- Hardcover: 198 pages
- Publisher: Birkhauser (1 Dec 1991)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 3764326506
- ISBN-13: 978-3764326500
- Product Dimensions: 22.9 x 15.2 x 1.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 2,069,835 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
The Apprenticeship of a Mathematician
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Product Description
Product Description
From reviews: "Extremely readable... rare testimony of a period of the history of 20th century mathematics. Includes very interesting recollections on the author's participation in the formation of the Bourbaki Group, tells of his meetings and conversations with leading mathematicians, reflects his views on mathematics. The book describes an extraordinary career of an exceptional man and mathematicians. Strongly recommended to specialists as well as to the general public." --EMS Newsletter (1992)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
There is only a small number of autobiographies by mathematicians. Andre Weil was a giant in math. His autobio, written late in life, is fun to read. Weil has strong opinions that may perhaps not appeal to all. Even so, the book light reading, agreeing or not; and it fun too. For me it was a page-turner. To others perhaps a little pompous. Judge for yourself. While perhaps self-absorbed, I think Weil in his autobio gives personal and fresh insight into the tumultuous period in history, between the two World Wars in Europe, as it relates to math. The main part of the book covers Weil's life before he came to the US.
Weil had a monumental impact on math, and he also wrote some lovely history of math books, --number theory; and then of course some specialized books, that are corner stones in math, but not especially easy to read, at least for beginners. But Andre Weil is a central figure in math. His younger sister Simone Weil was an author and philosopher, and a political activist on the left in French politics in the 1930ties. She died young.
Weil had a monumental impact on math, and he also wrote some lovely history of math books, --number theory; and then of course some specialized books, that are corner stones in math, but not especially easy to read, at least for beginners. But Andre Weil is a central figure in math. His younger sister Simone Weil was an author and philosopher, and a political activist on the left in French politics in the 1930ties. She died young.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
There is only a small number of autobiographies by mathematicians. Andre Weil was a giant in math. His autobio, written late in life, is fun to read. Weil has strong opinions that may perhaps not appeal to all. Even so, the book light reading, agreeing or not; and it fun too. For me it was a page-turner. To others perhaps a little pompous. Judge for yourself. While perhaps self-absorbed, I think Weil in his autobio gives personal and fresh insight into the tumultuous period in history, between the two World Wars in Europe, as it relates to math. The main part of the book covers Weil's life before he came to the US.
Weil had a monumental impact on math, and he also wrote some lovely history of math books, --number theory; and then of course some specialized books, that are corner stones in math, but not especially easy to read, at least for beginners. But Andre Weil is a central figure in math. His younger sister Simone Weil was an author and philosopher, and a political activist on the left in French politics in the 1930ties. She died young.
Review by Palle E. T. Jorgensen
Weil had a monumental impact on math, and he also wrote some lovely history of math books, --number theory; and then of course some specialized books, that are corner stones in math, but not especially easy to read, at least for beginners. But Andre Weil is a central figure in math. His younger sister Simone Weil was an author and philosopher, and a political activist on the left in French politics in the 1930ties. She died young.
Review by Palle E. T. Jorgensen
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5 reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Light reading!
24 Jun 2003
Format:Hardcover
There is only a small number of autobiographies by mathematicians. Andre Weil was a giant in math. His autobio, written late in life, is fun to read. Weil has strong opinions that may perhaps not appeal to all. Even so, the book light reading, agreeing or not; and it fun too. For me it was a page-turner. To others perhaps a little pompous. Judge for yourself. While perhaps self-absorbed, I think Weil in his autobio gives personal and fresh insight into the tumultuous period in history, between the two World Wars in Europe, as it relates to math. The main part of the book covers Weil's life before he came to the US.
Weil had a monumental impact on math, and he also wrote some lovely history of math books, --number theory; and then of course some specialized books, that are corner stones in math, but not especially easy to read, at least for beginners. But Andre Weil is a central figure in math. His younger sister Simone Weil was an author and philosopher, and a political activist on the left in French politics in the 1930ties. She died young.
