A Beginner's Guide to Constructing the Universe: The Mathematical Archetypes of Nature, Art, and Science

by Michael S. Schneider

The Universe May Be a Mystery,But It's No Secret Michael Schneider leads us on a spectacular, lavishly illustrated journey along the numbers one through ten to explore the mathematical principles made visible in flowers, shells, crystals, plants, and the human body, expressed in the symbolic language of folk sayings and fairy tales, myth and religion, art and architecture. This is a new view of mathematics, not the one we learned at school but a comprehensive guide to the patterns that recur through the universe and underlie human affairs. A Beginner's Guide to Constructing, the Universe shows you: Why cans, pizza, and manhole covers are round.Why one and two weren't considered numbers by the ancient Greeks.Why squares show up so often in goddess art and board games.What property makes the spiral the most widespread shape in nature, from embryos and hair curls to hurricanes and galaxies. How the human body shares the design of a bean plant and the solar system. How a snowflake is like Stonehenge, and a beehive like a calendar. How our ten fingers hold the secrets of both a lobster a cathedral, and much more.

Genres: Science, Mathematics, Nonfiction, Art, Philosophy, History, Spirituality

351 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1994

Reviews

[David Rubenstein · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have just finished reading this book, and I like some parts of it. After getting over my initial disappointment, I realized that I had expectations from its title, and the title simply is misleading. The book is really about geometric patterns in our culture and in ancient and other modern cultures. Where do these patterns come from, and how do they manifest in art, in symbology, in philosophy. Many of the geometric patterns--maybe all of them--come from nature, and that is where the author ties in to nature.

The problem with the book, is that the author himself does not really understand what his book is really about. It's not about science. While the book asks science-related questions, (why do we see a spiral shape in shells, galaxies, hurricanes, and watery whirlpools), there are no science answers. And when the book does reflect on an interesting science question, like how does light penetrate through glass, the author says "E=mc2" as if the formula offers an explanation. The author seems truly ignorant of science, but I think he states Einstein's formula as a symbolic triad that pervades many cultures, rather than as a scientific explanation.

The author has tried to organize the material in 10 chapters devoted, each in turn, to the numbers 1-10. But in so doing, he makes a mistake; in each chapter he tries to come up with all the examples he can think of, where that number appears in everyday life. Some of the examples are absolutely banal. For example, in Chapter 8 he mentions that in an octagon, there are 8 corner angles each covering 135 degrees, so the total angle adds up to 1080 degrees, which is the same as the radius of the moon, expressed in miles. Like this explains anything?

Don't look to this book for a better understanding of nature or science. Instead, (once you get past the New Age banalities) look at this book to understand a little better, the subtle forms in which geometric patterns manifest themselves in cultures, in art, philosophy, and spiritualism, and where people copied them out of nature.

[Ami · Rating 1 out of 5]

I just can't slog through this book anymore. It was another book I really wanted to like. I read some reviews that warned me that it was less "Math, Nature, Art & Science" and more "New Age hoo-hah" and unfortunately that turned out to be the case.

I can't verify that the connections the author is making are not true, just like I can't verify that they're not, because everything is written in that completely unsourced manner. But not only is it unsourced, it's also unexplained thoroughly, and sort of glossed over until there is just a vomited pile of stuff about whatever number/shape/idea the author is on, lying at my feet, about which I am dubious. Maybe I'm being too harsh, and I know that I have enjoyed many a feel-good yet unsourced pseudoscientific book before, but this one just rubbed me the wrong way.

Around the first chapter, I encountered this pivotal rambling sentence: "In Hindu mythology, the dimensionless Brahma speaks aloud the word aham, 'I Am,' a word made of the first, middle, and final letters of the Sanskrit alphabet, which represents the circle's three parts; the center, the radius, and the cicumference, and our own spiritual center, psychological reaches, and outer material form". I decided then that this book is a skimmer, and that I would mostly look at the photos and read their captions. But by the time I got to the number 3, the author had started doing things like drawing triangles over pictures of thiings that did not really have triangular shapes, so that we could see how the "pattern" shows up again & again. Like, a butterfly, do you see how it looks like a triangle, man? Except I think it looks more like a pentagram shape, but then he draws a pentagram over a bat that is shaped more like a triangle in chapter 5. And by then he's got calipers next to every photo and I've given up.

[Bruce · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully accessible book that takes each of the numbers from one to ten and devotes a chapter to the symbology and geometry behind it.

