The story of pi has been told many times, both in scholarly works and in popular books. But its close relative, the number e, has fared less well. Despite the central role it plays in mathematics, its history has never before been written for a general audience. The present work fills this gap. Geared to the reader with only a modest background in mathematics, the book describes the story of e from a human as well as a mathematical perspective. In a sense, it is the story of an entire period in the history of mathematics, from the early 17th to the late 19th century, with the invention of calculus at its centre. Many of the players who took part in this story are brought to life. Among them are John Napier, the eccentric religious activist who invented logarithms and - unknowingly - came within a hair's breadth of discovering e; William Oughtred, the inventor of the slide rule; Newton and his bitter priority dispute with Leibniz over the invention of calculus, a conflict that impeded British mathematics for more than a century; and Jacob Bernoulli.
"e": The Story of a Number (Princeton Science Library)
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Amazon Review
e: The Story of a Number begins by describing the transition in mathematics brought about by the introduction of the microchip. Until about 1975, logarithms were every scientist's best friend. They were the basis of the slide rule that was the totemic wand of the trade and were listed in the huge books that were consulted in every library. Then handheld calculators arrived, and within a few years slide rules were museum pieces.
But e remains, the centre of the natural logarithmic function and of calculus. Eli Maor's book is the only more or less popular account of the history of this universal constant. Maor gives human faces to fundamental mathematics, as in his fantasia of a meeting between Johann Bernoulli and JS Bach. e: The Story of a Number would be an excellent choice for a any student of trigonometry or calculus. --Mary Ellen Curtin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
This is a gently paced, elegantly composed book, and it will bring its readers much pleasure.... Maor has written an excellent book that should be in every public and school library. (Ian Stewart New Scientist )
Maor wonderfully tells the story of e. The chronological history allows excursions into the lives of people involved with the development of this fascinating number. Maor hangs his story on a string of people stretching from Archimedes to David Hilbert. And by presenting mathematics in terms of the humans who produced it, he places the subject where it belongs--squarely in the centre of the humanities. (Jerry P. King Nature )
Maor has succeeded in writing a short, readable mathematical story. He has interspersed a variety of anecdotes, excursions, and essays to lighten the flow.... [The book] is like the voyages of Columbus as told by the first mate. (Peter Borwein Science )
Maor attempts to give the irrational number e its rightful standing alongside pi as a fundamental constant in science and nature; he succeeds very well.... Maor writes so that both mathematical newcomers and long-time professionals alike can thoroughly enjoy his book, learn something new, and witness the ubiquity of mathematical ideas in Western culture. (Choice )
It can be recommended to readers who want to learn about mathematics and its history, who want to be inspired and who want to understand important mathematical ideas more deeply. (EMS Newsletter ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
Maor wonderfully tells the story of e. The chronological history allows excursions into the lives of people involved with the development of this fascinating number. Maor hangs his story on a string of people stretching from Archimedes to David Hilbert. And by presenting mathematics in terms of the humans who produced it, he places the subject where it belongs--squarely in the centre of the humanities. (Jerry P. King Nature )
Maor has succeeded in writing a short, readable mathematical story. He has interspersed a variety of anecdotes, excursions, and essays to lighten the flow.... [The book] is like the voyages of Columbus as told by the first mate. (Peter Borwein Science )
Maor attempts to give the irrational number e its rightful standing alongside pi as a fundamental constant in science and nature; he succeeds very well.... Maor writes so that both mathematical newcomers and long-time professionals alike can thoroughly enjoy his book, learn something new, and witness the ubiquity of mathematical ideas in Western culture. (Choice )
It can be recommended to readers who want to learn about mathematics and its history, who want to be inspired and who want to understand important mathematical ideas more deeply. (EMS Newsletter ) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
39 of 39 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
All students who have undertaken a calculus course know that "e" is a very important number and on eof the cornerstones of modern mathematics; but very few students - I am afraid - know its fascinating story. That's why Eli Maor decided to fill this gap and to write his book on the story of "e": he starts with the invention of logarithms by the Scottish nobleman John Napier and guides the reader in a wonderful voyage through the mathematical discoveries of the last four centuries. In this voyage, the interested reader can meet real giants of mathematics such as Newton, Euler and the Bernoullis; he can study curious mathematical curves such as the logarithmic spiral and the catenary; he can understand how calculus was born and how it developed in the minds of the great mathematicians of the 17th Century. The book is noteworthy because of the crystal-clear mathematical accuracy with which Eli Maor explains the facts of his story; therefore a maths background is necessary to enjoy reading this book. Finally, eli Maor makes his book even more interesting by adding some "capsules" on various subjects, such as the importance of hyperbolic functions, the relationship between music and maths, the beauty of the decorative patterns that use the logarithmic spiral. A book that should be in the library of every maths-loving person.
39 of 40 people found the following review helpful
By Paul Carson
Format:Paperback
There aren't many good maths books out there, but this is definitely one of them. It manages to describe the concepts - mentioned below in other reviews - so well that by the end you wish you could meet the author and have a chat about mathematics; the sign of a really good book.
The level is about 18+ and it will be of great benefit to maths students going to or at university. It was recommended to me by my lecturer; not surprisingly, I ignored him, but I found it a few years later. I kicked myself when i finished...I wish i had read it earlier. The title doesn't help either...it turns you off immediately...so he's either brave or stupid to call it that...!
It is true that e is an extremely important number, and really, it is far more interesting than pi in many ways. Unravelling its history leads to an explanation of many interesting areas of mathematics, and calculus is described well. The explanation of logs wasn't all that great, but it tied the book together.
If you're a maths student, it will help give subjects you cover some background and perspective. You may understand them better too, so...go and read it now!
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
I thought this was and excellent book, tracing the story of e from Napier logarithms through to the development of calculus and beyond. The author's style is excellent producing an interesting, easily read, non-technical history which fleshes out some of the great characters in the history mathematics. There are also some really diverting asides. If you've any interest in the history of mathematics, I'd recommend this.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Does what it says on the tin
I loved this book. It goes through the history of e in chronological order, starting with the discovery / invention of logarithms, and proceeding to all the other contexts in which... Read more
Published 4 months ago by 00Bay
5.0 out of 5 stars
This is a Wonderful Book
Anyone with modest mathematical knowledge ('AS' - level for example)and an interest in mathematics would benefit from reading this delightful book. Read more
Published on 5 Dec 2010 by Andy Gregory
5.0 out of 5 stars
A clear and readable insight into a key mathematical topic
This is a clear and very readable exposition of the background to the discovery of one of the key numbers in maths - e - and of its significance. Read more
Published on 4 Dec 2010 by M. F. Cayley
3.0 out of 5 stars
good, not outstanding
I read a lot of this popular science stuff, especially stories about math and physics. For me, this book was interesting reading, but it is not among the best in the genre.
Published on 6 Nov 2009 by Risto
5.0 out of 5 stars
great present
i gave this book as a present to my husband and he's very pleased! he likes reading books related to mathematics and sciences and he's a good critic so he tells me if they weren't... Read more
Published on 31 July 2009 by irj23
5.0 out of 5 stars
For mystics, philosophers, or even mathematicians!
This is a truly excellent book. This is not a collection of bound papers, this is an exhaustive study of e and we are guided by the author's own thoughts and opinions throughout. Read more
Published on 16 Jun 2000
5.0 out of 5 stars
A-level maths standard, but explained in historical context
This book quite clearly explains a lot of well-known theorems and their historical context. It is not "high-brow" or obtuse, as some maths history books can be. Read more
Published on 12 May 2000 by M. Ringrose
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