Weil had a monumental impact on math, and he also wrote some lovely history of math books, --number theory; and then of course some specialized books, that are corner stones in math, but not especially easy to read, at least for beginners. But Andre Weil is a central figure in math. His younger sister Simone Weil was an author and philosopher, and a political activist on the left in French politics in the 1930ties. She died young.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Light reading!
24 Jun 2003
Format:Hardcover
There is only a small number of autobiographies by mathematicians. Andre Weil was a giant in math. His autobio, written late in life, is fun to read. Weil has strong opinions that may perhaps not appeal to all. Even so, the book light reading, agreeing or not; and it fun too. For me it was a page-turner. To others perhaps a little pompous. Judge for yourself. While perhaps self-absorbed, I think Weil in his autobio gives personal and fresh insight into the tumultuous period in history, between the two World Wars in Europe, as it relates to math. The main part of the book covers Weil's life before he came to the US.
Weil had a monumental impact on math, and he also wrote some lovely history of math books, --number theory; and then of course some specialized books, that are corner stones in math, but not especially easy to read, at least for beginners. But Andre Weil is a central figure in math. His younger sister Simone Weil was an author and philosopher, and a political activist on the left in French politics in the 1930ties. She died young.
Weil had a monumental impact on math, and he also wrote some lovely history of math books, --number theory; and then of course some specialized books, that are corner stones in math, but not especially easy to read, at least for beginners. But Andre Weil is a central figure in math. His younger sister Simone Weil was an author and philosopher, and a political activist on the left in French politics in the 1930ties. She died young.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
The recollections of a great mathematician
3 Aug 2007
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
The title is a little misleading since there is not much math in the book, but a lot of personal stories about the intellectual life and travels of A. Weil. Through them we can glimpse his personality and thus the book will be interesting to mathematicians and historians of mathematics. The reader can detect a completely undogmatic mind, skeptical about justice and politics and with a rather ironic sense of humour. His stay in jail for not reporting for duty at the start of WWII was one of his most productive periods.
He recalls, but he is not able to give a concrete date, the day when H. Cartan and he founded Bourbaki. One of the funniest anecdotes is when Cartan receives a call from a Greek whose name is Bourbaki thinking it is a joke, but they become friends and he is even invited to some of their meetings.
A. Weil was not only an outstanding mathematician but a man of a wide culture and a polyglot. He studied sanskrit to read the great books of Indian literature and spent a couple of years in India. Another interesting story is when he is taken by a Russian spy in Finland and he is saved in extremis from execution by a chance meeting of Nevalinna with the chief of police.
He eventually moved to the US, although the first years must have been very frustrating teaching at second rates colleges where when he provided a proof the students would ask: "Is it going to be in the exam?"
The book ends in the fifties when he is appointed a professor at the University of Chicago after a stay in Sao Paulo.
To sum up, a fascinating personality that had a fascinating although not always easy life.
He recalls, but he is not able to give a concrete date, the day when H. Cartan and he founded Bourbaki. One of the funniest anecdotes is when Cartan receives a call from a Greek whose name is Bourbaki thinking it is a joke, but they become friends and he is even invited to some of their meetings.
A. Weil was not only an outstanding mathematician but a man of a wide culture and a polyglot. He studied sanskrit to read the great books of Indian literature and spent a couple of years in India. Another interesting story is when he is taken by a Russian spy in Finland and he is saved in extremis from execution by a chance meeting of Nevalinna with the chief of police.
He eventually moved to the US, although the first years must have been very frustrating teaching at second rates colleges where when he provided a proof the students would ask: "Is it going to be in the exam?"
The book ends in the fifties when he is appointed a professor at the University of Chicago after a stay in Sao Paulo.
To sum up, a fascinating personality that had a fascinating although not always easy life.
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