Workingthrough this book will convince any human being, of almost any age, that heor she is a born mathematician.

Best Introduction to Mathematics !
I stumbled across this book when I was 17 whilst rummaging in my school library. It was too late for me to use it as my workbook but I enjoyed reading it nevertheless. My sole regret was that had I found it earlier than I might have had success in teaching my fellow students the joys of mathematics. The book is beautifully designed with gorgeous graphics to demonstrate mathematical ideas. There are also wonderful cartoons that people on this side of the Atlantic may never get to see otherwise. This is the book (with its companion "Geometry") that I give all my nephews/nieces on their 10th birthday so that they may not claim that they were deprived of good maths tuition. ... Read more

Isbn: 071672426X
Sales Rank: 60704
Subjects:  1. General    2. Mathematics    3. Popular works    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Mathematics / General   

Algebra, the Easy Way (Algebra the Easy Way, 3rd ed)
by Douglas Downing
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 August, 1996)
list price: $13.95 -- our price: $13.95
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Reviews (22)

Earlier Publication Better - I will not use 2003
I have tutored using earlier publications but do not like this changed version. I am seeking older publications. I do not like the changes made. Ruined the great idea.

A Great Review
I'm 51 and found this book to be an excellent tool for reviving the Algebra I learned many years ago.This book combines a humorous story with plenty of exercises to illustrate the essential points I need to know.

Highly Recommended!

Older Kids Might Like it too!
I must admit to being a much older kid - I'm 46 and have been using this to brush up on Algebra!

I wanted to rebut some of the comments that the fantasy story makes the text applicable only to younger teens. The fantasy narrative format adds a little extra verbiage to the presentation, but helps to set the algebra in a problem-solving context; this de-mystifies the subject considerably, providing a glimpse into the kinds and types of problems for which algebraic techniques provide solutions.

The book covers high school algebra quite completely, IMHO, including most if not all of what would be included in a second- semester algebra class (Algebra-2, it was called when I was in high school).

I'd chime in with other readers who noted the utility of the various exercises at the ends of chapters -- it is true that the problems sometimes demand a short leap beyond material covered in the lessons, but I think most motivated students can master the trickier exercises without serious overstrain.It's also fun to discover a few things on your own -- there is a "method to the madness" adhered to in the exercises that facilitates this quite regularly.

I really can't find any serious flaws with this wonderful, clearly written study guide, and recommend it to anyone who wants a good survey of introductory and intermedeate algebra, with just the right amount of exercise to pound it all home. ... Read more

Isbn: 0812093933
Sales Rank: 409410
Subjects:  1. Algebra    2. Algebra - General    3. Mathematics    4. Science/Mathematics    5. Study Guides   

Barron's Trigonometry the Easy Way (Trigonometry the Easy Way)
by Douglas Downing
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 August, 1990)
list price: $13.95
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Reviews (12)

Don't you dare buy this book!
This is by far the worst workbook I have ever encountered.I would give this piece of crapp "negative infinity stars" just to express my anger, if it were possible.I have spent a month and a half of my summer studying for trig using this book which ended up as a waste of effort and, most importantly, time.The summer is the only time where can I boost my brain and get ahead of everybody, and even sometimes become smarter than the teachers (hee!hee!).
The thing that annoys me the most was the blasted organization of this book.The stupid fairy tale was the entire gist than learning trig.Each chapter was focused on a dilemma faced by the king and his servants, and hardly anything about trig.It took me 3-4 days just to interpreteach chapter due to these: the lack of examples, the lack of practice following the lesson before the new stuffs are taught (I call it "try it"), the tone is for a 8 year old (hey, wow! a 8 year is learning trig), and learning the materials can be a toil since the informations are, rather than stated directly like most workbooks, implied in the story, meaning you will waste time rereading the stupidstory again and again trying to comprehend it.Another thing, you have to understand the story in order to actually learn trig in T.E.W (who said that!).
Mr. Douglas A. Downing has written a pain in the head.Why does he have to teach us trig by the usage of a gay fairy tale.He could have taken an easier turn by just teaching trig directly to us instead of deriving ways to make the story relevant to trig, then we are more into the story (a reason why I didn't purchase Calculus the Easy Way).You have to give him credit for being creative but all his works just turned out to be B.S.Maybe he was on crack.One thing is for certain, I will never purchase anything with the name Douglas A. Downing on it.

