Book Description
Hailed by Choice as "a fascinating story," this profile of Cervantes will captivate both scholarly and lay readers. It traces the stranger-than-fiction adventures of the "Spanish Shakespeare" — as a spy, soldier, hostage, tax collector, poet, playwright, and creator of Don Quixote — incorporating original research and previously unpublished material.
Customer Reviews:
The Best Bio of Cervantes I've read........2004-02-02
I really find this an astonishing biography. The best of Cervantes I've read. I'm only halfway through it now but I know two things for sure: every last scintilla of telling information about Cervantes is up-to-date and included, and, that Prof. McCrory has a superb ability to find those larger patterns in a life and give them emotional and psychological meaning. There are moments when you look up and marvel at the tons of documents that must've been sifted to produce the simplest facts. Just to give one example among many, I understand for the first time what living in Esquivias meant to Cervantes, what it must've been like for him, and especially interesting, what it meant to be married to him. Prof. McCrory gives us an uncanny sense of what Catalina`s life was like, her financial and social situation, the impact her mother had on the marriage - and all this in a few quick lines. One never bogs down in this book with all that background information about Philip II or the Armada or the state of banditry along this road or that, as is common in other bios of Cervantes. We always know just enough to place things in context and see the influences acting on poor Miguel. I get, for the first time, a sense of his thought processes, the decisions he had to make, his real options, what the world looked like to him. This is (as much as possible) an intellectual biography as well. Superb work.
CERVANTES-THE GENIUS OF ALL WRITERS!.......2003-12-29
I HAVE BEEN A CERVANTES SCHOLAR ALL OF MY LIFE AND HAVE READ ALMOST ALL THE BIOGRAPHIES OF THE WORLD'S GREATEST WRITER.THIS BOOK DOES JUSTICE TO HIS LIFE!THE DETAILS OF EVERY ASPECT OF CERVANTES'LIFE ARE ALL HERE.I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THIS BOOK TO ALL WHO LOVE DON QUIJOTE AND THE GREAT MIGUEL DE CERVANTES SAAVEDRA!!!!!!!
Average customer rating:
|
No Ordinary Man: The Life and Times of Miguel De Cervantes
Donald P. McCrory
Manufacturer: Peter Owen Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 Authors
| Arts & Literature
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Classics
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0720612470 |
Book Description
What do the music of J. S. Bach, the basic forces of nature, Rubik's Cube, and the selection of mates have in common? They are all characterized by certain symmetries. Symmetry is the concept that bridges the gap between science and art, between the world of theoretical physics and the everyday world we see around us. Yet the "language" of symmetry--group theory in mathematics--emerged from a most unlikely source: an equation that couldn't be solved.
Over the millennia, mathematicians solved progressively more difficult algebraic equations until they came to what is known as the quintic equation. For several centuries it resisted solution, until two mathematical prodigies independently discovered that it could not be solved by the usual methods, thereby opening the door to group theory. These young geniuses, a Norwegian named Niels Henrik Abel and a Frenchman named Evariste Galois, both died tragically. Galois, in fact, spent the night before his fatal duel (at the age of twenty) scribbling another brief summary of his proof, at one point writing in the margin of his notebook "I have no time."
The story of the equation that couldn't be solved is a story of brilliant mathematicians and a fascinating account of how mathematics illuminates a wide variety of disciplines. In this lively, engaging book, Mario Livio shows in an easily accessible way how group theory explains the symmetry and order of both the natural and the human-made worlds.
Download Description
"What do the music of J. S. Bach, the basic forces of nature, Rubik's Cube, and the selection of mates have in common? They are all characterized by certain symmetries. Symmetry is the concept that bridges the gap between science and art, between the world of theoretical physics and the everyday world we see around us. Yet the ""language"" of symmetry--group theory in mathematics--emerged from a most unlikely source: an equation that couldn't be solved. Over the millennia, mathematicians solved progressively more difficult algebraic equations until they came to what is known as the quintic equation. For several centuries it resisted solution, until two mathematical prodigies independently discovered that it could not be solved by the usual methods, thereby opening the door to group theory. These young geniuses, a Norwegian named Niels Henrik Abel and a Frenchman named Evariste Galois, both died tragically. Galois, in fact, spent the night before his fatal duel (at the age of twenty) scribbling another brief summary of his proof, at one point writing in the margin of his notebook ""I have no time."" The story of the equation that couldn't be solved is a story of brilliant mathematicians and a fascinating account of how mathematics illuminates a wide variety of disciplines. In this lively, engaging book, Mario Livio shows in an easily accessible way how group theory explains the symmetry and order of both the natural and the human-made worlds. "
Customer Reviews:
A Fine book with a few permutations.......2007-09-08
If you are not a mathematician (and I am not), but have an interest in the subject, and a working knowledge of some elementary ideas, this is a terrific book. It has the easiest explanation of symmetry/Galois groups, etc., of any of the books I have tried on the topic -- oh sure, it rambles (as the severe critics here say) -- but try and find some other book on the subject that doesn't immediately drop you far beyond your depth. Livio has a knack for very, very clear explanations and great metaphors (permutations and probability are discussed in terms of finding a mate). I recommend it highly, especially if you can get it with one of Ian Stewart's books on the same topic.
