This annual anthology brings together the year’s finest mathematics writing from around the world. Featuring promising new voices alongside some of the foremost names in the field, The Best Writing on Mathematics 2013 makes available to a wide audience many articles not easily found anywhere else—and you don’t need to be a mathematician to enjoy them. These writings offer surprising insights into the nature, meaning, and practice of mathematics today. They delve into the history, philosophy, teaching, and everyday occurrences of math, and take readers behind the scenes of today’s hottest mathematical debates. Here Philip Davis offers a panoramic view of mathematics in contemporary society; Terence Tao discusses aspects of universal mathematical laws in complex systems; Ian Stewart explains how in mathematics everything arises out of nothing; Erin Maloney and Sian Beilock consider the mathematical anxiety experienced by many students and suggest effective remedies; Elie Ayache argues that exchange prices reached in open market transactions transcend the common notion of probability; and much, much more.
In addition to presenting the year’s most memorable writings on mathematics, this must-have anthology includes a foreword by esteemed mathematical physicist Roger Penrose and an introduction by the editor, Mircea Pitici. This book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in where math has taken us—and where it is headed.
Mircea Pitici holds a PhD mathematics education from Cornell University, where he teaches math and writing. He has edited The Best Writing on Mathematics since 2010. Roger Penrose is a Nobel Prize–winning physicist and the bestselling author, with Stephen Hawking, of The Nature of Space and Time (Princeton). He is the Rouse Ball Professor of Mathematics Emeritus at the University of Oxford.
"A marvelous selection of papers about mathematics written by the best. . . . Highly recommended to all with a broad interest in science, history, art, education, philosophy . . . which is almost anybody."—A. Bultheel, European Mathematical Society Reviews
"In addition to presenting the year's most memorable writings on mathematics, this must-have anthology includes a foreword by esteemed physicist and mathematician Freeman Dyson. This book belongs on the shelf of anyone interested in where math has taken us—and where it is headed."—World Book Industry
"These selections provide a sampling of the state of the art through topics ranging from math anxiety to modern applications to the history of mathematics. With great emphasis on the interactions of mathematics with modern civilization, the arts, and philosophy, these articles can be a source of intellectual stimulation for educated lay readers and will provide, for working mathematicians or scientists, exposure to parts of the subject outside of their research range. . . . A well-chosen collection supplemented by an outstanding bibliography of suggested further reading."—Harold D. Shane, Library Journal
"[T]his is a marvelous selection of papers about mathematics written by the best. They do not draw the reader into the mathematical jargon that is only of interest to the mathematical literate. In fact practically no mathematics is needed and formulas are almost completely absent. It is the best possible way of communicating mathematics to the non-mathematician and even the ones suffering from mathematical anxiety will enjoy reading the booklet. Of course this is only a relatively small selection but for the reader longing for more, Pitici gives in his introduction an even longer list of books, papers, websites and blogs that are equally worth reading. Pitici did once more an excellent job, and the result is highly recommended to all with a broad interest in science, history, art, education, philosophy . . . which is almost anybody."—A. Bultheel, European Mathematical Society
"The list of titles of the essays reprinted in this volume would be almost enough to persuade many people that they will enjoy reading it, and indeed that they could profitably put it in front of anyone who wants to know what mathematics is about. It's a partial and selective picture, of course, but it's fresh, varied, and as its title might suggest, well written."—Jeremy Gray, LMS Newsletter
"Most of the articles presented here are entertaining and enlightening, and the book should be recommended to everyone interested in mathematics."—Zentralblatt MATH
"Praise for Princeton's previous editions: "A wonderful and varied bouquet of texts. . . . I highly recommend this book to everyone with an interest in mathematics.""—Stephen Buckley, Irish Mathematical Society Bulletin