The author does an amazing job condensing a vast amount of historical and mathematical information into a concise and highly readable text. He is a professional educator and it shows (in a good way)

Contemplating/meditating on the concepts in this book has been very conducive to some powerful experiences*. This book is a real keeper and I go back to it for reference from time to time. Highly recommended.

If you are more of a multi media person you can get a DVD containing some of the same (and some additional) information presented in more of a slide show format-- just google for the author's web site.

To get technical, in the introduction the author discusses the differences between symbolic and sacred geometry, and says the book is mostly about symbolic. But the sacred aspect of it oozes out of every word. A great reference for those seeking enlightenment :-)

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to chance upon a free copy of this book. It's amazing and wonderful. It takes you through the basic numbers, showing you how to construct a regular polygon using only a compass and straight edge to emphasize how everything emerges from one. Everything is connected in that way. Everything emerges from the same place. It goes on to discuss the importance of that particular number, shape or related sequence in how nature is constructed, and what that number has symbolized historically. If I had read this years earlier, maybe I would have paid a bit more attention in math classes.

[Fayren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whoever thinks our world is just full of chaos should read this book! It's all actually magically organized.

[Paige McLoughlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book several times having a paranoid nature and some math ability no doubt I am going to read books linked to sacred geometry. There are lots of connections in math to keep a paranoiac mind occupied (better than worrying about mob or CIA) of course I have enough of skeptical nature to not get carried away but it is fun to engage in a little creative paranoia from time to time. Sacred Geometry may be a little removed from numerology but it is a fun historical subject with which to engage. a good chunk is devoted to five and the golden ratio of phi and its relation to the rabbit or Fibonacci sequence, the golden spiral, and the pentagram. A little flakey but enjoyable.

Update 1/5/2022 I think paranoids like myself should channel their conspiratorial musings into mathematics. The whole field is strewn with weird seemingly tangential connections. These connections show up in geometry and art and tend towards a harmless mysticism and may bring comfort in finding hidden order weaved into the cosmic fabric. Of course one can be carried away but it is fun to find more jewels in the cosmic design.



https://youtu.be/7upCqFaEDOU

https://youtu.be/73xCxHv2sXo

https://youtu.be/1Jj-sJ78O6M

https://youtu.be/cyW5z-M2yzw

A very Foucault's Pendulum treatment of this stuff. I know it's pareidolia (fevered overheating of pattern recognition) with numerology but it is a fun video.
https://youtu.be/R7oyZGW99os

[JHM · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent, almost magical book about how the essential nature of numbers, their relationship with each other, and the patterns that arise from them shape the foundation of our world.

It is also very dense, and the larger the numbers got the harder it was for me to read. (Your mileage may vary.) Eventually I realized I was not going to finish it, but it's going to stay on my shelves as an inspirational resource.

I would recommend it to parents of young children as a way of inspiring your kids to look at and interact with numbers in a new way. You wouldn't give this book to a child, but if you glean the essence of it and share it, it could be great. It would be great for middle readers as well, although -- again -- with the caveat that they wouldn't necessarily want to read every word, but to get the basic ideas, which would open up their experience and understanding of numbers, geometry, biology, and etc.

[Camille · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! This book is about more than math. It connects science, literature, philosophy,religion, art and architecture. I plan on using this as our core book for our homeschool studies in the fall. I was hooked from the very first page, and kept thinking how much I would have loved math in school, if I'd had a teacher like Michael Scneider.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

FASCINATING read on sacred geometry and the archetypes of the numbers 1-10: where they show up in nature, language, history and architecture, and how they inform every aspect of our own being/consciousness/transformation. Definitely esoteric and not for everyone, but I loved it. Recommended by my teacher at Katonah Yoga, Nevine Michaan.