"Don't cry, I need all my courage to die at twenty."...Galois.......2007-02-09
When I came across this book,I thumbed through it and the figures that jumped out at me were a collection of things,mainly about mathematics,puzzles and other things that interest me. I graduated in Electrical Engineering nearly 50 years ago,and have had a lifelong interest in Mathematical Recreations and Puzzles of all sorts. Granted most of the Mathematics I studied has long since left me mainly because of lack of use.However,the lore,beauty,mystery and fascination of Mathematics has remained. A lot of the Mathematics discussed in this book falls into what I think of as Theoretical rather than Applied Mathematics;and then there's that whole area of Recreational Mathematics.
I have read all the other reviews here,and basically agree with all of them.Taken together they do a good job of telling what the book is about and the Mathematicians who searched for those elusive solutions.In fact,there is so much that could be covered that it would take many volumes to even only scratch the surface.
I don't know if I really "know" much more about Group Theory and Symmetry than when I started ,but I still found it a fascinating read. Kind of like a 5-day tour of Europe-Been there,done that,but do I "know" Europe?
Like I said,other reviews have pretty well covered the book;so I won't repeat.
However; I would like to point out a couple of things.
In chapter 6,the 15-Puzzle is discussed. This is one of the all time greatest puzzles.It has interested me for years. If you would like to know more about it,I strongly recommend you read "The 15 Puzzle" by Jerry Slocum and Dic Sonnefeld.After you see this book ,you'll probably agree it is one of the world's most interestting puzzles;and what a history and legend it has. I posted a review of it here on Amazon on June 6,2006.
If you haven't noticed ,the information on this book has a section "Inside the Book" and in this section under "text stats" ,it shows this book has a Fog Index of 16.2. A search on the net will show how it is calculated. It takes a sample of text,and by looking at the lengths of sentences,number of multiple syllable words,paragraphs,and so forth comes up with a number that shows how difficult it is to comprehend. 16.2 is a fairly high level; and that combined with the theoretical math concepts;there is lttle wonder tht many would find this a fairly difficult book to read.Of course,I'm referring to the Mathematical concepts as opposed to the Biographical information.
The author must have done a tremendous amount of research in writing this book, and in the extensive Notes and References he provides a huge amount of information for the reader who wishes to pursue anything further
A lively read for a wide audience.......2007-01-07
Symmetry is the topic of Mario Livio's THE EQUATION THAT COULDN'T BE SOLVED: HOW MATHEMATICAL GENIUS DISCOVERED THE LANGUAGE OF SYMMETRY, and will make an involving read for those involved in either science or art. Mathematicians solved algebraic equations until they came to a stop with the quintic equation, which resisted solution until two mathematical geniuses independently discovered it couldn't be solved using the usual methods. This account of 'group theory' explains both the concept of symmetry and the evolution of its foundations, and makes for a lively read for a wide audience from physicists and science majors to students involved in the arts.
Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
very accessible introduction to group theory and it's history.......2006-09-05
The equation that couldn't be solved is about the history of group theory. The stories of two of it's early contributors Abel and Galois is told in detail. In addition the author provides an accessible overview of group theory. The specific equation that couldn't be solved is the quintic, which cannot be factored in general. That means that while there are specific examples of polynomials with a factor of x raised to 5 or greater that can be factored there is no general formula like the quadratic eqauation that can factor all quintic or higher polynomials. Although originally used to study factoring, group theory has evolved to be about many other things including the mathematical concept of symmetry. Symmetry arises in many parts of mathematics and science so it is very imporant. I came away from this book with a knowledge of the history of group theory and a smattering of knowledge about group theory and it's applications. I highly recommend this book to those people, like me, who are interested in mathematics and would like to peek under the surface to see what it is all about.
