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A Short Account of the History of Mathematics
In his soft yet captivating voice, award-winning actor Tony Shalhoub (Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Monk) calmly tells the tale of how the ancient Greeks formalized the study of mathematics based on Phoenician teachings.
Bedtime stories are narrated by the world’s most celebrated voices and written with no beginning, middle, or end so you don’t stay up to hear what happens next. They're interesting enough to give your mind something to focus on, but delivered in a way that encourages sleep.
This title is part of the Audible Sleep Collection, exclusive audio experiences created to invite relaxation and sleep. New and free for members.
Public Domain (P)2020 Audible
Bedtime stories are narrated by the world’s most celebrated voices and written with no beginning, middle, or end so you don’t stay up to hear what happens next. They're interesting enough to give your mind something to focus on, but delivered in a way that encourages sleep.
This title is part of the Audible Sleep Collection, exclusive audio experiences created to invite relaxation and sleep. New and free for members.
Public Domain (P)2020 Audible
Audiobook
First published May 14, 2020
12 people are currently reading
128 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 100 reviews
May 28, 2024
Having gotten lost in complex mathematics, which helps explain the theory of relativity, I thought I’d briefly go back to basics with this short explanation of the history of this academic discipline.
I wasn’t too bad a maths when I was at school, but in retrospect, it was really all quite basic. When I started work and particularly when I became a bank teller, I was required to add up huge columns of numbers in my head, often with my branch manager leaning over my shoulder, checking my accuracy. Needless to say, I eventually became proficient in this exercise, a trick I retain to this day! But much of the other mathematics I learned at school - geometry and trigonometry, to name but two branches - have, to be honest, been of limited use to me. Or, perhaps more accurately, I’ve made limited use of them.
The history of mathematics starts, it seems, with the ancient Greeks and Phoenicians (Pythagoras was a Phoenician). They graduated from a basic abacus to basic arithmetic: additions and subtractions and gradually through to multiplications and divisions – though first in a very clumsy (to us) way. Algebra, geometry, factors, ratios, etc. would follow in time. This brief explanation doesn’t take us any further than this, but it’s interesting enough in and of itself.
I wasn’t too bad a maths when I was at school, but in retrospect, it was really all quite basic. When I started work and particularly when I became a bank teller, I was required to add up huge columns of numbers in my head, often with my branch manager leaning over my shoulder, checking my accuracy. Needless to say, I eventually became proficient in this exercise, a trick I retain to this day! But much of the other mathematics I learned at school - geometry and trigonometry, to name but two branches - have, to be honest, been of limited use to me. Or, perhaps more accurately, I’ve made limited use of them.
The history of mathematics starts, it seems, with the ancient Greeks and Phoenicians (Pythagoras was a Phoenician). They graduated from a basic abacus to basic arithmetic: additions and subtractions and gradually through to multiplications and divisions – though first in a very clumsy (to us) way. Algebra, geometry, factors, ratios, etc. would follow in time. This brief explanation doesn’t take us any further than this, but it’s interesting enough in and of itself.
November 30, 2022
I found this gem as a freebie on Audible. It was part of the set to help you relax and sleep. It certainly helped me sleep. I lasted maybe 5 minutes. I was out cold. It worked for its intended purpose. I could tell by the title that it would be a snoozer.
I feel strange giving this 5 stars when it was boring and sleep worthy. It was worth listening to for sleep purposes, which is how it is marketed on Audible. It worked great!
I feel strange giving this 5 stars when it was boring and sleep worthy. It was worth listening to for sleep purposes, which is how it is marketed on Audible. It worked great!
June 22, 2020
Some of these, issued by audible lately, are supposed to help you snooze, but i was awake through this following the thoughts and learning. It was interesting and I loved TS narrating it.
May 5, 2021
Tony Schalub will always be the high-af engineer from Galaxy Quest to me. Whenever I see him I immediately start imagining his iconic portrayal of the clueless head engineer who happily stumbles from crisis to crisis with a half-baked grin and a lot of love for his subordinates. Classic!
Also, he stole the show when he was in Wings, and even in MIB, when he was the “Do-you-know-how-much-that-stings?” guy that Will Smith shot.
Anyway, he read this extremely short book about the history of mathematics. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by the likes of non-fiction books by the likes of Bill Bryson, Mary Roach & Sam Kean, but I expected to be regaled by tales about the cult of Pythagoras, the war between Newton & Leibniz over the invention of calculus, or maybe tales of lone geniuses uncovering the mysteries of the universe with the power of math.