Trigonometry the easy way
This book was not that helpful to me.I have had trigonometry before and purchased this book as a refresher.There are very few examples throughout the text, which makes it very difficult to solve the exercises at the end of each chapter.

Story Line is Distracting
The story line is the distracting part of the book. If I wanted to read a fantasy book, I would have bought one. When I want to learn trig, I don't want a book that tries to amuse you with a sideshow, I just want the bare facts laid out in an easy to follow format, which this book does not have. I got bored with dumb story and quit reading the book altogether. ... Read more

Isbn: 0812043898
Sales Rank: 664547
Subjects:  1. Mathematics    2. Study Guides    3. Trigonometry   

Calculus the Easy Way (Calculus the Easy Way)
by Douglas, Phd Downing
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 January, 1996)
list price: $14.95 -- our price: $10.17
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Reviews (13)

Why mix calculus with second grade fairy tales????
Someone at Barron's fell for the concept that inserting a childish fairy tale into a calculus book was a good idea.It's not!Not for students of ANY age.It makes the book horribly painful to wade through, and divides the reader's attention, just when focus is needed most.Maybe if some precocious six-year-old needs a calculus book this will do, but I'm doubtful.Don't buy this or the analogous Barron's trigonometry book which suffers from the same problem. But DO buy the Barron's Statistics The Easy Way, which I gave 5 stars to.It has none of the senseless crud, and except for some typos and errata, is one of the best layman's probability book out there.The Complete Idiot's Guide to Calculus is pretty good, maintaining a relaxed pace but avoiding fluff.

Great introduction to a somewhat daunting subject
After my freshmen year of college, I decided to switch majors from English to Biology.Since my Biology major required that I take two basic Calculus classes, I was a little afraid of what I was getting into.I high school I never considered myself very good at math.I admit that I never tried too hard at the subject; I just did as much work to get by, and didn't really worry about understanding the concepts much.I never even got up to Calculus in high school.I did actually learned quite a lot about mathematics from a college algebra course, but the course was somewhat difficult for me, and it was just algebra!

I pick Calculus the Easy Way up in the summer after my freshmen year in order to get some practice of a subject that I knew nothing about.At first I was suprized that a math book was written in the frame work of a fantasy novel, but eventually the idea grew on me.It was interesting that it was possible to "intergrate" a story into lessons in Calculus.The characters and story lines were fun and the explanations about the fundamentals of Calculus were pretty easy to understand, although I have to admit that it would have helped if they had been more straightforward at times.The problems at the end of the chapters helped me quite a bit, but I did agree with other reviewers who believe there could have been more of them.

Overall, I think that Calculus the easy is a good introduction for those unfamilar with calculus.It may not have all of the topics disscussed in more advanced calculus classes, but it has all of the core material and does provide introductions to differential equations and partial differentiation, so it does cover a broad range.Of course, it is just a learning aid because there is no substitute for an actual textbook and high school or college course.Plus, tt only costs about 10% of what a text book would, so I believe that it is well worth the money.The book certainly helped me.When I actually took Calculus, I had already preview almost all of the course topics, and I did really well (I got an A+)!

doesn't feel patronizing to me
This book isn't really for people who hate math.Nor is it for people who are already advanced and have a 'math brain' -- such people probably will find it rather patronizing, as they have no need for this book.It's for people who are definitely interested in math and would like to learn it, but need to learn it in an interesting and interactive way.While you read, you feel like you're figuring things out with the characters in the book.You aren't just told what the answers are -- you are developing the answers and understanding what they mean much more than you would from some old textbook. ... Read more