Sinusoidal.......2006-08-03
As I was reading this book, my interest level ebbed and flowed; it was like that all the way to the end. For the most part, the book held my attention, but often I got the feeling that the author was straying from the symmetry theme a bit too much. So this is very much a book of peaks and valleys (hence the title of my review).
The most fascinating parts of the book for me are certainly the masterfully-written biographies of Abel and Galois, and the author's discussion of the cubic equation and its gradual solution by dal Ferro, Fiore, Tartaglia, and Cardano. The author is totally smitten by the figure of Galois; he is described in wonderful detail, warts and all: the young hot-tempered revolutionary romantic who let politics consume him, largely as a result of the terrible misfortunes he endured in his personal and academic life, the tragic duel that resulted in his death from peritonitis, and the inexhaustible legacy of group theory which he bequeathed to the world.
The discussion about groups is first-rate. Permutation groups are rightly emphasized. I regret that he does not dwell on group theory more. But for the author to include a detailed description of normal subgroups is a mark of his willingness not to underestimate his readers. There is also a clear and concise discussion of the quantum world, relativity, and even string theory. But on the downside, there is the author's tendency to write in a sort of blithe, whimsical, off-hand manner that can grate on the nerves after awhile.
I was struck on occasion by fascinating statements that had never occurred to me before, such as: "All the electrons in the universe are precisely identical in terms of their intrinsic properties; there is no way to distinguish one from the other." And: "The chief reason we can interpret relatively easily observations of galaxies ten billion light years away is that we find that hydrogen atoms there obey precisely the same quantum mechanical laws they obey on Earth." And: "Female orgasm seems to be less about bonding with a great person than about a cold Stone Age evaluation of the mate's genetic endowment." This last revelation may have far-reaching effects, in the amount of mail which our esteemed author has received from female readers!
In summary, this is a very wide-ranging book, perhaps a little too wide-ranging, and not quite as polished and elegantly written as I would have liked. But it is still a fascinating exploration of group theory and its applications for anyone with a curious and open mind.
Average customer rating:
- An excellent and enjoyable account...
|
Evariste Galois (1811-1832) (Vita Mathematica)
Laura Toti Rigatelli
Manufacturer: Birkhäuser Basel
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Scientists
| Professionals & Academics
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Algebra
| Pure Mathematics
| Mathematics
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
| Abstract
| Elementary
| General
| Intermediate
| Linear
General
| Mathematics
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
History of Technology
| Technology
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| France
| Europe
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Mathematics
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
| Applied
| Chaos & Systems
| Geometry & Topology
| Mathematical Analysis
| Mathematical Physics
| Number Systems
| Pure Mathematics
| Transformations
| Trigonometry
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Biographies & Memoirs
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
History
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Biographies & Memoirs
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Science
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
ASIN: 3764354100 |
Book Description
Evariste Galois' short life was lived against the turbulent background of the restoration of the Bourbons to the throne of France, the 1830 revolution in Paris and the accession of Louis-Phillipe. This new and scrupulously researched biography of the founder of modern algebra sheds much light on a life led with great intensity and a death met tragically under dark circumstances. Sorting speculation from documented fact, it offers the fullest and most exacting account ever written of Galois' life and work. It took more than seventy years to fully understand the French mathematician's first mémoire (published in 1846) which formulated the famous "Galois theory" concerning the solvability of algebraic equations by radicals, from which group theory would follow. Obscurities in his other writings - mémoires and numerous fragments of extant papers - persist and his ideas challenge mathematicians to this day. Thus scholars will welcome those chapters devoted specifically to explicating all aspects of Galois' work. A comprehensive bibliography enumerates studies by and also those about the mathematician.
Customer Reviews:
An excellent and enjoyable account..........2000-06-12
of one of the strangest chapters in the history of mathematics. For those who know of Galois' life only from E.T.Bell's telling this work will hold surprises and serve to part his overly romantic fog with the clear light of solid scholarship.
Average customer rating:
- Galois, the man --
- Unsympathetic protagonist, but a well-done novel
- Genius distracted
- Beautifully Written Novel of a Grand and Tragic Life
- A wonderfully written novel, you don't have to like math!
|
The French Mathematician: A Novel
Tom Petsinis
Manufacturer: Berkley Trade
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Contemporary
| General
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Historical
| Genre Fiction
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0425172910
Release Date: 2000-04-10 |
Amazon.com
The French Mathematician is a fictional memoir of Evariste Galois, the mathematical genius who made innovations in algebra before his untimely death in 1832. Galois narrates the book, describing how he sought solace in "the order and certainty of geometry" during the social and political upheaval in France at the time. The book chronicles his adolescence, his growth as a mathematician, his political awakening, and his death in a duel. Tom Petsinis teaches math at a university in Australia, and this is the first of his books to be published in the United States. The bare outline of Petsinis's book is interesting, but unfortunately The French Mathematician is somewhat overburdened with flowery language and hallucinatory dream sequences. When Galois works hard on a math problem, he tends to fall into a reverie, like this: "My heart was now beating faster than usual. No longer Evariste Galois, I am impersonal, at one with the eternal mind responsible for mathematics, impelled forward to discover the mystery at the center of the labyrinth. But just as the solution is within reach, I am distracted by the scent of chamomile." A scantily clad temptress interrupts the young genius's reverie during this hallucination and several others. Even though Galois struggles to separate himself from the distractions of the material world, a love affair ultimately brings on his demise. Evariste Galois was probably a fascinating, difficult person, but the budding mathematician Petsinis describes in this book is not a very likable or interesting character--he's a sort of humorless and bitter teen. --Jill Marquis
Book Description
While growing up in revolutionary France, Evariste Galois immersed himself in the study of mathematics, a pursuit that allowed him a welcome glimpse of order at a time when chaos consumed his country. Arrogant, ambitious, and brilliant, Galois dreamed of solving the quintic, a complex equation that had baffled many talented mathematicians before him--but after his father's mysterious death, he devoted himself to Republican politics with the same fervent energy he had applied to his mathematical studies. Rich in historical detail and bursting with intellectual passion, this captivating novel describes a genius's valiant quest for truth--in a turbulent and uncertain era that in many ways mirrors the one in which we live today.
"An engaging historical novel."-- Kirkus Reviews
"In this remarkable novel, Petsinis resurrects a young, overemotional, impetuous, and headstrong genius whose personal failures read like a Hugo novel but whose voice resonates more clearly now with the passage of time."-- Booklist
"Draws a vivid picture of post-Napoleon France....Petsinis makes mathematical passion accessible...a fine account of revolutionary France and a look into a mind that made great discoveries."-- The Stranger (Seattle, WA)
Customer Reviews:
Galois, the man --.......2005-03-02
-- but almost nothing of Galois the mathematician.
Galois founded a branch of math that still bears his name, the study of Galois fields. They're in use everywhere today, from the nearest cell phone or DVD to the most distant interplanetary probe. But the book barely mentions his mathematical achievements and certainly doesn't describe them, so let's move along.
Galois himself has all the makings of a great romantic figure. It's a matter of historical fact that was mathematical prodigy, with important work published during his short life. It's also true that he died in a duel at age 21, after spending his final night organizing his mathematical notes for posterity. That, plus simply living through a time of intense political upheaval, let alone being involved in it, makes him a character quite able to capture the imagination. Petsinis' imagination has been quite completely captivated.
If anything, there may be a bit too much imagination in this rendering of Galois' life. It's told in the first person, from Galois' own point of view, for which historical justification is thin at best. With so little fact at hand, Petsinis has created a wildly emotional character. In this presentation, Galois seemed quite incapable of moderation in any feeling, driven continually between white-hot intensity and blackest depression. Every page seemed to sizzle with overheated passion for math, for his politics, for his family, or for what he had for breakfast - I was tempted to set an ice pack on the book more than once.
Given all that was obviously fabricated in the cause of a good story, I'm not sure how much to trust any of the other facts that might have historical reality. How much was his mathematical career actually affected by perceptions of his politics? The paranoid view here suggests that the mathematical establishment conspired to create a wall of silence around the firebrand's work during his lifetime. On the whole, inertia and absent-mindedness look like equally good explanations.
I find this a fair (if wildly expressive) novel, a questionable biography, and a disappointing tribute to the mathematician and his mathematical achievements. It is very tempting to romanticize Galois the man, and Petsinis has fallen completely for that temptation.
//wiredweird
Unsympathetic protagonist, but a well-done novel.......2004-08-15
This fictionalized account of mathematician Evariste Galois's life ushers us directly and intimately into the mind of one whose discoveries continue to influence present-day nuclear physics and genetic engineering.
Having had his early education at home under the tutelage of his literary-minded mother, fifteen-year-old Evariste Galois is sent to Paris to complete his education. A sensitive, arrogant genius, he detests the school, the teachers, and all the other students. Then he is exposed to mathematics for the first time and knows he has found that thing that so few of us ever do: his calling. To Evariste, mathematics is its own reward, a refuge of logic in a chaotic world. It is the key to unlock the secrets of the universe. It is a new and superior religion. He vows he will be the first to solve the quintic, a complex equation that has confounded many great minds.
