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Why Beauty is Truth: The History of Symmetry (Paperback)

by Ian Stewart (Author)

4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

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Product details

Paperback: 304 pages
Publisher: Basic Books (1 May 2008)
Language English
ISBN-10: 0465082378
ISBN-13: 978-0465082377
Product Dimensions: 20.1 x 13.5 x 2.3 cm

Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (5 customer reviews)

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 100,984 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Popular in these categories:

#1 in	Books > Scientific, Technical & Medical > Mathematics > Algebra > Groups & Group Theory
#4 in	Books > Science & Nature > Mathematics > Algebra > Groups & Group Theory
#17 in	Books > Science & Nature > Physics > Methods

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Review

"Stewart is a highly gifted communicator, able not only to explain the motivation of mathematicians down the centuries but to elucidate the resulting mathematics with both clarity and style. The whole is leavened by his inimitable understated wit...and clarity...as he draws you into the minds of pathfinders...cutting through the clutter of the often slow and painful development of new ideas with a conviction that make this book accessible and motivating to anyone with a serious interest in maths. I resorted to hiding it from other members of the family until I'd finished and am confident that those on the 'waiting list' will not be disappointed. Inspirational." Times Educational Supplement "Stewart, long a class act in popular maths, does not shy from presenting equations, illuminating them with imagistic explanations and sympathetic character sketches of heroes past and present". The Guardian "Stewart's book is a good humoured, panoramic history of the development of mathematics from Babylonian times to the present... (A) fine contribution to mathematical literature..." FT "(T)he study of symmetry has become one of the most potent analytical tools for physicist, and a fundamental pillar of pure mathematics. Maybe this is what Keats was on about when he wrote "Beauty is truth, truth beauty." At any rate, there's been a gap in the market for a book to explain all this to a popular audience, and now Ian Stewart has filled it with Why Beauty is Truth. In it, he skilfully mixes narrative on the historical development of group theory - the mathematical machinery of symmetry - with effective lay explanations of how it actually works. Some of these may leave your brain gibbering helplessly in a corner - this can be technical. But in general they are staggeringly elegant... Keats would approve." BBC Focus Magazine "(I)mpressive... valuable and intelligent... (Ian Stewart is) an excellent professional mathematician". Daily Telegraph "Stewart... is renowned for his popular science books, but Why Beauty is Truth is without a doubt the finest. If it were only for its lively informal style, its historical characters, its intrigue... its beautiful prose, it would be praiseworthy. Yet, its real uniqueness - its power - is in what it uncovers. It brings us the heart of why mathematicians pursue mathematics." Nature "Dealing with the concept of symmetry, this book takes you on an easy and thrilling journey through the history of an idea and the men for whom it was an obsession. From the first sentence, that plants the reader in the midst of a duel, you are treated to a tale that is as much a history of individuals as it is of ideas. A surprising topic presented in an astonishingly entertaining manner." Good Book Guide"

Nature, May 2007

"(Ian Stewart) is renowned for his popular science books, but Why Beauty is Truth is without a doubt his finest... (A) brilliant interweaving of politics, history and intrigue... " --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

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What Do Customers Ultimately Buy After Viewing This Item?

	66% buy the item featured on this page: Why Beauty is Truth: The History of Symmetry 4.2 out of 5 stars (5) �7.09
	13% buy Professor Stewart's Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities 4.1 out of 5 stars (16) �6.47
	10% buy Taming the Infinite: The Story of Mathematics 3.3 out of 5 stars (3) �5.36
	8% buy Professor Stewart's Hoard of Mathematical Treasures 5.0 out of 5 stars (3) �6.48

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Customer Reviews

5 Reviews

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.2 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Book to be Prized., 3 Jun 2009

By	Anthony Murphy "feral cat" (Hull, England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Why Beauty Is Truth: The History of Symmetry (Hardcover)

When Ian Stewart writes a book on mathematics it is always something that booklovers look forward too. This book is no exception. Beside explaining complex mathematical ideas in language understandable to non-mathematicians, and making the history of mathematics come to life through linking it with the biographies,and the personal struggles of those who have carried the subject forward through the ages,Ian Stewart does it with a beautiful simplicity. The title of this book is well earned and no one who buys it will be disappointed. A bonus in this book is thatIan Stewart shows with great economy, throughout the book, the very close relationship between the development of mathematics and the progress of physics.The care he takes not to over-reach or simplify the relationship between mathematics and physics is made clear in the final chapter where under the heading: 'Seekers After Truth and Beauty' he states:"But what works in mathematics need not work in physics,and vice versa". This is a book which cannot be too highly recommended.

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7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ian Stewart has done it again!, 29 Nov 2008

By	Mr. Daniel H. Johnson "FSM-BUCKETHEAD" (U.K.) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

What more can I say?

Ian Stewart takes us on a journey through group theory to places you probably never considered, but in a completely fun and accessible manner. The historical tone of the book works really well, this book has inspired me to study galois theory in far greater depth.

A MUST for anybody with an interest in mathematics.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not what I expected but informative, 5 Dec 2009

By	Alison (uk) - See all my reviews

I had bought this being interested in maths many years ago in particular the concept of 'Beauty' in nature and art and how that correlated to symmetry and maths. I had hoped it would touch on fractals and logorithmic sequences and how objects such as seashells and cabbages grow in these formations. Sadly none of this was touched on and I'm not what I would call heavily into advanced mathematics.

However I did persevere and read the entire book although far from understanding the concepts in it. I very much enjoyed the humour and the history surrounding how mathmatical concepts were discovered. It reminded me very much of Bill Bryson's writting and not that of a stale Maths book at all. The book gets heavier towards the end when it starts talking of Quantum maths where it pretty much lost me completely.

If you are interested in Mathmatical concepts and discoveries this is a very entertaining and informative read but for me the cover was rather misleading. I would be interested to hear a review by a Maths scholar.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars Why Beauty is Truth
A fascinating account of significant developments in Mathematics and the intriguing characters who made them. Read more

Published 29 days ago by Steve Turner

4.0 out of 5 stars I couldn't fully appreciate the beauty
This book has many good points, and some drawbacks. I think my own lack of mathematical knowledge held me back from fully appreciating it. (I got A in O level maths in 1981. Read more

Published 2 months ago by Dr. Nicholas P. G. Davies

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