Rating: 
Summary: An Excellent Read, Highly Recommended
Review: Prime Obsession is an excellent popularization of the Riemann Hypothesis. I found John Derbyshire's presentation of the math to be very approachable by non-mathematicians like myself. It's taken slow, one basic step at a time, and spread across a well written and fascinating history of Bernhard Riemann and other key players. Simply put, you do not need an advance degree in mathematics to enjoy this book. My math bakground is limited to 2 semesters of calculus 20 years ago and I haven't used it since. For me, John Derbyshire's approach was both refreshing and entertaining. If you've got even the faintest interest in math, you will find this book rewarding.
Rating:
Summary: So much stuff, packed in so small a book: I loved it!
Review: There is lots of stuff in that book. It took me a long time to read it. It was relaxing, which is not to say that it did not require energy and concentration.
Obviously, John Derbyshire talks about maths. The required level of math includes notions about real and complex number functions, infinite series, a little calculus, etc. Having a degree in engineering, it did not make me break a sweat. Still, it was enough to embrak me on a wonderfull trip about the inner beauty of math.
John Derbyshire will tell you about Bernard Riemann, his life, his character, the world he lived in , about history , about the life of many famous mathematicians. Derbyshire's style is easy and convivial, contains amusing and interesting anecdotes and reflexions. I felt like I was chatting with a friend in my living room.
It was also fascinating to see how the historical figures are interconnected, and their life intertwined , to an unexpected level.
Ultimately, I was fascinated to see how intuitive an insight one can get about such an abstruse concept as number theory and prime numbers.
Rating:
Summary: A "Must Read"
Review: This is a fascinating book that blends mathematical ideas and concepts with a compelling narration of the history related to these ideas. This is one of the few books on mathematics that is so interesting that it's difficult to put down.
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