There are obstacles in his path to this goal. First, he must struggle to suppress his own emerging sexuality. Then, there are the schoolmates who continually goad and harass him to join their Republican groups. Less easily ignored are the grievous social inequities and turmoil surrounding him. When his father dies, an alleged suicide, Evariste at last begins to question his singular devotion to mathematics.
Evariste tells his own story, addressing himself to an imaginary biographer who shadows him throughout the book, experiencing events as he does, all in present tense. While this type of narration can be off-putting, Petsinis utilizes it respectably and often with great drama. He adeptly conveys to the reader information that the self-absorbed and oblivious protagonist himself misses. Petsinis's prose is rich with original and evocative metaphors and similes, and his flair for verb choice gives the story a distinctively realistic feel.
Egotistical and insolent, Evariste is difficult to like at the outset. Yet the reader soon glimpses the fragile and idealistic heart of an insecure young man possessed of remarkable mental gifts. As the story unfolds, the reader comes to understand the noble soul of Evariste Galois -- his consuming desire to give his life to a meaningful cause and to attain immortality through his work.
Genius distracted.......2002-01-20
There are many types of genius - obscure genius like that of the mathematician Ramanujan which defies analysis, persistent genius like JS Bach who produced an endless stream of inspired work through his long life, blocked genius like that of Einstein who produced a work of unquestionable genius but then - despite his qualities of innovation and analysis - was unable to progress with his next major theory through a significant period of his life (of course, no-one else has yet managed to achieve what he attempted). And the absent-minded professor is such an archetype. But Galois - the subject of this novel - shows himself to be the distracted genius. What could he have achieved if he had been supported properly by his peers - mentored as Ramanujan was? What might he have achieved if he had lived in a more stable political environment?
I enjoyed this novel although at times I thought it was a little long for the story it was telling. And Galois was depicted as such an unattractive self-assured but doubting person. I particularly didn't like his attitude towards people - especially women - as portrayed in the novel, anyway. It seemed that the negative in human behaviour had such a powerful influence that the positive - and surely he must have encountered some - was swept aside. But that would lead to, say, never eating an orange because one day one came across a bad one.
But I do have a philosophical objection to what this novel is - or isn't. Although I was attracted to the idea of dramatising the life of a mathematician because I believe it is imperative that we overcome the cultural acceptance of an inability to do mathematics - even a pride in not being asble to do mathematics - that seems to be all around me. And one step in this direction is to put people back into the subject. Who were Cauchy and Poisson whose names are attached to theorems and processes - and all the others so named. Cauchy and Poisson I mention because they are minor characters in 'The French Mathematician', and I hope Mr Petsinis has not done them an injustice with the bad press he has given them.
In 2000 I attended a seminar in Orlando, Florida. My wife and I took our two young boys (aged 4 and 6) with us so that they could experience some of the States, including, of course, Disneyland and Universal Studios. But later, when we reached NASA, we had to try and assure tham that this was real - not just another theme park. And then NASA undid the good work by showing a 3D movie of life in a space station - in the next century. Reality was confused with make believe again. What does this have to do with 'The French Mathemtician'? Well, it seems to me that the historic novel as this is - it is not history, a biography - is rather like a theme park. It does have elements of the real but these are so buried in the author's imagining that it becomes difficult to determine what is reality, how close the imagining comes to the way things really were. I enjoyed reading Mr Petsinis' realisation of the life of Galois and I hope I have a proper perspective on the man's life, and the times he lived in, but I do have doubts.
One word of advice for people who might read this novel hoping to also get some insights into Evariste Galois's mathematics - there is no mathematics in this novel.
Beautifully Written Novel of a Grand and Tragic Life.......2002-01-05
I have been interested in the life of Evariste Galois for some years now so I was delighted to find this book. Galois was a brilliant French mathematician, who may or may not have suffered from some form of epilepsy or depression and who, sadly, was killed under mysterious circumstances at the young age of twenty.
Galois' life is cloaked in mystery. We do know that he dreamed of solving the quintic, a complex mathematical equation that had eluded all the best minds of his time. He was the first person to formulate the concept of a finite group theory and then to apply this theory to solve one of the major mathematical problems of his era.
Although Galois seemed to live for pure mathematics and pure mathematics alone, he mysteriously gave up his feverish study to devote most of his time to the revolution that took place in France in 1830. Why Galois, who seemingly had little interest in politics, would brandish a knife and threaten the king, in front of Alexandre Dumas, no less, forms the basis for much of this book.
In this book, we learn of a most important letter Galois wrote on the night of May 29, 1832 to his friend, Auguste Chevalier. What we don't learn about, and what has been lost to history, are Galois' other manuscripts and, most interestingly, his brief love affair with Stéphanie du Motel. We also know that Galois fully expected to die when he did, but what we don't know is why he died or why, precisely, he expected his death to come about exactly as it did.
You certainly don't have to be a mathematician to love this book. You really don't even need much of an interest in math. Galois is such a compelling character that he makes a wonderful character study no matter what he was interested in. This book, aimed at the general reader, does not dwell unnecessarily on mathematical concepts and even when it does, it does so in such a way that it only adds beauty to the narrative and depth to the character of Galois.
Petsinis seems much more interested in capturing the psychological essence of Galois than in cataloging his mathematical and political conquests and, in my opinion, he succeeds wonderfully. This is a beautiful book and one that is a joy to read. Petsinis worked a seeming miracle in weaving the actual events in the life of Galois into his fictional narrative. We are left with nothing but the belief that Petsinis' Galois is the real Galois; that these were his thoughts and his feelings and his reasons for being.
Galois struggled with his emotions for most of his twenty years and Petsinis lets us feel this struggle. For example, Galois, even though being mesmerized by the enchanting du Motel, had an intrinsic aversion to both sex and romance. He was a genius par excellence, yet he was a dreamer as well, and sometimes this dreaminess would cause him to slip from the factual world of the mathematics he loved into a horrific fantasy world of which he wanted no part.
The life of Evariste Galois makes for a very difficult character study, but Petsinis has done a marvelous job. The French Mathematician is one of the most gorgeous books I have ever read and it makes one of the world's true geniuses so much more accessible. Evariste Galois led a grand but tragic life and Petsinis captures it in all its glory in this lyrical and beautifully written book.
A wonderfully written novel, you don't have to like math!.......2000-07-06
I would highly recommend "The French Mathematician" to fans of math, french history and even those who could care less about math.
This book follows Galois' discovery of his talents in mathematics and the conflicts in France that make him decide if he will follow his genius and study math, or join the revoultion for democracy in France.
This book is well written and is full of wonderful imagery that puts you right in revolutionary France. I would guess that most people could understand the passion for democracy that the characters in the book have, but this book also helps you understand Galois' passion for mathematics.
Average customer rating:
- The short life of Evariste Galois.
|
Whom the Gods Love: The Story of Evariste Gaolois (Classics in mathematics education ; v. 7)
Leopold Infeld
Manufacturer: Natl Council of Teachers of
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
General
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Mathematics
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Mathematics
| Professional Science
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
| Applied
| Chaos & Systems
| Geometry & Topology
| Mathematical Analysis
| Mathematical Physics
| Number Systems
| Pure Mathematics
| Transformations
| Trigonometry
ASIN: 0873531256 |
Customer Reviews:
The short life of Evariste Galois........2003-10-28
When asked, friends tell me that they think a mathematician or a scientist would typically have lived a long, and comfortable life. Perhaps that is so, but far from all the time: not now, not a hundred, or two hundred years ago. In mathematics, two romantic heros stand out, N. H. Abel, and Evariste Galois. Both lived at the start of the Nineteenth Century, and both died tragically, Galois in a duel.
The author Infeld is a romantic, and great writer; and he happens to also be a scientist. In addition to this book, Leopold Infeld wrote other captivating books. He was one of the first scientists who sucessfully intertwined science with popular writing. Infeld himself escaped from the Jewish Ghetto in Cracow, Poland, at the time of WWI. As he matured, he lived as a refugee scientist and writer, and miraculously overcame an incredible web of adversities that were stacked up against him.
Other books by Infeld include an autobiography, called "Quest", and a popular science book, "The Evolution of Physics", co-authored with Albert Einstein. Both books were bestsellers when they first appeared. I stumbled over Infeld's Galois biography purely by accident: Started to read late in the evening, were immediately hooked, and I didn't put the book down until the end, at sunrise. In the book we read about the last night of Galois's short life, the night before his fatal duel the next morning ("There is so little time" he wrote!). The young Galois hurriedly scribbled his original and profound ideas of matheamtics, and he gained imortality through the power of his insight. The life of Evariste Galois is a truly captivating drama, and written by one of the great story tellers. I am convinced that Infeld's stories, and his books, are less well known than they deserve to be.
Review by Palle Jorgensen, October 2003.
