Reddit reviews The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdos and the Search for Mathematical Truth
We found 22 Reddit comments about The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdos and the Search for Mathematical Truth. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Hachette Books
If you enjoyed this I highly recommend Paul Hoffman's biography of Erdos
https://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Loved-Only-Numbers/dp/0786884061/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1484066739&sr=8-1&keywords=the+man+who+loved+only+numbers
I strongly agree that the history of mathematics and computing should be taught as an integral part of any CS / Math degree.
Two books you might want to read by way of a 'history assignment'.
http://www.amazon.com/MAN-WHO-LOVED-ONLY-NUMBERS/dp/0786884061
http://www.amazon.com/Four-Colors-Suffice-Problem-Solved/dp/0691115338
Interesting story...
The mathematician (number theorist) Paul Erdos was reportedly a daily user of amphetamine (non-perscription). His colleagues and friends tried to get him to end his habit by wagering a sum of cash that Erdos couldn't quit for a month. Erdos did quit, but claimed that he hadn't done much good math in the month of abstinence, and promptly resumed popping pills. He lived to be 83 and is one of the more famous mathematicians. Check out his biography... it's spectacular.
I don't have a great book yet, but the book that got me back into mathematics was actually a biography of Erdős.
Anything by Simon Singh is worth reading. In addition to what others have recommended, these books are good:
[The man who loved only numbers](http://www.amazon.com/MAN-WHO-LOVED-ONLY-NUMBERS/dp/0786884061/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1254333710&sr=8-1
)
Flatland
Prisoner's Dilemma
A mathematician reads the newspaper
A mathematician plays the stock market
Innumeracy: mathematical illiteracy and its consequences
Also, while not exactly about Maths:
Surely you are joking, Mr Feynman
What do you care what other people think?
The Art of Computer Programming
Do you have any strong interests? For example, I love math, and the book The Man Who Loved Only Numbers, which is a biography of Paul Erdos.
If you are interested in graphic novels, and they are allowed for the assignment, Logicomix is the quest of Bertrand Russell for an ultimate basis of mathematics, and how the journey of understanding can often lead towards obsession and madness.
If you're interested in physics, Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman is a great book that is arguably a biography.
So, what are you most interested in?
The Man Who Loved Numbers, biography of Paul Erdos, one of the most prolific and bizarre mathematicians of the 20th century. It is pretty light on the actual math but is a very entertaining read regardless. Also he was from Poland, and the book has quite a few stories about being a Mathematician in Eastern Europe.
The Man Who Loved Only Numbers is a beautiful telling of Paul Erdos' life.
Someone else mentioned The Man Who Knew Infinity which I also love.
Amphetamine. Not methamphetamine.
Source: The Man who loved only numbers
There are a fair number of popular level books about mathematics that are definitely interesting and generally not too challenging mathematically. William Dunham is fantastic. His Journey through Genius goes over some of the most important and interesting theorems in the history of mathematics and does a great job of providing context, so you get a feel for the mathematicians involved as well as how the field advanced. His book on Euler is also interesting - though largely because the man is astounding.
The Man who Loved only Numbers is about Erdos, another character from recent history.
Recently I was looking for something that would give me a better perspective on what mathematics was all about and its various parts, and I stumbled on Mathematics by Jan Gullberg. Just got it in the mail today. Looks to be good so far.
For anyone who has not read his biography, The Man Who Loved Only Numbers it is an interesting book, even if you aren't into mathematics.
History of science books are 80% of what I read, and Bryson's book was great, but many of the books that I'm seeing here are oddly not close to Bryson's in terms of style or content.
Just off the top of my head, The Man Who Loved Only Numbers would probably be an excellent read. It has been awhile, but I remember Lost Discoveries was along a similar vein with a similarly light writing style. How I Killed Pluto is pretty fun as well, although it veers off into personal stuff as well.
You're very welcome - if you haven't had enough Erdos then I strongly recommend The Man Who Loved Only Numbers. It was actually thinking about this book (which I read a few years ago now) that prompted me to search for and watch this documentary yesterday.
I have a copy of the book [The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdos and the Search for Mathematical Truth] (http://amzn.com/0786884061) (Amazon) by Paul Hoffman. It is a great read if you like that sort of thing.
Erdos seems to be unique in his ability to ingest copious quanties of stimulants and improve his life.