But no. None of that. Mostly it’s like, ‘the Phoenicians had math, so did the Babylonians, the Greeks for sure did. Now math is used by lots of people.’
It was a big ‘ol WTF from me. Was super bored. It was barely 30 minutes long and I didn’t get what it was about this that was supposed to make it compelling. I got nothing out of this. It was read by Tony Schalub though. So, that was nice.
Also, he stole the show when he was in Wings, and even in MIB, when he was the “Do-you-know-how-much-that-stings?” guy that Will Smith shot.
Anyway, he read this extremely short book about the history of mathematics. Maybe I’ve been spoiled by the likes of non-fiction books by the likes of Bill Bryson, Mary Roach & Sam Kean, but I expected to be regaled by tales about the cult of Pythagoras, the war between Newton & Leibniz over the invention of calculus, or maybe tales of lone geniuses uncovering the mysteries of the universe with the power of math.
But no. None of that. Mostly it’s like, ‘the Phoenicians had math, so did the Babylonians, the Greeks for sure did. Now math is used by lots of people.’
It was a big ‘ol WTF from me. Was super bored. It was barely 30 minutes long and I didn’t get what it was about this that was supposed to make it compelling. I got nothing out of this. It was read by Tony Schalub though. So, that was nice.
June 11, 2020
Math and Tony Shalhoub?! This didn’t work for a bedtime tape for me because I was really into it but great audible :)
February 15, 2025
Read via audiobook.
Wow! This was a surprisingly compelling read/listen.
Although I am absolutely terrible at math, I do appreciate it and really admire those who can do math, especially higher-level math. I recognize that mathematics is one of the greatest tools we have for understanding the world around us.
This listen was centered on the history of math and its uses. I thought this would send me to sleep but quite the opposite, I was so engaged that I actually made an effort not to fall asleep because I wanted to keep learning more about the history of math! The narrator did an excellent job of keeping me engaged and the information was presented in a clear, easy to understand manner.
One of my favorite shows of all time is Numb3rs, which uses math to solve crimes. Numb3rs was instrumental in helping me gain an appreciation for mathematics and this audiobook had the same effect.
Yes, I would recommend this to everyone, even those of us who are mathematically challenged! Even if you cannot do math, you will learn to appreciate the history behind it.
Thank you Audible for making this both engaging and informative!
Wow! This was a surprisingly compelling read/listen.
Although I am absolutely terrible at math, I do appreciate it and really admire those who can do math, especially higher-level math. I recognize that mathematics is one of the greatest tools we have for understanding the world around us.
This listen was centered on the history of math and its uses. I thought this would send me to sleep but quite the opposite, I was so engaged that I actually made an effort not to fall asleep because I wanted to keep learning more about the history of math! The narrator did an excellent job of keeping me engaged and the information was presented in a clear, easy to understand manner.
One of my favorite shows of all time is Numb3rs, which uses math to solve crimes. Numb3rs was instrumental in helping me gain an appreciation for mathematics and this audiobook had the same effect.
Yes, I would recommend this to everyone, even those of us who are mathematically challenged! Even if you cannot do math, you will learn to appreciate the history behind it.
Thank you Audible for making this both engaging and informative!
November 16, 2023
I got excited and picked this up when I saw a "history of mathematics" that looked cool and was fairly highly rated.
I was completely bewildered when the first lines of the audiobook told me to take a deep breath, get into a comfortable position, and relax. I thought I had accidentally downloaded the wrong book but then he proceeded to start narrating the history of mathematics.
That's when I realized that most people use this book to help them fall asleep. It's literally part of Audible's "Bedtime Stories" collection. I just wanted a book on math history!
That being said, it's actually a great little book, though far too short. It mentions the three basic eras of mathematics - Greek, Renaissance, and Modern mathematics - but only goes into the Greek era (including the Egyptian and Chinese mathematics of that time period). It goes over the history of early mathematics as well as we know it from artifacts like the Rhind Papyrus, and it has fun historical facts like how the Romans used 12 as a base denominator for fractions, Babylonians used 60 (which we still use when measuring degrees), that some old mathematic symbols were a depiction of feet walking forward for addition or a flight of arrows for subtraction (think on that one a minute o_O), and what branches of mathematics different cultures developed first and why (the Egyptians needing geometry for accurate surveying due to the regular flooding of the Nile, for example).