Book Description
Colour cures. Thats the simple premise behind this revolutionary book. While we all know that healthy eating is the key to a long life, few people understand why the natural pigments that make fruits and vegetables so colourful can help protect your body, too. Combining their expertise in aging and nutrition, a leading scientist and an outstanding physician show readers how to prevent the most common age-related illnesses through a simple multicolored eating plan. For generations, parents have been telling their children to eat their fruits and vegetables. This book finally tells us why. Most health and nutrition books present only one viewscience, medicine, or nutrition. But The Color Code integrates all three to give readers a comprehensive understanding of the amazing health potential of pigmented foods.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book!.......2006-11-06
This book has been a great help to me! It's taught me the right way to eat-more fruits and vegetables-without being hungry or bored. I've lost 12 pounds, have more energy and my mind seems sharper!
The best book to learn abot antioxidant foods!.......2006-08-13
This book is wonderful and exciting to read, it has changed the way I look at my plate. It has started me on a hhuge blueberry kick that has improved my health. If you are into a healthy life style you need this book.
Simple and Effective!.......2005-09-25
A friend told me about this book and how much the concepts when applied, had helped her feel so much better - and healthier! I have been following the ideas for around 4 weeks now and couldn't agree more. Even though my goal was not to lose weight, I've lost 10 pounds just by eating better - according to color! And believe it or not, I feel better as well. Buy this book and a bright highlighter. You'll soon be marking your favorite brightly colored foods - and then filling your grocery cart with them. Well written, easy to understand and chock full of references - it simply makes sense.
It is now 5 months later since I first reviewed this book and I've loaned out my copy to several people - all are experiencing similar results as I have. I continue to eat "by color", my weight has stayed off, I can't remember when I was last sick and what was merely a good book has become a terrific reference book. If you forget what particular benefits a certain color food has - simply look it up - layed out clearly in the book - by color of course!
NOTE: It is now January 2007 and I continue to eat according to "colors". My weight has stayed off, I was not sick even one day in 2006 and every week I fill up a plastic container (for work snacks) filled with vegetable color!
Most incredible and so informative!.......2002-09-12
This book is so simple to read and once you start you don't want to put it down. The first few pages make you want to run out to the grocery store and hit the produce isle. It honestly makes you change your entire way of thinking when it comes to eating. You'll want that fruit salad rather than the candy bar. It's just such' a GREAT and easy to read and so easy to absorb book! Everyone is getting one for christmas!
Happy eating-
Color Code Works!.......2002-09-06
I see Dr. Nadeau for assistance in my weight loss & I use his book as my guide when he is not available for answering my questions. It is an awesome book. I am losing weight with excersizes he has recommended for me & the diet he has worked out for me personally. You will not be disappointed in purchasing this book.
Average customer rating:
- To (hopefully) clear up the confusion
- Helpful Recipes
- Disappointed in ingredients
- Life Saver if You Have A Lot of Allergies
- A Grateful Grandmother
|
Allergy Cooking with Ease: The No Wheat, Milk, Eggs, Corn, Soy, Yeast, Sugar, Grain, and Gluten Cookbook
Nicolette M. Dumke
Manufacturer: Starburst Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Reference
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Healthy
| Special Diet
| Cooking, Food & Wine
| Subjects
| Books
Allergies
| Disorders & Diseases
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Food Allergies
| Nutrition
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
Internal Medicine
| Medicine
| Subjects
| Books
| Cardiology
| Critical Care
| Endocrinology & Metabolism
| Gastroenterology
| General
| Hematology
| Hepatology
| Infectious Disease
| Nephrology
| Neurology
| Oncology
| Pulmonary
| Rheumatology
| Urology
Similar Items:
-
The Allergy Self-Help Cookbook: Over 350 Natural Foods Recipes, Free of All Common Food Allergens: wheat-free, milk-free, egg-free, corn-free, sugar-free, yeast-free
-
Easy Breadmaking for Special Diets : Wheat-Free, Milk- And Lactose-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Yeast-Free, Sugar-Free, Low Fat, High To Low Fiber
-
The Complete Food Allergy Cookbook: The Foods You've Always Loved Without the Ingredients You Can't Have!
-
The Ultimate Food Allergy Cookbook and Survival Guide: How to Cook with Ease for Food Allergies and Recover Good Health
-
What to Eat When You Can't Eat Anything: The Complete Allergy Cookbook
ASIN: 091498442X |
Book Description
Over 200 family-tested recipes designed to meet many types of dietary needs.