[Gavin White · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have mixed feelings in regard to this book. It took me three goes to finish it and it ended up being a bit of a struggle. On the positive side I have learnt many interesting nuggets of geometric and mathematical lore and some new graphic procedures. On the other hand, it was very 'New Age' in its approach and the terms of its narrative. I would have preferred a more classical philosophical approach in line with the Neo-Platonists rather than a load of Jungian psycho-babble about personal growth, saving the planet and raising one's consciousness etc. I also noticed several factual errors in the text, and given that there are no footnotes it is impossible to check sources - so I reckon there are plenty more errors dotted around.
At the end of the day, what you get here is one person's synthesis of the geometric cannon set out around the numbers 1 to 10. This is just one way, often adopted by the Greek writers, to approach the subject. As you may guess, this approach lends an inherent bias towards a cabbalistic view of mythical traditions and the interpretation of geometric forms and configurations.
Getting through this book and confronting my own issues with it made me think about geometry and what I am interested in learning about.
The basic numbers (and their roots - which are hardly discussed) are certainly powerful metaphors for understanding form, and nature does indeed use a myriad of geometric structures in her creations. This seems to be the solid, even scientific, basis upon which the art of geometry is founded. But beyond this point it all starts to get rather diffuse and analogical, by which I mean: disparate phenomenon get lumped together as a 'family' because they all exhibit some type of five-fold geometry in their form for instance. This approach is nothing more than the dead-end dialectics of two or more things having an 'affinity', 'resonance' or 'correspondence'. This is not what I am looking for!
I am seeking something more rational and scientific in its approach. There are many potential areas of exploration - the symmetries found in the properties of sub-atomic particles, an exploration of how sound and vibration manifest as visual patterns, the symmetries and dynamics of fields, how our brain structures our perceptions. Even if such a study cannot answer so many questions it at least asks them and that can help to lead geometry away from its speculative past into a more relevant and instructive future. This book gives you an endless array of disconnected facts, which can provide a springboard for one's intuition but I believe that the subject of geometry demands and requires much more than that.

[Lila Mable · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mentor recently taught my class that it's better to read a book quickly, understand only 20% of it, and reread it in a couple years than it is to spend months (or years) trying to absorb 90% of the content.

A Beginner's Guide To Constructing The Universe and I are a great example of this. 😊 I started this book over two years ago and have read it on and off ever since. Yet the learning experience was most powerful in the last couple months when I buckled down and finished it.

Not only did I enjoy it more but reading quickly and allowing myself to gloss over boring parts actually increased my understanding and memory! Though I didn't "get" everything, what I do understand resonates more. Plus, it feels great to finally mark this book as finished! ✅

Each chapter in A Beginner's Guide tackles the construction, use, and symbolism of a number between 1 and 10. There's too much to recount in this little message, but a couple of my takeaways were:

- 1 is whole and all-encompassing. It's around and within every thing and number.
- 5 talked about Fibonacci numbers, the golden ratio, and spirals. I'm not exactly sure how that tied into five specifically, but it was a fun chapter 😋
- 7 is the bridge between heaven and earth. It's elusive, and we can never quite catch it, like the 7 colors of a rainbow.
- 10 brings us back to 1, but at a different level. Like a musical octave or rereading a classic after several years.

That doesn't even scratch the surface. I learned a LOT from this book! But my biggest lesson was to stop trying to understand EVERYTHING and to quit waiting "until I'm capable." Instead, I'll keep in mind that reading a book now will rarely hurt, and I can always reread it later.

Now I'm off! There are sidewalk cracks, pinecone spirals, and folk tales to analyze!

[Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing!!!!

[Debbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish they would teach geometry like this in school!

[Haley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book many times over, one of my very favorite books on numbers. Instructions for making the platonic solids out of paper and golden calipers too.

[june ! · Rating 3 out of 5]

when i was thirteen years old, i built a pair of golden ratio calipers using instructions from this book. i used them to measure the fingers of my very pretty but prohibitively older crush and prove her hands were "mathematically ideal". i gathered a hundred pinecones and counted their clockwise and anti-clockwise spirals, sat at my desk with a compass and straightedge and pretended i was discovering everything in the world for the first time.

there's not much of a point in reading this as an adult. it's not exactly precise or rigorous and depends a lot on syncretist, alan watts-esque hand waving. give this to a young kid who is interested in science or religion, and watch them turn into a peculiar little new ager. they'll grow out of it eventually, but they'll always look back at their "revelations" with fondness.

[Petra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intrigerend om eens stil te staan bij hoeveel symmetrie er eigenlijk in natuurlijke vormen zit, en hoe vanzelfsprekend mensen getalsverhoudingen in hun constructies terugbrengen.

Een paar leuke weetjes opgedaan ook - van 'de aapfactor' die bergbeklimmers kennelijk hanteren, had ik nog nooit gehoord.

[Stan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book about mathematics! The most frequently asked question students in the public education system have of their math teachers is 'When am I ever going to use this (math concept) in my life?' And it is a valid question. So much of what is taught in math classes has no practical value for most people; the few things that are taught in math classes that have practical value are not presented in the context of here is how this relates to everyday life; and much of math that has practical every-day value is not taught in common core math classes for who knows what reason. A Beginner's Guide looks at numbers from a different perspective. Numbers matter in the real world because they are symbolic representations of the very essence of what makes up the universe. Numbers are everywhere, working behind the scenes whether we appreciate them or not! When you finish this book you won't be any better at balancing your check book, but you will never look at the world or the universe the same way.

Another book that zeros in on how numbers relate to the world is Stephen Wolfram's A New Kind of Science. It's a very different book than Beginner's, but is also fascinating.

[ER!S · Rating 3 out of 5]

there's a lot of value in this book for the type of person that likes to take a concept & experiment with it on their own

Schneider forces some tenuous connections to support his It's All Connected™ theme, and it gives the whole book the feeling of talking science with someone who's just done acid for the first time. i'm all for magic and hidden knowledge, but to me this book leans more towards new-agey shallowness & impatience. Personally, i think applying abstractions & models towards some end is more interesting than finding patterns for their own sake. schneider rolls anything and everything into his epiphany, and the result is a whirlwind tour of big, abstract concepts at the cost of considering any of them in-depth

all that said, i was given this book as a 9th birthday present & i'm really glad i was. The handful of concepts in it that i did more research on, played around with, and applied to my own work stuck with me as i got older. The book disappointed me on the reread, but i still think it's a good pick for kids or adults with an interest in art, science, or math & who want a jumping off point for their own explorations

[Avi Love · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Michael Schneider is a wonderful in-depth introduction to a wide range of subjects. Michael himself is an incredible resource. Find him online sharing amazing and wondrous things, in a way both adults and children can receive. Michael's enthusiasm for sacred geometry found in every day life is contagious. I am blessed to have been in many of his classes over the past several years in Northern California. Whenever he has new material -- in person, in print, or online with articles, interviews or video links -- I am there in a flash. IMHO it is a privilege to be on the planet at the same time as this man.

[Kenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a lovely tour of numbers 1-10 via a combination of geometry, myth, art, and science. The main thesis: the universe follows particular geometric/numerical patterns, and by recognizing those patterns, we can live harmoniously within creation. I sometimes wondered whether the facts were being oversimplified in order to support the thesis, and the connections between patterns and nature frequently seemed tenuous. Nevertheless, I really enjoyed learning to draw polygons with nothing but a compass and straight edge, and I thought it was overall a fun read that made great connections to biology, music, architecture, symbolism in world religions, and a lot more.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love, love, love this book! It's so amazing to learn how mathematical principles surround us in every day life. The principle of symmetry alone is astounding. It's fascinating to see how the universe was created from a blueprint that is based on math. Every math class can become more interesting and worthwhile if one can see how math appears in the world rather than just on paper. Real math is exciting. I think a teacher would be able to break down the themes in this book to add some magic to a child's world that will leave them loving math rather than relegating it to the most dreaded subject.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a GREAT book for any one learning introductory geometry. I am using it in my geometry classes. It shows tons of examples of geometry in nature and art; it opens your eyes to see the geometric relationships and patterns that surround us.

There are a couple problem points. He gets a little over-the-top philosophical some times and I have found errors, not typos but mistakes in math or physics, in several places. Despite these I’d say its well worth reading, even if only for the pictures!

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

My book study group loved this book. We took our time, ensuring everyone grasped the math to their satisfaction. Many members stated they wished these mathematical archetypes had been taught in their maths classes. "Everything makes so much sense now." We especially enjoyed the sections dealing with music and resonance; on nature; and how form comes into being. Lots of drawing opportunities and other activities to help integrate this knowledge in ways other than cerebral. Really cool book!

[Alexander McLeese · Rating 5 out of 5]

A genuinely awesome read and a book which you can read again and again. Great for anyone who likes things of an esoteric nature, sacred geometry, sacred mathematics, numerology, the teachings of Pythagoras etc

[Verena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating concept

[Ruth Ashby · Rating 5 out of 5]

So many cool insights! I'm excited to look for these patterns I've learned in nature and art.

