Rating: 
Summary: Excellent! Engrossing, engaging, accessible tale of math
Review: Schechter has done it again! I was eager to read his latest effort, having been delighted with his last book, The Path of No Resistance. In clear, elegant and witty prose, he has brought to life the European and mathematical world of Paul Erdos, and through careful biography and analysis has shed light on his fascinating, eccentric personality. The math in this book is remarkably clear; I finally understand the Monty Hall problem!!! I came away with a deepened understanding of the culture of Hungary and of mathematicians, and I was also moved by the book's compassionate portrayal of an unusual life dedicated to truth, beauty, and support of fellow mathematicians.If you at all are interested in math or history, read this book!!!
Rating:
Summary: Strongly recommended for clarity, humor, and intelligence
Review: Schechter takes you by the hand and walks you through some stunning yet simple mathematical proofs that are real eye-openers for a layman like myself. He doesn't just talk about math, though. For example, one chapter has Paul Erdos explaining a simple proof to the non-math-literate wife of a colleague. You get to see the proof (which was nifty) as well as the way Erdos interacted on a human level. It's the kind of thing this biography does fantastically well, i.e., math in a thoroughly human context. Erdos is a very charming and unusual person who comes alive along with the math. The book is written in stories, anecdotes, and observations about math in general and Erdos's contribution in particular. It could be understood by a tenth grader who is bad at math but it's still written in an adult and intelligent tone, not one that talks down to the reader. One of the best popular math or science books I have ever read. I liked it better than Gleick's book, Chaos, and Gleick's bio of Feynman (though these were also very fine books, in my opinion).
Rating:
Summary: Strongly recommended
Review: Though one could quibble about a few of the details, I think that this book is readable, and gives a *much* more accurate picture of Erdos than the Hoffman book. Neither Hoffman nor Schecter really knew Erdos personally, but Schecter obviously listened to lots of people who did! A very good treatment of a complex subject. Definitely the book that I would recommend to anyone who wants a good biography of Erdos.
Rating:
Summary: Prove and conjecture...
Review: What would be your answer if somebody asks you the meaning of life?Here is the story of a man who says it lies in just two words "Prove and conjecture".True to this,Paul Erdos spent close to 80 years of his life just proving theorms and formulating his own theorems and proofs and conjectures.Bruce Shechter gives a wonderful picture of the 'MATHMAN'.More specifically ,this is a lucid account of a genius who taught *How to count*.The author is also successful in giving a good portrayal of the Humane Erdos and the Westernised Mathematician.
Here is a man who would spend 18 hours each day doing mathematics.For those Math-fearers,here is the story of a successful man who loved maths and lived with it all through his life through days and nights.
This book also introduces readers to the wonderful concept of numbers,the prime number theories and combinatorics.And Bruce Shechter has also been quite succesful in not touching upon the other facet of the man-his unusual behaviours as known in the Mathematics Circle.
In the process of reading this you also get acquainted with many mathematicians of his times and their realted works.Paul erdos dwelled in the Kingdom of infinity with an unquestionable Kingship and that shows his genius that was pronounced since his childhood.
What a way to point Hungary on the atlas!
Read this book and you will know.
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