Isbn: 0812091418
Sales Rank: 43490
Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Education    3. General    4. Study Guides   

Calculus by and for Young People (Ages 7, Yes 7 and Up)
by Donald Cohen
Average Customer Review:
Spiral-bound (01 March, 1989)
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Reviews (2)

Calculus isn't beyond the reach of the average kid!
This is an outstanding book because it takes the mumbo-jumbo out of traditionally taught calculus and makes the ideas accessible to ANYONE, not just to math whizzes.The technical vocabulary and symbolic notation can always be learned later.This book introduces the important ideas of calculus with simple, natural language and, most helpful of all, illuminating graphics, so the beauty (yes, beauty) and fun of calculus comes through.I would recommend this book to anyone who is teaching children, and also to math phobics.(I am the former, and was the latter for many years.)This book is FUN, and it makes calculus FUN!

This book is too small for the price
Before you buy this book be aware that it measures [approximately] less than 3x5". However, Donald Cohen has some great ideas. It is true that you can easily introduce younger students to the type of thinking that will be necessaryin precalculus and up. I think it is worth it to get the workbook, whichcovers most of the material presented in this book. But don't buy both. ... Read more

Isbn: 096216741X
Sales Rank: 31308
Subjects:  1. Calculus    2. Mathematics    3. Science/Mathematics   

"Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!": Adventures of a Curious Character
by Richard P. Feynman, Ralph Leighton, Edward Hutchings
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (01 April, 1997)
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Editorial Review

A series of anecdotes shouldn't by rights add up to anautobiography, but that's just one of the many pieces of receivedwisdom that Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman (1918-88)cheerfully ignores in his engagingly eccentric book, a bestsellerever since its initial publication in 1985. Fiercely independent (readthe chapter entitled "Judging Books by Their Covers"), intolerant ofstupidity even when it comes packaged as high intellectualism (checkout "Is Electricity Fire?"), unafraid to offend (see "You JustAsk Them?"), Feynman informs by entertaining. It's possible toenjoy Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman simply as a bunch ofhilarious yarns with the smart-alecky author as know-it-all hero. Atsome point, however, attentive readers realize that underneath all themerriment simmers a running commentary on what constitutes authenticknowledge: learning by understanding, not by rote; refusal to give upon seemingly insoluble problems; and total disrespect for fancy ideasthat have no grounding in the real world. Feynman himself had allthese qualities in spades, and they come through with vigor and vervein his no-bull prose. No wonder his students--and readers around theworld--adored him. --Wendy Smith ... Read more

Reviews (176)

Finally a book that really is smart and funny
This book is a keeper.So many times I look at the cover of a book and it says - Smart and Funny.This book is all that and more.It makes me smile over and over again.It's a great companion to the Feynman Lectures as he describes his time in Princeton and working with Oppenheimer amongst others.It has amazingly small and amusing details on Feynman's world.

Entertaining
This book is definitly a fun read.As one progresses through the book there is this feeling that you are sitting with an older Mr. Feynman who is just telling you about adventures of his life a story at a time.Very enjoyable, but just be warned that this is not a biography in a sense that his life is talked about from birth to death, it is simply a collection of terrific anecdotes, but its worth the read.

Give me a break.The book reeks of phoniness.
While the title seems to imply that the author was such a "free spirit" that he couldn't be shackled by others' limited capacity for life, what comes through between the lines at every turn is man who in fact was quite vane and wanted others to worship him.