Overall, it was interesting and enjoyable, but I wish it was longer and went into the other eras of mathematics as well as how the science of mathematics evolved through time.
Update: Just realized that the Audible version is a mere 30 minutes long, but the original book by W. W. Rouse Ball is 560 pages and apparently goes far more in depth into the history of mathematics. So if you want a little teaser of math history or a book to fall asleep to, this audible "bedtime" version is adequate. But if you actually want to learn about the history of mathematics, you should read the actual book or find an unabridged audiobook version.
I was completely bewildered when the first lines of the audiobook told me to take a deep breath, get into a comfortable position, and relax. I thought I had accidentally downloaded the wrong book but then he proceeded to start narrating the history of mathematics.
That's when I realized that most people use this book to help them fall asleep. It's literally part of Audible's "Bedtime Stories" collection. I just wanted a book on math history!
That being said, it's actually a great little book, though far too short. It mentions the three basic eras of mathematics - Greek, Renaissance, and Modern mathematics - but only goes into the Greek era (including the Egyptian and Chinese mathematics of that time period). It goes over the history of early mathematics as well as we know it from artifacts like the Rhind Papyrus, and it has fun historical facts like how the Romans used 12 as a base denominator for fractions, Babylonians used 60 (which we still use when measuring degrees), that some old mathematic symbols were a depiction of feet walking forward for addition or a flight of arrows for subtraction (think on that one a minute o_O), and what branches of mathematics different cultures developed first and why (the Egyptians needing geometry for accurate surveying due to the regular flooding of the Nile, for example).
Overall, it was interesting and enjoyable, but I wish it was longer and went into the other eras of mathematics as well as how the science of mathematics evolved through time.
Update: Just realized that the Audible version is a mere 30 minutes long, but the original book by W. W. Rouse Ball is 560 pages and apparently goes far more in depth into the history of mathematics. So if you want a little teaser of math history or a book to fall asleep to, this audible "bedtime" version is adequate. But if you actually want to learn about the history of mathematics, you should read the actual book or find an unabridged audiobook version.
April 13, 2023
Tony Shalhoub has the perfect voice for narrating a relaxing bedtime story. I listened to this hoping to be put to sleep, however I like his voice so much I just kept listening all the way through. The title tells you exactly what the information entails, the history of mathematics. Not exactly a page turning read, but that’s the point, to help listeners fall asleep.
June 18, 2020
I actually loved this recording. He started off with the three places math originated - Greece - and then I was out. I didn’t even hear the other two places. Tony has a relaxing voice and maybe my subconscious picked up a brief history lesson.
July 28, 2020
Only Tony Shalub’s voice saved this from being truly awful.
The book has problems with a clear connection to its audience and its unnecessary attack on religion.
See the full review here: https://twocentson.net/an-unhelpful-h....
The book has problems with a clear connection to its audience and its unnecessary attack on religion.
See the full review here: https://twocentson.net/an-unhelpful-h....
Read
August 19, 2020This short tale is from Audible's sleep collection. I can confirm it does the trick! Tony Shalhoub has such a soothing voice.
April 28, 2021
Fascinating, but this Audible Original is all too brief.
May 31, 2021
Solid content and Tony is a pleasant narrator.
May 15, 2023
Monk reads math ideas. It was a great half hour! I added the book to my TBR. Audible Plus catalog. Give it a listen.
October 5, 2023
I only made it all the way through once despite multiple run throughs but even though I couldn’t sleep it was very soothing and also I learned a bit.
June 15, 2020
History of Mathematics a bedtime story? I don't thi.... zzzzzzzzzzz
July 29, 2021
Not as interesting as I was hoping, but not terrible.
October 25, 2023
A part of the Audible Sleep Collection and it certainly got the job done. I think I fell asleep within 3 minutes every time I started to listen to this. Every morning I’d wake up and have to start over ha.
October 17, 2021
An Audible freebie, that seems to be the first chapter (or part of it) from W. Rouse Ball's "A Short Account of the History of Mathematics" an arcane text on the subject matter. It is so arcane that it's primary concern is to demarcate the accomplishments of the Greek Mathematics to the rest of the other "races", including those of the Arabs, Chinese, "Hindus" (I guess that was a race and not a religion in 1888), and Phoenicians to name a few.
