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A Quick History of Math: From Counting Cavemen to Big Data
Maths + history + jokes - boring bits = A Quick History of Maths .
This book begins around 43,000 years ago with a notched baboon leg, the Lebombo bone ( the very first mathematical object in the world ) and rushes us past Hindu numerals and the invention of zero, via Pythagoras, Pascal and probability, right up to the present day, with big data and the maths that rules our digital lives . Geometri-cool!
You will
In chronological order from pre-history to present day, this is the story of maths itself. It’s 43,000 years of human mathematical endeavor squeezed into one book for your reading pleasure.
Illustrated with funny cartoons and packed with fascinating facts , you’ll be laughing and learning how to be a better mathematician at the same time!
This book begins around 43,000 years ago with a notched baboon leg, the Lebombo bone ( the very first mathematical object in the world ) and rushes us past Hindu numerals and the invention of zero, via Pythagoras, Pascal and probability, right up to the present day, with big data and the maths that rules our digital lives . Geometri-cool!
You will
In chronological order from pre-history to present day, this is the story of maths itself. It’s 43,000 years of human mathematical endeavor squeezed into one book for your reading pleasure.
Illustrated with funny cartoons and packed with fascinating facts , you’ll be laughing and learning how to be a better mathematician at the same time!
128 pages, ebook
Published April 7, 2020
About the author
Clive Gifford
837 books54 followersClive Gifford is a highly experienced journalist and author with over 170 books published and more than 800 features and stories written for adults and children.
Clive is an unusual author who likes to work in both fiction and non-fiction. Perhaps this reflects his unusual life which, so far, has seen him travel to over 70 countries, be held hostage in Colombia, go parachuting, coach several sports and run a computer games company.
He says: "What drives me more than anything else is the desire to communicate, entertain and inform through the written word."
Clive is an unusual author who likes to work in both fiction and non-fiction. Perhaps this reflects his unusual life which, so far, has seen him travel to over 70 countries, be held hostage in Colombia, go parachuting, coach several sports and run a computer games company.
He says: "What drives me more than anything else is the desire to communicate, entertain and inform through the written word."
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
April 7, 2021
My little one is absolutely obsessed with numberblocks at the moment. He wakes up and falls asleep dreaming of maths. This is why whenever I see a book dedicated to children who enjoy this noble subject and want to know as much as possible about it, I am happy as a parent and an educator.
The book gives an overview of how the humanity discovered the basic concepts we still use every day. From counting systems and the importance of the number zero (oh boy, wasn't life way too complicated without it?) to Pi and irrational numbers, this entertaining history of maths explores different time periods and different civilizations.
I really appreciated the clear layout and fun illustrations. Sometimes children's non-fiction books appear too busy and sadly lose their young readers by cramming too many facts in one page.
The book would make a fantastic addtion to an elementary (or even middle grade) school library or any home with an inquisitive child who loves a good joke.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
The book gives an overview of how the humanity discovered the basic concepts we still use every day. From counting systems and the importance of the number zero (oh boy, wasn't life way too complicated without it?) to Pi and irrational numbers, this entertaining history of maths explores different time periods and different civilizations.
I really appreciated the clear layout and fun illustrations. Sometimes children's non-fiction books appear too busy and sadly lose their young readers by cramming too many facts in one page.
The book would make a fantastic addtion to an elementary (or even middle grade) school library or any home with an inquisitive child who loves a good joke.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the complimentary review copy provided in exchange for an honest opinion.
March 21, 2021
Maths and humour – not two words you would hear in the same sentence. So when you have a book that presents an interesting history of mathematics in a humorous way, that book deserves special attention.
This book covers the entire development of math in all its forms. How did math become the math we know today? Starting from simple counting to digits to theorems to concepts to complex calculations to the future plausible theories, the book takes its step by step on an insightful journey into mathematics. The best part? It accomplishes this task with a whole lot of humour. The illustrations are hilarious and help in keeping the fun element alive till the very end.
This book will be wonderful for anyone who is scared of maths or wants to know the purpose of maths or understand the impact it has had on modern lives. The book was slightly reminiscent of What's Math All About? by Alex Frith, another book I would recommend to those petrified of the subject. But A Quick History of Maths is simpler, more up-to-date as it is newer and includes the future possibilities too, and targets children more than adults. I had great fun reading this book and would recommend it wholeheartedly.
Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group, for the Advanced Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Follow me on Instagram: RoshReviews
This book covers the entire development of math in all its forms. How did math become the math we know today? Starting from simple counting to digits to theorems to concepts to complex calculations to the future plausible theories, the book takes its step by step on an insightful journey into mathematics. The best part? It accomplishes this task with a whole lot of humour. The illustrations are hilarious and help in keeping the fun element alive till the very end.
This book will be wonderful for anyone who is scared of maths or wants to know the purpose of maths or understand the impact it has had on modern lives. The book was slightly reminiscent of What's Math All About? by Alex Frith, another book I would recommend to those petrified of the subject. But A Quick History of Maths is simpler, more up-to-date as it is newer and includes the future possibilities too, and targets children more than adults. I had great fun reading this book and would recommend it wholeheartedly.
Thank you, NetGalley and Quarto Publishing Group, for the Advanced Review Copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
Follow me on Instagram: RoshReviews
June 28, 2020
I was lucky enough to be first in line to borrow my library's e-book copy first and I'm so glad I did. This is a fun illustrated and colourful read for children that was also educational and humourous. Even I myself as a nearly 22-year-old found some of the content funny and the layout of the facts and examples was clear and easy to understand. Recommended!
March 31, 2021
This was really fascinating! As someone who loves math and numbers, but isn’t a history buff, this contained a lot of information that I didn’t already know and some I did (and probably some I knew at one point). Very cool way to get kids who like history interested in math or vice versa.
January 13, 2024
Humorous and informative book
March 28, 2021
I like the process approach to math used here. While covering some of the major discoveries in math through the ages, humorous cartoons portray crucial moments in the lives of math’s great discoverers from many times and cultures. Cheerful, clear and humorous, this is not meant to be an exhaustive text but a fun overview.
August 29, 2023
Who would have thought math could be fun :D
June 11, 2021
A Quick History of Math by Clive Gifford, art by Michael Young, covers a broad history of math in only 128 pages. It is fascinating and informative, making for a largely entertaining and educational book. I think the book has a lot of merits, although it does have flaws that dampened my opinions of it.
For the sake of legibility, I'm going to break this down into the pros and cons of the text and the pros and cons of the art.
Text:
Pros: The writing here is funny and accessible, making for an easy-to-follow journey through the history of math. The lighthearted and funny writing style actually manages to make it easier for readers to sound out words that might be harder to pronounce (like the chapter titled Oi Oi Euler), which is definitely a benefit. I came into this book as more of a history geek than a math geek, but this feels like the kind of book that can ignite the two. I feel like I got a great refresher on math I learned in school while getting to enjoy the history, and I suspect that readers that are more interested in math than history will find themselves enjoying the history the way I enjoyed the math. I really liked that it covered a variety of branches of math from a variety of places in the world (while much of the early history is Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, etc, it also covered Arabic, Indian, Chinese, and Mayan mathematics as well). I feel like I learned a decent bit about math and history having read this, and largely enjoyed the experience of what I read.
Cons: There aren't many cons in the text of this book in my opinion. My biggest complaint is that I wish some areas had gotten more time on the page. For example, only four women are mentioned by name outside of the timeline included. The history of math from the last century is also very western (again, especially without the timeline at the end). I know it's meant to be a quick history, but even another five to ten pages of material might have remedied these issues while still keeping it short.
Art:
Pros: The art style is cute and the kind I typically enjoy in middle-grade nonfiction books. It's easy on the eyes, adds some humour, supplements what is going on in the text, but also doesn't distract from the text. It's what I expect from this kind of book.
Cons: I feel like the art was really hurt by bias, and I found myself questioning a number of the images that appeared on the page. Some of them feel like they lean into racial stereotyping. It was hard to avoid cringeing at some of the more stereotypical images or at the potential implications of the races that were portrayed when unnamed characters were in the art. Because none of it is overtly racist, it feels like it could reinforce biases learned elsewhere. I don't think it really "hurts" the text, but it hurt my opinion of the book, and I don't think these types of biases should still be slipping through into children's literature.
