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Review
"A pure delight . . . Entirely offbeat, which gives it its charm." --"The Denver Post"
"A very readable account." --"Science"
"A cheerful work." --"Scientific American"
"A very readable account." --"Science"
"A cheerful work." --"Scientific American"
Product Description
The history of pi, says the author, though a small part of the history of mathematics, is nevertheless a mirror of the history of man. Petr Beckmann holds up this mirror, giving the background of the times when pi made progress -- and also when it did not, because science was being stifled by militarism or religious fanaticism.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The thing I really liked about the book was the quite personal style of the author. This actually made the book more compelling than any strait-jacketed attempt at supposed objectivity.
Whilst some of the Mathematical examples were demanding for someone like me, I found that you could skip over the detail, having caught the gist and this didn't spoil the book at all.
The one disappointment was a secondary reference that was used that ended up saying the exact opposite to the original author/text referred to. The suggestion was that al-Ghazzali said that Science causes someone to lose their religion when in fact the original reference which I've read in both the original Arabic and its translated English from 'The Refutation of the Philosophers' actually condemns the religious ignaramouses who through their appalling insistence on ignorance become a harm for their religion and can be a means of putting rational people off from religion. The example given in the original refers to Eclipses but could equally apply to other clearly established facts.
Whilst some of the Mathematical examples were demanding for someone like me, I found that you could skip over the detail, having caught the gist and this didn't spoil the book at all.
The one disappointment was a secondary reference that was used that ended up saying the exact opposite to the original author/text referred to. The suggestion was that al-Ghazzali said that Science causes someone to lose their religion when in fact the original reference which I've read in both the original Arabic and its translated English from 'The Refutation of the Philosophers' actually condemns the religious ignaramouses who through their appalling insistence on ignorance become a harm for their religion and can be a means of putting rational people off from religion. The example given in the original refers to Eclipses but could equally apply to other clearly established facts.
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Dr. Beckmann presents a good overview for the experimenter/historian on the nature of this transcendental number.From the Early Greeks to the computer age he gives a good historical example of how PI has been derived. A little lacking on the computer age, he presents a good overview for beginning students.
18 of 20 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Dr. Petr Beckmann was never one to mince words. He quotes a biblical passage that strongly implies that pi equals 3, and while he is never disrespectful to the Bible, he does mock the tortured attempts of some fundamentalists to reconcile this passage with the actual value of pi.
He also mocks the Indiana State Legislature (which, in 1897, nearly passed a law that set the value of pi at about 9.23), and Theodore Heisel (who, in 1931, wrote a mathematical treatise that ignored 4000 years of progress in determining pi).
But he praises Archimedes and Newton, among others, for their heroic and quiet progress in determining the value and application of pi. And, sadly, he concludes that the Heisels of the world are more numerous than the Archimedes.
Great book. But it must be read with an open mind.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
A History of Pi
There are three things to say about this book:
1. It is a reprint of a book first published in 1974, ie before the personal-computer age got going; it thus covers the history... Read more
1. It is a reprint of a book first published in 1974, ie before the personal-computer age got going; it thus covers the history... Read more
Published 20 months ago by derek a
Lovely book!
Everyone with interests in math and history should read this book.
The author has a sharp vision on things and I like that. Read more
The author has a sharp vision on things and I like that. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Daniel Marivoet
Calculate PI
The thing I really liked about the book was the quite personal style of the author. From the Early Greeks to the computer age he gives a good historical example of how PI has been... Read more
Published 23 months ago by G. I. Paparides
a popular discourse on the history of Pi
A book which is wonderfully well-written and can make you laugh out loud. It reflects the author's growing up in stalinist-era checkoslovakia, and his distaste for totalinarianism... Read more
Published on 25 May 2000
entertaining but obnoxious
The author sounds like someone I'd love to meet at the Oak Bar for a few martinis--but over a book's length his initially amusing tantrums and diatribes about the fools of history... Read more
Published on 23 Aug 1999
A mathematics book for the book shelf!
I bought this book in hardcover over 20 years ago. The book has been translated into over 20 languages and has served as a stimulus and inspiration for hundreds of future... Read more
Published on 12 July 1999
Beckmann's Book was great
I liked A History of Pi. It showed how pi evolved into what it is today and it also contributed to the very little number of pi books available.
Published on 10 Jun 1999
Funny, erudite, and as MORAL as it is LOGICAL
Read "Consilience"? So far as "Consilience" has points to make, this little book makes the same points, but makes them with biting wit-- and in less than half... Read more
Published on 6 Dec 1998
Sorry he's gone.
Beckmann died in 1992. I love this book. Whatever needed saying, Beckmann said it. A great engineer, a great man, a darn good writer. Read more
Published on 4 Aug 1998
An irritating little book
I agree with the majority here:- there are some interesting little anecdotes. BUT it is written by a small minded person. Read more
Published on 3 Jun 1998
Listmania!
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