The only thing that saves this piece is the narrator, who has an excellent voice. The content however, is garbage as a history of mathematics. There's literally so much more we know about the history of non-Western mathematics that we didn't know in 1888 (and more importantly, the racial imperialism of the British upperclass cared not to know in 1888). The contributions of India is probably much understated in works from this era, but probably not as much as the works of the Chinese, who we now know had developed an intricate and complete system of analyzing and resolving polynomial equations and systems of polynomial equations, which made up a large chunk of what was previously known as the "Theory of Equations" during this time , and was referred to as that up to the early 20th-century. Modern scholarship also has found an understanding of determinents as well as other techniques and uses now within the domain of Linear Algebra.
The problem with these arcane historians is that not only was their archeology incomplete, but either they had access to what we now know is literally school-manuals for beaurcratic instruction, not the original text (which we can show were lost in part, or in whole, based on references made from these more simpler text), or their unfamiliarity of the rhetorical/academic style of the respective regions thet were studying led to erroneous conclusions based on the style of the presentation. Further, the Chinese especially did not organize their writing within the definition/result standpoint, but that does not mean they didn't understand some of the abstraction that they were operating on from a mathematical standpoint, but historians in this era assumed this meant they had at best a rote-understanding of the subject-matter.
There are too many text in this area to cite just literally Google any region and mathematics and you'll find plenty. Recommend only as time-fodder, nothing else. Content is too old to be educational.
The only thing that saves this piece is the narrator, who has an excellent voice. The content however, is garbage as a history of mathematics. There's literally so much more we know about the history of non-Western mathematics that we didn't know in 1888 (and more importantly, the racial imperialism of the British upperclass cared not to know in 1888). The contributions of India is probably much understated in works from this era, but probably not as much as the works of the Chinese, who we now know had developed an intricate and complete system of analyzing and resolving polynomial equations and systems of polynomial equations, which made up a large chunk of what was previously known as the "Theory of Equations" during this time , and was referred to as that up to the early 20th-century. Modern scholarship also has found an understanding of determinents as well as other techniques and uses now within the domain of Linear Algebra.
The problem with these arcane historians is that not only was their archeology incomplete, but either they had access to what we now know is literally school-manuals for beaurcratic instruction, not the original text (which we can show were lost in part, or in whole, based on references made from these more simpler text), or their unfamiliarity of the rhetorical/academic style of the respective regions thet were studying led to erroneous conclusions based on the style of the presentation. Further, the Chinese especially did not organize their writing within the definition/result standpoint, but that does not mean they didn't understand some of the abstraction that they were operating on from a mathematical standpoint, but historians in this era assumed this meant they had at best a rote-understanding of the subject-matter.
There are too many text in this area to cite just literally Google any region and mathematics and you'll find plenty. Recommend only as time-fodder, nothing else. Content is too old to be educational.
July 5, 2020
(Audible)
It's a joke, of course - Tony Shalhoub reads a episode of Audible's "Help you go to sleep series" which includes titles on meditation, waterfalls and such for free. In this one, Tony reads a chapter of "A Short Account of the History of Mathematics" in a soothing, relaxing tone. Despite being truly interested in the subject matter (I have a math degree and everything! and have even taught many classes at the university level), I did in fact succumb to his dulcet tones and nodded off sometime after the Babylonians exploited divisibility properties of numbers in order to write one fraction as the sum of smaller fractions (1/2 = 1/3 + 1/6, easy to figure out if you start with a heavily divisible divisor, say 12, and then simplify). I had a nice, relaxing sleep, and reviewed some simple arithmetic in the process. This title was worth at least twice what I paid for it!
It's a joke, of course - Tony Shalhoub reads a episode of Audible's "Help you go to sleep series" which includes titles on meditation, waterfalls and such for free. In this one, Tony reads a chapter of "A Short Account of the History of Mathematics" in a soothing, relaxing tone. Despite being truly interested in the subject matter (I have a math degree and everything! and have even taught many classes at the university level), I did in fact succumb to his dulcet tones and nodded off sometime after the Babylonians exploited divisibility properties of numbers in order to write one fraction as the sum of smaller fractions (1/2 = 1/3 + 1/6, easy to figure out if you start with a heavily divisible divisor, say 12, and then simplify). I had a nice, relaxing sleep, and reviewed some simple arithmetic in the process. This title was worth at least twice what I paid for it!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 7, 2020
Way too short. However it did inspire me to buy The History of Mathematics from Amazon. From the table of contents that looks like it will give me what I want
September 12, 2020
Although I’m not a huge math guy, this was a surprisingly pleasant listen. Tony Shalhoub can narrate everything now.
