Mathematicians: An Outer View of the Inner World

by Mariana Cook

Mathematicians is a remarkable collection of ninety-two photographic portraits, featuring a selection of the most impressive mathematicians of our time. Acclaimed photographer Mariana Cook captures the exuberance and passion of these brilliant thinkers. The superb images are accompanied by autobiographical texts written by each mathematician. Together, the photographs and words illuminate a diverse group of men and women dedicated to the absorbing pursuit of mathematics. The compelling black-and-white portraits introduce readers to mathematicians who are both young and old and from notably diverse backgrounds. They include Fields Medal winners, those at the beginning of major careers, and those who are long-established celebrities in the discipline. Their candid personal essays reveal unique and wide-ranging thoughts, opinions, and humor. The mathematicians discuss how they became interested in mathematics, why they love the subject, how they remain motivated in the face of mathematical challenges, and how their greatest contributions have paved new directions for future generations. Mathematicians in the book include Jean-Pierre Serre, Henri Cartan, Karen Uhlenbeck, David Blackwell, Eli Stein, John Conway, Timothy Gowers, Frances Kirwan, Peter Lax, William Massey, John Milnor, Cathleen Morawetz, John Nash, Pierre Deligne, and James Simons. This book conveys the beauty and joy of mathematics to readers outside the field as well as those in it. These pictures and their texts are an inspiration, and a perfect gift for those who love mathematics as well as for those who think they can't do it!

Genres: Mathematics

199 pages, Paperback

First published June 18, 2009

Reviews

[Sunil · Rating 1 out of 5]

disgusting

[Amar Pai · Rating 3 out of 5]

An odd book. Mitch mentioned the Princeton connection, which I hadn't noticed but which totally makes sense. It definitely has the air of a high quality vanity-press publication. I guess the guy who commissioned (sponsored? patronized?) it studied some math at Princeton as an undergrad, and retained his interest in mathematicians (particular Princeton ones, of which there are many). If I were rich this is definitely the kind of thing I'd do! So good job Princeton guy.

Anyway the reason I say the book is odd is, I enjoyed it, but it's just a bunch of pictures of mathematicians along with terse, sometimes interesting sometimes incomprehensible statements from each of them. The pix are ok but hardly any of the mathematicians seem to have dressed up for the occasion (or put any effort into looking cool). It makes sense, these are not fashionistas, but makes for boring pictures. (There are some exceptions of course. Tim Gowers looks so rad. He's like an elf or something)

I wouldn't necessarily recommend this book to anyone, but I enjoyed flipping through it. RIP Mandelbrot. I liked his statement. He aspired to take basic geometrical ideas and use them to radically reshape our understanding of the physical world, like Ptolemy's ellipses. His boyhood hero was Ptolemy. Seriously! I find that pretty funny as a thing to aspire to. Amazing that Mandelbrot actually succeeded in his dream. Every time I look at trees now, I think about their shape.

[Shana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am fascinated by mathematicians, and this book, with its photo plus interview/essay style, is a pleasure to peruse.

I don't typically understand the research each person discusses, but I love reading about their earliest "mathematical memories" and how their home lives and intense internal dialogues made them who they are.
They talk a lot about mathematics being true in a way other sciences are not and about the joy of turning one idea over and over in their minds for often years at a time. (I've done that too, but it's almost always an illusion I'm turning over and over.) One mathematician compares the work of relatives he so admires to his own: He saw generations of his family fight intellectual political battles during the Nazi regime and he says that mathematics is important to him because "as soon as truth is discovered, it enters immediately into reality."

Worth the price of admission.

[Ming · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I were to rate this book based purely on the amount of skill that Mariana cook took to get this thing into existence, then I would rate it 3.5-4 stars. But in terms of the value of this book, all I can say is that I am incredibly grateful that it exists. I was a Humanities student in high school / Junior college, and I made a relatively late (and drastic) decision to become a mathematics major during my years at UChicago. Profesisonal mathematicians have always seemed to stand at a lip of a cliff across some unbreachable abyss, and this book (filled with photo portraits and 1-page essay that each mathematician wrote about their connection with mathematics) makes me feel that I may get to the other side after all. It's interesting to hear how many mathematicians view their work as a sort of creative art (bound within, of course, strict and rigorous logical arguments) and compare mathematics to poetry and music. I know poetry and music, so maybe one day I will know mathematics too.

[Roberto Rigolin F Lopes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Here we have a bunch of interesting people sharing their relationships with mathematics in short essays. You will find striking views of mathematics together with their motivations to go for it as a career. The whole thing is personal even including photos; some essays are also fun and quite inspiring.

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun and vaguely inspiring book. Nice to be reminded that mathematics is awesome. I'd be interested in a book of the same premise, but with math profs from small, liberal arts schools, instead of the MIT and Princeton sorts of places.