Customer Reviews:
To (hopefully) clear up the confusion.......2007-03-05
In response to Kila Day's comment in a previous review that the title of Allergy Cooking with Ease was misleading, the book now has a new, shorter, and more accurate subtitle. ALL of the recipes in the book are free of wheat, cow's milk, eggs, corn, and soy. Of the 358 recipes and recipe variations in the book, 332 are also free of yeast, 348 are also free of sugar (most of the desserts are fruit-sweetened), 261 are also free of all grains, and 267 are also free of gluten. Although a few of the recipes call for alternative milk or cheese, often as an optional ingredient, 333 of the recipes do not. Obviously, most of the recipes are free of all of the allergens listed in the original subtitle.
I am sorry to have disappointed Kila and the reviewer who said that too many allergens were avoided in the book and hope that the new subtitle will make things more clear. Although I obviously can't please all people at all times, the original and revised versions of Allergy Cooking with Ease have many fans and satisfied owners (~40,000). Until the recent publication of my book The Ultimate Food Allergy Cookbook and Survival Guide, Allergy Cooking with Ease was my best seller.
I DO understand where Kila is "coming from" and sympathize. After thinking "I can't eat this" about most foods, if someone sees a few recipes they can't eat in a book, they immediately jump to the conclusion that they can't eat anything. With her "eleven kids too many," it's easy to understand why Kila may be doing things very quickly and without having looked at the book thoroughly.
Also, to avoid further confusion, the subtitle of the book can be changed in the "official" listings immediately, although it may take a few days for the changes to show up. However, there are quite a few books printed with the original cover design at this point. A revised cover is forthcoming but is not possible immediately. I apologize for the confusion to Kila and any other readers.
Helpful Recipes.......2007-03-03
I enjoyed this book, because I thought it was very insightful and helpful in dealing with food allergies. It is especially helpful for the person who is highly allergic and needs more exotic ingredients.
Disappointed in ingredients.......2007-02-13
I was very disappointed when I found out that this book has various recipes without certain of these ingredient. I was excited about this book because I have all the alergens mentioned. Then when I got the book the recipes only took out some of these ingredients so you could pick the recipes that left out the alergens that you have.
The title was very misleading! Because I have all of these alergies I was hoping that all of the recipes were free of these ingredients. I have not found one recipe yet that is free of all the mentioned alergens. I am thinking of sending it back.
Life Saver if You Have A Lot of Allergies.......2007-01-26
This book is a lifesaver if you need to avoid a wide variety of foods due to your allergies. I agree with many of the reviewers that some of the ingredients are exotic, but sometimes that is the choice you need to make if common foods cause allergic reactions. For example, corn alone is estimated to be in about 80% of the processed foods in the US. If you need to avoid corn, and other common ingredients, you need to get creative.
Thanks Nickie for giving us some creative options!
A Grateful Grandmother.......2005-01-09
When my daughter discovered her seven-year old daughter was allergic to wheat, soy, dairy, corn, Baker's Yeast, eggs, and chocolate, I was stymied. My daughter works outside the home and does not have time to do recipe-type cooking. As Grandma, I have had to fill in. Along with Internet sources, this book has been a tremendous help to me. Glad, too, to have discovered Vitamin C Crystals and various kinds of flour, which I didn't know existed.
Books:
- Offshore Money Book, The : How to Move Assets Offshore for Privacy, Protection, and Tax Advantage
- Patton And Rommel: Men of War in the Twentieth Century
- Peon to Pentagon
- Personal Memoirs of P. H. Sheridan, General, United States Army
- Remembering Iwo: A Personal Memoir
- Ride for Freedom: The Story of Sybil Ludington (Heroes to Remember)
- Seeds of Peace: A Narrative Journey of a 20th Century Foreign Service Family
- Sentenced to Die: Until Proven Guilty, Injustice for All, Trial by Fury
- Showdown at Gucci Gulch
- Slick and the Duchess: The Teapot Dome Scandal and the Death of Warren Harding
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- The Silva Mind Control Method
- Quick and Clever Handmade Cards
- Frequency Selective Surfaces: Theory and Design
- History: Fiction or Science
- History: Fiction or Science
- Tehanu
- Many Faces of Edward Sherriff Curtis: Portraits And Stories from Native North America
- It's a Wonderful Christmas: The Best of the Holidays 1940-1965
- Financial & Managerial Accounting w/CD-ROM, NetTutor and Powerweb
- Owlknight
Don Quixote
The Cambridge Companion to Cervantes (Cambridge Companions to Literature)
Exemplary Stories (Oxford World's Classics)
Lectures on Don Quixote
Dante: Poet of the Secular World (New York Review Books Classics)