August 8, 2022
One of my preferred of these bedtime stories because of the narration and the subject matter being the right level of boring but distracting
October 10, 2020
Mathematics has undergone three distinct stages: of Greeks, of the Renaissance, and of modernity. Early mathematics was all based on observation, but considered as separate from other sciences. Greek mathematicians transferred their knowledge to the Egyptians. These founders knew that nothing could be known with certainty, that the only certainty in life is its inevitable uncertainty.
The Abacus was the first mathematical tool, and its origins are still unknown to us today. The first major obstacle in mathematics was the use of fractions. The earliest mathematicians, however, realized the unity of a numerator made the division of fractions possible. Ultimately, the problem was solved by being further simplified, reducing the sum several fractions to a simple and singular unitary fraction. The Romans, however, maintained a numerator of 12, and reduced fractions on the basis of 12ths. The Babylonians used 60 as their constant denominator in their studies of astronomy. This removed or bypassed the difficultly of determining a functional denominator. Repeated additions were the first form of multiplication; likewise repeated subtractions were the first form of division, but early expositions were not explicit about procedures and tracing thought-processes.
Geometry is understood to have its origins in land surveying; geometry means to measure the Earth. The practical and theoretical gap in geometry is notably small. The Egyptians, by observing a point, star or sun, on the horizon, were eventually able to surmise accurate North and South Pole dividing lines of both spheres and the globe. The Egyptians perfected the method for obtaining the most accurate right angle, enabling them to draw accurately oppositional dividing lines for Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Knots within lengths of rope led to the discovery of ratios and proportionality. With knowledge of geometry, combined with ratios and proportions, trigonometry became possible and practical. Egyptians barns were defined by three linear measurements, but we know nothing of their literal, applied mathematics. With trigonometry, ratios of other dimensions were able to be measured, even if these dimensions weren’t physically measurable.
All specimens of Egyptian mathematics deal with only particular, specific, case-by-case numerical problems, rather than with general theorems. If anything was proved to be universally true, it probably was only so through wide induction. Greek geometry was, from its commencement, deductive.
Mathematics in early China follows a similar pattern of development from fundamentals to nuance. The Chinese are known to have had several geometric tools for architectural purposes, such as the ruler, compass and level, as well as the wheel and axils. They also demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of a magnetic needle. They understood that astronomical events occur in cycles. However, evidence reflects that the Chinese made no attempt to classify this work and/or attribute it to particular causes (rational explanations).
New Math in today’s education follows the same form as its historical discovery and the noted chronological progression of accounts noted here. All has been logical outgrowths of basic to more complex functions. Our knowledge of mathematics is very limited since proceeding from the Greeks. It is possible that, this sums up their indebtedness to other races.
The Abacus was the first mathematical tool, and its origins are still unknown to us today. The first major obstacle in mathematics was the use of fractions. The earliest mathematicians, however, realized the unity of a numerator made the division of fractions possible. Ultimately, the problem was solved by being further simplified, reducing the sum several fractions to a simple and singular unitary fraction. The Romans, however, maintained a numerator of 12, and reduced fractions on the basis of 12ths. The Babylonians used 60 as their constant denominator in their studies of astronomy. This removed or bypassed the difficultly of determining a functional denominator. Repeated additions were the first form of multiplication; likewise repeated subtractions were the first form of division, but early expositions were not explicit about procedures and tracing thought-processes.
Geometry is understood to have its origins in land surveying; geometry means to measure the Earth. The practical and theoretical gap in geometry is notably small. The Egyptians, by observing a point, star or sun, on the horizon, were eventually able to surmise accurate North and South Pole dividing lines of both spheres and the globe. The Egyptians perfected the method for obtaining the most accurate right angle, enabling them to draw accurately oppositional dividing lines for Eastern and Western Hemispheres. Knots within lengths of rope led to the discovery of ratios and proportionality. With knowledge of geometry, combined with ratios and proportions, trigonometry became possible and practical. Egyptians barns were defined by three linear measurements, but we know nothing of their literal, applied mathematics. With trigonometry, ratios of other dimensions were able to be measured, even if these dimensions weren’t physically measurable.