Overall, I enjoyed reading about the history of math, and I felt like tying math to history gave me a fresh enjoyment of math (since I love history). That said, I feel like a bit more length to it (while still keeping it short) could have filled in some unfortunate gaps, and while stylistically the art was fine, the biases shown really hurt my opinion of it. I still feel like it could be redeemed with a subsequent edition, but it's a bit hard to recommend a children's book that might unintentionally reinforce biases. That said, as an adult reader, I enjoyed learning math and history through this book.
For the sake of legibility, I'm going to break this down into the pros and cons of the text and the pros and cons of the art.
Text:
Pros: The writing here is funny and accessible, making for an easy-to-follow journey through the history of math. The lighthearted and funny writing style actually manages to make it easier for readers to sound out words that might be harder to pronounce (like the chapter titled Oi Oi Euler), which is definitely a benefit. I came into this book as more of a history geek than a math geek, but this feels like the kind of book that can ignite the two. I feel like I got a great refresher on math I learned in school while getting to enjoy the history, and I suspect that readers that are more interested in math than history will find themselves enjoying the history the way I enjoyed the math. I really liked that it covered a variety of branches of math from a variety of places in the world (while much of the early history is Greek, Roman, Egyptian, Mesopotamian, etc, it also covered Arabic, Indian, Chinese, and Mayan mathematics as well). I feel like I learned a decent bit about math and history having read this, and largely enjoyed the experience of what I read.
Cons: There aren't many cons in the text of this book in my opinion. My biggest complaint is that I wish some areas had gotten more time on the page. For example, only four women are mentioned by name outside of the timeline included. The history of math from the last century is also very western (again, especially without the timeline at the end). I know it's meant to be a quick history, but even another five to ten pages of material might have remedied these issues while still keeping it short.
Art:
Pros: The art style is cute and the kind I typically enjoy in middle-grade nonfiction books. It's easy on the eyes, adds some humour, supplements what is going on in the text, but also doesn't distract from the text. It's what I expect from this kind of book.
Cons: I feel like the art was really hurt by bias, and I found myself questioning a number of the images that appeared on the page. Some of them feel like they lean into racial stereotyping. It was hard to avoid cringeing at some of the more stereotypical images or at the potential implications of the races that were portrayed when unnamed characters were in the art. Because none of it is overtly racist, it feels like it could reinforce biases learned elsewhere. I don't think it really "hurts" the text, but it hurt my opinion of the book, and I don't think these types of biases should still be slipping through into children's literature.
Overall, I enjoyed reading about the history of math, and I felt like tying math to history gave me a fresh enjoyment of math (since I love history). That said, I feel like a bit more length to it (while still keeping it short) could have filled in some unfortunate gaps, and while stylistically the art was fine, the biases shown really hurt my opinion of it. I still feel like it could be redeemed with a subsequent edition, but it's a bit hard to recommend a children's book that might unintentionally reinforce biases. That said, as an adult reader, I enjoyed learning math and history through this book.
April 9, 2023
If you are looking forward to an interesting read on the history of Maths this book is it.
This is book gives an extremally informational look at the history of mathematics basics such as numbers and mathematical techniques. Throughout the duration of my reading of this book I began to use the facts told in the book within my Maths lessons. One such fact was that the number 0 was not invented until 628 CE.
I would have enjoyed more jokes amongst the cartoons which would appeal to younger audiences ie 7-9 year old, a target audience which would benefit hugely from context in the Maths lessons and reading.
If you are a fan of the horrible Histories series then this cartoonised timeline of the history of Maths is brilliant. I love forward to reading future books by Clive Gifford.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
This is book gives an extremally informational look at the history of mathematics basics such as numbers and mathematical techniques. Throughout the duration of my reading of this book I began to use the facts told in the book within my Maths lessons. One such fact was that the number 0 was not invented until 628 CE.
I would have enjoyed more jokes amongst the cartoons which would appeal to younger audiences ie 7-9 year old, a target audience which would benefit hugely from context in the Maths lessons and reading.
If you are a fan of the horrible Histories series then this cartoonised timeline of the history of Maths is brilliant. I love forward to reading future books by Clive Gifford.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
June 9, 2022
I kinda dig it. It's a mix of heavy information and humor with plenty of accompanying illustrations and white space to make it feel easy to read. I learned more than a few new things from history and the future when it comes to big data. How crazy it is to think that math was literally invented.
The one criticism is on the fonts that are changed for names or locations. There's enough visual stimulation with the illustrations and the white space that adding the changes in font to point out names and people and places was unnecessary and while I'm not one of them, those with reading difficulties.