I hope that you are not too affected by the disruptions and violence in the Middle East. I really hope for peace.
I would love to visit Israel one day...
What part of science? Scientists, like a biography? Scientific theories (natural philosophy), starting with the Greeks? Scientific philosophy?
Sir Roger Penrose in his book "The Emperor's New Mind" goes over the (relevant) discoveries/theories of science in a chronological order and uses them to argue that consciousness isn't something you can code into a machine. He touches on a lot of subjects and it may seem really dry if you're not passionate about science, but IMO it's very interesting read, despite him not having a very convincing argument, mostly because we don't know enough about the human mind yet.
The Man Who Loved Only Numbers is a biography of Paul Erdos. I like the book because it describes Erdos as a person who has an exceptionally passionate work ethic and I admire mathematicians.
I think you'll have a hard time finding what you're looking for because of the lack of specifics in your question. You might want to narrow it down to, whether you're interested in biology, chem, psychology or physics or something else like archaeology or biographies. Otherwise you won't find a great depth, because each field has become massive in terms of literature, and each are filled with bewildering questions that can kickstart a philosophical discussion.
Good luck with your search though!
For light, math-related reading I've always enjoyed semi-biographical books about mathematicians, because these books usually include a summary of their mathematical contributions without getting too technical or dry. And they always get me pumped to do more math. Here's books I'd recommend in that vein:
The Man Who Loved Only Numbers An Autobiography of Paul Erdos. This one's a really great read with lots of Number Theory and Graph Theory in it. Not to mention a heartwarming bio of Erdos. If you haven't read this yet, give it a go.
The Equation That Couldn't Be Solved - A book about the history of Group Theory and how Galois was able to prove the Abel-Ruffini Theorem. At times it's a little simple, but it's fun to read, and it gives some insight into elementary group theory.
Of Men and Mathematics - not too much actual math in this one, but it's a very solid cheap, quick read. Well worth the money/time.
He was also one of the most productive mathematicians of all time. He would just visit you, without prior notice, with his trunk that held all of his wordly possessions, and work with you until you couldnt work anymore. Then, after you got 4 hours of sleep, he would just make noise in the kitchen so you got up again, and continued working with you. People publicising with Erdös directly now have the Erdös number 1. If you work with somebody who worked with Erdös you have the Erdös number 2, etc. This guy is a legend.
Source: this biography
https://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Loved-Only-Numbers/dp/0786884061
Initially I'd avoid books on areas of science that might challenge her (religious) beliefs. You friend is open to considering a new view point. Which is awesome but can be very difficult. So don't push it. Start slowly with less controversial topics. To be clear, I'm saying avoid books that touch on evolution! Other controversial topics might include vaccinations, dinosaurs, the big bang, climate change, etc. Picking a neutral topic will help her acclimate to science. Pick a book related to something that she is interested in.
I'd also start with a book that the tells a story centred around a science, instead of simply trying to explain that science. In telling the story their authors usually explain the science. (Biographies about interesting scientist are a good choice too). The idea is that if she enjoys reading the book, then chances are she will be more likely to accept the science behind it.
Here are some recommendations:
The Wave by Susan Casey: http://www.amazon.com/The-Wave-Pursuit-Rogues-Freaks/dp/0767928857
Fermat's Enigma by Simon Singh: http://www.amazon.com/Fermats-Enigma-Greatest-Mathematical-Problem/dp/0385493622
The Man who Loved Only Numbers by Paul Hoffman: http://www.amazon.com/Man-Who-Loved-Only-Numbers/dp/0786884061/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1405720480&sr=1-1&keywords=paul+erdos
I also recommend going to a book store with her, and peruse the science section. Pick out a book together. Get a copy for yourself and make it a small book club. Give her someone to discusses the book with.
After a few books, if she's still interested then you can try pushing her boundaries with something more controversial or something more technical.
Here's a really good book about him.
Funny thing about Erdos... I read The Man Who Loved Only Numbers. Although the book never mentions him being diagnosed as such, he's got some signs of being OCD.
Fr'instance, apparently he'd splash so much water around bathrooms trying to get his hands clean it would ruin the linoleum. Also the book mentions a childhood illness which seems to happen to OCD children too iifc.
Anyway, it left me thinking Erdos insane passion for numbers might've been a symptom of obsessive compulsive disorder. ( I wonder this about Isaac Newton too actually).