All specimens of Egyptian mathematics deal with only particular, specific, case-by-case numerical problems, rather than with general theorems. If anything was proved to be universally true, it probably was only so through wide induction. Greek geometry was, from its commencement, deductive.
Mathematics in early China follows a similar pattern of development from fundamentals to nuance. The Chinese are known to have had several geometric tools for architectural purposes, such as the ruler, compass and level, as well as the wheel and axils. They also demonstrate knowledge of the characteristics of a magnetic needle. They understood that astronomical events occur in cycles. However, evidence reflects that the Chinese made no attempt to classify this work and/or attribute it to particular causes (rational explanations).
New Math in today’s education follows the same form as its historical discovery and the noted chronological progression of accounts noted here. All has been logical outgrowths of basic to more complex functions. Our knowledge of mathematics is very limited since proceeding from the Greeks. It is possible that, this sums up their indebtedness to other races.
July 12, 2020
This was only okay. I’m not super fond of this for multiple reasons.
Maybe it’s just me, but this was so boring that I couldn’t focus on it, so my mind ended up wandering and I couldn’t fall asleep. I listened to this about five times to give it a chance—to see if I could fall asleep or at least learn something.
The narrator is fine. A soft and calming voice, perfect for sleeping. But the content in my opinion is for learning, so I feel like I have to pay attention, but it’s also so boring and dry I kept losing focus and thinking of other things, which is the reason I have trouble sleeping in the first place! I need something my mind can focus on as a fall asleep. If I can’t focus on a song or meditation or book, then I just end up thinking of all things I need to do the next day, approaching deadlines and responsibilities, daily worries, etc.
Also, I dislike how short it is and how it’s only an intro or just one chapter of the whole book. It was marketed as if it were the whole thing. In the intro, it says it’s a chapter, but in the description I was under the impression I was downloading the entire book. I understand the book is too long, and audible doesn’t want to give it away for free, but I would have appreciated maybe another chapter or so. Maybe the added length and info would help me focus to go to sleep instead of listening to the same thing five times in a row.
Well, I’m not great with math, but my interest is piqued and I would like to check out the original, even if I just skim it and understand nothing. It’s interesting to see the history of math, but it is not something to send me to sleep as advertised.
Other people liked it. Maybe you will. But it’s not for me.
Maybe it’s just me, but this was so boring that I couldn’t focus on it, so my mind ended up wandering and I couldn’t fall asleep. I listened to this about five times to give it a chance—to see if I could fall asleep or at least learn something.
The narrator is fine. A soft and calming voice, perfect for sleeping. But the content in my opinion is for learning, so I feel like I have to pay attention, but it’s also so boring and dry I kept losing focus and thinking of other things, which is the reason I have trouble sleeping in the first place! I need something my mind can focus on as a fall asleep. If I can’t focus on a song or meditation or book, then I just end up thinking of all things I need to do the next day, approaching deadlines and responsibilities, daily worries, etc.
Also, I dislike how short it is and how it’s only an intro or just one chapter of the whole book. It was marketed as if it were the whole thing. In the intro, it says it’s a chapter, but in the description I was under the impression I was downloading the entire book. I understand the book is too long, and audible doesn’t want to give it away for free, but I would have appreciated maybe another chapter or so. Maybe the added length and info would help me focus to go to sleep instead of listening to the same thing five times in a row.
Well, I’m not great with math, but my interest is piqued and I would like to check out the original, even if I just skim it and understand nothing. It’s interesting to see the history of math, but it is not something to send me to sleep as advertised.
Other people liked it. Maybe you will. But it’s not for me.
April 20, 2024
Well, it didn't put me to sleep, but the fault lies mainly with myself. I cannot put any serious blame upon the "story," because there was none; and I did sort of cheat: I listened while staying resolutely vertical during the entire recitation, my hands continually busy and my mind at light work, doing some necessary hand stitching - not really conducive to sleep.
That being said, I do now feel pretty relaxed and definitely ready for sleep; so maybe the intended purpose of the little Audible piece was more successful than I originally thought, and it worked despite my own sabotage-shaded personal activities.
Anyway, I'm off top bed, lest my review become actually longer than the audiobook being reviewed.
I do, however recommend trying a few of these little brochure-sized narratives, because they might actually work well, should you decide to use them to induce drowsiness.
