Mathematical Scandals

Rating:
Summary: Disappointing
Review: I found this book to be rather disappointing. As a mathematician, I was appalled at some of the errors made by the author (such as printing an incorrect value for the square root of two). The title promises intrigue and answers, but fails to deliver. I do not recommend this book.

Rating:
Summary: Let your imagination sour with this book
Review: This book has an irresistible title and premise. After all, who doesn't like a good scandal? Especially in a field that is considered dry and academic by most non-mathematicians. Nevertheless, resist you should. This book is chockfull of half-baked and poorly written vignettes. What is unforgivable is that these scenes are fictional. That's right, Pappas imagined them.

As in they didn't happen. They aren't true. He is lying to you.

The excuse: "They follow along factual lines of historical truth." The concept is that of the Hollywood docudrama; "Torn form the headlines, could have happened, should have happened. But we'll just make up the details for you."

The writing is simplistic, which I suppose one could mistake as "easy to read." The editing is just atrocious. The syntax is bad. I'm not going to count all of the misspellings I found in the book, because after awhile it quits becoming fun and just becomes tedious.

I did, however, particularly enjoy the following misspelling in this sentence on Ada Bryon Lovelace: "She wanted to pursue her ideas and studies, let her imagination sour (sic), and explore ideas." Such sentences soured me on this book.

Rating:
Summary: Makes Math People Seem Like People
Review: You do not have to be a mathematician to read and enjoy this book. This book shows that math has not been created by logical, unemotional, robots, but instead by flesh and blood men and women who have all the foibles of ordinary folks. After reading this book, when a name like Cantor's comes up, you can say "Oh yes, I understand he suffered several nervous breakdowns." This book provides material in a very accessible form, material that otherwize is hard to find.