The Secret Lives of Numbers

Chalkdust

12 March 2024

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Kate Kitagawa is an author and historian of mathematics and Timothy Revell is a journalist and New Scientist’s deputy US editor. The Secret Lives of Numbers (Amazon UK, Waterstones ) is their book on the history of mathematics with a focus on the contributions of underrepresented figures.

Style

This is a fairly standard popular mathematics book. Each chapter explains the history of a mathematical concept from counting numbers to calculus. The historical stories are interesting and it is nice to learn about mathematicians who are often excluded from the historical narrative.

Control

The ideas are well explained and the historical focus gives an interesting context to how the mathematical ideas were discovered and how they have evolved.

Damage

There are many popular mathematics books which cover similar ground. The historical angle is slightly unique, though I had heard most of the stories before.  It is an enjoyable read and worth checking out.

Aggression

This book would go down well with anyone who has an interest in the history of mathematics.

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