The Story of Mathematics
Tags
Summary
Editor's review
Who it's for
A good fit for
- Humanities enthusiasts interested in the history of mathematics and the development of scientific civilization
- Readers hoping to shed stereotypes about mathematics and rediscover its cultural charm
- Thinkers seeking an interdisciplinary perspective on the links between mathematics, philosophy, and art
- Teachers and parents who want to spark an interest in mathematics in children or students
Not a good fit for
- Test-takers in urgent need of exam preparation or a quick problem-solving manual
- Readers expecting in-depth discussion of specialized theory in a particular frontier branch of mathematics
Reading tips
- There is no need to read in chapter order; you can start with a historical period or figure that interests you
- As you read, try to find simple corresponding examples in life or nature for the concepts in the book to deepen your understanding
- After each major historical stage, pause for a moment to consider how the evolution of mathematical ideas reflects shifts in human ways of thinking
About the publisher
Hainan Publishing House is a comprehensive publisher known for literary and intellectual works, covering foreign literature, philosophy, classics, world-famous works, classical poetry and prose miscellanies. Its catalog includes foreign literary classics such as Leo Tolstoy's Anna Karenina and Romain Rolland's Jean-Christophe, philosophical works such as Jean-Jacques Rousseau's The Social Contract: Expert Companion Edition, and Chinese classics and poetic studies such as Lu Xun's essays and prose collections and Wang Guowei's Renjian Cihua, as well as illustrated popular-science works like Fabre's Insects. The involvement of translators such as Zhong Shufeng, Fu Lei and Chen Xiaoqing reflects the publisher's emphasis on translation quality and expert guidance. Public information is limited, and the above is based mainly on the books in the catalog.
Contents
- 版权信息
- 编者序 数学——上帝写给人类的世界说明书
- 序一 没有公式的数学书
- 序二 美妙的数学世界
- 前言 一种新的审美观
- 第一章 数学元年
- 第二章 天空守望者
- 第三章 毕达哥拉斯定理（勾股定理）
- 第四章 几何原本
- 第五章 算经
- 第六章 数学经典
- 第七章 智慧宫
- 第八章 文科七艺
- 第九章 文艺复兴
- 第十章 数学的大众化
- 第十一章 代数与几何的联姻
- 第十二章 循规蹈矩的宇宙
- 第十三章 运动中的数学
- 第十四章 海洋和星星
- 第十五章 五次方程
- 第十六章 新几何学
- 第十七章 代数语言
- 第十八章 场
- 第十九章 追踪无穷
- 第二十章 骰子与基因
- 第二十一章 战争博弈
- 第二十二章 数学与现代艺术
- 第二十三章 计算机代码
- 第二十四章 混沌与复杂性
- 译者后记
- 名校教师教研员阅读感言
FAQ
Does this book require a strong mathematical background to understand?
What distinguishes this book from other books on the history of mathematics?
Which eras does the book cover?
Comments
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About the author
Richard Mankiewicz is an author known for his writing on popular science. Publicly available information about him, including his nationality, dates of birth and death, and full educational background, remains quite limited and awaits further verification. Among the works held in this collection, his representative title is The Story of Mathematics, which is classified as popular science and is the work through which Chinese readers are most likely to know him. In terms of subject matter, the book traces the history of mathematics, placing abstract concepts, key figures, and important discoveries within their specific historical contexts rather than listing formulas and theorems. This approach emphasizes readability and narrative, aiming to help general readers without specialized mathematical training understand how mathematical ideas developed and appreciate the place of the discipline in human civilization. Given the limited material available, no speculation is made about his other works or biographical details; from the existing work alone, one can see a popular-oriented style that combines knowledge with readability.
Feng Su is an author about whom little public information is available; at present, only one work by this name is known, The Story of Mathematics. Judging from the existing information, the book falls under popular science, suggesting that Feng Su writes for general readers and takes the history and ideas of mathematics as the main thread, placing abstract mathematical concepts within an accessible narrative. Works of this kind usually require an author who is both familiar with mathematical content and able to organize the material in plain language, so that non-specialist readers can follow along. Because only this one work is held in the collection, nothing can be confirmed about Feng Su's life, educational background, or the full range of writing, nor whether the author has other publications or has long been engaged in science writing. On the basis of what is currently known, the name Feng Su is associated with The Story of Mathematics, and the work itself may serve as an entry point for understanding the author's approach to writing; readers should rely on the actual content of the book and should not over-infer details of the author's personal life.
Shen Yidan is an author about whom little public information is available; the main work currently traceable to this name is The Story of Mathematics. Judging from the title and its common classification, the book belongs to popular science writing and is intended for general readers interested in mathematics, attempting to present the development and basic ideas of mathematics in narrative form. Writing of this kind usually has to balance professional accuracy with readability, turning abstract concepts into threads that readers can follow, and The Story of Mathematics reflects this approach. Because no reliable records of the author's nationality, life, education, or writing career have been found, it is not possible to say more about his or her identity or creative history. On the available evidence, Shen Yidan's profile as a writer is represented chiefly by this one work, whose value lies in lowering the threshold for reading about mathematics through storytelling and helping readers understand the history and interest behind mathematical knowledge, making it suitable as introductory popular science reading.
Wang Jihua: currently, public information is limited, and details of the author's life, such as nationality, birth and death dates, and educational background, are not clearly recorded. Based on the holdings in the library, Wang Jihua's work focuses on the field of popular science, with the representative work The Story of Mathematics, which is classified under popular science. In terms of subject matter, this kind of writing is usually aimed at general readers, taking the development of mathematics, important figures, and key ideas as its main thread, and striving to turn abstract mathematical concepts into highly readable narratives. It can therefore be inferred that Wang Jihua's writing style tends to balance informative content with readability, emphasizing a story-driven presentation of scientific material to help readers understand the origins and development of mathematics through accessible reading. Although only one work is currently known, the choice of topic shows an interest in communicating basic science, making it suitable for readers interested in the history of mathematics and popular science books.
