Stewart starts with a general exploration of patterns in nature--six-pointed snowflakes, feathery patterns of frost on glass, zebra stripes, ripples in the sand, honeycombs, spirals, and so on--then attempts to illustrate, in words, the mathematical principles underlying them. In the process the reader is introduced to ideas of dimensionality, symmetry in all its manifestations, patterns of tiling and packing, symmetry breaking, fractals, complexity theory and chaos. In the penultimate chapter he goes on to explain how the mathematics of earthly nature may mirror that of the universe. Finally he addresses the question of the book's title: What shape is a snowflake? You may be disappointed with the answer, but only if you don't get the joke.

Snowflake is a fascinating read, though it does requires a bit of patience. Much space in the first half of the book is given over to introducing patterns without offering many clues as to what generates them. In consequence, I found myself skipping sections to get to the juicier bits towards the end. Still, for the numerically challenged but patient reader, Snowflake is as friendly an introduction to the mathematics of nature as you could wish to find.--Chris Lavers

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Think of the stripes of a zebra and the complexities of a spider's web. Think of a snowflake... These are natural patterns that have been recognized for centuries, and they can all be accounted for mathematically. In this enlightening book, Ian Stewart shows how life on Earth develops not simply from the outworkings of genetic processes, but also from the principles of mathematics. The result is a visually compelling guide to the links between mathematics and the natural world - a beautiful journey through the fields of science, mathematics, history and art.

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