The Spirit of Mathematics

Chalkdust

29 March 2024

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David Acheson is a mathematician and Jesus College, Oxford. His latest book The Spirit of Mathematics: Algebra and All That (Amazon UK, Waterstones) take a tour of a range of topics related to algebra.

Style

The Spirit of Mathematics contains 30 short chapters, with each one covering a topic related to algebra. Topics appearing in the book magic squares, real and imaginary numbers, and the golden ratio. There are really charming pictures and illustrations throughout the book, and a few of the chapters contains puzzles for you to go away and think about.

Control

This book is written in a very accessibly way, and the the illustrations really add to the friendly vibe that the book gives you. If you have a flick through the book, you’ll often find yourself reading a chapter that you didn’t mean to start reading, as the style of the book really draws you in.

Damage

If you’ve read a lot of pop maths books and magazines, you’ll be familiar with the majority of the topics covered in this book. But you will enjoy rediscovering them, and will probably find a few different perspectives on topics you’re familiar with.

Aggression

I recommend this book to anyone looking to rekindle their love of algebra. Although many adults will enjoy it, the book would also be suitable for children in secondary school and would be a great way to expand their experience of and interest in algebra outside the school curriculum.

You can vote for your favourite book on the Book of the Year shortlist below. The winning book will be crowned the Chalkdust Readers’ Choice. Voting closes at 1pm (BST) on Saturday 30 March.

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