Now, as a professional physicist myself, I am fully aware of Feynman's contribution to physics. That's where he's outstanding and deserves respect. Outside of the realm of his craft, it's quite another story. In truth, the opinions and actions depicted in the book can best be described as smart-alecky and perhaps juvenile, not anything of depth. Nonetheless, over the years an industry of Feynman groupies (many of them physicists, of course) has formed. This book will be primarily of interest to these uncritical Feynman fans. If you think for yourself, on the other hand, I believe you will find the book disingenuous. ... Read more

Isbn: 0393316041
Subjects:  1. Anecdotes    2. Biography    3. Biography & Autobiography    4. Biography / Autobiography    5. Biography/Autobiography    6. Physicists    7. Physics (General)    8. Science    9. Scientists    10. Scientists - General    11. United States    12. Mathematics and Science    13. PHYSICS   

The Cartoon Guide to Statistics
by Larry Gonick, Woollcott Smith
Average Customer Review:
Paperback (25 February, 1994)
list price: $16.95 -- our price: $11.53
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Reviews (35)

Good Primer
As many other have noted, this is a good primer on a wide variety of statistical tools presented in a unique format.It should help any student of statistics, mathematically challenged working professionals, or non-fiction skeptics get a good overview and understanding of some difficult statistical concepts.Example data sets are small so as not to confuse with overwhelming amounts of data.A one star hit from me for a couple of reasons.1. I did have a little trouble with meaning on occasion as grammatical errors do force one to pause here and there to try and figure out what the author is trying to say.A missing comma makes a huge difference in meaning.2. The book is in desperate need of an update (copyright is 1993).Most examples are calculated in long form.Fine for understanding the mechanics and the author does make one or two references to Minitab; however, the book needs a bit of a makeover with more frequent reference to very commonly available statistical software packages.Minitab is powerful but expensive.Most people have Excel which can be easily utilized for most basic to intermediate statistical needs.

That said, the author does keep it interesting with factoids peppered throughout.The main concepts are highlighted well with good examples.The end of the book provides short descriptions of lesser used but still very important concepts.Chapter ten on "Experimental Design" is really more of a tease then anything else.Fair enough because "Design of Experiments" (DOE) would have been tough to fully explore in this format anyway.Overall this book is well done and provides clear explanation of what many might consider difficult to understand concepts found in a traditional statistics textbook.

Great.
I took statistics in college. As soon as I was finished with the course I forgot everything about it as quickly as I could, figuring that I would never need that knowledge again.Well I was wrong.

This book is great.

First its the opposite of wordy. Most math books are far too wordy.

Second the concepts are presented in a clear manner with simple examples.

Third the cartoons are funny but don't detract from the learning.

I wish I had this book the first time I took statistics in college.Very nice as a refresher or to help students learn statistics the first time.

Bottom line if more math books looked like this people probably would not be so afraid of math. Many math textbooks are wordy and do not explain things well, and often go off on a rant on particular concept that the student misses the big picture of what they are tying to study. Well worth the money.

A Good Introduction
This book is a good introductory level look at Statistics.The authors cover what the subject of Statistics is, the history of Statistics, some of the theories and terms, and also shows some applications of the subject.

The weakness of the book is that there are a lot of formulas given and not enough discussion of how those formulas are derived, so one would need to use other statistics texts to supplement the material.Thus this book cannot stand alone.On the other hand, if one is just trying to get an overview of the subject, then there is a lot to skip over.The authors do make a humorous presentation of the material, so those that are looking for an overview may find this a more enjoyable introduction to the subject.

There is also a lot to do with Statistics that the book does not mention.It does cover probabilities, but when it comes to distributions it focuses only on Standard Normal distributions.I don't believe it ever mentions Uniform, Poisson, or other types of distributions which most Statistics courses cover.

The best part of the book is the examples, some of which are carried through for several chapters to help the reader better understand the subject. Although, even with the examples they are a bit inconsistent in their presentation.For example, in one case they started to discuss the use of statistics to compare the salaries of male and female employees in the same job, but they never complete the discussion.The examples of racial bias in jury selection, and the gas mileage comparison of two different types of gas are much more complete.

This is a decent book, but not up to the level of Gonick's excellent "Cartoon History of the Universe" series, and not strong enough to give it more than three stars. ... Read more

Isbn: 0062731025
Sales Rank: 1930
Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business / Economics / Finance    3. Business/Economics    4. Caricatures and cartoons    5. General    6. Mathematical Statistics    7. Probability & Statistics - General    8. Statistics