Fermat’s Last Theorem
I read this on the flight into San Francisco yesterday. It’s been awhile since I’ve read a math story (I last read, “The Mystery of the Aleph: Mathematics, the Kabbalah, and the Search for Infinity” (Amir D. Aczel)). Amir D. Aczel is a great writer who’s able to distill some complex topics in an understandable and entertaining way. It turns out, the world of pure math is an interesting place, full of vibrant characters.
Fermat’s Last Theorem covers the entire history of math from the Babylonian era up to the present when Andrew Wiles broke the puzzle in 1993. The book gives an overview of the important theories that made up the eventual proof and describes the various sets of numbers used (rational, irrational, complex). It was a fun read and like the last book of Aczel’s I read, it made me want to learn some more math. It’s fascinating stuff.
Now I’ll have to lug the overlarge copy of Black Man I brought with me for the flight home.
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