The History of Mathematics: A Reader

by John Fauvel (Editor), Jeremy Gray (Editor)

In 1922 Barnes Wallis, who later invented the bouncing bomb immortalized in the movie The Dam Busters , fell in love for the first and last time, aged 35. The object of his affection, Molly Bloxam, was 17 and setting off to study science at University College London. Her father decreed that the two could correspond only if Barnes taught Molly mathematics in his letters.

Mathematics with Love presents, for the first time, the result of this curious a series of witty, tender and totally accessible introductions to calculus, trigonometry and electrostatic induction that remarkably, wooed and won the girl. Deftly narrated by Barnes and Molly's daughter Mary, Mathematics with Love is an evocative tale of a twenties courtship, a surprising insight into the early life of a World War Two hero, and a great way to learn a little mathematics.

Genres: Mathematics, Nonfiction, History

656 pages, Paperback

First published March 16, 1987

Reviews

[Martin Ridgway · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a huge book of primary sources to back up the old Open University course on the history of mathematics (MA290).
Looking through the book at my scrawled marginalia, they actually managed to reference (and make us read) most of the 600 pages. Whether it stands up on its own is something I can only say when I try re-reading it (very slowly) later on!