[Dil Nawaz · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Constructing the Universe, Michael S. Schneider embarks on a profound exploration that masterfully intertwines mathematics, science, geometry, and philosophy to demonstrate the divine architecture underlying all of creation. The book serves as a compelling argument that the universe is not a product of random chaos but of intentional, intelligent design—an idea that aligns with the belief in a higher power.

The book bridges the gap between scientific reasoning and spirituality, showing that math and geometry are more than just academic disciplines—they are the language through which the divine communicates. Patterns such as the Fibonacci sequence, the golden ratio, and geometric structures in natural forms all point to an orchestrated plan that governs life, growth, and balance. For a skeptic or atheist, Constructing the Universe offers an eye-opening journey, presenting evidence that the universe is not devoid of purpose but rich with signs pointing to a higher power.

The book invites readers who question the existence of God to consider the evidence in the natural world. By using objective mathematical principles, Constructing the Universe provides a bridge between logic and faith, demonstrating that the very fabric of the universe speaks of an intelligent designer. Each number explored reveals a new facet of creation that challenges the notion of a purely mechanistic and accidental existence.

Overview of the Chapters


Monad – Wholly One: Schneider begins with the monad, representing unity and the origin of all things. It is the seed from which all creation stems, embodying the concept of an omnipotent and singular source, akin to the belief in one God.

Dyad – It Takes Two to Tango: The dyad introduces duality, illustrating the balance of opposites in nature—light and dark, good and evil. This chapter highlights the necessity of dual forces working in harmony, reflecting the divine wisdom embedded in creation.

Triad – Three-Part Harmony: The triad represents stability, manifesting in structures such as the triangle, which is the most fundamental and balanced form.

Tetrad – Mother Substance: Four symbolizes the material world, reflected in elements like earth, air, fire, and water. This chapter demonstrates how the physical world is imbued with order and symmetry, suggesting intentional design by a higher power.

Pentad – Regeneration: The pentad speaks to growth and regeneration, seen in the fivefold symmetry of living organisms such as flowers and starfish. The recurrence of this pattern in nature echoes a purposeful and intelligent structure in biological life.

Hexad – Structure, Function, Order: Six embodies structure and function, evident in honeycombs and crystals. These examples of geometric efficiency in nature point to a deliberate design that ensures sustainability and balance.

Heptad – Enchanting Virgin: The number seven has been associated with mystery and spiritual depth throughout cultures. Its recurrence in natural cycles, such as the days of the week and phases of the moon, signals a divine cadence to life.

Octad – Periodic Renewal: Eight symbolizes renewal and rebirth, as seen in the octave in music and the cyclical nature of life. It suggests that existence is not linear but cyclical, reinforcing the idea of eternal life and regeneration that many faiths embrace.

Ennead – The Horizon: Nine is the number of completion and fulfillment. It marks the culmination of a cycle, echoing themes of judgment and transcendence. This number serves as a metaphor for the soul’s journey and spiritual awakening.

Decad – Beyond Number: Ten signifies ultimate unity and the return to the source. It embodies the perfection of the numerical system and points to an infinite source beyond human comprehension. The decad is a bridge to divine infinity, resonating with the idea of God as the alpha and omega.

For believers, it reinforces faith with the logic of mathematics. For atheists, it offers a compelling perspective that may spark deeper reflection on the possibility of a divine architect. Through this book, one can see that the universe is a cosmic masterpiece, its intricate details pointing unmistakably to the existence of a higher power.

