I second this - Mathematics for the Million is truly a classic that belongs in this category that the story author referred to. It should be handed out to every child at a reasonable age, so that they can use it as an extra-curricular guide as they learn their way through the horrors of school-taught math.
The best math book ever has to be Calculus Made Easy [amazon.com] by Silvanus Thompson and edited by Martin Gardener.
I studied Calc for 4 semesters to get a Math Minor for my B.S. degree. I can honestly say I left college with little idea what calculus was. Within 4 chapters of this book, by and large, I got what I'd been missing: a practical descriptive answer for "What the heck is calculus?".
Two recommendations:
Infinity and the mind (Rudy Rucker). [amazon.com] -Mostly about infinity, paradoxes, etc,etc. I've seen this material in lots of other popularization books but Rucker seems to really enjoy it rather than just explain it. Hooked me on his work.
The book of numbers (John Conway, Richard Guy). [amazon.com] Just beautiful.
I recently took Infinity and the Mind from the school library, and I'd like to warn you to take what it says with a pinch of salt. It is wrong and over-simplified (Whilst claiming it is the truth) in many places!
An inclined plane is a slope up. -- Willard Espy, "An Almanac of Words at Play"
lay person? (Score:4, Insightful)
Ummm...what would its peers be? Just how many "classic" math books does the lay-person have now?
Could it be that the lay-person wouldn't be interested in any book about math, no matter how well written?
I dunnnoooo...almost sounds completely probable.
Examples of Math books for lay people (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Examples of Math books for lay people (Score:3, Insightful)
I second this - Mathematics for the Million is truly a classic that belongs in this category that the story author referred to. It should be handed out to every child at a reasonable age, so that they can use it as an extra-curricular guide as they learn their way through the horrors of school-taught math.
Re:Examples of Math books for lay people (Score:2)
Re:Examples of Math books for lay people (Score:2, Informative)
Re:Examples of Math books for lay people (Score:1)
Re:Examples of Math books for lay people (Score:1)
The best math book ever has to be Calculus Made Easy [amazon.com] by Silvanus Thompson and edited by Martin Gardener.
I studied Calc for 4 semesters to get a Math Minor for my B.S. degree. I can honestly say I left college with little idea what calculus was. Within 4 chapters of this book, by and large, I got what I'd been missing: a practical descriptive answer for "What the heck is calculus?".
Re:Examples of Math books for lay people (Score:1)
Re:Examples of Math books for lay people (Score:1)
The book of numbers (John Conway, Richard Guy). [amazon.com] Just beautiful.
Re:Examples of Math books for lay people (Score:2)