P.S. when I was in college, I was required to take a class in economics (this was light years prior to ebooks and audiobooks). Somehow I passed the course, not through diligent study, but by some sort of miracle. I know that to be true, because every single time I opened the textbook, day or night, I invariably fell asleep. Every single time. Although the intention of the writers of that textbook were vastly different from the minds at Audible, the results are identical.
Also, my apologies to the entire Economics Department of my college, who likely hoped to spark something in my receptive young mind. Alas, my young mind was just a bit more free-thinking than economics philosophy would prefer. And so it goes ...
That being said, I do now feel pretty relaxed and definitely ready for sleep; so maybe the intended purpose of the little Audible piece was more successful than I originally thought, and it worked despite my own sabotage-shaded personal activities.
Anyway, I'm off top bed, lest my review become actually longer than the audiobook being reviewed.
I do, however recommend trying a few of these little brochure-sized narratives, because they might actually work well, should you decide to use them to induce drowsiness.
P.S. when I was in college, I was required to take a class in economics (this was light years prior to ebooks and audiobooks). Somehow I passed the course, not through diligent study, but by some sort of miracle. I know that to be true, because every single time I opened the textbook, day or night, I invariably fell asleep. Every single time. Although the intention of the writers of that textbook were vastly different from the minds at Audible, the results are identical.
Also, my apologies to the entire Economics Department of my college, who likely hoped to spark something in my receptive young mind. Alas, my young mind was just a bit more free-thinking than economics philosophy would prefer. And so it goes ...
October 23, 2024
I have read a couple of books on the history of math a long time ago, so I had a little familiarity with the topic, but this short excerpt dealt very specifically with Egyptian mathematics which I wasn't as familiar with.
Let's see:
(1) They dealt with fractions by making any fraction the sum of fractions with numerator 1.
(2) Geometry was very connected with Surveying.
(3) Mostly dealt with specific problem and not general principles.
(4) This all comes from the Rhind Papyrus which was transcribed by Ahmes.
It's kind of an interesting subject and made me a little curious to read more on this topic.
It's fascinating to think about how you would invent math from scratch without having anything to build from. It makes sense that it would be driven by practical applications.
Let's see:
(1) They dealt with fractions by making any fraction the sum of fractions with numerator 1.
(2) Geometry was very connected with Surveying.
(3) Mostly dealt with specific problem and not general principles.
(4) This all comes from the Rhind Papyrus which was transcribed by Ahmes.
It's kind of an interesting subject and made me a little curious to read more on this topic.
It's fascinating to think about how you would invent math from scratch without having anything to build from. It makes sense that it would be driven by practical applications.
February 25, 2024
I listened to the abridged 31-minute audio version of this title (read by Tony Shalhoub, Audible, 2020).
This short audiobook belongs to the Audible Sleep Collection, audio programs "created to invite relaxation and sleep." It tells the story of how Ionian Greeks formalized the study of mathematics more than five centuries BCE based on the teachings of ancient Egyptians and Phoenicians, outstripping their former teachers. Much of ancient math was practically oriented, with little abstraction. The development of arithmetic and geometry are discussed, but astronomy is deemed to be outside the scope of this brief history.
This short audiobook belongs to the Audible Sleep Collection, audio programs "created to invite relaxation and sleep." It tells the story of how Ionian Greeks formalized the study of mathematics more than five centuries BCE based on the teachings of ancient Egyptians and Phoenicians, outstripping their former teachers. Much of ancient math was practically oriented, with little abstraction. The development of arithmetic and geometry are discussed, but astronomy is deemed to be outside the scope of this brief history.
October 11, 2020
A bite-sized snack of math history, this is an unsatisfying, 30-minute lecture on the origins of mathematical thinking. Despite the title (which made me think this would be a super-panoramic view from Pythagoras to Liebniz), this is essentially 25 minutes about what the ancient Egyptians knew about math (mostly practical arithmetic stuff) with a brief 5 minutes on ancient Chinese math (not much). Bottom line: apparently the ancient Greeks were the ones who started treating math like a science, thinking in terms of deductive reasoning, proofs, theorems, etc. Meh.
March 11, 2021
Tony Shalhoub as narrator is impeccable, even wry in this high-level history of mathematics. Credit is given to the Greeks (Ionia) with a lengthy look at the Rhind Mathematical Papyrus. This small piece may even be a bit controversial as its casts aside any evidence of ancient Chinese mathematical advances as being the incorrect assumptions of 16th Century Jesuit missionaries.
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