[Leah Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Both Pythagoras and Plato suggested that all citizens learn the properties of the first ten numbers as a form of moral instruction.” P. xxiii
“Mythmatics” ❤️ p xxvii
“...perhaps instead of teaching science to youngsters in separate pigeonholes of biology, chemistry, physics, and so on, science courses could investigate the principles that run through each of them, such as wholeness, polarity, balance, pattern, and harmony.” P 28
“Unlike any other shape, the three sides of a triangle resolve opposite tensions into one solid, stable whole needing no support from without. A triangle is self-sufficient.” P 46
“Four shows up wherever there is reference to earth and matter.” P 68 (four footed animals, four elements, four phases of matter, four corners of the earth. 40 is a passing beyond material/wordly phase or leveling up.
Aristotle: “The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
Five: ability to regenerate another whole like itself. Excellence, brilliance, authority. Pentagram is the first shape to have a correct or incorrect orientation. Fibonacci sequence and the golden ratio.
Six: structure, function, order, efficiency, a glorified triangle, leaving no wasted space.
Seven: Virgin, untouched, a complete yet ongoing process, connection to Athena is fascinating p 225-228, the Sabbath, with six days of work whirling round it continuously. Musical scale, actually inexact, we tune our instruments slightly off in order to make equally tempered, 7 colors in rainbow spectrum
“Natural expressions of the Heptad are not as obvious as the results of other Archetypal numbers and shapes because they must be seen as a sequence of relationships.” P 250
Eight: periodic renewal, new creation, glorified number 4, special relationship btwn 8 and 1 (Jesus 8th day, new creation)
Octave, 8 same as 1, but completes the scale. Mitosis, 7 steps, step 8 is two separate cells.
Nine: horizon, final step, the end, nine rings of hell, Abraham’s 99 years, 9 months pregnancy
Ten: beyond, final, heaven, opening to all the rest of the numbers to infinity (I wish he talked about zero itself and how big a deal it’s “discovery” was)? Ten words genesis 1, Ten Commandments, ten plagues, ten strings, 100 years old, tithe, string theory (!!!),
*** “The Decad is the recurrence of the Monad, unity at another level. With this new beginning we are back where we began, although the better for having gone through the experience of which the Decad is the summit.” P 346
Plato’s academy door: “Let none ignorant of geometry enter here.”

[Rory Fox · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book about the geometries to be found in nature. It is not a book about ‘constructing the universe’ as such.

In ten chapters, with each chapter devoted to issues to do with a particular number, the book spanned an enormous breadth of examples and illustrations. Whether it be Hopi language lacking nouns, or the geometry of Stonehenge, or the geometrical spirals of 2/3 and ¾ which generate the musical notes, every chapter introduced examples of how numbers explain and describe aspects of the world we live in.

The examples were interesting but interspersed with them was a new age like spirituality which tried to draw ideas from almost every religious tradition on the planet. It included Greek gods, Egyptian wisdom, Chinese Acupuncture, aphorisms from indigenous people’s, etc. It was syncretism at its most exuberant.

But what is the point of syncretism? In places in the book I thought that it was trying to convey a spiritual message which was supposed to emerge from all the aspect of the cited traditions. It talked of meditation and spiritual growth, but it was not at all clear to me how a spirituality as such can indeed emerge from seeing the geometries of nature. Nor did the conclusion (or Epilogue) try to round out a specifically spiritual vision as an outcome of the book. It just seemed to focus on the ability to see and experience geometries in nature as the conclusion of the book.

So, I was left wondering why the book raised spirituality at all. If the purpose of the book is to describe geometries in nature and if the desired outcome of the book is the ability to be able to see them (having learned from the book), then what is the point of the references to spirituality which go beyond numerical aspects of geometry?

Ultimately, I didn’t really enjoy the book. Bits of the details were interesting in a desultory way, but I didn’t pick up the book to read about geometry and patterns. I thought it was a book about ‘constructing the universe’ and so I ended up feeling disappointed with the book’s focus and then with its dabbling with spirituality in ways which never really seemed entirely clear.

[Erin · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book brings a valuable perspective that math is SO much more than our textbooks ever led us to believe. Schneider gives examples from nature, art, architecture, and more to show, what is, in my opinion, the undeniable evidence of an Intelligent Designer behind it all. It's my goal to teach my kids math in this way: to help them discover patterns, connectedness of ideas, explore shapes, discover the presence of all these things everywhere.

So why 2 stars? The author culls over 350 pages of "evidence" for the beauty of numbers from some of the most random places, and often left me questioning the validity of his points. For example, in his chapter about 3 he says 3 represents thoroughness, rebirth, transformation and success and points to three wishes, theee musketeers and three wisemen. Um? The Biblical account doesn't specify 3 wisemen, and the others are literary devices. . .the "evidence" seems so irrelevant to me and there to further a narrative without any real point. He says that in "all the centuries geometers have still discovered only 3 types of triangles. . . And only 3 types of angles." Let's be real, we can define angles and triangles in a dozen more ways (instead of acute, obtuse and right, what if we needed to discuss angles that were less than 90 but greater than 45 . . .if the need existed for a project we'd create another classification), the fact that generally we only use 3 is really no big thing.

There are dozens more examples in this book that made me say, "so what"? And in general made me question the content so much, it lost much of its magic.

I did highlight many evidences that I find exciting and projects that I hope will spark delight at discovering the true beauty of numbers and math when I work them with my children, but overall, I could have done without this book.