But I definitely will enjoy sharing the book with our teachers and having it out on the table for kids to skim.
The one criticism is on the fonts that are changed for names or locations. There's enough visual stimulation with the illustrations and the white space that adding the changes in font to point out names and people and places was unnecessary and while I'm not one of them, those with reading difficulties.
But I definitely will enjoy sharing the book with our teachers and having it out on the table for kids to skim.
May 15, 2021
When you think that this nation/people invented this kind of math, know that on another place on earth, they invented the other methods. Math is one universal language on how to count. Imagine how the Egyptians built the pyramids! They knew their maths long before our imagination. Or how the Greek completed the geometry by finding pi to calculate the surface area and volume of a sphere. While Mayans discovered about astronomy and Chinese summed up what negative numbers are.
So interesting! To read this kind of book, and reminiscing my good old school days, now I understand better on how math works.
So interesting! To read this kind of book, and reminiscing my good old school days, now I understand better on how math works.
April 21, 2021
With A Quick History of Math we can learn aspects of mathematics that are not usually taught in school. We learn about its multiple applications and importance, but all from a more dynamic perspective.
I think this book is so well created that it can appeal to all kinds of audiences, even if it’s meant for children and whether or not they like math.
I think this book is so well created that it can appeal to all kinds of audiences, even if it’s meant for children and whether or not they like math.
May 7, 2022
This book was donated for my Stags Read program and will be either given directly to a student in my district or placed in Little Free Libraries in our area.
These books are so cool. I want them for all sorts of subjects.
These books are so cool. I want them for all sorts of subjects.
Want to Read
April 8, 2021Note: I received a digital review copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley.
December 23, 2021
Interesting, although clearly evolutionary.
June 10, 2022
Fun for kids and adults!
May 11, 2025
I appreciated the international focus here, providing background on a variety of cultures' mathematical systems & developments.
March 29, 2021
If you are looking forward to an interesting read on the history of Maths this book is it.
This is book gives an extremally informational look at the history of mathematics basics such as numbers and mathematical techniques. Throughout the duration of my reading of this book I began to use the facts told in the book within my Maths lessons. One such fact was that the number 0 was not invented until 628 CE.
I would have enjoyed more jokes amongst the cartoons which would appeal to younger audiences ie 7-9 year old, a target audience which would benefit hugely from context in the Maths lessons and reading.
If you are a fan of the horrible Histories series then this cartoonised timeline of the history of Maths is brilliant. I love forward to reading future books by Clive Gifford.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
This is book gives an extremally informational look at the history of mathematics basics such as numbers and mathematical techniques. Throughout the duration of my reading of this book I began to use the facts told in the book within my Maths lessons. One such fact was that the number 0 was not invented until 628 CE.
I would have enjoyed more jokes amongst the cartoons which would appeal to younger audiences ie 7-9 year old, a target audience which would benefit hugely from context in the Maths lessons and reading.
If you are a fan of the horrible Histories series then this cartoonised timeline of the history of Maths is brilliant. I love forward to reading future books by Clive Gifford.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily
March 29, 2021
Welcome to the world of Maths Can Be Fun! See counting through early ages using fingers, runes, the abacus, and the Greeks who really moved things along using square roots and all. Which gave rise to Geometry, Algebra, Trig, and into the mysteries of Calculus. There are even things to learn from the Maya, Arabs, Chinese, India, Fibonacci sequence (the Golden Code of all nature), and the workings of computers thanks to people like Ada Lovelace and Charles Babbage in the 19th century!
With humor, terrific illustrations, and practical demonstrations of mysterious things, this is a great book for middle grades to retired great-grandmas.
Love it!
Great gift for the local library or even your school!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook from Quarto Publishing Group – Wide Eyed Editions via NetGalley. Thank you!
With humor, terrific illustrations, and practical demonstrations of mysterious things, this is a great book for middle grades to retired great-grandmas.
Love it!
Great gift for the local library or even your school!
I requested and received a free temporary ebook from Quarto Publishing Group – Wide Eyed Editions via NetGalley. Thank you!
June 10, 2020
"A Quick History of Maths" is a cute children's book on the most important developments in mathematics.
I really liked the book's humor and the illustrations were fun as well.
I really liked the book's humor and the illustrations were fun as well.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews