great textbook to help me learn
https://www.amazon.com/Principles-Economics-7th-Gregory-Mankiw/dp/128516587X
Principles of Economics, 7th Edition 7th Edition
2014-01-01
N Gregory Mankiw
<div><div><p>N. Gregory Mankiw is the Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics at Harvard University. As a student, he studied economics at Princeton University and MIT. As a teacher, he has taught macroeconomics, microeconomics, statistics, and principles of economics. He even spent one summer long ago as a sailing instructor on Long Beach Island.</p><p>Professor Mankiw is a prolific writer and a regular participant in academic and policy debates. His research includes work on price adjustment, consumer behavior, financial markets, monetary and fiscal policy, and economic growth. His published articles have appeared in academic journals, such as the "American Economic Review", "Journal of Political Economy", and "Quarterly Journal of Economics", and in more widely accessible forums, such as "The New York Times", "The Washington Post", and "The Wall Street Journal."</p><p>He has written two popular textbooks--the intermediate-level textbook Macroeconomics (Worth Publishers) and the introductory textbook Principles of Economics (Cengage Learning). Principles of Economics has sold over two million copies and has been translated into twenty languages.</p><p>In addition to his teaching, research, and writing, Professor Mankiw has been a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, an adviser to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and the Congressional Budget Office, and a member of the ETS test development committee for the advanced placement exam in economics. From 2003 to 2005 he served as Chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisers.</p><p>To view his blog: http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/</p></div>||||I|||| Skip to main content
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 With its clear and engaging writing style, PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS, Seventh Edition, continues to be the most popular and widely-used economics textbook among today's students. Mankiw emphasizes material that you are likely to find interesting about the economy (particularly if you are studying economics for the first time), including real-life scenarios, useful facts, and the many ways economic concepts play a role in the decisions you make every day. "I have tried to put myself in the position of someone seeing economics for the first time. My goal is to emphasize the material that students should and do find interesting about the study of the economy."--N. Gregory Mankiw.
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 978-1285165875
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 Cengage Learning
 5. Publication date
 January 1, 2014
 6. Language
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 8 x 1.5 x 10.5 inches
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 "One of the reasons why we adopted the Mankiw text was because of its relevant concepts that students could really relate to. I would say to continue with this trend, and also be sure to use examples that relate to the current economic conditions that make sense to a beginner economics student."

 "I have used Mankiw for several years, across at least 3 or 4 of its editions. I like the writing in the book--it's clear and exposits the ideas effectively. It covers topics that I want to cover, mostly in the order that I like to cover them. It's at the appropriate level for our students--not too difficult but not superficial either. I also like the fact that this book is very closely integrated with the Aplia system, which I believe is an important learning tool."

 "Very student friendly text. Makes economics easy to understand. Some of the other texts would take a lot of reading to explain an idea."

 About the Author

 N. Gregory Mankiw is the Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics at Harvard University. For 14 years he taught EC10 Principles, the most popular course at Harvard. Dr. Mankiw studied economics at Princeton University and MIT. He is a prolific writer and a regular participant in academic and policy debates. His research includes work on price adjustment, consumer behavior, financial markets, monetary and fiscal policy and economic growth. Dr. Mankiw's articles have appeared in academic journals such as the American Economic Review, Journal of Political Economy and Quarterly Journal of Economics. His work has also appeared in more widely accessible forums, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and Fortune. Dr. Mankiw has been a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, an adviser to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and the Congressional Budget Office and a member of the ETS test development committee for the advanced placement exam in economics. From 2003 to 2005, Dr. Mankiw served as chairman of the President�s Council of Economic Advisers.

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 * Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cengage Learning; 7th edition (January 1, 2014)
 * Language ‏ : ‎ English
 * Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 880 pages
 * ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 128516587X
 * ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1285165875
 * Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.95 pounds
 * Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8 x 1.5 x 10.5 inches
 * Best Sellers Rank: #568,348 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books )
 + #712 in Economics (Books)
 + #4,032 in Education (Books)
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 N. Gregory Mankiw is the Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics at Harvard University. As a student, he studied economics at Princeton University and MIT. As a teacher, he has taught macroeconomics, microeconomics, statistics, and principles of economics. He even spent one summer long ago as a sailing instructor on Long Beach Island.

 Professor Mankiw is a prolific writer and a regular participant in academic and policy debates. His research includes work on price adjustment, consumer behavior, financial markets, monetary and fiscal policy, and economic growth. His published articles have appeared in academic journals, such as the "American Economic Review", "Journal of Political Economy", and "Quarterly Journal of Economics", and in more widely accessible forums, such as "The New York Times", "The Washington Post", and "The Wall Street Journal."

 He has written two popular textbooks--the intermediate-level textbook Macroeconomics (Worth Publishers) and the introductory textbook Principles of Economics (Cengage Learning). Principles of Economics has sold over two million copies and has been translated into twenty languages.

 In addition to his teaching, research, and writing, Professor Mankiw has been a research associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research, an adviser to the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston and the Congressional Budget Office, and a member of the ETS test development committee for the advanced placement exam in economics. From 2003 to 2005 he served as Chairman of the President's Council of Economic Advisers.

 To view his blog: http://gregmankiw.blogspot.com/

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  Hanz
  5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing book for AP Economics
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  I'm looking for an economics textbook to teach AP economics at my school, and this book is well-organized and detailed. This book covers both microeconomics as well as macroeconomics. It was one of the highest recommended books for AP economics on a few google searches, so I thought I would give it a try. I think I've found the principal book (pun intended) that I will be using for my classes.

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  Lawrence
  4.0 out of 5 stars Its a pretty good read
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  Its a pretty good read, simple, but can be boring if you're not keeping up with the concepts, it might seem like gibberish at that point. But, every chapter mostly refers back to the first 8 chapters or so and every chapter after that is really easy to understand because the author re-explains things and does a nice job to help you understand the dynamics and to speak and understand the language of economics which always seemed so foreign to me with interest, taxes, GDP, medicare, net worth, and all this jazz, but it makes more sense to me now.
  I took a 6 week class so I only wish I had the time to soak it in much more
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  4.0 out of 5 stars Arrived in good condition and it's a clear and understandable book
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  Arrived in good condition and it's a clear and understandable book. However, the book has a lot of figures (graphs, charts) and more often than not it seems that the paragraph talking about that figure is not on the same page as the figure, as in you cannot see both simultaneously. The paragraph will often be on the right-hand page and the figure will be on the next page and I find myself flipping back and forth for that a lot. Not a big problem, but somewhat annoying all the same.
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  Clyde Powell
  5.0 out of 5 stars Economics
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  Principal Economic is a excellent book.
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  Laura Ferry
  1.0 out of 5 stars Overprice drudgery
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  It’s time to end expensive text books. The cost of these books that become outdated and useless quickly is a disgrace. It is time for schools to get a clue and go digital.
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  Bonnie Smith
  5.0 out of 5 stars Very simple and easy to rent a book
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  This was my first time renting a book for a class. It was very easy and the return was also. I liked the book the way it was written it was easier to understand than my professor.
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  5.0 out of 5 stars the book is good
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  the book was required for class
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  4.0 out of 5 stars The printing on the index pages only were blurred like it had been printed twice and second print was ...
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  The Item was new in shrink wrap. The printing on the index pages only were blurred like it had been printed twice and second print was skewed.

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  5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent. Final page was ripped off
  Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 30, 2017
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  Excellent. Final page was ripped off, but that's a minor fault. If I was rating the quality from this seller, it would be a 4.5. However, as I'm rating the book, it gets a 5/5. It's the best non-fiction I've ever read.
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  5.0 out of 5 stars Un ouvrage de référence
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  Extrêmement bien écrit. La dernière version tient compte des derniers développements de l'économie mondiale. Les exemples sont simples et concrets. Ce livre donne envie de découvrir l'économie.
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Elements of General Relativity (Compact Textbooks in Mathematics): Chruściel, Piotr T.: 9783030284152: Amazon.com: Books
2020-03-20
Piotr T Chruściel
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 Elements of General Relativity (Compact Textbooks in Mathematics) 1st ed. 2019 Edition

 by Piotr T. Chruściel (Author)
 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 7 ratings
 Part of: Compact Textbooks in Mathematics (32 books)
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 This book provides an introduction to the mathematics and physics of general relativity, its basic physical concepts, its observational implications, and the new insights obtained into the nature of space-time and the structure of the universe. It introduces some of the most striking aspects of Einstein's theory of gravitation: black holes, gravitational waves, stellar models, and cosmology. It contains a self-contained introduction to tensor calculus and Riemannian geometry, using in parallel the language of modern differential geometry and the coordinate notation, more familiar to physicists. The author has strived to achieve mathematical rigour, with all notions given careful mathematical meaning, while trying to maintain the formalism to the minimum fit-for-purpose. Familiarity with special relativity is assumed.

 The overall aim is to convey some of the main physical and geometrical properties of Einstein's theory of gravitation, providing a solid entry point to further studies of the mathematics and physics of Einstein equations.

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 1. ISBN-10
 3030284158
 2. ISBN-13
 978-3030284152
 3. Edition
 1st ed. 2019
 4. Publication date
 March 20, 2020
 5. Part of series
 Compact Textbooks in Mathematics
 6. Language
 English
 7. Dimensions
 6.1 x 0.67 x 9.25 inches
 8. Print length
 292 pages
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 This book provides an introduction to the mathematics and physics of general relativity, its basic physical concepts, its observational implications, and the new insights obtained into the nature of space-time and the structure of the universe. It introduces some of the most striking aspects of Einstein's theory of gravitation: black holes, gravitational waves, stellar models, and cosmology. It contains a self-contained introduction to tensor calculus and Riemannian geometry, using in parallel the language of modern differential geometry and the coordinate notation, more familiar to physicists. The author has strived to achieve mathematical rigour, with all notions given careful mathematical meaning, while trying to maintain the formalism to the minimum fit-for-purpose. Familiarity with special relativity is assumed.
 The overall aim is to convey some of the main physical and geometrical properties of Einstein's theory of gravitation, providing a solid entry point to further studies of the mathematics and physics of Einstein equations.

 About the Author

 Piotr T. Chruściel is Professor of Gravitational Physics at the Faculty of Physics of the University of Vienna, where he heads the gravitational physics group. His previous academic postings include the University of Oxford, where he was a lecturer with title of Professor at the Mathematical Institute and a Fellow of Hertford College. He is a Life Member of Clare Hall, Cambridge. He is a specialist in all aspects of mathematical general relativity.

 Product details

 * Publisher ‏ : ‎ Birkhäuser; 1st ed. 2019 edition (March 20, 2020)
 * Language ‏ : ‎ English
 * Paperback ‏ : ‎ 292 pages
 * ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 3030284158
 * ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-3030284152
 * Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
 * Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 0.67 x 9.25 inches
 * Best Sellers Rank: #4,642,870 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books )
 + #526 in Differential Geometry (Books)
 + #630 in Physics of Gravity (Books)
 + #1,315 in Geometry
 * Customer Reviews:
 4.2 4.2 out of 5 stars 7 ratings
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  DonP
  4.0 out of 5 stars Easy to follow with many results from recent gravitational wave detections
  Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2020
  It's easy to follow and derives most of the main results in general relativity but, being in the Springer Compact Textbooks in Mathematics series, it leaves much out. For instance, frame dragging is treated only on the polar axis, geodetic precession is treated only for circular orbits, and there is no treatment of Kerr-Newman spinning black holes or Reissner-Nordstrom charged black holes The classic Gravitation by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler is much more complete but of course is very lengthy and also is dated and does not include recent observational results. I like the detailed inclusion of gravitational wave detection results up to December, 2018 for mergers of black holes and neutron stars. Other recent results are also presented, such as the frame dragging and geodetic precession measurements by the earth satellite Gravity Probe B. This is a recently released first edition (March 2020). There are many distracting minor errors, such as having the wrong sign for the metric coefficient g0i in section 3.10.5 on the Lense-Thirring effect. This sign error is only in the one place and is not carried through. An example of an exact plane wave is supposedly given in Exercise 4.2.1 but one finds that the harmonic f makes not just the Ricca tensor vanish but also makes the full Riemann tensor vanish, That means that in fact that the metric can be made Minkowski by a coordinate or gauge transformation, which is easy to find. Classic tensor analysis is used. For an elegant very readable alternative derivation of the connection coefficients and the Riemann tensor using differential forms, see chapter 8 in Flanders, Differential Forms. Of course this is only a small part of the book. Most of the book discusses many applications of these equations such as weak field light bending, geodetic precession, frame dragging, the Shapiro time delay, gravitational waves, relativistic stars, and cosmology . All in all, the book is enjoyable and instructive.
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 Elements of General Relativity (Compact Textbooks in Mathematics) 1st ed. 2019 Edition
 by Piotr T. Chruściel (Author)
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 This book provides an introduction to the mathematics and physics of general relativity, its basic physical concepts, its observational implications, and the new insights obtained into the nature of space-time and the structure of the universe. It introduces some of the most striking aspects of Einstein's theory of gravitation: black holes, gravitational waves, stellar models, and cosmology. It contains a self-contained introduction to tensor calculus and Riemannian geometry, using in parallel the language of modern differential geometry and the coordinate notation, more familiar to physicists. The author has strived to achieve mathematical rigour, with all notions given careful mathematical meaning, while trying to maintain the formalism to the minimum fit-for-purpose. Familiarity with special relativity is assumed.
 The overall aim is to convey some of the main physical and geometrical properties of Einstein's theory of gravitation, providing a solid entry point to further studies of the mathematics and physics of Einstein equations.
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 1. ISBN-10
 3030284158
 2. ISBN-13
 978-3030284152
 3. Edition
 1st ed. 2019
 4. Publication date
 March 20, 2020
 5. Part of series
 Compact Textbooks in Mathematics
 6. Language
 English
 7. Dimensions
 6.1 x 0.67 x 9.25 inches
 8. Print length
 292 pages
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 From the Back Cover
 This book provides an introduction to the mathematics and physics of general relativity, its basic physical concepts, its observational implications, and the new insights obtained into the nature of space-time and the structure of the universe. It introduces some of the most striking aspects of Einstein's theory of gravitation: black holes, gravitational waves, stellar models, and cosmology. It contains a self-contained introduction to tensor calculus and Riemannian geometry, using in parallel the language of modern differential geometry and the coordinate notation, more familiar to physicists. The author has strived to achieve mathematical rigour, with all notions given careful mathematical meaning, while trying to maintain the formalism to the minimum fit-for-purpose. Familiarity with special relativity is assumed.
 The overall aim is to convey some of the main physical and geometrical properties of Einstein's theory of gravitation, providing a solid entry point to further studies of the mathematics and physics of Einstein equations.
 About the Author
 Piotr T. Chruściel is Professor of Gravitational Physics at the Faculty of Physics of the University of Vienna, where he heads the gravitational physics group. His previous academic postings include the University of Oxford, where he was a lecturer with title of Professor at the Mathematical Institute and a Fellow of Hertford College. He is a Life Member of Clare Hall, Cambridge. He is a specialist in all aspects of mathematical general relativity.
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 * Publisher ‏ : ‎ Birkhäuser; 1st ed. 2019 edition (March 20, 2020)
 * Language ‏ : ‎ English
 * Paperback ‏ : ‎ 292 pages
 * ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 3030284158
 * ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-3030284152
 * Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 2.31 pounds
 * Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6.1 x 0.67 x 9.25 inches
 * Best Sellers Rank: #4,642,870 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books )
 + #526 in Differential Geometry (Books)
 + #630 in Physics of Gravity (Books)
 + #1,315 in Geometry
 * Customer Reviews:
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  DonP
  4.0 out of 5 stars Easy to follow with many results from recent gravitational wave detections
  Reviewed in the United States on May 16, 2020
  It's easy to follow and derives most of the main results in general relativity but, being in the Springer Compact Textbooks in Mathematics series, it leaves much out. For instance, frame dragging is treated only on the polar axis, geodetic precession is treated only for circular orbits, and there is no treatment of Kerr-Newman spinning black holes or Reissner-Nordstrom charged black holes The classic Gravitation by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler is much more complete but of course is very lengthy and also is dated and does not include recent observational results. I like the detailed inclusion of gravitational wave detection results up to December, 2018 for mergers of black holes and neutron stars. Other recent results are also presented, such as the frame dragging and geodetic precession measurements by the earth satellite Gravity Probe B. This is a recently released first edition (March 2020). There are many distracting minor errors, such as having the wrong sign for the metric coefficient g0i in section 3.10.5 on the Lense-Thirring effect. This sign error is only in the one place and is not carried through. An example of an exact plane wave is supposedly given in Exercise 4.2.1 but one finds that the harmonic f makes not just the Ricca tensor vanish but also makes the full Riemann tensor vanish, That means that in fact that the metric can be made Minkowski by a coordinate or gauge transformation, which is easy to find. Classic tensor analysis is used. For an elegant very readable alternative derivation of the connection coefficients and the Riemann tensor using differential forms, see chapter 8 in Flanders, Differential Forms. Of course this is only a small part of the book. Most of the book discusses many applications of these equations such as weak field light bending, geodetic precession, frame dragging, the Shapiro time delay, gravitational waves, relativistic stars, and cosmology . All in all, the book is enjoyable and instructive.
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Elements of General Relativity (Compact Textbooks in Mathematics): Chruściel, Piotr T.: 9783030284152: Amazon.com: Books
https://www.amazon.com/Elements-General-Relativity-Textbooks-Mathematics/dp/3030284158/
https://www.amazon.com/Math-Book-Pythagoras-Milestones-Mathematics/dp/1402788290
The Math Book: From Pythagoras to the 57th Dimension, 250 Milestones in the History of Mathematics (Union Square & Co. Milestones) Paperback – Illustrated, February 7, 2012
2012-02-07
Clifford A Pickover
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 <p><i>3.0 out of 5 stars</i>
 
 Sticky Mess
 
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 Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2019
 
 
 
 
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 <p>
 Book does not appear “new.” It has some type of sticky nail polish looking substance all over the cover. We will keep it because my daughter needs it for a class and we don’t have time to replace it, but the cover it quite sticky.
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 </div><div><p></p><h3>Reviews with images</h3><p></p><div><p><i></i><i></i></p>
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 Top reviews from the United States
</h3></div></p><div><div><h4>There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.</h4></div><div><div><p>Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2022</p><p><div><p>I was so pleased with The Math Book as a history book and book of mathematical theory, I bought another one for my Daughter who fell in love with it. This book summarizes on each page a history of the math theory and person who came up with it. The illustrations are nice, but I found the history of the theories more interesting. Some theories the average reader may know already and others will be new ideas. It’s an encyclopedia of Math knowledge and ideas. To young physicist, science majors, astronomy lovers, and amateur self educators and the Mensa crowd, this book is for you.
 
</p></div></p></div><div><p>Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2009</p><p><div><p>"The Math Book" could not have come at a better time. I say this because we are living in "The Information Age" and most Americans have access to a PC; therefore, we could very well be at the crossroads of our nation's destiny. But then, every instant is most likely the crossroads of any nation's destiny. What we say, think, and do affects every tick of the clock. Which is why I believe that "The Math Book" could not have come at a better time.<p>Among young Americans entering college, interest in mathematics, science, and engineering is declining at an alarming rate. This is not true of international students, especially among Asians. Millions upon millions of Chinese students have acquired a ferocious interest in math, science, and engineering. And some estimate that in the very near future 90 percent of all the scientists and engineers in the world will live and work in Asia. It is as if Western Civilization is passing the torch of its scientific genius to the East. And the East is more than willing to take that torch and run with it.</p><p>This is why "The Math Book" needs to be in the backpack of every high school student in America. And it should even be in the backpacks of their more precocious siblings in junior high. Moreover, all of them need to take it with them when they enter college so as not to lose their nerve when they enter that first calculus class -- which is usually more difficult than they anticipated.</p><p>What this book does so well is elevate numbers to the level of transcendental Splendor and makes them seem holy. But it does so gradually. Your Odyssey begins and you find yourself traveling down an ancient road whereupon you encounter the milestones that mark important mathematical breakthroughs. The milestones are chronologically arranged, and this is important because you soon discover that dice and the concept of random numbers have been around for 5000 years, but the use of knots occurred even earlier -- an astounding 100, 000 years ago -- give or take a few millenniums. You may wonder: What does this have to do with math? Well, read on and you will soon discover that knots are being used to create models of the very fabric of reality in today's world of computer assisted mathematics.</p><p>Speaking of the "fabric of reality", "The Math Book" performs a magic trick by taking you into an oracle of higher mathematical understanding by stimulating your Right and Left Brain simultaneously. You open the book and you see the text on the left and often a striking visual image on the right. Thus, a single page of succinct, well-written prose distills the essence of each mathematical milestone into "linear" thought, i.e., plain English and mathematical symbols. Then on the right is the eye-catching color illustration, some of which were rendered by Teja Krasek, an artistic associate of Cliff Pickover's, and these enable you to better contemplate the haunting Splendor of Numbers. In other cases, photographs and/or reproductions of famous prints as well as artistic renderings by various visual artists further illuminate your mind as you strive for cognition after reading Pickover's explanation of the topic at hand.</p><p>For instance, there is a photograph of a flaming zero on page 81 that is worth a thousand words. On page 125 you will see an example of Jos Ley's "gorgeous" fractal art after reading about Rafael Bombelli's imaginary numbers on page 124. (Imaginary numbers played a role in the production of Ley's startling work of fractal art in this case). And then on page 63 there is "Eratosthenes" by Polish artist Andreas Guskos, which is an excellent illustration for Cliff Pickover's commentary upon the Sieve of Eratosthenes on page 62. These and many other graphic designs may awaken what has been dormant in your psyche for a long time after you've read a few of Pickover's nuggets of wisdom. He's opened a vein of gold here. And before all is said and done he may turn out to be one of our better angels.</p>
 
</p></div></p></div><div><p>Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2022</p><p><div><p>This book does introduce you to many mathematical topics that most will probably not delve into through their educational careers, naturally invoking curiosity in its readers however I find that the structure of briefly introducing 250 topics of mathematics to be a bit of a tease. I wish some sections were more detailed but that would defeat the purpose of the overall structure of the book. In any case, it's a great way to introduce yourself to some niche math.
 
</p></div></p></div><div><p>Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2010</p><p><div><p>I thought this was simply a wonderful book. This is the first book I've ready by Clifford Pickover and seeing that he has written many others I think I will go track some of those down. This book basically covers the history of Mathematics in a very concise, but thoughtful way.<p>Although the book is not a complete history, then again 500 pages would be barely enough to cover a complete history, but "The Math Book" covers some essential points. Pickover tried to do a couple of things when he wrote this book. Give the readers a good overview of Mathematics history and he also wanted to include Mathematical problems that interested him. In that regard the book can touch upon some little known historical elements in the field of Mathematics, which I think many will appreciate. Everyone hears the stories of Archimedes and his discovery of displacement, but there are lesser known problems and people as well and that's where I think this book manages to get a little interesting. In the past one hundred years the field of mathematics has completely exploded and a great portion of this book deals with properties found in more modern times, which I think is great because most history books I've read don't put it into the perspective of what's going on in the field now.</p><p>If you're not totally math savvy, don't worry. Pickover has written this book for the layman, so even the least experienced can gain an appreciation for the world and history of mathematics. One aspect of the book that really drew me to purchase this was each entry has one page of text describing the historical nature and the page opposite is a picture. Sometimes this is a picture of the person who discovered the property, but a lot of times it is an illustration of a mathematical object, which I think people will appreciate rather than just reading a mathematical narrative trying to describe an abstract object. Working with programs like Mathematica have surely enabled Pickover to bring some of these more complex geometries to life for everyone to see. I think this is one of the aspects that sets it apart from other books.</p><p>I would highly recommend this to any math enthusiast regardless of background. However, if you are looking for a very detailed history of mathematics I would recommend you seek out other books. "The Math Book" is much lighter and designed to engage readers quickly, rather than get into the real details of the history.</p>
 
</p></div></p></div><div><p>Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2022</p><p><div><p>Covers many unique topics along with the old saws
 
</p></div></p></div><div><p>Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2022</p><p><div><p>A good read when a student or instructor wants to offer background on math applications in the teaching.
 
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 <div><p><i>1.0 out of 5 stars</i>
 
 
 Waste of money/Legal scam
 
</p><p>Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2020</p><p><div><p>This book is really a huge disappointment, its not worth the ink printed on the pages... It has a very brief trivia and description of each subject (less than one page long) and a huge picture.<p>To add insult to injury both the picture and the miniature description in most of the cases are not even helpful if they are not really bad, no actual insight given or something that resembles extra knowledge.</p><p>This book could be 1 page long (front and back) containing just the titles of each milestone and be equally helpful, one could just google the titles and get much more info and insight (and pictures) just by clicking the wikipedia result of each of them. In fact that is the only value this book has... some mathematical milestones/theories put into chronological order so you know what came first than what (although again still lacks many events/theorems etc to be considered even for that function as comprehensive)</p><p>I really don't know who could benefit from this book... maybe children under 10 years who would get interested in learning more about the subjects (since the description is small they will not feel challenged to read it and since its useless they feel the need to research further)</p><p>That is why I call it a legal scam. Its a book, there is nothing illegal inside... but the idea to sell something useless for money presenting it to be something is not is a scam.</p><p>And it was my fault for not paying attention on the "look inside" feature... I didnt check the page numbers to realize how useless it is I thought it just had the first page of each topic in display as a demo... not that each topic was actually up to or less than one page!!!! Plus I glanced on the -probably paid/bot - reviews which were good and didnt think much more about it..</p><p>My stupidity lead me to waste money on this legal scam I type this in hope of any other poor soul out there equally careless as me to notice this review and avoid my predicament.</p>
 
</p></div></p></div><div><p><i>3.0 out of 5 stars</i>
 
 
 Pretty pictures, formulaic text: not for the mathematically literate
 
</p><p>Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 6, 2010</p><p><div><p>I have a deep interest in mathematics, not least from formal training and I bought this book thinking that it might broaden my mathematical culture. This it certainly achieves as any thick volume of history of science invariably would, covering the subject chronologically, trying to frame each of these pieces of text from a human angle.<p>However, this rapidly gets formulaic, with a clear and repetitive pattern of writing, and pretty pictures that are not entirely relevant and not explained properly.</p><p>To be fair to the author, now that I have the book, it certainly looks like one of those coffee table tomes and it probably never was meant to be taken at a single reading, as I did. Each page of text, on its own, while hardly going into the detail of the maths, or even explaining in an insightful manner how this really fits into the body of work of mathematics, reads well.</p><p>So the treatment may not surprise or disappoint those with the expectation of light reading. It's just not aimed at readers with formal training in mathematics or a deep fascination with the subject.</p>
 
</p></div></p></div><div><p><i>5.0 out of 5 stars</i>
 
 
 Interesting and beautiful
 
</p><p>Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2010</p><p><div><p>As in another review was said: simply because of the photographs this book is worth its price. It's an interesting and thorough revision of the history of Maths. I like the text-photograph layout sorted by date. Maybe it could be said it doesn't enter too much into details, but I was looking for light reading, and this book it's perfect because it consists of a lot of short stories.
 
</p></div></p></div><div><p><i>5.0 out of 5 stars</i>
 
 
 Beautiful
 
</p><p>Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2017</p><p><div><p>Fabulous book with beautiful photos and immediate appeal. It's perfect for anyone with an interest in Mathematics. I would recommend it for students at KS4 and beyond, and for every maths teacher who wants to stimulate their students' imagination. A delightful "dip into" book.
 
</p></div></p></div><div><p><i>4.0 out of 5 stars</i>
 
 
 the math book
 
</p><p>Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2011</p><p><div><p>Reasonable Maths book with loads of topics, a one pager on that topic facing a colour photograph related to the topic.<br />Very little in the way of formulae, just explains the concepts.<br />Presented in chronological order of this topic being discovered/published.<br />Useful popular introduction to capture the imagination. Search the internet yourself to find the meat for thes overviews.
 
</p></div></p></div>
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 Clifford A. Pickover
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 The Math Book: From Pythagoras to the 57th Dimension, 250 Milestones in the History of Mathematics (Union Square & Co. Milestones) Paperback – Illustrated, February 7, 2012

 by Clifford A. Pickover (Author)
 4.5 out of 5 stars 433 ratings
 Part of: Union Square & Co. Milestones (15 books)
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 Math's infinite mysteries unfold in this paperback edition of the bestselling The Math Book . Beginning millions of years ago with ancient “ant odometers” and moving through time to our modern-day quest for new dimensions, prolific polymath Clifford Pickover covers 250 milestones in mathematical history. Among the numerous concepts readers will encounter as they dip into this inviting anthology: cicada-generated prime numbers, magic squares, and the butterfly effect. Each topic is presented in a lavishly illustrated spread, including formulas and real-world applications of the theorems.
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 1. Print length
 528 pages
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 3. Publisher
 Union Square & Co.
 4. Publication date
 February 7, 2012
 5. Dimensions
 7.25 x 1.25 x 8.5 inches
 6. ISBN-10
 9781402788291
 7. ISBN-13
 978-1402788291
 8. See all details
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 * The Chemistry Book: From Gunpowder to Graphene, 250 Milestones in the History of Chemistry (Union Square & Co. Milestones)
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 Customer reviews

  4.5 out of 5 stars
  4.5 out of 5
 433 global ratings
  5 star 75% 4 star 12% 3 star 5% 2 star 4% 1 star 4%
  
  
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  3.0 out of 5 stars Sticky Mess
  Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2019
 Book does not appear “new.” It has some type of sticky nail polish looking substance all over the cover. We will keep it because my daughter needs it for a class and we don’t have time to replace it, but the cover it quite sticky.
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  AV in CT
  5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book on History of Math Theorem
  Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2022
  Verified Purchase
  I was so pleased with The Math Book as a history book and book of mathematical theory, I bought another one for my Daughter who fell in love with it. This book summarizes on each page a history of the math theory and person who came up with it. The illustrations are nice, but I found the history of the theories more interesting. Some theories the average reader may know already and others will be new ideas. It’s an encyclopedia of Math knowledge and ideas. To young physicist, science majors, astronomy lovers, and amateur self educators and the Mensa crowd, this book is for you.
  Read more
  2 people found this helpful
  Helpful
  Report abuse
  Ray Erskins
  5.0 out of 5 stars The Splendor of Numbers
  Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2009
  Verified Purchase
  "The Math Book" could not have come at a better time. I say this because we are living in "The Information Age" and most Americans have access to a PC; therefore, we could very well be at the crossroads of our nation's destiny. But then, every instant is most likely the crossroads of any nation's destiny. What we say, think, and do affects every tick of the clock. Which is why I believe that "The Math Book" could not have come at a better time.

  Among young Americans entering college, interest in mathematics, science, and engineering is declining at an alarming rate. This is not true of international students, especially among Asians. Millions upon millions of Chinese students have acquired a ferocious interest in math, science, and engineering. And some estimate that in the very near future 90 percent of all the scientists and engineers in the world will live and work in Asia. It is as if Western Civilization is passing the torch of its scientific genius to the East. And the East is more than willing to take that torch and run with it.

  This is why "The Math Book" needs to be in the backpack of every high school student in America. And it should even be in the backpacks of their more precocious siblings in junior high. Moreover, all of them need to take it with them when they enter college so as not to lose their nerve when they enter that first calculus class -- which is usually more difficult than they anticipated.

  What this book does so well is elevate numbers to the level of transcendental Splendor and makes them seem holy. But it does so gradually. Your Odyssey begins and you find yourself traveling down an ancient road whereupon you encounter the milestones that mark important mathematical breakthroughs. The milestones are chronologically arranged, and this is important because you soon discover that dice and the concept of random numbers have been around for 5000 years, but the use of knots occurred even earlier -- an astounding 100, 000 years ago -- give or take a few millenniums. You may wonder: What does this have to do with math? Well, read on and you will soon discover that knots are being used to create models of the very fabric of reality in today's world of computer assisted mathematics.

  Speaking of the "fabric of reality", "The Math Book" performs a magic trick by taking you into an oracle of higher mathematical understanding by stimulating your Right and Left Brain simultaneously. You open the book and you see the text on the left and often a striking visual image on the right. Thus, a single page of succinct, well-written prose distills the essence of each mathematical milestone into "linear" thought, i.e., plain English and mathematical symbols. Then on the right is the eye-catching color illustration, some of which were rendered by Teja Krasek, an artistic associate of Cliff Pickover's, and these enable you to better contemplate the haunting Splendor of Numbers. In other cases, photographs and/or reproductions of famous prints as well as artistic renderings by various visual artists further illuminate your mind as you strive for cognition after reading Pickover's explanation of the topic at hand.

  For instance, there is a photograph of a flaming zero on page 81 that is worth a thousand words. On page 125 you will see an example of Jos Ley's "gorgeous" fractal art after reading about Rafael Bombelli's imaginary numbers on page 124. (Imaginary numbers played a role in the production of Ley's startling work of fractal art in this case). And then on page 63 there is "Eratosthenes" by Polish artist Andreas Guskos, which is an excellent illustration for Cliff Pickover's commentary upon the Sieve of Eratosthenes on page 62. These and many other graphic designs may awaken what has been dormant in your psyche for a long time after you've read a few of Pickover's nuggets of wisdom. He's opened a vein of gold here. And before all is said and done he may turn out to be one of our better angels.
  Read more
  10 people found this helpful
  Helpful
  Report abuse
  Tolo
  4.0 out of 5 stars It's an excellent source of a vast amount of mathematical information
  Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2022
  Verified Purchase
  This book does introduce you to many mathematical topics that most will probably not delve into through their educational careers, naturally invoking curiosity in its readers however I find that the structure of briefly introducing 250 topics of mathematics to be a bit of a tease. I wish some sections were more detailed but that would defeat the purpose of the overall structure of the book. In any case, it's a great way to introduce yourself to some niche math.
  Read more
  Helpful
  Report abuse
  Gradient Vector Field
  5.0 out of 5 stars A quick history of Math
  Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2010
  Verified Purchase
  I thought this was simply a wonderful book. This is the first book I've ready by Clifford Pickover and seeing that he has written many others I think I will go track some of those down. This book basically covers the history of Mathematics in a very concise, but thoughtful way.

  Although the book is not a complete history, then again 500 pages would be barely enough to cover a complete history, but "The Math Book" covers some essential points. Pickover tried to do a couple of things when he wrote this book. Give the readers a good overview of Mathematics history and he also wanted to include Mathematical problems that interested him. In that regard the book can touch upon some little known historical elements in the field of Mathematics, which I think many will appreciate. Everyone hears the stories of Archimedes and his discovery of displacement, but there are lesser known problems and people as well and that's where I think this book manages to get a little interesting. In the past one hundred years the field of mathematics has completely exploded and a great portion of this book deals with properties found in more modern times, which I think is great because most history books I've read don't put it into the perspective of what's going on in the field now.

  If you're not totally math savvy, don't worry. Pickover has written this book for the layman, so even the least experienced can gain an appreciation for the world and history of mathematics. One aspect of the book that really drew me to purchase this was each entry has one page of text describing the historical nature and the page opposite is a picture. Sometimes this is a picture of the person who discovered the property, but a lot of times it is an illustration of a mathematical object, which I think people will appreciate rather than just reading a mathematical narrative trying to describe an abstract object. Working with programs like Mathematica have surely enabled Pickover to bring some of these more complex geometries to life for everyone to see. I think this is one of the aspects that sets it apart from other books.

  I would highly recommend this to any math enthusiast regardless of background. However, if you are looking for a very detailed history of mathematics I would recommend you seek out other books. "The Math Book" is much lighter and designed to engage readers quickly, rather than get into the real details of the history.
  Read more
  7 people found this helpful
  Helpful
  Report abuse
  David Drake
  5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent book
  Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2022
  Verified Purchase
  Covers many unique topics along with the old saws
  Read more
  Helpful
  Report abuse
  K. S. Williams
  5.0 out of 5 stars A good read
  Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2022
  Verified Purchase
  A good read when a student or instructor wants to offer background on math applications in the teaching.
  Read more
  Helpful
  Report abuse
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 Top reviews from other countries

  John
  1.0 out of 5 stars Waste of money/Legal scam
  Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2020
  Verified Purchase
  This book is really a huge disappointment, its not worth the ink printed on the pages... It has a very brief trivia and description of each subject (less than one page long) and a huge picture.

  To add insult to injury both the picture and the miniature description in most of the cases are not even helpful if they are not really bad, no actual insight given or something that resembles extra knowledge.

  This book could be 1 page long (front and back) containing just the titles of each milestone and be equally helpful, one could just google the titles and get much more info and insight (and pictures) just by clicking the wikipedia result of each of them. In fact that is the only value this book has... some mathematical milestones/theories put into chronological order so you know what came first than what (although again still lacks many events/theorems etc to be considered even for that function as comprehensive)

  I really don't know who could benefit from this book... maybe children under 10 years who would get interested in learning more about the subjects (since the description is small they will not feel challenged to read it and since its useless they feel the need to research further)

  That is why I call it a legal scam. Its a book, there is nothing illegal inside... but the idea to sell something useless for money presenting it to be something is not is a scam.

  And it was my fault for not paying attention on the "look inside" feature... I didnt check the page numbers to realize how useless it is I thought it just had the first page of each topic in display as a demo... not that each topic was actually up to or less than one page!!!! Plus I glanced on the -probably paid/bot - reviews which were good and didnt think much more about it..

  My stupidity lead me to waste money on this legal scam I type this in hope of any other poor soul out there equally careless as me to notice this review and avoid my predicament.
  Read more
  8 people found this helpful
  Report abuse
  WheezingWeasel
  3.0 out of 5 stars Pretty pictures, formulaic text: not for the mathematically literate
  Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 6, 2010
  Verified Purchase
  I have a deep interest in mathematics, not least from formal training and I bought this book thinking that it might broaden my mathematical culture. This it certainly achieves as any thick volume of history of science invariably would, covering the subject chronologically, trying to frame each of these pieces of text from a human angle.

  However, this rapidly gets formulaic, with a clear and repetitive pattern of writing, and pretty pictures that are not entirely relevant and not explained properly.

  To be fair to the author, now that I have the book, it certainly looks like one of those coffee table tomes and it probably never was meant to be taken at a single reading, as I did. Each page of text, on its own, while hardly going into the detail of the maths, or even explaining in an insightful manner how this really fits into the body of work of mathematics, reads well.

  So the treatment may not surprise or disappoint those with the expectation of light reading. It's just not aimed at readers with formal training in mathematics or a deep fascination with the subject.
  Read more
  34 people found this helpful
  Report abuse
  Javier Espinosa
  5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and beautiful
  Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2010
  Verified Purchase
  As in another review was said: simply because of the photographs this book is worth its price. It's an interesting and thorough revision of the history of Maths. I like the text-photograph layout sorted by date. Maybe it could be said it doesn't enter too much into details, but I was looking for light reading, and this book it's perfect because it consists of a lot of short stories.
  Read more
  3 people found this helpful
  Report abuse
  JillJ
  5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful
  Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2017
  Verified Purchase
  Fabulous book with beautiful photos and immediate appeal. It's perfect for anyone with an interest in Mathematics. I would recommend it for students at KS4 and beyond, and for every maths teacher who wants to stimulate their students' imagination. A delightful "dip into" book.
  Read more
  One person found this helpful
  Report abuse
  Roberto
  4.0 out of 5 stars the math book
  Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2011
  Verified Purchase
  Reasonable Maths book with loads of topics, a one pager on that topic facing a colour photograph related to the topic.
  Very little in the way of formulae, just explains the concepts.
  Presented in chronological order of this topic being discovered/published.
  Useful popular introduction to capture the imagination. Search the internet yourself to find the meat for thes overviews.
  Read more
  One person found this helpful
  Report abuse
 See all reviews

 
 

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3.0 out of 5 stars
 
 Sticky Mess
 
 
 
 
 
 Reviewed in the United States on April 16, 2019
 
 
 
 
  
 
 Book does not appear “new.” It has some type of sticky nail polish looking substance all over the cover. We will keep it because my daughter needs it for a class and we don’t have time to replace it, but the cover it quite sticky.
 
 
     Reviews with images         
 
  
 
  
    
 Top reviews from the United States
     There was a problem filtering reviews right now. Please try again later.    Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2022   I was so pleased with The Math Book as a history book and book of mathematical theory, I bought another one for my Daughter who fell in love with it. This book summarizes on each page a history of the math theory and person who came up with it. The illustrations are nice, but I found the history of the theories more interesting. Some theories the average reader may know already and others will be new ideas. It’s an encyclopedia of Math knowledge and ideas. To young physicist, science majors, astronomy lovers, and amateur self educators and the Mensa crowd, this book is for you.
 
     Reviewed in the United States on September 12, 2009   "The Math Book" could not have come at a better time. I say this because we are living in "The Information Age" and most Americans have access to a PC; therefore, we could very well be at the crossroads of our nation's destiny. But then, every instant is most likely the crossroads of any nation's destiny. What we say, think, and do affects every tick of the clock. Which is why I believe that "The Math Book" could not have come at a better time.Among young Americans entering college, interest in mathematics, science, and engineering is declining at an alarming rate. This is not true of international students, especially among Asians. Millions upon millions of Chinese students have acquired a ferocious interest in math, science, and engineering. And some estimate that in the very near future 90 percent of all the scientists and engineers in the world will live and work in Asia. It is as if Western Civilization is passing the torch of its scientific genius to the East. And the East is more than willing to take that torch and run with it. This is why "The Math Book" needs to be in the backpack of every high school student in America. And it should even be in the backpacks of their more precocious siblings in junior high. Moreover, all of them need to take it with them when they enter college so as not to lose their nerve when they enter that first calculus class -- which is usually more difficult than they anticipated. What this book does so well is elevate numbers to the level of transcendental Splendor and makes them seem holy. But it does so gradually. Your Odyssey begins and you find yourself traveling down an ancient road whereupon you encounter the milestones that mark important mathematical breakthroughs. The milestones are chronologically arranged, and this is important because you soon discover that dice and the concept of random numbers have been around for 5000 years, but the use of knots occurred even earlier -- an astounding 100, 000 years ago -- give or take a few millenniums. You may wonder: What does this have to do with math? Well, read on and you will soon discover that knots are being used to create models of the very fabric of reality in today's world of computer assisted mathematics. Speaking of the "fabric of reality", "The Math Book" performs a magic trick by taking you into an oracle of higher mathematical understanding by stimulating your Right and Left Brain simultaneously. You open the book and you see the text on the left and often a striking visual image on the right. Thus, a single page of succinct, well-written prose distills the essence of each mathematical milestone into "linear" thought, i.e., plain English and mathematical symbols. Then on the right is the eye-catching color illustration, some of which were rendered by Teja Krasek, an artistic associate of Cliff Pickover's, and these enable you to better contemplate the haunting Splendor of Numbers. In other cases, photographs and/or reproductions of famous prints as well as artistic renderings by various visual artists further illuminate your mind as you strive for cognition after reading Pickover's explanation of the topic at hand. For instance, there is a photograph of a flaming zero on page 81 that is worth a thousand words. On page 125 you will see an example of Jos Ley's "gorgeous" fractal art after reading about Rafael Bombelli's imaginary numbers on page 124. (Imaginary numbers played a role in the production of Ley's startling work of fractal art in this case). And then on page 63 there is "Eratosthenes" by Polish artist Andreas Guskos, which is an excellent illustration for Cliff Pickover's commentary upon the Sieve of Eratosthenes on page 62. These and many other graphic designs may awaken what has been dormant in your psyche for a long time after you've read a few of Pickover's nuggets of wisdom. He's opened a vein of gold here. And before all is said and done he may turn out to be one of our better angels.
 
     Reviewed in the United States on August 14, 2022   This book does introduce you to many mathematical topics that most will probably not delve into through their educational careers, naturally invoking curiosity in its readers however I find that the structure of briefly introducing 250 topics of mathematics to be a bit of a tease. I wish some sections were more detailed but that would defeat the purpose of the overall structure of the book. In any case, it's a great way to introduce yourself to some niche math.
 
     Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2010   I thought this was simply a wonderful book. This is the first book I've ready by Clifford Pickover and seeing that he has written many others I think I will go track some of those down. This book basically covers the history of Mathematics in a very concise, but thoughtful way.Although the book is not a complete history, then again 500 pages would be barely enough to cover a complete history, but "The Math Book" covers some essential points. Pickover tried to do a couple of things when he wrote this book. Give the readers a good overview of Mathematics history and he also wanted to include Mathematical problems that interested him. In that regard the book can touch upon some little known historical elements in the field of Mathematics, which I think many will appreciate. Everyone hears the stories of Archimedes and his discovery of displacement, but there are lesser known problems and people as well and that's where I think this book manages to get a little interesting. In the past one hundred years the field of mathematics has completely exploded and a great portion of this book deals with properties found in more modern times, which I think is great because most history books I've read don't put it into the perspective of what's going on in the field now. If you're not totally math savvy, don't worry. Pickover has written this book for the layman, so even the least experienced can gain an appreciation for the world and history of mathematics. One aspect of the book that really drew me to purchase this was each entry has one page of text describing the historical nature and the page opposite is a picture. Sometimes this is a picture of the person who discovered the property, but a lot of times it is an illustration of a mathematical object, which I think people will appreciate rather than just reading a mathematical narrative trying to describe an abstract object. Working with programs like Mathematica have surely enabled Pickover to bring some of these more complex geometries to life for everyone to see. I think this is one of the aspects that sets it apart from other books. I would highly recommend this to any math enthusiast regardless of background. However, if you are looking for a very detailed history of mathematics I would recommend you seek out other books. "The Math Book" is much lighter and designed to engage readers quickly, rather than get into the real details of the history.
 
     Reviewed in the United States on September 4, 2022   Covers many unique topics along with the old saws
 
     Reviewed in the United States on May 13, 2022   A good read when a student or instructor wants to offer background on math applications in the teaching.
 
      
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 Top reviews from other countries
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
   1.0 out of 5 stars
 
 
 Waste of money/Legal scam
 
 Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 5, 2020   This book is really a huge disappointment, its not worth the ink printed on the pages... It has a very brief trivia and description of each subject (less than one page long) and a huge picture.To add insult to injury both the picture and the miniature description in most of the cases are not even helpful if they are not really bad, no actual insight given or something that resembles extra knowledge. This book could be 1 page long (front and back) containing just the titles of each milestone and be equally helpful, one could just google the titles and get much more info and insight (and pictures) just by clicking the wikipedia result of each of them. In fact that is the only value this book has... some mathematical milestones/theories put into chronological order so you know what came first than what (although again still lacks many events/theorems etc to be considered even for that function as comprehensive) I really don't know who could benefit from this book... maybe children under 10 years who would get interested in learning more about the subjects (since the description is small they will not feel challenged to read it and since its useless they feel the need to research further) That is why I call it a legal scam. Its a book, there is nothing illegal inside... but the idea to sell something useless for money presenting it to be something is not is a scam. And it was my fault for not paying attention on the "look inside" feature... I didnt check the page numbers to realize how useless it is I thought it just had the first page of each topic in display as a demo... not that each topic was actually up to or less than one page!!!! Plus I glanced on the -probably paid/bot - reviews which were good and didnt think much more about it.. My stupidity lead me to waste money on this legal scam I type this in hope of any other poor soul out there equally careless as me to notice this review and avoid my predicament.
 
      3.0 out of 5 stars
 
 
 Pretty pictures, formulaic text: not for the mathematically literate
 
 Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 6, 2010   I have a deep interest in mathematics, not least from formal training and I bought this book thinking that it might broaden my mathematical culture. This it certainly achieves as any thick volume of history of science invariably would, covering the subject chronologically, trying to frame each of these pieces of text from a human angle.However, this rapidly gets formulaic, with a clear and repetitive pattern of writing, and pretty pictures that are not entirely relevant and not explained properly. To be fair to the author, now that I have the book, it certainly looks like one of those coffee table tomes and it probably never was meant to be taken at a single reading, as I did. Each page of text, on its own, while hardly going into the detail of the maths, or even explaining in an insightful manner how this really fits into the body of work of mathematics, reads well. So the treatment may not surprise or disappoint those with the expectation of light reading. It's just not aimed at readers with formal training in mathematics or a deep fascination with the subject.
 
      5.0 out of 5 stars
 
 
 Interesting and beautiful
 
 Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2010   As in another review was said: simply because of the photographs this book is worth its price. It's an interesting and thorough revision of the history of Maths. I like the text-photograph layout sorted by date. Maybe it could be said it doesn't enter too much into details, but I was looking for light reading, and this book it's perfect because it consists of a lot of short stories.
 
      5.0 out of 5 stars
 
 
 Beautiful
 
 Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 17, 2017   Fabulous book with beautiful photos and immediate appeal. It's perfect for anyone with an interest in Mathematics. I would recommend it for students at KS4 and beyond, and for every maths teacher who wants to stimulate their students' imagination. A delightful "dip into" book.
 
      4.0 out of 5 stars
 
 
 the math book
 
 Reviewed in the United Kingdom on January 15, 2011   Reasonable Maths book with loads of topics, a one pager on that topic facing a colour photograph related to the topic.Very little in the way of formulae, just explains the concepts.Presented in chronological order of this topic being discovered/published.Useful popular introduction to capture the imagination. Search the internet yourself to find the meat for thes overviews.
The Math Book: From Pythagoras to the 57th Dimension, 250 Milestones in the History of Mathematics (Union Square & Co. Milestones) Paperback – Illustrated, February 7, 2012
https://www.amazon.com/Math-Book-Pythagoras-Milestones-Mathematics/dp/1402788290/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T9MCTWF
Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity Kindle Edition
2019-08-08
Sean M Carroll
<div><p>Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.</p><p>Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.</p><div><p>Sean Carroll is Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University and Fractal Faculty at the Santa Fe Institute. His research focuses on fundamental issues in quantum mechanics, gravitation, statistical mechanics, and cosmology. He has wide-ranging interests, including in philosophy, complexity theory, and information.</p><p>Carroll is an active science communicator, and has been blogging regularly since 2004. His textbook "Spacetime and Geometry" has been adopted by a number of universities for their graduate courses in general relativity. He is a frequent public speaker, and has appeared on TV shows such as The Colbert Report and Through The Wormhole with Morgan Freeman. He has produced a set of lectures for The Teaching Company on dark matter and dark energy, and another on the nature of time. He has served as a science consultant for films such as Thor and TRON: Legacy, as well as for TV shows such as Fringe and Bones. </p><p>His 2010 popular book, "From Eternity to Here," explained the arrow of time and connected it with the origin of our universe. "The Particle at the End of the Universe," about the Large Hadron Collider and the quest to discover the Higgs boson, was released November 2012, "The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself" in May 2016, and "Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime" in 2019. His next book project is "The Biggest Ideas in the Universe," which will consist of three books. The first, "Space, Time, and Motion," appears in September 2022.</p><p>More information at http://preposterousuniverse.com/</p></div>||||I|||| Skip to main content
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 Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity Kindle Edition

 by Sean M. Carroll (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
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 Spacetime and Geometry is an introductory textbook on general relativity, specifically aimed at students. Using a lucid style, Carroll first covers the foundations of the theory and mathematical formalism, providing an approachable introduction to what can often be an intimidating subject. Three major applications of general relativity are then discussed: black holes, perturbation theory and gravitational waves, and cosmology. Students will learn the origin of how spacetime curves (the Einstein equation) and how matter moves through it (the geodesic equation). They will learn what black holes really are, how gravitational waves are generated and detected, and the modern view of the expansion of the universe. A brief introduction to quantum field theory in curved spacetime is also included. A student familiar with this book will be ready to tackle research-level problems in gravitational physics.
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 Cambridge University Press
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 August 8, 2019
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 English
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 Editorial Reviews

 Book Description

 An accessible introductory textbook on general relativity, covering the theory's foundations, mathematical formalism and major applications. --This text refers to the hardcover edition.

 Review

 ‘The best book on contemporary gravitational physics for beginning graduate students to established researchers. It will remain one of the leading textbooks on gravity for years to come.' Renata Kallosh, Stanford University, California

 ‘Carroll brings a relaxed authority to the teaching of general relativity at the graduate level. The text is beautifully written and succeeds in linking modern mathematical formalism to physical applications.' Roger Blandford, Stanford University, California

 ‘This book is a gem. Carroll's course at Massachusetts Institute of Technology remains legendary and this book can be expected to spread the legend worldwide. Carroll give a clear, well-motivated, and lively development of general relativity.' Alan Guth, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

 'An excellent graduate text in general relativity written with an informal yet sophisticated style. It provides an efficient introduction to the gravitational physics essential for today’s understanding of black holes, gravitational waves, and the universe.' Jim Hartle, University of California, Santa Barbara

 'I recommend the book for those who know little about GR but want to learn more; it is a useful bridge between more-qualitative or even popular introductions and more-advanced textbooks.' Phillip Helbig, The Observatory --This text refers to the hardcover edition.
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 Product details

 * ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07T9MCTWF
 * Publisher ‏ : ‎ Cambridge University Press (August 8, 2019)
 * Publication date ‏ : ‎ August 8, 2019
 * Language ‏ : ‎ English
 * File size ‏ : ‎ 233721 KB
 * Simultaneous device usage ‏ : ‎ Up to 4 simultaneous devices, per publisher limits
 * Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Not enabled
 * Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
 * X-Ray for textbooks ‏ : ‎ Enabled
 * Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
 * Sticky notes ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
 * Print length ‏ : ‎ 500 pages
 * Best Sellers Rank: #736,539 in Kindle Store ( See Top 100 in Kindle Store )
 + #108 in Relativity Physics (Kindle Store)
 + #278 in Cosmology (Kindle Store)
 + #378 in Relativity Physics (Books)
 * Customer Reviews:
 4.8 out of 5 stars 376 ratings
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 Sean M. Carroll

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 Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

 Sean Carroll is Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University and Fractal Faculty at the Santa Fe Institute. His research focuses on fundamental issues in quantum mechanics, gravitation, statistical mechanics, and cosmology. He has wide-ranging interests, including in philosophy, complexity theory, and information.

 Carroll is an active science communicator, and has been blogging regularly since 2004. His textbook "Spacetime and Geometry" has been adopted by a number of universities for their graduate courses in general relativity. He is a frequent public speaker, and has appeared on TV shows such as The Colbert Report and Through The Wormhole with Morgan Freeman. He has produced a set of lectures for The Teaching Company on dark matter and dark energy, and another on the nature of time. He has served as a science consultant for films such as Thor and TRON: Legacy, as well as for TV shows such as Fringe and Bones.

 His 2010 popular book, "From Eternity to Here," explained the arrow of time and connected it with the origin of our universe. "The Particle at the End of the Universe," about the Large Hadron Collider and the quest to discover the Higgs boson, was released November 2012, "The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself" in May 2016, and "Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime" in 2019. His next book project is "The Biggest Ideas in the Universe," which will consist of three books. The first, "Space, Time, and Motion," appears in September 2022.

 More information at http://preposterousuniverse.com/

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  4.8 out of 5 stars
  4.8 out of 5
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  5 star 88%
  4 star 7% 
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  Amazon Customer
  5.0 out of 5 stars High quality book
  Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on September 12, 2022
  Verified Purchase
  It's a high quality book that makes you enjoy reading it. The author is an expert no doubt. The subject is deep but Dr Sean makes it possible to follow a very good portion of the book even with no prior knowledge or experience in the subject at all.
  2 people found this helpful
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  BMW Racer
  2.0 out of 5 stars Inferior to other GR texts (new and old) available.
  Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 5, 2023
  Verified Purchase
  Content: author's style of rambling and prematurely tossing out equations and comments ("don't worry - you won't understand this now") is irritating. The tone is conversational in a negative way, constantly digressing without the necessary supporting definitions or development.

  Very first equation about Lorentz transformations (1.23) is nonsense. Carroll has it correctly in his online notes; how did this garbled equation creep into the printed edition?

  Personal peeve: The metric {-1,1,1,1} is silly, resulting in proper time d𝜏^2 = -ds^2. Sensible books use {1,-1,-1,-1}.

  Printing: awful. Looks like a blurry photocopy. Also, the printing is off-set, so that the right edge of the printing is about 0.5 cm from the page edge, while there is a giant left margin. (This is the same for all pages.)

  With so many excellent texts -- Schutz (new 3rd ed.), D'Inverno (new 2nd ed.), Ohanian & Ruffini, Padmanabhan, Zee, & the timeless Dirac, Weinberg, MTW -- Carroll's book adds nothing new.
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  One person found this helpful
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  JeepGen
  5.0 out of 5 stars One of the best quite advanced textbook in general relativity...
  Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 24, 2015
  Verified Purchase
  This is an outstanding textbook on general relativity. It's very detailed, well written and the order of the topics is very well chosen, covering a wide range of themes. The level is appropriate to graduate student, with a quite decent mathematical background.
  In particular, the first chapter is a review of special relativity: a brief but clear summary, useful to become familiar with the use of the 4-vector notation, too. The second and third chapters are committed to manifolds and curvature, and you have to learn the fundaments of differential geometry. The chapters from fourth to seventh are focused on the "real" general relativity, from Einstein's equation to gravitational waves: this is a quite advanced dissertation, and I think it is necessary to have a basic background from an introductory book. The last two chapters are an introduction to cosmology (brief, but pretty good) and an introduction to quantum field theory in curved spacetime (but I never read this chapter, sorry!).
  Remark that the book contains ten (10!) very useful appendixes on additional topics that are not debated in the ordinary chapters: they are a good extension to examine in depth some themes (in particular on a second reading).

  Very good binding and hardcover: it's durable and solid, with a good value for money.
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  39 people found this helpful
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  Deborah R. Castleman
  5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite book on relativity!
  Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 12, 2018
  Verified Purchase
  Last year, when I was at my Dad’s and stepmom’s house, I found the book “An Introduction to General Relativity, Spacetime and Geometry”, by Sean M Carroll. I was struck by the promise at the beginning of the preface: “.. it is an unalloyed joy to finally reach the point in one’s studies where these phenomena may be understood in a rigorous quantitative level. If you are contemplating reading this book, that point is here.” For me the book has lived up to this promise. I have been reading the book off and on since then and working some of the problems. I studied general relativity a little in college several decades ago, but there were many vague ideas floating in my head. This book has sharpened up the concepts, explained new ones, and connected them in a good way.
  95 people found this helpful
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  Wolf Kohn
  5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Book For people who want to understand the Math of General relativity
  Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on August 11, 2021
  Verified Purchase
  Very clear explanations of the beautiful geometric basis of General relativity. particularly the tratment of curvature, geodesics and the Schwarzschild metric in chapter 5.
  2 people found this helpful
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  George Hrabovsky
  5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
  Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on November 14, 2019
  Verified Purchase
  This is one of the best books on general relativity. In my opinion it is somewhere between the classic Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler tome and Wald's General Relativity in its mathematical requirements. I like the tone of the discussion of topics. It is comprehensive enough to be useful in applications and leading to more advanced studies.
  22 people found this helpful
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  Hugo Delgado Martí
  5.0 out of 5 stars Excelent condition/Excelent Book
  Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on January 16, 2021
  Verified Purchase
  Shipping is taking a bit long to deliver but once I got it im pleased with the quality.
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  Shashwat Tanay
  5.0 out of 5 stars An 'advanced' introduction but totally worthwhile
  Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on March 4, 2020
  Verified Purchase
  It may seem too advanced for an introductory course but the pain is totally worthwhile. Moreover, it can be seen as a stepping stone to Wald's book 'General Relativity'. That makes it doubly useful.
  15 people found this helpful
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  Amazon Customer
  2.0 out of 5 stars A very hard read for the non expert in General Relativity.
  Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 2, 2020
  Verified Purchase
  This book asks a great deal of the reader. The material on tensors is very short and if you are not already familiar with them you will struggle. Likewise the section on one forms & dual vectors. My head was spinning after reading the material on them. Each page contains so many ideas, new material that I needed to read everything about 10 times before I could move on. In summary I found this book difficult, but then it is a difficult subject. It covers a very wide range and is certainly a comprehensive introduction to the subject. For the expert reader I think. For myself I will persevere as the book has so much of value.
  7 people found this helpful
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  Ganesh Nagarajan
  5.0 out of 5 stars It is worth
  Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on November 11, 2020
  Verified Purchase
  Worth and interesting concepts
  Report abuse
  Dr. Wolfgang Klein
  5.0 out of 5 stars Ausgezeichnetes Buch
  Reviewed in Germany 🇩🇪 on October 18, 2022
  Verified Purchase
  Was mir als Mathematiker besonders auffällt ist, dass Carroll zwar mit der Brille des Physikers schreibt, aber offenbar über ein profundes mathematisches Hintergrundwissen in Sachen Tensorrechnung, Riemannschen und Semi-Riemannschen Mannigfaltigkeiten verfügt, was man an vielen Stellen im Buch feststellt. Das Werk ist - im Unterschied zu vielen anderen Standardwerken - flüssig zu lesen. Die Anhänge sind äußerst interessant. Dem Mathematiker sind ergänzend John M. Lee "Riemannian Manifolds" und Barrett O'Neill "Semi-Riemannian Geometry - with Applications in Relativity" zu empfehlen.
  2 people found this helpful
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  silvio cuneo
  5.0 out of 5 stars Testo difficile per un argomento ostico
  Reviewed in Italy 🇮🇹 on July 21, 2020
  Verified Purchase
  Ho letto solo il primo capitolo e quindi questa recensione è sicuramente prematura. La prima impressione è che il testo sia completo e approfondito, sia dal punto di vista dell'interpretazione fisica sia da quello della formulazione matematico-geometrica. Il livello di complessità matematica è molto alto. Sono un lettore dilettante della fisica e il primo capitolo (relatività ristretta e teoria classica dei campi) sarebbe stato fuori della mia portata se non avessi già fatto delle letture sul tema (in particolare il Theoretical Minimum di Susskind). Vero è che questo capitolo, dichiara l'autore, è una rapida review di materia che si suppone già nota. Spero che i successivi adottino un approccio più didascalico.
  2 people found this helpful
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  Lameque Maciel
  5.0 out of 5 stars Eficiência e qualidade na entrega.
  Reviewed in Brazil 🇧🇷 on September 28, 2020
  Verified Purchase
  Estou grandiosamente satisfeito com o produto e, ademais, a entrega foi realizada rapidamente. Os detalhes de rastreamento são incríveis. Obrigado, Amazon.
  Lameque Maciel
  5.0 out of 5 stars Eficiência e qualidade na entrega.
  Reviewed in Brazil 🇧🇷 on September 28, 2020
  Estou grandiosamente satisfeito com o produto e, ademais, a entrega foi realizada rapidamente. Os detalhes de rastreamento são incríveis. Obrigado, Amazon.
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Brief content visible, double tap to read full content. Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.  Sean Carroll is Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy at Johns Hopkins University and Fractal Faculty at the Santa Fe Institute. His research focuses on fundamental issues in quantum mechanics, gravitation, statistical mechanics, and cosmology. He has wide-ranging interests, including in philosophy, complexity theory, and information. Carroll is an active science communicator, and has been blogging regularly since 2004. His textbook "Spacetime and Geometry" has been adopted by a number of universities for their graduate courses in general relativity. He is a frequent public speaker, and has appeared on TV shows such as The Colbert Report and Through The Wormhole with Morgan Freeman. He has produced a set of lectures for The Teaching Company on dark matter and dark energy, and another on the nature of time. He has served as a science consultant for films such as Thor and TRON: Legacy, as well as for TV shows such as Fringe and Bones.  His 2010 popular book, "From Eternity to Here," explained the arrow of time and connected it with the origin of our universe. "The Particle at the End of the Universe," about the Large Hadron Collider and the quest to discover the Higgs boson, was released November 2012, "The Big Picture: On the Origins of Life, Meaning, and the Universe Itself" in May 2016, and "Something Deeply Hidden: Quantum Worlds and the Emergence of Spacetime" in 2019. His next book project is "The Biggest Ideas in the Universe," which will consist of three books. The first, "Space, Time, and Motion," appears in September 2022. More information at http://preposterousuniverse.com/
Spacetime and Geometry: An Introduction to General Relativity Kindle Edition
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07T9MCTWF
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/829182.Computer_Systems
Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective
2002-02-01
Author
<div><div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/22094221-morgan"></a></section><section><p>109 reviews11 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1352806125">October 26, 2015</a></section><div><p>This is an easy to follow book that covers how computers work from the level of processors up to web servers. It's written for computer science students, and goes into a lot of detail about modern operating systems concepts such as virtual memory, processes, and signals. I had a lot of experience programming before reading this, but the book definitely clarified my thinking on many topics.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/42712856-kaushik"></a></section><section><p>107 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3185883263">January 16, 2022</a></section><div><p>As thorough a book as one can find to truly understand the systems we work with. I would give this 10 stars if I could.<p>I've come across numerous texts during my undergrad that try to explain fundamental concepts like processes, threads, virtual memory (and so on) and fail to do so comprehensively. By that I don't mean that they don't give you a good overview, they do, but you're always left with this nagging feeling of "But... How does that bit work?". If you like me, were left hanging on multiple such foundational topics, and found yourself more than once faced with the fact that we don't necessarily understand the systems we work on at a granular level, and want to do something about it, then you should pick up this book right away.</p><p>The great thing about this book is that is leaves no questions unanswered about the topics it covers. And you walk away not just with a solid understanding of the concepts but also an almost reverent appreciation for the beauty of these complex systems. And the cherry on top? The authors provide all lab exercises online for those on the self study path and they are easily the most exciting part of the experience which I thoroughly enjoyed.</p><p>This book will tell you that assembly is just another programming language, and nothing to shudder at the sight of. It will show you what a marvellous beauty virtual memory is, the program stack, the heap, linking and loading, what really is a process and a thread (not at a surface level, but at a much deeper level) and how a computer system orchestrates your hello world program to print those ascii letters on screen.</p><p>I can't thank the authors enough. It takes great passion and love for a subject to present it so beautifully in a book, and I will forever owe my clarity on these concepts to them.</p><p>If you're serious about your craft as a software engineer and want to know (out of curiosity and a need for clarity) how things work under the hood, this book is for you.</p><p>But it will take some discipline and effort to go through it and complete all the assignments (it took me two years studying this on weekends), but you will come out with much joy and satisfaction at the end of it.</p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1145513-ashwin"></a></section><section><p>Author <i></i>3 books15 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1998588113">May 13, 2017</a></section><div><p>This review is crossposted from my blog here: <a href="https://daariga.wordpress.com/2012/04/10/computer-systems-a-programmers-perspective-2nd-edition/">https://daariga.wordpress.com/2012/04...</a><p>I picked up Computer Systems: A Programmer’s Perspective (2nd Edition) by Randal Bryant and David O’Hallaron while searching for a stimulating book on computer architecture or operating systems. CSAPP turned out to be a good find since it is aimed at the intersection of computer architecture, computers systems and OS. Using practical examples and problems the book walks the student through all the hardware and software knowledge that is required to understand how a program comes to life on a computer.</p><p>Assume a student compiles a Hello world program and runs it. A plethora of hardware features and a large set of software come together to make this simple magic possible. Software like compiler, assembler, linker, loader, libraries and operating system kernel help to compile and load the program. Hardware features like hard disk, main memory, controllers, buses, cache and the processor bring the program to life. Also, hardware and software need to also act in tandem in virtual memory, system calls and interrupt handling to make the execution of a program scalable, efficient, fast and safe. This book argues that a good programmer needs to be aware of all the afore mentioned concepts and these are what the book tries to cover.</p><p>Some notes about this book:</p><p> The book is structured as a workbook. You read a concept, solve a problem or experiment with a program that illustrates it and then move on to the next concept. There are trivia, blurbs and practical information about IA32 (Intel) architecture and Linux where-ever necessary. This ensures that the book remains grounded in reality and never feels dry to study.<br /> The authors have tried their best to introduce as many of modern multiprocessor concepts as possible in a practical way. There is a lot missing, for example, super-scalar architecture and out-of-order execution. However, the programmer interested in these details can easily learn about them with a book like Inside The Machine.<br /> The chapters on memory hierarchy and virtual memory are the real treasure in this book. The sections on cache here and in Inside The Machine stand head-to-head as the most practical introductions to the topic.<br /> Virtual memory is an important concept, but sadly it gets short shrift in computer science education. This is because it requires the OS and hardware to work together and those subjects are typically covered by two different courses or textbooks in university. Not having to deal with such caste boundaries, this book is able to show the student how virtual memory is brought to life.<br /> The book gets a bit vague towards the end. I was not interested in and did not see any benefit for this book to touch on areas of system I/O, network programming and concurrency.</p><p>I am happy to conclude that CSAPP is a stimulating book to study and work through. This book covers all the knowledge that a good programmer needs to understand how his program executes upon the OS and CPU and how to make it efficient, fast and scalable. I highly recommend Computer Systems: A Programmer’s Perspective for anyone who feel they need a better grasp of these ideas.</p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/49729905-ayush-bhat"></a></section><section><p>49 reviews21 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1908644974">March 28, 2017</a></section><div><p>Apart from being a great Computer Architecture book, I found it to be a great introduction to the C language as well.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3680322102">December 6, 2020</a></section><div><p>Although I didn't finish it, (picked it up as I needed along cs213) from the amount of content I see online from students from all over the world using it as a basis for understanding systems, it is a must read to understand systems. While the content is not too hard, the knowledge in here is definitely not attainable from random tutorials here and there on the web. I think it helped a lot in my understanding. From bits to data representation (and its limits), to fricken assembly, to memory hierarchy and caches and everything with memory. Probably didn't learn as much as CMU's course but it was a good enough "systematic" intro to systems.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23187588-f-bio-botelho"></a></section><section><p>5 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/697796196">August 18, 2013</a></section><div><p>Fundamental book for computer science students and/or general people that want to understand fundamentals of computer systems: architecture basics such as pipelining and optimization, data representation, virtual memory etc., . The best thing about the book is that it gives an hands on approach with several labs that apply very well the theory into practice. This was definitely the most practical and useful book that I have read while graduating. It was helpfully in at least three to four courses. <br /></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/89516151-susan"></a></section><section><p>118 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3450262272">July 27, 2020</a></section><div><p>I skimmed through this book with detailed reading of some chapters. It's filled many gaps in my understanding of computer systems! It's a very clear and well-written book of computer systems from a programmer's perspective, with important emphasis on parts of the system (hardware, OS, application program) that are important for a software programmer to understand. </p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5103350-joe-cole"></a></section><section><p>169 reviews345 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1940922389">March 13, 2017</a></section><div><p>Concise without leaving out important knowledge, meanwhile you don't need to worry about understanding the material.<br />While reading the book, you feel like traveling in the computer world with a smart compass that keeps telling you everything you just need, no more, no less.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5103350?shelf=college-textbooks">college-textbooks</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/30519456-emil-petersen"></a></section><section><p>433 reviews20 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1684689863">April 17, 2020</a></section><div><p>A mental marathon. This actually did a lot for me, but I had to put many, many hours and days into it to get just the overarching concepts. I'm not sure a book is the best way to learn computer systems. While reading I looked up many, many things and found that you get excellent explanations of everything in here via 10-20 minute YouTube videos and online exercises. If I had to choose between the internet and this book, I'd chose the internet. All the chapters are excellent, except maybe chapter 7 on linking and chapter 8 on exceptional control flow. Each chapter starts with some good reasons for actually spending the time to understand the given subject, which is very nice. Being new in this area of CS, I had a hard time actually assessing whether I got sufficiently around the 'need-to-know' concepts (the answer is probably 'No').</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/30519456?shelf=computer-science">computer-science</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/13634268-jack-dinkel"></a></section><section><p>71 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1496982825">January 5, 2016</a></section><div><p>This book is utterly useless you read chapters entirely. If I read a chapter from start to finish, absorbing every word, I could understand the material well enough, but it got so caught up in jargon and what-ifs that it was incomprehensible as a quick lookup guide. As a computer scientist, a book you can quickly look things up in is essential and this book does not do that.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2086219384">April 22, 2019</a></section><div><p>Partially read for CSCI 2400: Computer Systems at CU Boulder. I actually found this a very approachable textbook on this subject, and following along with the examples and exercises in the text was quite helpful in gaining a working understanding of the material for lab exercises and exams.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/14099464?shelf=21st-century">21st-century</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/14099464?shelf=computers-and-internet">computers-and-internet</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/14099464?shelf=nonfiction">nonfiction</a> </ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/24562454-kiran-gangadharan"></a></section><section><p>33 reviews18 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1392794937">October 10, 2015</a></section><div><p>A good introduction to Computer Science and Systems in comprehensible chunks.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/17471114-curtis-clements"></a></section><section><p>15 reviews1 follower</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3993416404">May 12, 2021</a></section><div><p>Must read for any CS major or anyone that works with code. Really good at breaking down difficult concepts and systems into smaller, digestible chunks. One of the few textbooks I kept after graduation.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/832319641">January 23, 2014</a></section><div><p>Read this book and took the class(15213). The book explains the concepts of computer systems with amazing clarity. It is the textbook that I always keep coming back to whenever I have any doubts. This book teaches you, throughout all of its chapters in great details what happens when you "run" a program on your computer. Greatly enhanced my knowledge of CS.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/84690418-xvvifzmrr-"></a></section><section><p>4 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2740054988">March 30, 2022</a></section><div><p>The book is comprehensive but too much for a freshman 12 weeks course.<br />Btw i dont agree the idea of getting a overview of the CS discipline for CS beginner.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4898686100">August 6, 2022</a></section><div><p>I read (by read, I mean read about 2/3 of the chapters, worked most in-chapter exercises, and completed one lab) this book as a largely self-taught software engineer and found the explanations of computer systems both clear and nuanced. I found the time well-spent in deepening my understanding of how computers actually run programs and why higher-level languages like Python necessarily sacrifice some performance. <p>I have only academic experience with C, yet was able to follow along well enough with the examples adequately. Having read for breadth and gleaned a low-resolution understanding of the topics, I imagine I will revisit this as-needed for deeper reference throughout my future studies and career (and have already encountered a couple real-world problems where this lower-level knowledge has helped me debug and find solutions). </p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/61384323-dimitar-haralanov"></a></section><section><p>1 review1 follower</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3185772962">May 1, 2020</a></section><div><p>A great book, which goes deep enough into the fundamental concepts of a modern computer systems. It starts with computer architecture basics (data representation, CPU, memory, I/O devices), goes through operating systems basics (processes, threads, memory, files, etc.), then program structure (data and control flow), pipelining, optimisations, memory hierarchy and ends with interaction and communication between programs - networking basics, different models for concurrency and a taste of error handling. The book has concrete and easy to follow along examples in C (basic understanding of C is required), which makes the book very practical.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/54478928-dmytro-chaban"></a></section><section><p>45 reviews2 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2069178190">January 14, 2018</a></section><div><p>Must have book for those who want not just know how to build yet another application, but for those who want to know how this yet another application working under the C language shell. And under I mean from C language to the most lower level of hardware as an ALU and other things.<br />This book can skill you up really high.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/54478928?shelf=c-c">c-c</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/54478928?shelf=c-cpp">c-cpp</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2385990544">May 8, 2018</a></section><div><p>Had to read this for a systems class... being a good enough student to actually read and consume the textbook material is somewhat new to me, but this book made it easy. The descriptions are easy to understand, have the right amount of specificity, and only use examples/diagrams when necessary. Literally the best textbook I've ever had.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/65945418?shelf=academics">academics</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2923502852">August 4, 2019</a></section><div><p>Worth the price (and your time!) for the chapter on memory hierarchy alone. There's very good depth for each topic covered, the language is easy to understand, and the homework assignments are very well thought out too.<p>Absolutely fantastic book. Highly recommended, especially if you're a self-taught engineer. </p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2002473699">May 17, 2017</a></section><div><p>Awesome book, it helps me construct the idea about computer step by step. I didn't finish all the books because my limited ability. I will read it from time to time, when i feel my level and understanding increase. I was fascinated by the beauty of the computer and its philosophy.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/57395664?shelf=computer">computer</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/83169518-max-patiiuk"></a></section><section><p>224 reviews1 follower</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3030643676">November 2, 2022</a></section><div><p>A book that offers a ton of information, albeit a bit outdated (says that HTTP 1.1 is the newest version, does not mention SSL and talks about Telnet, rather than SSH) and more low level than I expected.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3195411799">February 18, 2020</a></section><div><p>Well structured overall, but presentations on linking and process management were slightly bemusing. </p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/20824022-tomek"></a></section><section><p>62 reviews2 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3521276001">September 22, 2020</a></section><div><p>If you want to remind yourself some basic stuff about how computers work, this book is for you. But, be warned! Examples are in C language.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3562746255">September 23, 2020</a></section><div><p>Apart from all the errata found in the Global Edition, which unfortunately was the edition I picked, this is an awesome text.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/127353541-polluxhoe"></a></section><section><p>6 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3753868459">January 27, 2021</a></section><div><p>The book was a long read and full of information. the writing did a good job of making it digestible and I feel like I have a deeper understanding of the inner workings of a computer.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/34752311-waqar-ahmed"></a></section><section><p>62 reviews14 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3493668682">April 10, 2021</a></section><div><p>Probably one of the most important and interesting book I have ever read on computer science.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section></section></article></div></div>||||I|||| * Home
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 Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective

 Randal E. Bryant , David R. O'Hallaron

 4.45
 957 ratings 52 reviews
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 For Computer Organization and Architecture and Computer Architecture courses. Often, computer science and computer engineering curricula don't provide students with a concentrated and consistent introduction to the fundamental concepts that underlie all computer systems. Traditional computer organization and logic design courses cover some of this material, but they focus largely on hardware design. They provide students with little or no understanding of how important software components operate, how application programs use systems, or how system attributes affect the performance and correctness of application programs. - A more complete view of systems - Takes a broader view of systems than traditional computer organization books, covering aspects of computer design, operating systems, compilers, and networking, provides students with the understanding of how programs run on real systems. - Systems presented from a programmers perspective - Material is presented in such a way that it has clear benefit to application programmers, students learn how to use this knowledge to improve program performance and reliability. They also become more effective in program debugging, because t
 Genres Computer Science Programming Technology Textbooks Computers Reference Technical
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 978 pages, Hardcover

 First published February 1, 2002

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 Randal E. Bryant

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 4.45
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 Morgan
 109 reviews 11 followers
 October 26, 2015
 This is an easy to follow book that covers how computers work from the level of processors up to web servers. It's written for computer science students, and goes into a lot of detail about modern operating systems concepts such as virtual memory, processes, and signals. I had a lot of experience programming before reading this, but the book definitely clarified my thinking on many topics.
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 Ed Schwartz
 85 reviews 3 followers
 April 12, 2019
 A systems book that no computer scientist should go without reading.
 reference
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 Kaushik
 107 reviews
 January 16, 2022
 As thorough a book as one can find to truly understand the systems we work with. I would give this 10 stars if I could.

 I've come across numerous texts during my undergrad that try to explain fundamental concepts like processes, threads, virtual memory (and so on) and fail to do so comprehensively. By that I don't mean that they don't give you a good overview, they do, but you're always left with this nagging feeling of "But... How does that bit work?". If you like me, were left hanging on multiple such foundational topics, and found yourself more than once faced with the fact that we don't necessarily understand the systems we work on at a granular level, and want to do something about it, then you should pick up this book right away.

 The great thing about this book is that is leaves no questions unanswered about the topics it covers. And you walk away not just with a solid understanding of the concepts but also an almost reverent appreciation for the beauty of these complex systems. And the cherry on top? The authors provide all lab exercises online for those on the self study path and they are easily the most exciting part of the experience which I thoroughly enjoyed.

 This book will tell you that assembly is just another programming language, and nothing to shudder at the sight of. It will show you what a marvellous beauty virtual memory is, the program stack, the heap, linking and loading, what really is a process and a thread (not at a surface level, but at a much deeper level) and how a computer system orchestrates your hello world program to print those ascii letters on screen.

 I can't thank the authors enough. It takes great passion and love for a subject to present it so beautifully in a book, and I will forever owe my clarity on these concepts to them.

 If you're serious about your craft as a software engineer and want to know (out of curiosity and a need for clarity) how things work under the hood, this book is for you.

 But it will take some discipline and effort to go through it and complete all the assignments (it took me two years studying this on weekends), but you will come out with much joy and satisfaction at the end of it.
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 Ashwin
 Author 3 books 15 followers
 May 13, 2017
 This review is crossposted from my blog here: https://daariga.wordpress.com/2012/04...

 I picked up Computer Systems: A Programmer’s Perspective (2nd Edition) by Randal Bryant and David O’Hallaron while searching for a stimulating book on computer architecture or operating systems. CSAPP turned out to be a good find since it is aimed at the intersection of computer architecture, computers systems and OS. Using practical examples and problems the book walks the student through all the hardware and software knowledge that is required to understand how a program comes to life on a computer.

 Assume a student compiles a Hello world program and runs it. A plethora of hardware features and a large set of software come together to make this simple magic possible. Software like compiler, assembler, linker, loader, libraries and operating system kernel help to compile and load the program. Hardware features like hard disk, main memory, controllers, buses, cache and the processor bring the program to life. Also, hardware and software need to also act in tandem in virtual memory, system calls and interrupt handling to make the execution of a program scalable, efficient, fast and safe. This book argues that a good programmer needs to be aware of all the afore mentioned concepts and these are what the book tries to cover.

 Some notes about this book:

 The book is structured as a workbook. You read a concept, solve a problem or experiment with a program that illustrates it and then move on to the next concept. There are trivia, blurbs and practical information about IA32 (Intel) architecture and Linux where-ever necessary. This ensures that the book remains grounded in reality and never feels dry to study.
 The authors have tried their best to introduce as many of modern multiprocessor concepts as possible in a practical way. There is a lot missing, for example, super-scalar architecture and out-of-order execution. However, the programmer interested in these details can easily learn about them with a book like Inside The Machine.
 The chapters on memory hierarchy and virtual memory are the real treasure in this book. The sections on cache here and in Inside The Machine stand head-to-head as the most practical introductions to the topic.
 Virtual memory is an important concept, but sadly it gets short shrift in computer science education. This is because it requires the OS and hardware to work together and those subjects are typically covered by two different courses or textbooks in university. Not having to deal with such caste boundaries, this book is able to show the student how virtual memory is brought to life.
 The book gets a bit vague towards the end. I was not interested in and did not see any benefit for this book to touch on areas of system I/O, network programming and concurrency.

 I am happy to conclude that CSAPP is a stimulating book to study and work through. This book covers all the knowledge that a good programmer needs to understand how his program executes upon the OS and CPU and how to make it efficient, fast and scalable. I highly recommend Computer Systems: A Programmer’s Perspective for anyone who feel they need a better grasp of these ideas.
 7 likes
 1 comment
 Like
 Comment
 Ayush Bhat
 49 reviews 21 followers
 March 28, 2017
 Apart from being a great Computer Architecture book, I found it to be a great introduction to the C language as well.
 6 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Dan Dan
 9 reviews
 December 6, 2020
 Although I didn't finish it, (picked it up as I needed along cs213) from the amount of content I see online from students from all over the world using it as a basis for understanding systems, it is a must read to understand systems. While the content is not too hard, the knowledge in here is definitely not attainable from random tutorials here and there on the web. I think it helped a lot in my understanding. From bits to data representation (and its limits), to fricken assembly, to memory hierarchy and caches and everything with memory. Probably didn't learn as much as CMU's course but it was a good enough "systematic" intro to systems.
 3 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Fábio Botelho
 5 reviews
 August 18, 2013
 Fundamental book for computer science students and/or general people that want to understand fundamentals of computer systems: architecture basics such as pipelining and optimization, data representation, virtual memory etc., . The best thing about the book is that it gives an hands on approach with several labs that apply very well the theory into practice. This was definitely the most practical and useful book that I have read while graduating. It was helpfully in at least three to four courses.
 3 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Susan
 118 reviews
 July 27, 2020
 I skimmed through this book with detailed reading of some chapters. It's filled many gaps in my understanding of computer systems! It's a very clear and well-written book of computer systems from a programmer's perspective, with important emphasis on parts of the system (hardware, OS, application program) that are important for a software programmer to understand.
 3 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Joe Cole
 169 reviews 345 followers
 March 13, 2017
 Concise without leaving out important knowledge, meanwhile you don't need to worry about understanding the material.
 While reading the book, you feel like traveling in the computer world with a smart compass that keeps telling you everything you just need, no more, no less.
 college-textbooks
 3 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Emil Petersen
 433 reviews 20 followers
 April 17, 2020
 A mental marathon. This actually did a lot for me, but I had to put many, many hours and days into it to get just the overarching concepts. I'm not sure a book is the best way to learn computer systems. While reading I looked up many, many things and found that you get excellent explanations of everything in here via 10-20 minute YouTube videos and online exercises. If I had to choose between the internet and this book, I'd chose the internet. All the chapters are excellent, except maybe chapter 7 on linking and chapter 8 on exceptional control flow. Each chapter starts with some good reasons for actually spending the time to understand the given subject, which is very nice. Being new in this area of CS, I had a hard time actually assessing whether I got sufficiently around the 'need-to-know' concepts (the answer is probably 'No').
 computer-science
 2 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Jack Dinkel
 71 reviews
 January 5, 2016
 This book is utterly useless you read chapters entirely. If I read a chapter from start to finish, absorbing every word, I could understand the material well enough, but it got so caught up in jargon and what-ifs that it was incomprehensible as a quick lookup guide. As a computer scientist, a book you can quickly look things up in is essential and this book does not do that.
 2 likes
 1 comment
 Like
 Comment
 Sarah
 29 reviews
 April 22, 2019
 Partially read for CSCI 2400: Computer Systems at CU Boulder. I actually found this a very approachable textbook on this subject, and following along with the examples and exercises in the text was quite helpful in gaining a working understanding of the material for lab exercises and exams.
 21st-century computers-and-internet nonfiction
 ...more
 2 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Kiran Gangadharan
 33 reviews 18 followers
 October 10, 2015
 A good introduction to Computer Science and Systems in comprehensible chunks.
 2 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Curtis Clements
 15 reviews 1 follower
 May 12, 2021
 Must read for any CS major or anyone that works with code. Really good at breaking down difficult concepts and systems into smaller, digestible chunks. One of the few textbooks I kept after graduation.
 1 like
 Like
 Comment
 Abhinav
 35 reviews 15 followers
 January 23, 2014
 Read this book and took the class(15213). The book explains the concepts of computer systems with amazing clarity. It is the textbook that I always keep coming back to whenever I have any doubts. This book teaches you, throughout all of its chapters in great details what happens when you "run" a program on your computer. Greatly enhanced my knowledge of CS.
 1 like
 Like
 Comment
 Fatima
 378 reviews 2 followers
 June 13, 2017
 Easy to follow, only read 5 or 6 chapters as part of the class CS110 at Stanford.
 computer-science-software
 1 like
 Like
 Comment
 xvvifzmrr-
 4 reviews
 March 30, 2022
 The book is comprehensive but too much for a freshman 12 weeks course.
 Btw i dont agree the idea of getting a overview of the CS discipline for CS beginner.
 1 like
 Like
 Comment
 Andrew Doss
 18 reviews
 August 6, 2022
 I read (by read, I mean read about 2/3 of the chapters, worked most in-chapter exercises, and completed one lab) this book as a largely self-taught software engineer and found the explanations of computer systems both clear and nuanced. I found the time well-spent in deepening my understanding of how computers actually run programs and why higher-level languages like Python necessarily sacrifice some performance.

 I have only academic experience with C, yet was able to follow along well enough with the examples adequately. Having read for breadth and gleaned a low-resolution understanding of the topics, I imagine I will revisit this as-needed for deeper reference throughout my future studies and career (and have already encountered a couple real-world problems where this lower-level knowledge has helped me debug and find solutions).
 Like
 Comment
 Dimitar Haralanov
 1 review 1 follower
 May 1, 2020
 A great book, which goes deep enough into the fundamental concepts of a modern computer systems. It starts with computer architecture basics (data representation, CPU, memory, I/O devices), goes through operating systems basics (processes, threads, memory, files, etc.), then program structure (data and control flow), pipelining, optimisations, memory hierarchy and ends with interaction and communication between programs - networking basics, different models for concurrency and a taste of error handling. The book has concrete and easy to follow along examples in C (basic understanding of C is required), which makes the book very practical.
 Like
 Comment
 Dmytro Chaban
 45 reviews 2 followers
 January 14, 2018
 Must have book for those who want not just know how to build yet another application, but for those who want to know how this yet another application working under the C language shell. And under I mean from C language to the most lower level of hardware as an ALU and other things.
 This book can skill you up really high.
 c-c c-cpp
 Like
 Comment
 Musa Jamshed
 41 reviews
 May 8, 2018
 Had to read this for a systems class... being a good enough student to actually read and consume the textbook material is somewhat new to me, but this book made it easy. The descriptions are easy to understand, have the right amount of specificity, and only use examples/diagrams when necessary. Literally the best textbook I've ever had.
 academics
 Like
 Comment
 Swastik Agarwal
 14 reviews 2 followers
 August 4, 2019
 Worth the price (and your time!) for the chapter on memory hierarchy alone. There's very good depth for each topic covered, the language is easy to understand, and the homework assignments are very well thought out too.

 Absolutely fantastic book. Highly recommended, especially if you're a self-taught engineer.
 Like
 Comment
 Leal Luo
 1 review
 May 17, 2017
 Awesome book, it helps me construct the idea about computer step by step. I didn't finish all the books because my limited ability. I will read it from time to time, when i feel my level and understanding increase. I was fascinated by the beauty of the computer and its philosophy.
 computer
 Like
 Comment
 Max Patiiuk
 224 reviews 1 follower
 November 2, 2022
 A book that offers a ton of information, albeit a bit outdated (says that HTTP 1.1 is the newest version, does not mention SSL and talks about Telnet, rather than SSH) and more low level than I expected.
 Like
 Comment
 Mingjie Ma
 4 reviews
 February 18, 2020
 Well structured overall, but presentations on linking and process management were slightly bemusing.
 Like
 Comment
 Tomek
 62 reviews 2 followers
 September 22, 2020
 If you want to remind yourself some basic stuff about how computers work, this book is for you. But, be warned! Examples are in C language.
 Like
 Comment
 ِ
 5 reviews 1 follower
 September 23, 2020
 Apart from all the errata found in the Global Edition, which unfortunately was the edition I picked, this is an awesome text.
 Like
 Comment
 Thanks giving
 1 review
 November 28, 2020
 A book that should be read many times.
 计算机系统
 Like
 Comment
 polluxhoe
 6 reviews
 January 27, 2021
 The book was a long read and full of information. the writing did a good job of making it digestible and I feel like I have a deeper understanding of the inner workings of a computer.
 Like
 Comment
 Waqar Ahmed
 62 reviews 14 followers
 April 10, 2021
 Probably one of the most important and interesting book I have ever read on computer science.
 Like
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 Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
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109 reviews11 followers     October 26, 2015   This is an easy to follow book that covers how computers work from the level of processors up to web servers. It's written for computer science students, and goes into a lot of detail about modern operating systems concepts such as virtual memory, processes, and signals. I had a lot of experience programming before reading this, but the book definitely clarified my thinking on many topics.                  107 reviews     January 16, 2022   As thorough a book as one can find to truly understand the systems we work with. I would give this 10 stars if I could.I've come across numerous texts during my undergrad that try to explain fundamental concepts like processes, threads, virtual memory (and so on) and fail to do so comprehensively. By that I don't mean that they don't give you a good overview, they do, but you're always left with this nagging feeling of "But... How does that bit work?". If you like me, were left hanging on multiple such foundational topics, and found yourself more than once faced with the fact that we don't necessarily understand the systems we work on at a granular level, and want to do something about it, then you should pick up this book right away. The great thing about this book is that is leaves no questions unanswered about the topics it covers. And you walk away not just with a solid understanding of the concepts but also an almost reverent appreciation for the beauty of these complex systems. And the cherry on top? The authors provide all lab exercises online for those on the self study path and they are easily the most exciting part of the experience which I thoroughly enjoyed. This book will tell you that assembly is just another programming language, and nothing to shudder at the sight of. It will show you what a marvellous beauty virtual memory is, the program stack, the heap, linking and loading, what really is a process and a thread (not at a surface level, but at a much deeper level) and how a computer system orchestrates your hello world program to print those ascii letters on screen. I can't thank the authors enough. It takes great passion and love for a subject to present it so beautifully in a book, and I will forever owe my clarity on these concepts to them. If you're serious about your craft as a software engineer and want to know (out of curiosity and a need for clarity) how things work under the hood, this book is for you. But it will take some discipline and effort to go through it and complete all the assignments (it took me two years studying this on weekends), but you will come out with much joy and satisfaction at the end of it.                   Author  3 books15 followers     May 13, 2017   This review is crossposted from my blog here: https://daariga.wordpress.com/2012/04... I picked up Computer Systems: A Programmer’s Perspective (2nd Edition) by Randal Bryant and David O’Hallaron while searching for a stimulating book on computer architecture or operating systems. CSAPP turned out to be a good find since it is aimed at the intersection of computer architecture, computers systems and OS. Using practical examples and problems the book walks the student through all the hardware and software knowledge that is required to understand how a program comes to life on a computer. Assume a student compiles a Hello world program and runs it. A plethora of hardware features and a large set of software come together to make this simple magic possible. Software like compiler, assembler, linker, loader, libraries and operating system kernel help to compile and load the program. Hardware features like hard disk, main memory, controllers, buses, cache and the processor bring the program to life. Also, hardware and software need to also act in tandem in virtual memory, system calls and interrupt handling to make the execution of a program scalable, efficient, fast and safe. This book argues that a good programmer needs to be aware of all the afore mentioned concepts and these are what the book tries to cover. Some notes about this book:  The book is structured as a workbook. You read a concept, solve a problem or experiment with a program that illustrates it and then move on to the next concept. There are trivia, blurbs and practical information about IA32 (Intel) architecture and Linux where-ever necessary. This ensures that the book remains grounded in reality and never feels dry to study. The authors have tried their best to introduce as many of modern multiprocessor concepts as possible in a practical way. There is a lot missing, for example, super-scalar architecture and out-of-order execution. However, the programmer interested in these details can easily learn about them with a book like Inside The Machine. The chapters on memory hierarchy and virtual memory are the real treasure in this book. The sections on cache here and in Inside The Machine stand head-to-head as the most practical introductions to the topic. Virtual memory is an important concept, but sadly it gets short shrift in computer science education. This is because it requires the OS and hardware to work together and those subjects are typically covered by two different courses or textbooks in university. Not having to deal with such caste boundaries, this book is able to show the student how virtual memory is brought to life. The book gets a bit vague towards the end. I was not interested in and did not see any benefit for this book to touch on areas of system I/O, network programming and concurrency. I am happy to conclude that CSAPP is a stimulating book to study and work through. This book covers all the knowledge that a good programmer needs to understand how his program executes upon the OS and CPU and how to make it efficient, fast and scalable. I highly recommend Computer Systems: A Programmer’s Perspective for anyone who feel they need a better grasp of these ideas.                   49 reviews21 followers     March 28, 2017   Apart from being a great Computer Architecture book, I found it to be a great introduction to the C language as well.              December 6, 2020   Although I didn't finish it, (picked it up as I needed along cs213) from the amount of content I see online from students from all over the world using it as a basis for understanding systems, it is a must read to understand systems. While the content is not too hard, the knowledge in here is definitely not attainable from random tutorials here and there on the web. I think it helped a lot in my understanding. From bits to data representation (and its limits), to fricken assembly, to memory hierarchy and caches and everything with memory. Probably didn't learn as much as CMU's course but it was a good enough "systematic" intro to systems.                  5 reviews     August 18, 2013   Fundamental book for computer science students and/or general people that want to understand fundamentals of computer systems: architecture basics such as pipelining and optimization, data representation, virtual memory etc., . The best thing about the book is that it gives an hands on approach with several labs that apply very well the theory into practice. This was definitely the most practical and useful book that I have read while graduating. It was helpfully in at least three to four courses.                    118 reviews     July 27, 2020   I skimmed through this book with detailed reading of some chapters. It's filled many gaps in my understanding of computer systems! It's a very clear and well-written book of computer systems from a programmer's perspective, with important emphasis on parts of the system (hardware, OS, application program) that are important for a software programmer to understand.                   169 reviews345 followers     March 13, 2017   Concise without leaving out important knowledge, meanwhile you don't need to worry about understanding the material.While reading the book, you feel like traveling in the computer world with a smart compass that keeps telling you everything you just need, no more, no less.    college-textbooks               433 reviews20 followers     April 17, 2020   A mental marathon. This actually did a lot for me, but I had to put many, many hours and days into it to get just the overarching concepts. I'm not sure a book is the best way to learn computer systems. While reading I looked up many, many things and found that you get excellent explanations of everything in here via 10-20 minute YouTube videos and online exercises. If I had to choose between the internet and this book, I'd chose the internet. All the chapters are excellent, except maybe chapter 7 on linking and chapter 8 on exceptional control flow. Each chapter starts with some good reasons for actually spending the time to understand the given subject, which is very nice. Being new in this area of CS, I had a hard time actually assessing whether I got sufficiently around the 'need-to-know' concepts (the answer is probably 'No').    computer-science               71 reviews     January 5, 2016   This book is utterly useless you read chapters entirely. If I read a chapter from start to finish, absorbing every word, I could understand the material well enough, but it got so caught up in jargon and what-ifs that it was incomprehensible as a quick lookup guide. As a computer scientist, a book you can quickly look things up in is essential and this book does not do that.              April 22, 2019   Partially read for CSCI 2400: Computer Systems at CU Boulder. I actually found this a very approachable textbook on this subject, and following along with the examples and exercises in the text was quite helpful in gaining a working understanding of the material for lab exercises and exams.    21st-century computers-and-internet nonfiction               33 reviews18 followers     October 10, 2015   A good introduction to Computer Science and Systems in comprehensible chunks.                  15 reviews1 follower     May 12, 2021   Must read for any CS major or anyone that works with code. Really good at breaking down difficult concepts and systems into smaller, digestible chunks. One of the few textbooks I kept after graduation.              January 23, 2014   Read this book and took the class(15213). The book explains the concepts of computer systems with amazing clarity. It is the textbook that I always keep coming back to whenever I have any doubts. This book teaches you, throughout all of its chapters in great details what happens when you "run" a program on your computer. Greatly enhanced my knowledge of CS.                  4 reviews     March 30, 2022   The book is comprehensive but too much for a freshman 12 weeks course.Btw i dont agree the idea of getting a overview of the CS discipline for CS beginner.              August 6, 2022   I read (by read, I mean read about 2/3 of the chapters, worked most in-chapter exercises, and completed one lab) this book as a largely self-taught software engineer and found the explanations of computer systems both clear and nuanced. I found the time well-spent in deepening my understanding of how computers actually run programs and why higher-level languages like Python necessarily sacrifice some performance. I have only academic experience with C, yet was able to follow along well enough with the examples adequately. Having read for breadth and gleaned a low-resolution understanding of the topics, I imagine I will revisit this as-needed for deeper reference throughout my future studies and career (and have already encountered a couple real-world problems where this lower-level knowledge has helped me debug and find solutions).                    1 review1 follower     May 1, 2020   A great book, which goes deep enough into the fundamental concepts of a modern computer systems. It starts with computer architecture basics (data representation, CPU, memory, I/O devices), goes through operating systems basics (processes, threads, memory, files, etc.), then program structure (data and control flow), pipelining, optimisations, memory hierarchy and ends with interaction and communication between programs - networking basics, different models for concurrency and a taste of error handling. The book has concrete and easy to follow along examples in C (basic understanding of C is required), which makes the book very practical.                  45 reviews2 followers     January 14, 2018   Must have book for those who want not just know how to build yet another application, but for those who want to know how this yet another application working under the C language shell. And under I mean from C language to the most lower level of hardware as an ALU and other things.This book can skill you up really high.    c-c c-cpp           May 8, 2018   Had to read this for a systems class... being a good enough student to actually read and consume the textbook material is somewhat new to me, but this book made it easy. The descriptions are easy to understand, have the right amount of specificity, and only use examples/diagrams when necessary. Literally the best textbook I've ever had.    academics           August 4, 2019   Worth the price (and your time!) for the chapter on memory hierarchy alone. There's very good depth for each topic covered, the language is easy to understand, and the homework assignments are very well thought out too.Absolutely fantastic book. Highly recommended, especially if you're a self-taught engineer.                May 17, 2017   Awesome book, it helps me construct the idea about computer step by step. I didn't finish all the books because my limited ability. I will read it from time to time, when i feel my level and understanding increase. I was fascinated by the beauty of the computer and its philosophy.    computer               224 reviews1 follower     November 2, 2022   A book that offers a ton of information, albeit a bit outdated (says that HTTP 1.1 is the newest version, does not mention SSL and talks about Telnet, rather than SSH) and more low level than I expected.              February 18, 2020   Well structured overall, but presentations on linking and process management were slightly bemusing.                   62 reviews2 followers     September 22, 2020   If you want to remind yourself some basic stuff about how computers work, this book is for you. But, be warned! Examples are in C language.              September 23, 2020   Apart from all the errata found in the Global Edition, which unfortunately was the edition I picked, this is an awesome text.                  6 reviews     January 27, 2021   The book was a long read and full of information. the writing did a good job of making it digestible and I feel like I have a deeper understanding of the inner workings of a computer.                  62 reviews14 followers     April 10, 2021   Probably one of the most important and interesting book I have ever read on computer science.
Computer Systems: A Programmer's Perspective
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/829182.Computer_Systems
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6131598-van-horne
Van Horne: Fundamental_p13 (13th Edition)
2024-01-01
James C Van Horne
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 Van Horne: Fundamental_p13

 James C. Van Horne , John M. Wachowicz Jr.

 4.11
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 A practical introduction to understanding the Financial Management of companies in today’s rapidly changing business world. This book is particularly well-suited to introductory courses in financial management, for a professional qualification and as a reference for practitioners.
 Genres Finance Business Economics Reference

 719 pages, Paperback

 First published July 1, 1974

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 James C. Van Horne

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 4.11
 152 ratings 14 reviews
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 45 (29%)
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 Murshidul Hasan
 53 reviews 2 followers
 February 16, 2014
 A great book for understanding the basics of finance
 3 likes
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 Lakshmy
 1 review 7 followers
 July 15, 2012
 FM
 This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
 Show full review
 1 like
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 Tanya
 1 review
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 December 16, 2022
 One of the best book for financial management
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 Shehryar Saeed
 1 review
 January 23, 2024
 Read if you want to learn clear insights about finance.
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 Bilawalasif
 1 review
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 September 29, 2016
 read
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 Haytham Badawey
 115 reviews 33 followers
 June 16, 2013
 Topics discussed in this book are intermediate to advanced level in financial management, and the good news is, this book summarize a huge amount of information and discussion in just one book. So I'd recommend it as a reference book as well as guide for the intermediate to advanced students and practitioners.

 The first 6 chapters were very helpful, the laws, derivations and examples were very well explained and illustrated in graphs and numbers. The exercises are extensive and versatile.

 I skipped some advanced chapters at the end of the book, because those chapters are beyond my scope of focus for the current time, but I sure am going to re-read the book after I have extended my knowledge and practical experience in financial management, in-sha'a Allah.
 accounting
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 Jessy Morales
 1 review
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 July 3, 2013
 This is my favorite autor, for to read about this team....
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 Junaid Malik
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 July 15, 2013
 its a nice book
 jj
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 Adelia Ivana
 1 review
 December 4, 2013
 https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...
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 Md.jahir Uddin
 1 review
 December 21, 2013
 I read now.
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 Patrick Allan
 1 review
 December 4, 2014
 it will be a good topic
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 Nicole
 116 reviews 1 follower
 January 6, 2021
 Undergraduate degree required reading
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 Aamir
 1 review
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 January 15, 2016
 i want read
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 Joe Cole
 169 reviews 347 followers
 April 15, 2017
 This is good textbook if you take financial management course. It covers all the basic fundamentals of finance with good explanation
 college-textbooks
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 Van Horne: Fundamental_p13
 James C. Van Horne , John M. Wachowicz Jr.
 4.11
 152 ratings 14 reviews
 Want to read
 Buy on Amazon
 Rate this book
 A practical introduction to understanding the Financial Management of companies in today’s rapidly changing business world. This book is particularly well-suited to introductory courses in financial management, for a professional qualification and as a reference for practitioners.
 Genres Finance Business Economics Reference
 719 pages, Paperback
 First published July 1, 1974
 Book details & editions
 About the author
 James C. Van Horne
 17 books 8 followers
 Ratings & Reviews
 What do you think?
 Rate this book
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 Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
 Community Reviews
 4.11
 152 ratings 14 reviews
 5 stars
 72 (47%)
 4 stars
 45 (29%)
 3 stars
 21 (13%)
 2 stars
 8 (5%)
 1 star
 6 (3%)
 Search review text
 Filters
 Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
 Murshidul Hasan
 53 reviews 2 followers
 February 16, 2014
 A great book for understanding the basics of finance
 3 likes
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 Comment
 Lakshmy
 1 review 7 followers
 July 15, 2012
 FM
 This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
 Show full review
 1 like
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 Tanya
 1 review
 Want to read
 December 16, 2022
 One of the best book for financial management
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 Shehryar Saeed
 1 review
 January 23, 2024
 Read if you want to learn clear insights about finance.
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 Bilawalasif
 1 review
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 September 29, 2016
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 Haytham Badawey
 115 reviews 33 followers
 June 16, 2013
 Topics discussed in this book are intermediate to advanced level in financial management, and the good news is, this book summarize a huge amount of information and discussion in just one book. So I'd recommend it as a reference book as well as guide for the intermediate to advanced students and practitioners.
 The first 6 chapters were very helpful, the laws, derivations and examples were very well explained and illustrated in graphs and numbers. The exercises are extensive and versatile.
 I skipped some advanced chapters at the end of the book, because those chapters are beyond my scope of focus for the current time, but I sure am going to re-read the book after I have extended my knowledge and practical experience in financial management, in-sha'a Allah.
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 Jessy Morales
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 July 3, 2013
 This is my favorite autor, for to read about this team....
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 Junaid Malik
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 July 15, 2013
 its a nice book
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 Adelia Ivana
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 December 4, 2013
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 December 21, 2013
 I read now.
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 December 4, 2014
 it will be a good topic
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 Nicole
 116 reviews 1 follower
 January 6, 2021
 Undergraduate degree required reading
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 January 15, 2016
 i want read
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 Joe Cole
 169 reviews 347 followers
 April 15, 2017
 This is good textbook if you take financial management course. It covers all the basic fundamentals of finance with good explanation
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Computer Systems: An Integrated Approach to Architectur…
2010-07-30
Umakishore Ramachandran
<div><div><div><p></p></div><div><div><p><h2>Computer Systems: An Integrated Approach to Architecture and Operating Systems</h2></p></div><div><div><p></p></div><div><p></p></div><hr/><div><p></p></div><hr/><div><p><h3>About the author</h3></p><hr/></div></div></div><div><p><h2>Ratings Reviews</h2></p><article></article><hr/><div><p><h3>Friends Following </h3></p></div><p><h3>Community Reviews</h3></p><div><p></p><div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5103350-joe-cole"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/78964958-michael-chen"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section></section></article></div></div><p></p><hr/></div></div></div></div>||||I|||| * Home
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 Computer Systems: An Integrated Approach to Architecture and Operating Systems

 Umakishore Ramachandran , William Leahy Jr.

 4.33
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 In the early days of computing, hardware and software systems were designed separately. Today, as multicore systems predominate, this separation is becoming impractical. Computer Systems examines the key elements of all computer systems using an integrated approach that treats hardware and software as part of the same, larger system. Students gain important insights into the interplay between hardware and software and leave the course with a better understanding of a modern computer system

 784 pages, Paperback

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 Joe Cole
 169 reviews 347 followers
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 If you use this book effectively (on your own, or part of a course at your college), you'll be building and understanding your own computer system, and also have a good deal of knowledge about computer and other device networks, by the end of it.
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 I think this book helps to students who want to learn computer architecture ...
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 Informative but overly confusing sometimes.
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 Solid book with good examples for a beginner to computer architecture and systems programming
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Computer Systems: An Integrated Approach to Architecture and Operating Systems                    About the author        Ratings Reviews       Friends Following     Community Reviews
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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4845633-basic-theory-of-ordinary-differential-equations
Basic Theory of Ordinary Differential Equations (Univer…
1999-06-22
Po-Fang Hsieh
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 Basic Theory of Ordinary Differential Equations

 Po-Fang Hsieh , Yasutaka Sibuya

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 Providing readers with the very basic knowledge necessary to begin research on differential equations with professional ability, the selection of topics here covers the methods and results that are applicable in a variety of different fields. The book is divided into four parts. The first covers fundamental existence, uniqueness, smoothness with respect to data, and nonuniqueness. The second part describes the basic results concerning linear differential equations, while the third deals with nonlinear equations. In the last part the authors write about the basic results concerning power series solutions. Each chapter begins with a brief discussion of its contents and history, and hints and comments for many problems are given throughout. With 114 illustrations and 206 exercises, the book is suitable for a one-year graduate course, as well as a reference book for research mathematicians.

 480 pages, Hardcover

 First published June 22, 1999

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 Difficult subject for me. But this book provide detail explanations. Not bad
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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/116418.Topology
Topology
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<div><div><div><p></p></div><div><ul> </ul></div><div><p></p></div><hr/><hr/><div><p><h3>About the author</h3></p><hr/></div></div><div><p><h2>Ratings Reviews</h2></p><article></article><hr/><div><p><h3>Friends Following </h3></p></div><p><h3>Community Reviews</h3></p><div><p></p><div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/25718016-santaraksita"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1569525-matthieu"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/347507-pietro"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/35241629-milad"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/16325176-jiachen-guo"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/119936650-k-sadov"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/135545330-rhys-tilford"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/37744392-alec"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/109082088-juca-barczyszyn"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/79544033-matthew-zabka"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4719818-liora-sophie"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/147025303-didier-dirac-ghost-gaulin"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><p><b>Read</b></p></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/141315581-hmys"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4307633-thomas-bell"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/83373076-hassan-zayour"></a></section><section></section></div><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div><div><article><section><section></section><div><p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr/></section></article></div></div><p></p></div></div></div>||||I|||| * Home
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 Topology

 James R. Munkres

 4.29
 1,157 ratings 53 reviews
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 This introduction to topology provides separate, in-depth coverage of both general topology and algebraic topology. Includes many examples and figures. GENERAL TOPOLOGY. Set Theory and Logic. Topological Spaces and Continuous Functions. Connectedness and Compactness. Countability and Separation Axioms. The Tychonoff Theorem. Metrization Theorems and paracompactness. Complete Metric Spaces and Function Spaces. Baire Spaces and Dimension Theory. ALGEBRAIC TOPOLOGY. The Fundamental Group. Separation Theorems. The Seifert-van Kampen Theorem. Classification of Surfaces. Classification of Covering Spaces. Applications to Group Theory. For anyone needing a basic, thorough, introduction to general and algebraic topology and its applications.
 Genres Mathematics Textbooks Science Reference Nonfiction Technical Academic
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 537 pages, Hardcover

 First published June 1, 1974

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 James R. Munkres

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 4.29
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 Santaraksita
 9 reviews 11 followers
 November 30, 2013
 Overrated and outdated. Truth be told, this is more of an advanced analysis book than a Topology book, since that subject began with Poincare's Analysis Situs (which introduced (in a sense) and dealt with the two functors: homology and homotopy).

 The only point of such a basic, point-set topology textbook is to get you to the point where you can work through an (Algebraic) Topology text at the level of Hatcher. To that end, Munkres' book is a waste of time. There is not much point in getting lost in the thickets of the various kinds of spaces or their pathologies or even the metrization theorems. One can always come back to these later.

 Lee's Introduction to Topological Manifolds is a much better book -- for one, its chapter on CW-complexes will make it much easier to follow Hatcher's Chapter 0.
 10 likes
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 Matthieu
 79 reviews 213 followers
 September 26, 2009
 After making my way through Dover's excellent Algebraic Topology and Combinatorial Topology (sadly out of print), I was recommended this on account of its 'clean, accessible' (1) layout, and its wise choice of 'not completely dedicating itself to the Jordan (curve) theorem'. (2)

 I found it to be an even better approach to the subject than the Dover books. That said, they're all highly recommended. However, one new(er) to the concepts of algebraic and general topology will probably find this book to be more accessible, even if the algebraic treatment is too light to properly slake the gullet of a more seasoned topologist.

 */(1); (2): The CMU professor in charge of our summer program.
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 Pietro
 13 reviews 4 followers
 April 7, 2016
 This is *the* topology book for self-study. Extremely clear, full of examples. Assumes no background and gets *very* far: on the "general topology" front, does Uryssohn and Nagata-Smirnov metrization, Brouwer fixed-point, dimension theory, manifold embeddings. There's a huge section on algebraic topology which I've only skimmed, but looks similarly thorough.
 mathematics
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 Arnar Ágúst
 27 reviews
 February 22, 2023
 Næstum komið ár síðan ég las þessa. Verð þó að viðurkenna að ég las ekki alla kaflana, komst ekki í gegnum seinasta þriðjunginn um það bil. Eins og JIM sagði er þetta sígildur texti. Ég vil nú sjálfur meina að Munkres og JIM séu eins og bjór og sígó; eða þjappað og Hausdorff. Þeir virka sem sagt mjög vel saman.
 5 likes
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 Milad
 30 reviews 30 followers
 June 7, 2015
 Best place to begin studying topology. The first unit is about some fundamentals that most of the people who intend to study topology, already know much about. The main goal of the book, teaching topology, mainly commences from unit two. !:)
 3 likes
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 Jiachen Guo
 63 reviews 6 followers
 October 1, 2021
 A very gentle book on topology. Excellent for a physics student.
 2 likes
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 Ezra
 12 reviews
 December 30, 2022
 Good selection of exercises of different difficulties. I didn't find the writing to be very engaging. I don't think that the content he prioritizes are the most important things for someone trying to learn the basics of topology. If one is explicitly trying to learn about point-set topology, the extensive variety of different point-set properties, and all of the pathological examples, then this is four or five stars. But for an introduction to topology, this is really not what is important, and I give three stars.
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 K Sadov
 51 reviews 5 followers
 April 1, 2022
 It’s the canonical topology text for a reason. Pretty sure you can just study out of this with no supplemental literature and come out of it with a decent grasp of topology.
 1 like
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 Rhys Tilford
 31 reviews
 December 6, 2023
 This class was really cool! I may have been banging my head against a wall once or twice (metaphorically) but I really do think I would enjoy it more if I learned more of it.

 I gave a presentation at the end of the class and my visual aid was a webpage I built for my computer science class. Here's the link if you want to take a look: rctilford.github.io/personal-rhys-til...

 I will warn you that the page isn't set up well for mobile phones.
 textbooks
 1 like
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 Alec
 13 reviews
 July 6, 2023
 Absolutely slaps.

 Read chapters 1-3:
 - Set Theory and Logic
 - Topological Spaces and Continuous Functions
 - Connectedness and Compactness
 mathematics
 1 like
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 juca barczyszyn
 15 reviews 2 followers
 May 4, 2021
 Good introduction to General Topology (which was the part of the book I really read.)
 1 like
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 Matthew Zabka
 4 reviews 1 follower
 March 18, 2018
 Excellent book on point-set topology. The introduction chapter is also exceptional. I did as many exercises as I could out of this textbook as an undergraduate one summer, and I believe that doing so took my mathematical maturity to the next level.
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 Liora Sophie
 Author 2 books 44 followers
 July 23, 2020
 Munkres is goofy as well as a good teacher. This book is readable and has excellent explanations. Well organized. I took it to class and made notes in the margins. An excellent introduction to topology.
 1 like
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 Mir Ibtisam
 1 review
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 August 18, 2018
 good
 1 like
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 Arya Tabaie
 158 reviews 7 followers
 May 3, 2021
 Beautifully written. Very rigorous and very human.
 math-computers-physics textbook
 1 like
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 Didier "Dirac Ghost" Gaulin
 101 reviews 3 followers
 January 15, 2023
 Munkres's Topology is a great overview and a solid introduction to the world of topology and an entry point into the world of algebraic topology is section 2. The author spends a fifth of the book on set theory and logic, which might not be necessary for the graduate student, hence, this is probably aimed as a last year subject for an undergraduate student. Munkres does not assume much of the student and explicate every subjects with a great deal of details, Venn diagrams and a large set of examples and questions to supplement the reader's ability to affirm and test his understanding. For the constructivists, some of the proofs might not be up to such framework, the acceptance of the axiom of choice might also irritate others, but all in all, they are well put and quite clear, for the most part. As someone who already had knowledge of the subject, I would probably pair this book with Introduction to Topological Manifold for someone who is learning on their own.
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 Michael Yu
 3 reviews
 September 15, 2018
 It is clear and really good introduction to the subject. I take one month to finish it after my advanced Calculus class but still learn a lot from the book. It is an example of text book for self-study.
 0300-concrete-math
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 Sam
 48 reviews 1 follower
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 October 13, 2020
 I enjoy the writing of this book and the examples. In particular, I think the section on coverings and fundamental group to be quite good as a reference (or to learn about for the first time). The section on the separability axioms and Urysohn's Lemma is also very well presented.
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 Hmys
 40 reviews
 January 30, 2022
 I only read the first 4 chapters and the first three chapters on algebraic topology. I found those extremely easy to read. I don't know if this is because Munkres is an especially great textbook, or because the material is just naturally easy, but I certainly didn't see any flaws in the book.
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 Oneofmyweirdaccounts
 7 reviews 1 follower
 June 6, 2017
 it's not so bad, i judt hate topology a lot. This boom pretends to be a nice introduction book, but it is almost impossible to understand without a teacher or some online topology lectures
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 Jackson Michalak
 2 reviews 1 follower
 November 9, 2018
 Truly an incredible book for an incredible topic
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 Thomas Bell
 1,658 reviews 14 followers
 June 11, 2019
 Great book. Very clear proofs and examples. Everyone who studies math should eventually go through this book.
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 Balgivind
 1 review
 September 25, 2019
 good
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 Hassan Zayour
 Author 4 books 35 followers
 December 2, 2020
 I think this is one the best undergrad math books I've worked with; very concise, elegant proofs, nice problems, etc...
 I still have some of the final chapters to cover in the winter.
 math-books-to-buy
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 Lin
 42 reviews
 January 8, 2021
 Probably one of the best books for a first course in Topology for math undergrads
 science-and-math
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 Lolololl
 1 review
 June 18, 2021
 munkres is like popsci but for mathematicians
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 NoName66
 21 reviews 2 followers
 June 1, 2022
 A really good book, finished point set topology and some topics of fundamental groups.
 math topology
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 Shmu
 125 reviews 1 follower
 July 7, 2022
 Simultaneously a fantastic educational tool and book that will make you want to stab yourself.
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 Alex
 31 reviews 15 followers
 December 27, 2022
 Lots of nice pictures
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 Yash Bisht
 2 reviews
 Read
 December 30, 2022
 Best Books for Better understanding of Topology
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 Medieval Europe: A Short History, 10th Edition

 Judith M. Bennett , C. Warren Hollister

 3.83
 657 ratings 59 reviews
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 Marked by C. Warren Hollister's clear historical vision and engaging teaching style, this classic text has been judiciously revised by Judith Bennett; the tenth edition includes greater coverage of Byzantium and Islam, a revised map program, a new essay program on medieval myths, and more. In his preface to the eighth edition, Professor Hollister wrote of his realization, while in college, that our world today "is a product of the medieval past." Medieval Europe introduces today's students to the medieval roots of our own society.
 Genres History Nonfiction Medieval Medieval History European History Historical School
 ...more

 468 pages, Paperback

 First published January 1, 1964

 Book details & editions

 About the author

 Judith M. Bennett

 15 books 14 followers
 Judith MacKenzie Bennett is an American historian, Emerita Professor of History and John R. Hubbard Chair in British History at the University of Southern California. Bennett writes and teaches about medieval Europe, specifically focusing on gender, women's history, and rural peasants.

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 3.83
 657 ratings 59 reviews
 5 stars
 152 (23%)
 4 stars
 282 (42%)
 3 stars
 186 (28%)
 2 stars
 31 (4%)
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 6 (<1%)
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 Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
 StrangeBedfellows
 581 reviews 36 followers
 December 11, 2012
 This book is easy to read, includes relevant and interesting information, and covers medieval Europe on a broad scale rather than focus on one or two countries/empires. In addition, the style of writing is well-paced and engaging. Best of all, the book reiterates the sentiment that the "Dark Ages" were not as dark or backwards as general perception states. Instead, this time frame is presented as a period of continuous change and development -- even, dare I say, innovation. One problem I do have is how clearly some of the authors' biases and opinions come through in the writing. One or both authors have the tendency to state interpretations or deductions as established fact. Also, the extreme overuse of the word "buttress" became very old, very quickly. So, high marks for readability but points lost for lack of objectivity.
 3 likes
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 achen
 129 reviews 10 followers
 October 10, 2023
 因為是涵蓋範圍廣、內容紮實豐厚的教科書經典，所以整個閱讀過程交替著趣味與枯燥（當然是個人喜好問題，那些喜歡的有趣的是讀得津津有味；不喜歡的枯燥的我真的...怎麼都讀不進去，考試也不會及格喲）

 個人最喜歡中世紀中期（也是全書著述主軸）尤其宗教歷史的部份。從正統與異端的衝突、教權與教會、十字軍東征到教皇與皇帝的權力鬥爭等等內容都覺得好看極了。

 中世紀晚期的敘述比較簡略，有種篇幅侷限匆匆刷過兩百年的感覺。這時期發生的許多重要事件如黑死病、百年戰爭、玫瑰戰爭什麼的，都只是飛速掠過呢。另外，雖然理解獵巫行動的高峰期不在這時期，但我還是小有失望沒有這一部分呢。大概是被流行文化餵壞了，看到《歐洲中世紀史》這樣的標題就覺得應該記述一下獵巫行動XD

 無論如何，這本還是非常棒的中世紀歷史入門書，讀完覺得很滿足很愉快~
 2023閲
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 2 comments
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 JD Waggy
 1,054 reviews 59 followers
 December 19, 2011
 I have to teach from this for my intro survey class, and I do appreciate the difficulty that Bennett is facing in trying to compress a thousand years of history and culture into bite-sized pieces for bored undergrads. So, for what it is, this is a great intro to the period, and it's very easily accessible. The layout works well, with insert boxes of further interest and a lot of black and white illustrations of what's going on in the text proper. If bored undergrads are what you're working with, this is a good bet; if you're going any higher, look for something with a bit more depth and less generalization.
 2 likes
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 Peter
 119 reviews 1 follower
 February 5, 2021
 This book is dense, but accessible. The authors do an exceptional job of communicating simple, but well-researched arguments that make convincing modifications to the popular and often erroneous characterization of the Middle Ages. I covered it with highlighter, and particularly enjoyed the close-ups they included on some well-known and other under-celebrated characters.
 books-i-own
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 Lauren Albert
 1,818 reviews 169 followers
 June 18, 2017
 A solid look at medieval Europe. The chronology can be confusing as the author goes back and forth with changes in place. The emphasis is definitely more on England and France though he covers other areas briefly.
 history-european
 2 likes
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 Mark Heeyeaah
 34 reviews 3 followers
 June 19, 2008
 Not a bad short history, but a little out of date on historiography.
 2 likes
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 Casey S
 23 reviews 1 follower
 July 29, 2020
 I counted eleven uses of the word "buttress"
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 Matthew Zhu
 26 reviews 3 followers
 Read
 April 15, 2022
 读此书是为了了解欧洲历史，以便阅读相关著作——经济、政治、社会。
 history
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 Stan
 Author 3 books 9 followers
 July 18, 2021
 I'm not sure what I expected when beginning this book. I did not get what I expected. While it is impossible to present a full treatment of ca. 1,000 years of history in a short book, I don't feel this book provided a comprehensive framework for a chronological understanding of the period in view.

 The Medieval period is divided into three sections, which is a fairly common approach. Within each period, geographical areas are considered in terms of prominence. And, while I did not expect to find a complete list of kings for every kingdom in Europe for 1,000 years, I expected more than a list of "some important kings" or "some important popes" that left gaps.

 The book does feature a chapter on Byzantium and one on Islam, to provide a larger context.

 The book shifts to more of a topical approach for the period the author(s) refers to as the Central Middle Ages. In taking this approach, the authors present the same time period across multiple chapters. If the reader is not familiar with the chronology of the period, it is easy to confuse what development occurred concurrently.

 Overall, the book is informative. It is not conducive to understanding the chronology of the Middle Ages, so those with little prior knowledge of this period may find more confusion than coherence herein.
 1 like
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 Victor Antonov
 11 reviews
 April 7, 2008
 Indeed, this is a comprehensive overview of the Middle Ages, from the decline and fall of the Roman Empire to the blossoming of the Renaissance. Brief and to the point, it presents the main events, people and ideas throughout the period. While it cannot serve people with deep interest in medieval Europe, the book provides comprehensive lists with sources for in-depth study. I read an old edition (2nd ed, 1968) and some of the ideas might be slightly outdated but, on the other hand, this is not a book of ideas about history but rather of the history of ideas.
 history non-fiction
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 Rachel
 102 reviews 4 followers
 May 25, 2012
 I should have finished this ages ago but LIFE got in the way a bit; PEOPLE *grumble grumble* So this didn't do it for me; It wasn't the vibrant, illuminating, concise piece of work I was looking for. I'm sure it's just me, read it at the wrong time. As I said: I had a lot going on, so I probably only gave it half of my attention.
 books-i-own history medieval-studies
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 Mel Bee
 186 reviews
 August 7, 2016
 This is a clear and concise book, one of the few books I reused after college and implemented into my classroom as a world history teacher. I like the organization and the flow of the writing as something that I have used to help me create my own notes and discussions in class. This is an excellent choice for teachers or professors!
 1 like
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 Eric Pecile
 150 reviews
 April 22, 2016
 Very much a book trying to recast the Middle Ages as a vibrant period of European civilization. Unfortunately it fails miserably in this effort by casting the economic circumstances of the period as pre modern when in fact many of the commercial tools of today emerged in the 13th century. A good read but not for the trained medievalist.
 1 like
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 misty jo
 2 reviews 4 followers
 May 14, 2007
 this was a text book that i had for a class on medieval europe, and so far, is perhaps one of the best text books that i've had the opportunity to read. it's a comprehensive look at medieval europe that is fairly simply written with surprising wit and humor.
 1 like
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 Ray Smith
 4 reviews
 December 28, 2012
 This was a text book for a class in my undergraduate work at IUPUI. It is perhaps THE ONLY textbook I ever read cover to cover - finishing it long AFTER the class was completed. I would highly recommend this book to anyone for good historical reading.
 history
 1 like
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 Jessica
 116 reviews
 April 24, 2007
 good textbook. interesting sources and artwork for the topics.
 good
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 Jane
 671 reviews 49 followers
 Read
 December 8, 2008
 a re-read from college while i wait for library books to come in.
 nonfiction-memoir
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 Michelle
 171 reviews 105 followers
 March 24, 2013
 This was a great book for reference with some very useful information.
 historical-non-fiction
 1 like
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 Anna Tatelman
 179 reviews 16 followers
 June 8, 2012
 As textbooks go, this one is pretty good. Readable and engaging.
 1 like
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 Matthew
 208 reviews 4 followers
 July 12, 2012
 Exceptional, thought written as a textbook it grabs you with great and comic prose and you feel excited about history again. Wonderful read!
 1 like
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 Noelle Prignano
 52 reviews
 September 28, 2012
 An excellent synopsis of one of my favorite time periods.
 1 like
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 Araik
 43 reviews 21 followers
 December 15, 2018
 Leuk geschreven voor zo'n overzichtswerk, veel illustraties en afbeeldingen, opiniërend, dus houdt het boeiend. Wel wat teveel op Engeland en Frankrijk gefocust voor mij.
 1 like
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 Daniella
 11 reviews 1 follower
 September 18, 2022
 One of my favorite books from undergrad. Dated, yes, but extremely valuable!
 1 like
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 Shane Goodyear
 138 reviews 1 follower
 December 28, 2022
 * A great precise book on medical history
 * Early medieval 500-1050 high medieval period 1050-1300 and late medieval 1300-1500
 * Good overview of what formed western culture
 * German custom of kings and lords, Christianity and Roman Greek culture
 * Interesting facts: the Holy Roman Empire. Was powerful in the early medieval period and then disintegrated during the high medieval period due, in part to a powerful papacy
 * Papacy lost a lot of its power in the late medieval period
 * Areas of learning, commerce being solidified and political structures forming in the high medieval period
 * The formations of parliaments to keep the king accountably in the high medieval period what the author says comes from German custom
 * Theological and philosophical learning in the high medieval period especially with faith and reason
 * New technology in farming and the growth of towns and universities that where like student guilds and quite familiar culture to what you may see on campus now
 * A good book and overview of medieval history
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 Thomas
 2,231 reviews
 March 4, 2021
 Bennett, Judith M. Medieval Europe: A Short History. 11th ed. McGraw Hill, 2011.
 Medieval Europe: A Short History claims to be the most popular textbook on its subject. I have no reason to doubt that. It is clear, well-organized, and up to date in its historical methods. Judith Bennett is an expert in the women’s history of the period, and I understand there is now a twelfth edition that adds new archeological evidence and material on race and diversity. It has more cultural history and less war and politics than the histories I grew up with. It is very readable, and I read it so quickly, I am sure I could not pass a test; but it does have links to web materials that would help me get ready for one. It does a good job of pointing out the interplay between the Eastern and Western churches and the influence of Islamic culture. The Middle Ages weren’t all plagues, knights and crusades.
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 Maggie
 106 reviews 2 followers
 February 22, 2020
 I really like how in depth this book was. I also liked that, unlike a lot of books on medieval Europe, the early middle ages were not completely ignored or bypassed. However, I did not like how parts 2 and 3 were set up differently than part 1. Part 1 was a chronological layout, and parts 2 and 3 switched to a topical layout. I enjoy reading history chronologically as I find it is more enjoyable (and easier to remember) when I can see all of the different things going on in a certain period of time. The last two parts were constantly back and forth, things being mentioned in multiple places because they fit into more than one topic or category, and gave sort of a rushed feeling to the ending especially.
 histories
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 Jeremy Canipe
 175 reviews 4 followers
 October 3, 2021
 While I'd taken courses in Western Civilization and a number of subparts (such as Roman history, the Renaissance, and the Scientific Resolution), I had never managed a formal course in the Middle Ages. This finely organized, well-written, and well-received textbook makes a fine start in addressing this deficit. I am also pleased to have a better sense of the few hundred years leading up the the era of exploration and colonization, so as to better appreciate where Europe stood at that point, on a country-by-country basis. Well done and with a nice list of suggested follow up titles for future reading.
 medieval-european-history
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 Ryan Patrick
 662 reviews 7 followers
 February 15, 2024
 This is what it claims to be: A Short History . That is both a good and bad thing. Unfortunately, it means a lot gets left out (of course, this is inevitable—no textbook can include everything!), but at least it is relatively manageable for the students who read it. Personally, I think the space used to discuss Byzantium and Islam could be better used to delve a bit deeper into Western European developments. Why does everything these days have to aim at such inclusivity?

 But I won't complain too much. This is a solid textbook of the period, and it served its purpose. I will be on the lookout for something better, though...
 medieval-history non-fiction-2024
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 Reyer Wijnen
 8 reviews
 Read
 January 26, 2023
 Makes you realize that 500 pages of dense information is actually short.
 Chapters arent chronological which can be confusing at times but I understand the layout based on the chapters their subjects. The layout inside the chapters itself is quite clear.
 Different topics like myths people still believe in today, the occasional pictures and quotes make the substance less dry. The introduction and conclusion of each chapter are very well written.
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 Olivia Winchester
 29 reviews 6 followers
 January 24, 2018
 I am new to studying Medieval History and this book is brilliant for the beginner. It is laid out well and contains a good overview of the period. It is written well and is pretty easy to understand.
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 Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
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Medieval Europe: A Short History, 10th Edition
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Starts with a description of classic "mathematical" novel- Flatland, where we get to feel superior by explaining ordinary objects, like a sphere, to a 2D being; Then it takes us humblingly through dimensions we ourselves don't understand, whilst also showing us, how best to try to comprehend them. It is filled with interesting topological exercises( with solutions).<br />I would highly recommend it.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12815665-luke-duncan"></a></section><section><p>78 reviews5 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1385957684">September 7, 2015</a></section><div><p>I found this (text)book after a traveling down a rabbit hole that begin with Jorge Borges's The Library of Babel and went through a great book titled The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges Library of Babel. The chapter on topology caught me... and pointed me here.<p>A fun book, that requires some work. It is in fact a textbook but it doesn't entirely read like one. It's a firm but gentle introduction to the exciting topic of Topology. I'm probably going to continue on and try and find some related Coursers courses. </p><p>Great topic covered by great book.</p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/12830647-saman"></a></section><section><p>55 reviews28 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1454826653">November 27, 2016</a></section><div><p>This is a semi-expository book about the geometry and topology of surfaces and 3-manifolds with some cosmological flavor. </p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/18838479-andrew-davis"></a></section><section><p>369 reviews18 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1853490752">January 24, 2017</a></section><div><p>The author presents two most popular methods to determine the shape of our universe. Prior to explaining the principles of those methods, there is an extensive introduction to topology of space, and the possible theoretical shapes of the universe.<br />My Notes:<br />As of 2002, two research projects are underway to measure the shape of space:<br />•	The method of Cosmic Crystallography looks for patterns in the arrangement of the galaxies.<br />if the Universe is finite and small enough, we should be able to see "all around" it because the photons might have crossed it once or more times. In such a case, any observer might recognize multiple images of the same light source, although distributed in different directions of the sky and at various redshifts. The main limitation of cosmic crystallography is that the presently available catalogues of observed sources at high redshift are not complete enough to perform convincing tests for topology. But the large and deep surveys (up to redshift z=6), such as the LSST (Large Synoptic Survey Telescope) planned in the next decade, should make such methods applicable.<br />•	The Circles in the Sky method uses the 2D cosmic microwave background (CMB) maps. The last scattering surface from which the CMB is released represents the most distant source of photons in the Universe, and hence the largest scales with which we can probe the topology of the universe. One of the methods is the circles-in-the-sky test. It uses pairs of circles with the same temperature fluctuation pattern. So far, no positive results have been found.<br />An example of three-dimensional manifold is three-dimensional torus (also called three-torus) is a cube (room), where ceiling is glued to the floor, and front wall to the back wall, whilst the left wall is glued to the right one. In this three-torus if we walk towards the back wall and step into it, we will re-enter our room by the front wall, and so on.<br />Topology vs. Geometry: the aspect of a surface’s nature that is unaffected by deformation is called the topology of the surface. For example, an eggshell and a ping-pong ball have the same topology. A surface’s geometry consists of those properties that do change when the surface is deformed. An example here is curvature of surface.<br />Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Properties: two surfaces have the same intrinsic topology, if the creatures living on the surface cannot (topologically) tell one from the other. Two surfaces have the same extrinsic topology if one can be deformed within three-dimensional space to look like the other. For example, a rubber band and a twisted rubber band (Mobius strip) have the same intrinsic properties. Another example is a sheet of paper and its bent version to make up a half-cylinder – a creature living on the sheet of pare could not detect whether the paper was bent or not<br />Local vs. Global Properties: local properties are those observables within a small region of the manifold whereas global properties require consideration of the manifold as a whole.<br />Homogeneous manifold is one whose local geometry is the same at all points. A sphere is a homogenous surface; a doughnut is non-homogenous. A flat torus (a piece of paper that enables to get from the top end to the bottom end, and from left to right, etc.) is homogenous.<br />A Klein bottle is made up of a square, where bottom left is joined to top right corner, bottom left side with the top right side, etc.<br />Manifolds that bring traveller back mirror-reversed are called nonoreintable manifolds. The sphere and torus are orientable surfaces. A Klein bottle is a nonorientable surface. A nonorientable three-manifold is different from its orientable version by gluing the front wall to the back wall with side-to-side flip – similar to the Klein bottle.<br />Spherical triangle – is made up of three great circles. Each great circle divides the sphere in two equal hemispheres. The spherical geometry belongs to elliptic geometry and has positive curvature.<br />There is an example of how to calculate the area of spherical triangle. <br />The hyperbolic geometry has negative curvature. An example here is a hyperbolic plane.<br /></p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/18838479?shelf=science">science</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1821283-charles"><i></i></a></section><section><p>2,497 reviews32 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1345378674">July 26, 2015</a></section><div><p>An explanation of how things can be twisted in space<br />Any author attempting to explain and visualize dimensions higher than three and/or the elliptic and hyperbolic geometries is engaged in a significant undertaking. In this book, Weeks does succeed in doing both but the reader is presented with a difficult task.<br />With 141 exercises and plenty of illustrations packed into 324 pages, it is short on explanation and the reader is forced to learn by problem solving. This is not to say that the exercises are poorly developed. On the contrary, they and the illustrations are very well done. However, doing an exercise after every few paragraphs does make the book a slow read, and in many cases it is necessary to understand a problem before the next material can be comprehended. Fortunately, complete solutions to all problems are given at the end of the book, but even so, a great deal of thought must be given to some of them before they are understood. As the book progressed, I found myself reading only fifteen to twenty-five pages on any given day. This necessitated a great deal of back-pedaling to previous illustrations and exercises, but it was the limit that I seemed able to comprehend at any given setting.<br />Beginning with Flatland (by A Square-actually Edwin A. Abbott) and going through the creation of manifolds, the presentation of the basic concepts, like all of the text, is very well written. It is just unfortunate that there is not more of it. For example, in Chapter 9 (concerning spheres), there are seven exercises and five and one-half pages of illustrations packed in twelve pages. Chapter 17 (describing bundles), has thirteen problems and seven and one-half pages of diagrams in a total of fifteen pages. Illustrations are valuable, but in this case they describe abstract phenomena not easily followed, and more words than usual are needed to explain precisely what is occurring.<br />And so, in conclusion, this book is highly recommended for those who wish to learn about the properties of manifolds and surfaces and are highly motivated to do so. But lacking that, the chances are very good that you will not make it beyond the midpoint.<p>Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission. This review also appears on Amazon.</p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6265174-erickson"></a></section><section><p>270 reviews104 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/256000065">January 12, 2012</a></section><div><p>very intuitive explanations of topological topics, though definitely limited in depth due to difficulty level of the subject matter. For those very interested in topology, this will give VERY GOOD rough idea of what it is all about and what it takes to at least grasp topology at its basics. Some concepts, though without esoteric notations, are still accurately explained.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6265174?shelf=mathematics">mathematics</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/17056998-mark-moon"></a></section><section><p>134 reviews80 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1451417850">April 18, 2016</a></section><div><p>This is a nice introduction to 3-dimensional geometry aimed at people who don't know the definition of a topological space, with some fun references to Flatland, lots of good exercises that ask you to imagine and draw various interesting spaces, and a non-technical discussion of how this material applies to cosmology. I had fun.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/17056998?shelf=2016-r">2016-r</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/17056998?shelf=dead-tree">dead-tree</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/17056998?shelf=main-read">main-read</a> </ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2131213-stephen"></a></section><section><p>31 reviews2 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/49516183">March 17, 2009</a></section><div><p>This is a great introduction to topology and non-Euclidean geometry. It provides the reader a different perspective on what shape is--or what it can be. </p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2131213?shelf=mathematics">mathematics</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/10429889-renee"></a></section><section><p>40 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2237389391">January 2, 2018</a></section><div><p>One of the few books in the library about topology that isn’t just flatland, or abstract math. Want to know what periodic boundary conditions look like? Fun! Good introductory text, or a relaxing read if you are already familiar with the subject matter. I read this textbook for entertainment and enjoyed it for that purpose.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/10429889?shelf=non-fiction">non-fiction</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8464281-darnell"></a></section><section><p>1,037 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2429919142">June 23, 2018</a></section><div><p>I liked this, but wow, it is not for everyone. How much you appreciate this book will depend on how much you enjoy math for its own sake. I loved the early parts, but felt a large portion of the middle was too abstract for my taste (my aim was to get ideas for writing fictional hyperdimensional spaces), but I enjoyed the conclusion about the universe again. Your mileage will definitely vary.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/8464281?shelf=non-fiction">non-fiction</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/9329903-michael"></a></section><section><p>264 reviews31 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2705974301">February 28, 2019</a></section><div><p>This was great. To those of you, like me, with no real knowledge of topology, it will transform your understanding of what “space” is. It is an induction into the possible weirdness of reality that I found enchanting. Some of the exercises were a bit too hard for me, or at least overcame my patience. :( Someday maybe I’ll have a better maths brain.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/48304927-jaza42"></a></section><section><p>15 reviews5 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1980158664">May 7, 2017</a></section><div><p>I've been looking for a book like this for years now. The author explains surfaces and 3-manifolds in the most visual and intuitive way possible. If you think you like topology but never really read about it (as was my case), this is your book.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/55046695-mackensie"></a></section><section><p>25 reviews16 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4162136414">August 8, 2021</a></section><div><p>An informative read that provides an introduction to topology for people of all mathematical backgrounds. You do not need to have studied any advanced math to understand its contents. I enjoyed reading about topology along with its applications to cosmology and the universe!</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/55046695?shelf=2021-read">2021-read</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/55046695?shelf=math">math</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/55046695?shelf=nonfiction">nonfiction</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5980435-aaron"></a></section><section><p>Author <i></i>3 books6 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/195574030">August 7, 2011</a></section><div><p>This was a very interesting book. It's a textbook, but it's not written like most textbooks. You don't have to understand everything to find it enjoyable - but basically it's an "exploration" (courtesy, Jeff) of topology, and dimensions above the third. If you like reading about physics, and Einstein, and string theory, then chances are you'll like this book. There are many references to another great book called Flat Land, which is a novel (not a textbook) so I would recommend you read that first and if you like that then you will like this book as well.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1494930-barb"></a></section><section><p>118 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/68200996">October 5, 2009</a></section><div><p>Jeffrey Weeks is the kind of writer who can introduce complex ideas in an engaging way. A lay person can follow his explanations and work through the problems without much outside help. The best part is that most problems have the solutions in the back of the book. This helps clarify the ideas presented in the text. The only reason I did not finish this book is because it was due back at the library. I'll be checking it out again!</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1494930?shelf=didn-t-finish">didn-t-finish</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1494930?shelf=general-nonfiction">general-nonfiction</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/1494930?shelf=knots">knots</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/11274962-caleb"></a></section><section><p>70 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/376608914">June 7, 2014</a></section><div><p>This book does a great job of explaining geometry, topology and physics at an accessible level without dumbing it down too much or focusing on irrelevant conceptually easy topics; when I took a differential geometry class in college there were a few sections I already knew because of this book. But be prepared to do or at least really think about the problems suggested in the book, because you get a lot more out of it that way. </p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/15465425-benjamin"></a></section><section><p>5 reviews2 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/479307673">May 18, 2013</a></section><div><p>A remarkably concise explanation of somewhat difficult to master topics. Weeks uses Flatland as a metaphor to explain to his readers multiple ways that space in the fourth dimension (three dimensional manifolds) could be constructed, and takes care to pepper the pages with concrete diagrams to make it simple. Some topics could be explained in a bit more detail, but there are plenty of exercises to make sure that you're following along and understanding the material presented.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6968193-jake"></a></section><section><p>198 reviews37 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/1482785769">January 4, 2016</a></section><div><p>This book is full of joy but it left me wanting a more rigorous exploration of the ideas of this topic. It's also feels quite dated in ways that even older texts in the discipline of Topology don't. For that reason I will get Munkres textbook and do the applications in it. This is a very good text, and is even approachable to high or junior high students if they are dedicated enough but it is an introductory text.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section></section></article></div></div>||||I|||| * Home
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 The Shape of Space: How to Visualize Surfaces and Three-Dimensional Manifolds

 Jeffrey R. Weeks

 4.40
 162 ratings 20 reviews
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 Maintaining the standard of excellence set by the previous edition, this textbook covers the basic geometry of two- and three-dimensional spaces Written by a master expositor, leading researcher in the field, and MacArthur Fellow, it includes experiments to determine the true shape of the universe and contains illustrated examples and engaging exercises that teach mind-expanding ideas in an intuitive and informal way. Bridging the gap from geometry to the latest work in observational cosmology, the book illustrates the connection between geometry and the behavior of the physical universe and explains how radiation remaining from the big bang may reveal the actual shape of the universe.
 Genres Mathematics Physics Science Nonfiction Geometry Textbooks Space

 408 pages, Hardcover

 First published August 8, 1985

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 Jeffrey R. Weeks

 3 books 7 followers

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 4.40
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 Mundy Reimer
 47 reviews 20 followers
 January 20, 2022
 Excellent book! The Shape of Space is a *comfortable* and enjoyable read for beginners with little to no experience in alternative geometries and topology. As context, I would consider myself having been trained in the sciences with some graduate-level exposure to applied maths using calculus, linear algebra, statistics, etc (and mostly a recreational / hobby-level enthusiasm for math!), but I would consider that WAY overkill and you definitely don't need to have experience in any of that to appreciate this book. No further knowledge is needed other than basic algebra 1 and maybe some familiarity with geometry terms one usually is exposed to when younger. My motivation for reading it is just because I really love geometry :)

 If I hadn't misplaced it in the middle of moving to another city, I think it would have taken just 3-4 reading sessions over the course of a few days to consume! I mention this because the book is really conversational in tone and quite easy to work your way through and get lost in (and depending on your habits, maybe even something you can relaxingly read before bed).

 The author does a great job jumping back-and-forth between the actions of the characters in the fictional Flatland and how their scenarios apply to the current mathematical topic, and he spends a lot of time teaching you *how to see things* before moving on, which I personally wish more authors would do. I especially enjoyed the exercises (answers provided in the back) as they reinforced the concepts quite well at an appropriate level without doing what some math textbooks do and solely relying on exercises to teach. It might be trying to some of the more mathematically adept, but this book definitely holds your hand and brings you through concepts gently (if you are impatient, just skip over those parts!)

 Content-wise, most of this book is composed of geometry & topology, with about the last ⅙ portion of the book finally getting into physics concepts like homogeneity, isotropism, expansion of the universe, the relationship between density-energy-curvature, cosmic crystallography, microwave background radiation, etc. I particularly enjoyed this format with a greater emphasis on math content, but I just wanted to mention it to those who prefer more physics.

 With regards to style, on the spectrum of "physics-hand-wavy" to "definition-lemma-proof math-speak" the author obviously leans towards the former (minus much of hand-wavy if you do the exercises). This book contains LOTS of pictures, which definitely aided my intuition (thank you Professor Weeks!!!), while also not shying away from equations. I heavily advise going through this book like a fun adventure game and doing the exercises yourself to hone your intuition.

 I always read books like these with a pencil in hand and "converse" with the author by writing in the margins of the book my comments, questions to look up, speculative thoughts, etc, which I would also heavily recommend to others. After some time I noticed that I became rather comfortable adding projective planes to Klein bottles via connected sums, multiplying spheres by circles, giving tori (donut surfaces) *with n>1 holes* a hyperbolic geometry, applying the Gauss-Bonnet formula to find the curvature or areas of polygons on curved surfaces, etc, which I think are all pretty darn neat things to be able to do! Also, I think learning that "research by Bill Thurston *suggests* that three-dimensional hyperbolic geometry is by far the most common geometry for three-manifolds, just as two-dimensional hyperbolic geometry is the most common geometry for surfaces" (p. 249) was one of the best insights that have influenced my thinking so far, and will quite possibly play an important role going forward in my own biological complexity-theoretic interests.

 Overall, a really fun book! I really wish this author wrote more :)

 ---

 - As a side note, besides actively engaging with the book with a pencil in hand and writing up this review, I also took the time to record some flashcards of the material I learned in this book. Over the years I've found that I actually forget quite a bit of material(!) and that doing the aforementioned while additionally using spaced-repetition systems all help curb this. Feel free to check out those flashcards here: https://www.brainscape.com/p/212G3-LH...

 - For a summary of Thurston's evidence, this author recommends the article Three dimensional manifolds, Kleinian groups and hyperbolic geometry (Bulletin of AMS 6(1982), pp. 357-381). An interesting corollary of Thurston's ideas is that a randomly chosen three-manifold is unlikely to be a connected sum (see p. 255 in book).
 discrete-math geometry highly-regarded
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 Simona Vesela
 185 reviews 30 followers
 October 22, 2018
 It is amazing. Starts with a description of classic "mathematical" novel- Flatland, where we get to feel superior by explaining ordinary objects, like a sphere, to a 2D being; Then it takes us humblingly through dimensions we ourselves don't understand, whilst also showing us, how best to try to comprehend them. It is filled with interesting topological exercises( with solutions).
 I would highly recommend it.
 4 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Luke Duncan
 78 reviews 5 followers
 September 7, 2015
 I found this (text)book after a traveling down a rabbit hole that begin with Jorge Borges's The Library of Babel and went through a great book titled The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges Library of Babel. The chapter on topology caught me... and pointed me here.

 A fun book, that requires some work. It is in fact a textbook but it doesn't entirely read like one. It's a firm but gentle introduction to the exciting topic of Topology. I'm probably going to continue on and try and find some related Coursers courses.

 Great topic covered by great book.
 3 likes
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 Saman
 55 reviews 28 followers
 November 27, 2016
 This is a semi-expository book about the geometry and topology of surfaces and 3-manifolds with some cosmological flavor.
 3 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Andrew Davis
 369 reviews 18 followers
 January 24, 2017
 The author presents two most popular methods to determine the shape of our universe. Prior to explaining the principles of those methods, there is an extensive introduction to topology of space, and the possible theoretical shapes of the universe.
 My Notes:
 As of 2002, two research projects are underway to measure the shape of space:
 • The method of Cosmic Crystallography looks for patterns in the arrangement of the galaxies.
 if the Universe is finite and small enough, we should be able to see "all around" it because the photons might have crossed it once or more times. In such a case, any observer might recognize multiple images of the same light source, although distributed in different directions of the sky and at various redshifts. The main limitation of cosmic crystallography is that the presently available catalogues of observed sources at high redshift are not complete enough to perform convincing tests for topology. But the large and deep surveys (up to redshift z=6), such as the LSST (Large Synoptic Survey Telescope) planned in the next decade, should make such methods applicable.
 • The Circles in the Sky method uses the 2D cosmic microwave background (CMB) maps. The last scattering surface from which the CMB is released represents the most distant source of photons in the Universe, and hence the largest scales with which we can probe the topology of the universe. One of the methods is the circles-in-the-sky test. It uses pairs of circles with the same temperature fluctuation pattern. So far, no positive results have been found.
 An example of three-dimensional manifold is three-dimensional torus (also called three-torus) is a cube (room), where ceiling is glued to the floor, and front wall to the back wall, whilst the left wall is glued to the right one. In this three-torus if we walk towards the back wall and step into it, we will re-enter our room by the front wall, and so on.
 Topology vs. Geometry: the aspect of a surface’s nature that is unaffected by deformation is called the topology of the surface. For example, an eggshell and a ping-pong ball have the same topology. A surface’s geometry consists of those properties that do change when the surface is deformed. An example here is curvature of surface.
 Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Properties: two surfaces have the same intrinsic topology, if the creatures living on the surface cannot (topologically) tell one from the other. Two surfaces have the same extrinsic topology if one can be deformed within three-dimensional space to look like the other. For example, a rubber band and a twisted rubber band (Mobius strip) have the same intrinsic properties. Another example is a sheet of paper and its bent version to make up a half-cylinder – a creature living on the sheet of pare could not detect whether the paper was bent or not
 Local vs. Global Properties: local properties are those observables within a small region of the manifold whereas global properties require consideration of the manifold as a whole.
 Homogeneous manifold is one whose local geometry is the same at all points. A sphere is a homogenous surface; a doughnut is non-homogenous. A flat torus (a piece of paper that enables to get from the top end to the bottom end, and from left to right, etc.) is homogenous.
 A Klein bottle is made up of a square, where bottom left is joined to top right corner, bottom left side with the top right side, etc.
 Manifolds that bring traveller back mirror-reversed are called nonoreintable manifolds. The sphere and torus are orientable surfaces. A Klein bottle is a nonorientable surface. A nonorientable three-manifold is different from its orientable version by gluing the front wall to the back wall with side-to-side flip – similar to the Klein bottle.
 Spherical triangle – is made up of three great circles. Each great circle divides the sphere in two equal hemispheres. The spherical geometry belongs to elliptic geometry and has positive curvature.
 There is an example of how to calculate the area of spherical triangle.
 The hyperbolic geometry has negative curvature. An example here is a hyperbolic plane.
 science
 2 likes
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 Charles
 2,497 reviews 32 followers
 July 26, 2015
 An explanation of how things can be twisted in space
 Any author attempting to explain and visualize dimensions higher than three and/or the elliptic and hyperbolic geometries is engaged in a significant undertaking. In this book, Weeks does succeed in doing both but the reader is presented with a difficult task.
 With 141 exercises and plenty of illustrations packed into 324 pages, it is short on explanation and the reader is forced to learn by problem solving. This is not to say that the exercises are poorly developed. On the contrary, they and the illustrations are very well done. However, doing an exercise after every few paragraphs does make the book a slow read, and in many cases it is necessary to understand a problem before the next material can be comprehended. Fortunately, complete solutions to all problems are given at the end of the book, but even so, a great deal of thought must be given to some of them before they are understood. As the book progressed, I found myself reading only fifteen to twenty-five pages on any given day. This necessitated a great deal of back-pedaling to previous illustrations and exercises, but it was the limit that I seemed able to comprehend at any given setting.
 Beginning with Flatland (by A Square-actually Edwin A. Abbott) and going through the creation of manifolds, the presentation of the basic concepts, like all of the text, is very well written. It is just unfortunate that there is not more of it. For example, in Chapter 9 (concerning spheres), there are seven exercises and five and one-half pages of illustrations packed in twelve pages. Chapter 17 (describing bundles), has thirteen problems and seven and one-half pages of diagrams in a total of fifteen pages. Illustrations are valuable, but in this case they describe abstract phenomena not easily followed, and more words than usual are needed to explain precisely what is occurring.
 And so, in conclusion, this book is highly recommended for those who wish to learn about the properties of manifolds and surfaces and are highly motivated to do so. But lacking that, the chances are very good that you will not make it beyond the midpoint.

 Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission. This review also appears on Amazon.

 2 likes
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 Comment
 Erickson
 270 reviews 104 followers
 January 12, 2012
 very intuitive explanations of topological topics, though definitely limited in depth due to difficulty level of the subject matter. For those very interested in topology, this will give VERY GOOD rough idea of what it is all about and what it takes to at least grasp topology at its basics. Some concepts, though without esoteric notations, are still accurately explained.
 mathematics
 2 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Mark Moon
 134 reviews 80 followers
 April 18, 2016
 This is a nice introduction to 3-dimensional geometry aimed at people who don't know the definition of a topological space, with some fun references to Flatland, lots of good exercises that ask you to imagine and draw various interesting spaces, and a non-technical discussion of how this material applies to cosmology. I had fun.
 2016-r dead-tree main-read
 ...more
 2 likes
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 Comment
 Stephen
 31 reviews 2 followers
 March 17, 2009
 This is a great introduction to topology and non-Euclidean geometry. It provides the reader a different perspective on what shape is--or what it can be.
 mathematics
 2 likes
 Like
 Comment
 Renee
 40 reviews
 January 2, 2018
 One of the few books in the library about topology that isn’t just flatland, or abstract math. Want to know what periodic boundary conditions look like? Fun! Good introductory text, or a relaxing read if you are already familiar with the subject matter. I read this textbook for entertainment and enjoyed it for that purpose.

 non-fiction
 Like
 Comment
 Darnell
 1,037 reviews
 June 23, 2018
 I liked this, but wow, it is not for everyone. How much you appreciate this book will depend on how much you enjoy math for its own sake. I loved the early parts, but felt a large portion of the middle was too abstract for my taste (my aim was to get ideas for writing fictional hyperdimensional spaces), but I enjoyed the conclusion about the universe again. Your mileage will definitely vary.
 non-fiction
 Like
 Comment
 Michael
 264 reviews 31 followers
 February 28, 2019
 This was great. To those of you, like me, with no real knowledge of topology, it will transform your understanding of what “space” is. It is an induction into the possible weirdness of reality that I found enchanting. Some of the exercises were a bit too hard for me, or at least overcame my patience. :( Someday maybe I’ll have a better maths brain.
 Like
 Comment
 Jaza42
 15 reviews 5 followers
 May 7, 2017
 I've been looking for a book like this for years now. The author explains surfaces and 3-manifolds in the most visual and intuitive way possible. If you think you like topology but never really read about it (as was my case), this is your book.
 Like
 Comment
 Mackensie
 25 reviews 16 followers
 August 8, 2021
 An informative read that provides an introduction to topology for people of all mathematical backgrounds. You do not need to have studied any advanced math to understand its contents. I enjoyed reading about topology along with its applications to cosmology and the universe!
 2021-read math nonfiction
 Like
 Comment
 vasily
 14 reviews
 November 11, 2020
 Inspiring but heavily lacking in definitions. I got lost at chapter 5.
 math
 Like
 Comment
 Aaron
 Author 3 books 6 followers
 August 7, 2011
 This was a very interesting book. It's a textbook, but it's not written like most textbooks. You don't have to understand everything to find it enjoyable - but basically it's an "exploration" (courtesy, Jeff) of topology, and dimensions above the third. If you like reading about physics, and Einstein, and string theory, then chances are you'll like this book. There are many references to another great book called Flat Land, which is a novel (not a textbook) so I would recommend you read that first and if you like that then you will like this book as well.
 Like
 Comment
 Barb
 118 reviews
 October 5, 2009
 Jeffrey Weeks is the kind of writer who can introduce complex ideas in an engaging way. A lay person can follow his explanations and work through the problems without much outside help. The best part is that most problems have the solutions in the back of the book. This helps clarify the ideas presented in the text. The only reason I did not finish this book is because it was due back at the library. I'll be checking it out again!
 didn-t-finish general-nonfiction knots
 Like
 Comment
 Caleb
 70 reviews
 June 7, 2014
 This book does a great job of explaining geometry, topology and physics at an accessible level without dumbing it down too much or focusing on irrelevant conceptually easy topics; when I took a differential geometry class in college there were a few sections I already knew because of this book. But be prepared to do or at least really think about the problems suggested in the book, because you get a lot more out of it that way.
 Like
 Comment
 Benjamin
 5 reviews 2 followers
 May 18, 2013
 A remarkably concise explanation of somewhat difficult to master topics. Weeks uses Flatland as a metaphor to explain to his readers multiple ways that space in the fourth dimension (three dimensional manifolds) could be constructed, and takes care to pepper the pages with concrete diagrams to make it simple. Some topics could be explained in a bit more detail, but there are plenty of exercises to make sure that you're following along and understanding the material presented.
 Like
 Comment
 Jake
 198 reviews 37 followers
 January 4, 2016
 This book is full of joy but it left me wanting a more rigorous exploration of the ideas of this topic. It's also feels quite dated in ways that even older texts in the discipline of Topology don't. For that reason I will get Munkres textbook and do the applications in it. This is a very good text, and is even approachable to high or junior high students if they are dedicated enough but it is an introductory text.
 Like
 Comment
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47 reviews20 followers     January 20, 2022   Excellent book! The Shape of Space is a *comfortable* and enjoyable read for beginners with little to no experience in alternative geometries and topology. As context, I would consider myself having been trained in the sciences with some graduate-level exposure to applied maths using calculus, linear algebra, statistics, etc (and mostly a recreational / hobby-level enthusiasm for math!), but I would consider that WAY overkill and you definitely don't need to have experience in any of that to appreciate this book. No further knowledge is needed other than basic algebra 1 and maybe some familiarity with geometry terms one usually is exposed to when younger. My motivation for reading it is just because I really love geometry :)If I hadn't misplaced it in the middle of moving to another city, I think it would have taken just 3-4 reading sessions over the course of a few days to consume! I mention this because the book is really conversational in tone and quite easy to work your way through and get lost in (and depending on your habits, maybe even something you can relaxingly read before bed).  The author does a great job jumping back-and-forth between the actions of the characters in the fictional Flatland and how their scenarios apply to the current mathematical topic, and he spends a lot of time teaching you *how to see things* before moving on, which I personally wish more authors would do. I especially enjoyed the exercises (answers provided in the back) as they reinforced the concepts quite well at an appropriate level without doing what some math textbooks do and solely relying on exercises to teach. It might be trying to some of the more mathematically adept, but this book definitely holds your hand and brings you through concepts gently (if you are impatient, just skip over those parts!) Content-wise, most of this book is composed of geometry &amp; topology, with about the last ⅙ portion of the book finally getting into physics concepts like homogeneity, isotropism, expansion of the universe, the relationship between density-energy-curvature, cosmic crystallography, microwave background radiation, etc. I particularly enjoyed this format with a greater emphasis on math content, but I just wanted to mention it to those who prefer more physics. With regards to style, on the spectrum of "physics-hand-wavy" to "definition-lemma-proof math-speak" the author obviously leans towards the former (minus much of hand-wavy if you do the exercises). This book contains LOTS of pictures, which definitely aided my intuition (thank you Professor Weeks!!!), while also not shying away from equations. I heavily advise going through this book like a fun adventure game and doing the exercises yourself to hone your intuition.  I always read books like these with a pencil in hand and "converse" with the author by writing in the margins of the book my comments, questions to look up, speculative thoughts, etc, which I would also heavily recommend to others. After some time I noticed that I became rather comfortable adding projective planes to Klein bottles via connected sums, multiplying spheres by circles, giving tori (donut surfaces) *with n&gt;1 holes* a hyperbolic geometry, applying the Gauss-Bonnet formula to find the curvature or areas of polygons on curved surfaces, etc, which I think are all pretty darn neat things to be able to do! Also, I think learning that "research by Bill Thurston *suggests* that three-dimensional hyperbolic geometry is by far the most common geometry for three-manifolds, just as two-dimensional hyperbolic geometry is the most common geometry for surfaces" (p. 249) was one of the best insights that have influenced my thinking so far, and will quite possibly play an important role going forward in my own biological complexity-theoretic interests.  Overall, a really fun book! I really wish this author wrote more :) --- - As a side note, besides actively engaging with the book with a pencil in hand and writing up this review, I also took the time to record some flashcards of the material I learned in this book. Over the years I've found that I actually forget quite a bit of material(!) and that doing the aforementioned while additionally using spaced-repetition systems all help curb this. Feel free to check out those flashcards here: https://www.brainscape.com/p/212G3-LH...  - For a summary of Thurston's evidence, this author recommends the article Three dimensional manifolds, Kleinian groups and hyperbolic geometry (Bulletin of AMS 6(1982), pp. 357-381). An interesting corollary of Thurston's ideas is that a randomly chosen three-manifold is unlikely to be a connected sum (see p. 255 in book).     discrete-math geometry highly-regarded               185 reviews30 followers     October 22, 2018   It is amazing. Starts with a description of classic "mathematical" novel- Flatland, where we get to feel superior by explaining ordinary objects, like a sphere, to a 2D being; Then it takes us humblingly through dimensions we ourselves don't understand, whilst also showing us, how best to try to comprehend them. It is filled with interesting topological exercises( with solutions).I would highly recommend it.                  78 reviews5 followers     September 7, 2015   I found this (text)book after a traveling down a rabbit hole that begin with Jorge Borges's The Library of Babel and went through a great book titled The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges Library of Babel. The chapter on topology caught me... and pointed me here.A fun book, that requires some work. It is in fact a textbook but it doesn't entirely read like one. It's a firm but gentle introduction to the exciting topic of Topology. I'm probably going to continue on and try and find some related Coursers courses.  Great topic covered by great book.                   55 reviews28 followers     November 27, 2016   This is a semi-expository book about the geometry and topology of surfaces and 3-manifolds with some cosmological flavor.                   369 reviews18 followers     January 24, 2017   The author presents two most popular methods to determine the shape of our universe. Prior to explaining the principles of those methods, there is an extensive introduction to topology of space, and the possible theoretical shapes of the universe.My Notes:As of 2002, two research projects are underway to measure the shape of space:•	The method of Cosmic Crystallography looks for patterns in the arrangement of the galaxies.if the Universe is finite and small enough, we should be able to see "all around" it because the photons might have crossed it once or more times. In such a case, any observer might recognize multiple images of the same light source, although distributed in different directions of the sky and at various redshifts. The main limitation of cosmic crystallography is that the presently available catalogues of observed sources at high redshift are not complete enough to perform convincing tests for topology. But the large and deep surveys (up to redshift z=6), such as the LSST (Large Synoptic Survey Telescope) planned in the next decade, should make such methods applicable.•	The Circles in the Sky method uses the 2D cosmic microwave background (CMB) maps. The last scattering surface from which the CMB is released represents the most distant source of photons in the Universe, and hence the largest scales with which we can probe the topology of the universe. One of the methods is the circles-in-the-sky test. It uses pairs of circles with the same temperature fluctuation pattern. So far, no positive results have been found.An example of three-dimensional manifold is three-dimensional torus (also called three-torus) is a cube (room), where ceiling is glued to the floor, and front wall to the back wall, whilst the left wall is glued to the right one. In this three-torus if we walk towards the back wall and step into it, we will re-enter our room by the front wall, and so on.Topology vs. Geometry: the aspect of a surface’s nature that is unaffected by deformation is called the topology of the surface. For example, an eggshell and a ping-pong ball have the same topology. A surface’s geometry consists of those properties that do change when the surface is deformed. An example here is curvature of surface.Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Properties: two surfaces have the same intrinsic topology, if the creatures living on the surface cannot (topologically) tell one from the other. Two surfaces have the same extrinsic topology if one can be deformed within three-dimensional space to look like the other. For example, a rubber band and a twisted rubber band (Mobius strip) have the same intrinsic properties. Another example is a sheet of paper and its bent version to make up a half-cylinder – a creature living on the sheet of pare could not detect whether the paper was bent or notLocal vs. Global Properties: local properties are those observables within a small region of the manifold whereas global properties require consideration of the manifold as a whole.Homogeneous manifold is one whose local geometry is the same at all points. A sphere is a homogenous surface; a doughnut is non-homogenous. A flat torus (a piece of paper that enables to get from the top end to the bottom end, and from left to right, etc.) is homogenous.A Klein bottle is made up of a square, where bottom left is joined to top right corner, bottom left side with the top right side, etc.Manifolds that bring traveller back mirror-reversed are called nonoreintable manifolds. The sphere and torus are orientable surfaces. A Klein bottle is a nonorientable surface. A nonorientable three-manifold is different from its orientable version by gluing the front wall to the back wall with side-to-side flip – similar to the Klein bottle.Spherical triangle – is made up of three great circles. Each great circle divides the sphere in two equal hemispheres. The spherical geometry belongs to elliptic geometry and has positive curvature.There is an example of how to calculate the area of spherical triangle. The hyperbolic geometry has negative curvature. An example here is a hyperbolic plane.     science                 2,497 reviews32 followers     July 26, 2015   An explanation of how things can be twisted in spaceAny author attempting to explain and visualize dimensions higher than three and/or the elliptic and hyperbolic geometries is engaged in a significant undertaking. In this book, Weeks does succeed in doing both but the reader is presented with a difficult task.With 141 exercises and plenty of illustrations packed into 324 pages, it is short on explanation and the reader is forced to learn by problem solving. This is not to say that the exercises are poorly developed. On the contrary, they and the illustrations are very well done. However, doing an exercise after every few paragraphs does make the book a slow read, and in many cases it is necessary to understand a problem before the next material can be comprehended. Fortunately, complete solutions to all problems are given at the end of the book, but even so, a great deal of thought must be given to some of them before they are understood. As the book progressed, I found myself reading only fifteen to twenty-five pages on any given day. This necessitated a great deal of back-pedaling to previous illustrations and exercises, but it was the limit that I seemed able to comprehend at any given setting.Beginning with Flatland (by A Square-actually Edwin A. Abbott) and going through the creation of manifolds, the presentation of the basic concepts, like all of the text, is very well written. It is just unfortunate that there is not more of it. For example, in Chapter 9 (concerning spheres), there are seven exercises and five and one-half pages of illustrations packed in twelve pages. Chapter 17 (describing bundles), has thirteen problems and seven and one-half pages of diagrams in a total of fifteen pages. Illustrations are valuable, but in this case they describe abstract phenomena not easily followed, and more words than usual are needed to explain precisely what is occurring.And so, in conclusion, this book is highly recommended for those who wish to learn about the properties of manifolds and surfaces and are highly motivated to do so. But lacking that, the chances are very good that you will not make it beyond the midpoint.Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission. This review also appears on Amazon.                   270 reviews104 followers     January 12, 2012   very intuitive explanations of topological topics, though definitely limited in depth due to difficulty level of the subject matter. For those very interested in topology, this will give VERY GOOD rough idea of what it is all about and what it takes to at least grasp topology at its basics. Some concepts, though without esoteric notations, are still accurately explained.    mathematics               134 reviews80 followers     April 18, 2016   This is a nice introduction to 3-dimensional geometry aimed at people who don't know the definition of a topological space, with some fun references to Flatland, lots of good exercises that ask you to imagine and draw various interesting spaces, and a non-technical discussion of how this material applies to cosmology. I had fun.    2016-r dead-tree main-read               31 reviews2 followers     March 17, 2009   This is a great introduction to topology and non-Euclidean geometry. It provides the reader a different perspective on what shape is--or what it can be.     mathematics               40 reviews     January 2, 2018   One of the few books in the library about topology that isn’t just flatland, or abstract math. Want to know what periodic boundary conditions look like? Fun! Good introductory text, or a relaxing read if you are already familiar with the subject matter. I read this textbook for entertainment and enjoyed it for that purpose.    non-fiction               1,037 reviews     June 23, 2018   I liked this, but wow, it is not for everyone. How much you appreciate this book will depend on how much you enjoy math for its own sake. I loved the early parts, but felt a large portion of the middle was too abstract for my taste (my aim was to get ideas for writing fictional hyperdimensional spaces), but I enjoyed the conclusion about the universe again. Your mileage will definitely vary.    non-fiction               264 reviews31 followers     February 28, 2019   This was great. To those of you, like me, with no real knowledge of topology, it will transform your understanding of what “space” is. It is an induction into the possible weirdness of reality that I found enchanting. Some of the exercises were a bit too hard for me, or at least overcame my patience. :( Someday maybe I’ll have a better maths brain.                  15 reviews5 followers     May 7, 2017   I've been looking for a book like this for years now. The author explains surfaces and 3-manifolds in the most visual and intuitive way possible. If you think you like topology but never really read about it (as was my case), this is your book.                  25 reviews16 followers     August 8, 2021   An informative read that provides an introduction to topology for people of all mathematical backgrounds. You do not need to have studied any advanced math to understand its contents. I enjoyed reading about topology along with its applications to cosmology and the universe!    2021-read math nonfiction               Author  3 books6 followers     August 7, 2011   This was a very interesting book. It's a textbook, but it's not written like most textbooks. You don't have to understand everything to find it enjoyable - but basically it's an "exploration" (courtesy, Jeff) of topology, and dimensions above the third. If you like reading about physics, and Einstein, and string theory, then chances are you'll like this book. There are many references to another great book called Flat Land, which is a novel (not a textbook) so I would recommend you read that first and if you like that then you will like this book as well.                  118 reviews     October 5, 2009   Jeffrey Weeks is the kind of writer who can introduce complex ideas in an engaging way. A lay person can follow his explanations and work through the problems without much outside help. The best part is that most problems have the solutions in the back of the book. This helps clarify the ideas presented in the text. The only reason I did not finish this book is because it was due back at the library. I'll be checking it out again!    didn-t-finish general-nonfiction knots               70 reviews     June 7, 2014   This book does a great job of explaining geometry, topology and physics at an accessible level without dumbing it down too much or focusing on irrelevant conceptually easy topics; when I took a differential geometry class in college there were a few sections I already knew because of this book. But be prepared to do or at least really think about the problems suggested in the book, because you get a lot more out of it that way.                   5 reviews2 followers     May 18, 2013   A remarkably concise explanation of somewhat difficult to master topics. Weeks uses Flatland as a metaphor to explain to his readers multiple ways that space in the fourth dimension (three dimensional manifolds) could be constructed, and takes care to pepper the pages with concrete diagrams to make it simple. Some topics could be explained in a bit more detail, but there are plenty of exercises to make sure that you're following along and understanding the material presented.                  198 reviews37 followers     January 4, 2016   This book is full of joy but it left me wanting a more rigorous exploration of the ideas of this topic. It's also feels quite dated in ways that even older texts in the discipline of Topology don't. For that reason I will get Munkres textbook and do the applications in it. This is a very good text, and is even approachable to high or junior high students if they are dedicated enough but it is an introductory text.
The Shape of Space: How to Visualize Surfaces and Three…
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Euler's Gem: The Polyhedron Formula and the Birth of To…
2008-01-01
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 Euler's Gem: The Polyhedron Formula and the Birth of Topology

 David S. Richeson

 4.29
 399 ratings 45 reviews
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 Leonhard Euler's polyhedron formula describes the structure of many objects--from soccer balls and gemstones to Buckminster Fuller's buildings and giant all-carbon molecules. Yet Euler's formula is so simple it can be explained to a child. Euler's Gem tells the illuminating story of this indispensable mathematical idea.


 From ancient Greek geometry to today's cutting-edge research, Euler's Gem celebrates the discovery of Euler's beloved polyhedron formula and its far-reaching impact on topology, the study of shapes. In 1750, Euler observed that any polyhedron composed of V vertices, E edges, and F faces satisfies the equation V - E + F =2. David Richeson tells how the Greeks missed the formula entirely; how Descartes almost discovered it but fell short; how nineteenth-century mathematicians widened the formula's scope in ways that Euler never envisioned by adapting it for use with doughnut shapes, smooth surfaces, and higher dimensional shapes; and how twentieth-century mathematicians discovered that every shape has its own Euler's formula. Using wonderful examples and numerous illustrations, Richeson presents the formula's many elegant and unexpected applications, such as showing why there is always some windless spot on earth, how to measure the acreage of a tree farm by counting trees, and how many crayons are needed to color any map.


 Filled with a who's who of brilliant mathematicians who questioned, refined, and contributed to a remarkable theorem's development, Euler's Gem will fascinate every mathematics enthusiast.
 Genres Mathematics Science Nonfiction History Popular Science Physics Engineering
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 336 pages, Hardcover

 First published January 1, 2008

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 About the author

 David S. Richeson

 2 books 25 followers
 David Richeson is a professor of mathematics at Dickinson College and the editor of Math Horizons , the undergraduate magazine of the Mathematical Association of America. He received his undergraduate degree from Hamilton College and his masters and PhD from Northwestern University. He lives with his wife and two children in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

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 4.29
 399 ratings 45 reviews
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 4 stars
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 3 stars
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 Ed Erwin
 1,011 reviews 117 followers
 February 11, 2022
 Basically the history of Euler's equation F + V − E = 2, how it was discovered and proved, and the mathematics that developed from these investigations, such as topology and knot theory. There are more equations in the book than in most science books aimed at a wide audience, but they mostly involve nothing more complicated than simple addition and subtraction. The math does get a bit complicated in the final chapters.

 As in many such books, there are brief biographies of the mathematicians involved. I could have done without that, though a few of the stories were interesting. There were even a few that I haven't seen 10 times before.

 The illustrations are mostly drawn by the author. Computer-generated art with proper perspective and lighting would have helped in some cases.

 Quality: 4 stars. My enjoyment: 3 stars.
 math nonfiction
 3 likes
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 Upom
 229 reviews
 January 19, 2011
 I've been dreaming of higher dimensions lately, and this book on topology just enthralled this fascination even more. "Euler's Gem" is really a look at one of the most famous equations you've never heard:
 V-E+F=2, also known as Euler's Formula. This formula originally described a relationship between the faces, edges, and vertices of the 5 platonic Solids, but actually has a deeper significance as an equation connecting the vast subtopics of topology, including graph theory, knot theory, the 4-colors problem, dynamic systems, and homology. Richeson uses Euler's Formula as a way to present the history of toplogy, as well as a grand tour of this little-known topic. Speckled with nice illustrations, pop-culture references, and some really crisp writing, Dickeson reveals a subject that radiates with wonder. The proofs are at times a bit hard to follow, but with a little patience and periodic page-flipping, they are easy enough to follow. The book also contains a nice little appendix with cutouts that you can use to make your own platonic solids, toruses (torii?), Klein bottle, and projective planes. The book could have done with a glossary, and I found myself reading proofs again and again to make sense of them. However, if you give it a little time and effort, "Euler's Gem" is a book that will blow your mind. Just as the book reminds us in the last line with Poincare's words, "The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful."
 equation euler four-colors-problem
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 Bob Gustafson
 210 reviews 8 followers
 January 6, 2014
 Richeson's "Euler's Gem" is an excellent book. It gives the historical background, going back to ancient Greece, for this equation regarding faces, edges and vertices of polyhedra. It tells us about Euler (as well as more than a dozen other mathematical scholars) and the relationship. It goes on to tell us about various proofs and then extensions of and enhancements to the equation.

 If this book is excellent, why four rather than five stars? It's because of the medium. This book was brought to my attention by "The Shape of Nature" a lecture series by Professor Devados on DVD from The Great Courses. Drawings in two-space can only do so much. Dynamic demonstrations in three-space, even though the computer screen is flat, makes things so much clearer.

 An excellent presentation on DVD is simply better than an excellent book.
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 Kam Yung Soh
 775 reviews 42 followers
 August 13, 2021
 An interesting book that looks at Euler's Formula, namely for a polyhedron, the number of Faces plus the number of Vertices (corner points) minus the number of Edges always equals 2, or F + V − E = 2.

 The book starts with a look at the life of Leonhard Euler, from his early mathematical education to his life in both the Russian and Prussian academies of science and his death. It then gives the history of polyhedra and some early findings about them, before presenting Euler's formula and some ways to prove it as devised by various mathematicians. It also provides a proof that there are only five regular polyhedra using the formula.

 Other chapters show how the formula began to be used for other areas of mathematics. Graph theory is one area, as shown by the famous example of the Bridges of Königsberg problem. Attempts to provide a proper mathematical definition of a polyhedron using the formula would lead to the field of topology. Subsequent chapters show the application of the formula to various topological fields like knots, vectors on topological surfaces (via the Hairy Ball Theorem and the Brouwer Fixed Point Theorem).

 Further applications of the theorem encompass other topics like the curvature of surfaces and how topology is now a field that has developed rigorous proofs, and its various parts combined into a unified whole.

 The early chapters are light on mathematics, while some people may struggle with the later chapters on topology. But it should be possible to skip them and get the conclusion that Euler's formula that once defined a relationship of polyhedra has now been applied to the larger area of topology, leading to new mathematical findings.
 mathematics non-fiction
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 Koen Crolla
 767 reviews 205 followers
 October 21, 2013
 Euler has arguably produced a lot of gems, but the one Richeson is talking about is the observation that for convex polyhedra, the number of vertices minus the number of edges plus the number of faces is always equal to 2. That this is not true for less sensible polyhedra (it's 0 for a reasonable polyhedral torus, for example) is one of the foundational observations of the field of topology, which is indeed what the book is about.

 Euler's Gem is more or less what popular mathematics should be: it's gentle enough for a complete lay audience to follow from start to finish, but also thorough and not afraid to get technical. It covers some history, but doesn't repeat popular myths or devolve into crass gossip. The title isn't necessarily ideal—there are some other, largely unrelated observations at the basis of the field, which Richeson also covers and which fit the historical narrative, but not the title's conceit—and the cover art is awful enough that I was seriously considering covering it up, but on the whole, it's definitely one of the better general-audience books on mathematics I've read.
 mathematics
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 Daniela
 12 reviews 8 followers
 Currently reading
 December 18, 2008
 I am more or less in the middle of this book and I'm loving it. It explains, with simple words, the relevance of the polyhedron formula; filled up with history and proofs. Thumbs up!
 1 like
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 Erickson
 290 reviews 119 followers
 February 24, 2013
 Nice topology and geometry book. The proof part is especially good. Would recommend this to go along with Weeks' The Shape of Space, or vice versa.
 general mathematics
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 Tom
 1,084 reviews
 April 22, 2023
 For some decades now, the Princeton Science Library has reprinted paperbacks in mathematics and the sciences—from astronomy to zoology—written for general audiences possessed of a high school education, a sense of curiosity, and the patience work through the occasional tough spot. Mathematics was never my thang, and I declined to enroll in calculus my senior year in high school. A few years later, when I discovered Martin Gardner’s math games column in Scientific American, I realized how fascinating and—yes—cool mathematics can be in their implications, use, and elegance.

 In Euler’s Gem, David S. Richeson, Professor Mathematics at Dickinson College, explains the implications and applications of just one of Leonhard Euler’s many theorems, this regarding just three properties of solid geometric shapes—their faces (surfaces), edges (along which the faces connect), and vertices (the point where two or more edges connect). Oddly enough, no other mathematician or philosopher before Euler had considered edges as a property of polyhedra. The simple recognition that shapes have edges allowed for the insight that V – E + F = 2 in the case of geometric solids with stiff surfaces but equals 0 in the case of such topographic solids as the donut-shaped torus. Richeson demonstrates—with plenty of examples that allow readers to prove to themselves the truth of the mathematical claims—why, how, and where Euler’s theorem works.

 Euler’s Gem is more than a series of mathematical factoids. Richeson brings in historical and biographical background to the discoveries made by Euler and other mathematicians to illustrate the human personalities and motivations behind both the discoveries and the errors made over the centuries. (Negative results can present a lot to learn from.) We learn about the history of geometry, its discoveries, proofs, insights, and assumptions—all just by answering the “so what”? behind knowing that V – E + F = 2. These include implications for structures at the micro- and macroscopic levels—from the potential shapes of atomic molecules to graph theory; from the invention of topology (by Euler as a result of settling a debate within a town bisected by a river and island, across both of which were seven bridges, if it were possible to cross each bridge only once) to why the four-color conjecture for planar graphs is true (the conjecture stating that maps may be drawn of multiple countries sharing a border using no more than four colors to distinguish the countries from each other); from determining the area of oddly shaped plots of land, to “prime knots with 16 . . . crossings” (!); and more. Appendix A includes a variety of complex shapes that readers are encouraged to (photo)copy so they can demonstrate for themselves several principles covered in the book. Recommended.

 For more of my reviews, please see https://www.thebookbeat.com/backroom/...
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 Chayanika
 10 reviews
 August 10, 2023
 I can't really think of anything to complain about. At the beginning of the book, Richeson says that he has written his book for a self selecting audience, neither too qualified, nor too new. This was a great book for me, as a person with no formal mathematical training beyond school and who loves mathematics. I never knew so many things... Had studied Euler's formula in school, but had never thought so deeply about it, never imagined it has topological implications, never really thought about the exact definition of a polyhedron! That it should lead to so many wonderful and fascinating concepts in topology, is amazing. This book is a mixture, and it worked very well for me; there is a lot of history, the story of the mathematicians who did work in this field, but thankfully it is not JUST those stories with handwavery when it comes to the actual concepts like a lot of other books. Richeson does explain and discuss the relevant concepts and even gives hints and let's the reader prove some of the things! And, unexpectedly, for a math book, there are even a few beautiful quotes in the book that left an impact on me,

 "It is my belief that the audience for this book is self-selecting. Anyone who wants to read it should be able to read it. The book is not for everyone, but those who would not understand and appreciate the mathematics are precisely those who would never pick it up in the first place."

 "The needs of scientists often do spur the creation of new mathematics, just as Kelvin’s vortex model of atomic theory inspired knot theory. But mathematicians do not relish being servants of science. Even when a mathematical theory is born from a practical application, it quickly takes on a life of its own and is advanced for its own inherent properties. Theoretical mathematicians are a stubborn bunch who as a whole are more interested in beauty, truth, elegance, and grandeur than in applicability."

 'Let chaos storm!Let cloud shapes swarm!
 I wait for form.

 —Robert Frost, “Pertinax”1'
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 Daniel Takemori
 1 review
 June 15, 2023
 Euler's Gem is a book that talks about the birth and applications of the field of math called topology. Topology is a branch of geometry that focuses on properties of shapes like how many tunnels it has or having lines that connect points on a shape. Richeson talks about the polyhedron formula saying that the vertices of a polyhedron plus the number of faces minus the number of edges equals 2 for all closed convex 3D shapes. a moment of epiphany for a character was when mathematician Poincare discovered the reason for the seemingly arbitrary number 2 in Euler's formula that even Euler himself did not understand. He discovered that shapes with varying numbers of "tunnels" or holes in a polyhedron have different numbers so a shape with zero holes = 2 but a shape with 1 hole = 3. he discovered that constant that the formula equals is n+1 where n is the number of holes. This is the second most important discovery of the book aside from the original Euler's formula as this discovery carves the way for modern topology as one of the main focus's for topology is how many tunnels a shape has. Richeson tries to argue that changing the way we look at things is important. Poincare changes the way he sees Euler's formula and discovers something because of that. This is an important value to me because often people take for granted what they know and do not question it. I think that often when we are stuck on a problem it is beneficial to take a different view point to find a different way of solving similar to how Poincare did.
 english
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 Ben Orlin
 Author 9 books 187 followers
 March 21, 2019
 A mathematician friend recently asked me, "Do you think pop math books could be a good way for me to learn about other fields?" (He studies partial differential equations.)

 "Sure!" I said, and handed him this book. "Here's algebraic topology!"

 "Great," he said. "Any others?"

 I looked at my shelf, saw that the answer was no, and realized in that moment how unusual Richeson's achievement is. This is an engaging, readable, historical tour, covering a large swath of interesting math, pitched at an appropriate level. It's not for a "general audience," per se, but anyone with a moderately technical undergraduate background should get a lot out of it (and there's no harm in skimming a few of the proofs sketched).

 Bits of mathematics that I'd seen as disparate - graph theory, spherical geometry, Mobius strips, Platonic solids - are drawn together here, to create a pleasing and natural whole.
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 Beau
 141 reviews 2 followers
 March 5, 2020
 The author praises Leonhard Euler as a great expositor, but the author himself must be just as great. This book made deep topological concepts accessible to the non-expert probably in ways no one has done before, and yet he did not shy away from proofs; there are some actual rigorous proofs and some proof sketches based on visual intuition. For example, I feel like I understand why the Poincare-Hopf theorem is true, even though I did not actually do the math. In addition to some serious mathematics supported by a collection of the best figures and pictures I've seen in such a work, this book is full of history, biography, and other interesting commentary. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in mathematics; it probably should be required reading for students of mathematics taking their first course in topology.
 mathematics
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 Richard Holmes
 29 reviews 2 followers
 October 26, 2017
 This book wasn't what I was expecting; rather than a book centered on Euler's formula, it's an introduction to topology with the formula as a recurring theme. As such large parts of the book serve to introduce topics having little to do with the formula and which I was already familiar with. I didn't find Richeson's pedestrian exposition shed much in the way of interesting new light on these topics for the most part. I ended up skipping a lot, because it just wasn't what I was looking for.
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 Tyler
 33 reviews 2 followers
 August 7, 2019
 This is quite an ambitious book for the author, and he does a great job showing the evolution of topology from its roots in geometry, graph theory, and knot theory. The math gets decently high-level by the end, but the author makes a great effort at trying to reach those without a formal understanding of the topics. This book isn’t for people who aren’t interested in mathematics, but for those who are amateurs to probably grad students this seems to be a fulfilling read.
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 William Schram
 1,967 reviews 87 followers
 March 19, 2023
 Euler's Gem is a book referring to the Polyhedron Formula. It links the vertices, faces, and edges of any shape. Author David S. Richeson discusses the development of the formula and how mathematicians proved the theorem.

 Along the way, we touch upon several aspects of mathematics. The book centers on topology but has chapters about graphs, projective geometry, and vector spaces.

 Thanks for reading my review, and see you next time.
 biography history mathematics
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 John Golden
 260 reviews 19 followers
 September 21, 2019
 You'll be hard put to find a better written book of mathematics, nor a more interesting mathematical topic. Gets better the more math you know, but well addressed to a general audience. I recommend to every math major (literally, in my history of math course) and to anyone interested in one of the most beautiful pieces of mathematics.
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 Rahul Banerjee
 60 reviews 2 followers
 April 25, 2021
 A really nice book that introduces several key ideas of modern geometry and topology, while tracing the genesis and development of these concepts through history, going back all the way to Plato and Pythagoras. In addition to the math, the text also includes a fair bit of biography of several relevant mathematicians.
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 Matthew Dambro
 412 reviews 70 followers
 August 22, 2017
 Excellent introduction to topology. Much of the math was over my head but the story of how mathematics is done is superb. The step by step accumulation of knowledge with the occasional flash of brilliance shown by a Euler or a Poincare is breathtakingly beautiful.
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 Hyung Mook Kang
 13 reviews
 February 23, 2019
 Excellent book for the overall history of geometry and topology, as well as its motivations behind. The motivations behind the rigorous definitions of modern topology we learn (such as in Munkres) aren't in the book.
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 Matthew Emery
 116 reviews 6 followers
 January 27, 2022
 This is everything a math book aimed at a popular audience should aspire to be. The author tackles a challenging topic starting from the very beginning. There are plenty of interesting examples used and the bits of historical trivia liven up the more theoretical portions of the book.
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 Stuart
 364 reviews 2 followers
 Read
 October 22, 2022
 This is a tremendous book. The concepts are fascinating and the author does a great job organizing and clarifying them. The historical and biographical details give an interesting context while being a nice break from the concentration needed (at least by me) of the meat of the matter.
 mathematics
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 Louis Meunier
 9 reviews
 December 28, 2022
 An incredible introduction to topology, with a near-narrative approach. The intermixing of history and mathematical explanations provides just the right amount of context, with the inherent intertwining present this area of mathematics well reflected in the layout of this book.
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 Benjamin
 316 reviews 343 followers
 Want to read
 July 30, 2020
 Dear Santa...
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 Dave
 113 reviews 1 follower
 October 16, 2020
 Among the very best general audience math books I have ever read.
 5-stars
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 Kent Sibilev
 49 reviews 4 followers
 July 7, 2021
 There are not many really good popular math books. This is definitely one of them.
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 Ivan Koma
 374 reviews 1 follower
 November 22, 2021
 if briefly, all 330 pages of the book about - "V − E + F = 2", but in mathematician way
 it's just a recycling symbol ♲
 english
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 Kt
 19 reviews 10 followers
 March 9, 2024
 Difficult but very worthwhile read
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 Charles
 2,679 reviews 36 followers
 July 5, 2015
 A gem of mathematical results produced by one of the masters of mathematics

 The title of the book is derived from the formula V - E + F = 2 that holds for any convex polyhedron. V is the number of vertices, E the number of edges and F the number of faces. First demonstrated by Euler, the proof of this result is surprisingly simple. As is the case with most such formulas and their proofs, there is at least one near miss in the history of mathematics. Descartes was close; in retrospect it is somewhat surprising that he didn't reach the appropriate conclusion. Of course, we are considering the great master Euler here, a giant of mathematics who was able to see things in his mathematical sight that people with the physical vision that he lacked overlooked.
 Topology is a relatively recent area of mathematics, one of the few that can be considered to have had a point of origin and a creator. Richison works through the historical mathematical preliminaries of the formula, the shapes it describes were well known to the ancient Greeks yet they were nowhere close to the formula. Some historical and mathematical background on Euler follows this and it includes some of his other accomplishments. The last chapters describe some of the results that follow from topology in general and Euler's gem in particular. One of the most interesting is the theorem of combing a sphere, where the conclusion is that there must always be at least one hair that stands straight up. This may seem like an absurd thing for mathematicians to be concerned about but it has a major conclusion, that at all times there must be at least one point on Earth where there is no wind. Even more significantly it means that there will always be a zero.
 Richison uses a large number of diagrams and formulas when needed, which is to his credit. Mathematics is based on equations so when an author deliberately avoids them in an attempt to increase sales, it is hard to claim that they are actually writing mathematics. This is an excellent book about a great man and a timeless formula. Well within the reach of the intelligent layperson, it is also a good book to use as a resource for a course where the students are required to make presentations.

 Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission and this review also appears on Amazon.
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 Gabriel Daleson
 15 reviews 1 follower
 September 20, 2013
 The first two thirds of this book is heavier on the history and geometry, and it's the better part. The back third gets into topology, and, while it's certainly interesting, it's also not for the squeamish. I'm really not sure how one could easily provide a casual treatment of any high-dimensional mathematics, even as casual as Richeson does here, without losing people. I appreciate the effort, certainly, but I can make a good argument that the chapters on the higher-dimensional analog to the Euler formula should just have been stripped out.

 All told, though, it's great to have a book like this, and I hope it gets some promising high school juniors and seniors, and a few new college freshmen, thinking about mathematics and topology.
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 Ruth
 513 reviews 13 followers
 July 6, 2015
 I read this book on the history of topology to my elementary-school-aged son. I cannot really remember when we finished it, but it was some time in the summer of 2011. The idea of a book for a popular audience about topology is absurd. Once I owned a book called Learn Gujrati in 30 Days , and this was something like that. My kid was too young to realize that it was hard to understand and just had a lot of fun. We read about a chapter a night for weeks and weeks. At the very end of the book was a chapter about Emmy Noether, which made me very happy. I didn't understand the math she did, either, but I liked knowing more about her.
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 Symmetry and the Monster: The Story of One of the Greatest Quests of Mathematics

 Mark Ronan

 3.82
 251 ratings 38 reviews
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 Mathematics is driven forward by the quest to solve a small number of major problems--the four most famous challenges being Fermat's Last Theorem, the Riemann Hypothesis, Poincaré's Conjecture, and the quest for the "Monster" of Symmetry. Now, in an exciting, fast-paced historical narrative
 ranging across two centuries, Mark Ronan takes us on an exhilarating tour of this final mathematical quest.
 Ronan describes how the quest to understand symmetry really began with the tragic young genius Evariste Galois, who died at the age of 20 in a duel. Galois, who spent the night before he died frantically scribbling his unpublished discoveries, used symmetry to understand algebraic equations,
 and he discovered that there were building blocks or "atoms of symmetry." Most of these building blocks fit into a table, rather like the periodic table of elements, but mathematicians have found 26 exceptions. The biggest of these was dubbed "the Monster"--a giant snowflake in 196,884 dimensions.
 Ronan, who personally knows the individuals now working on this problem, reveals how the Monster was only dimly seen at first. As more and more mathematicians became involved, the Monster became clearer, and it was found to be not monstrous but a beautiful form that pointed out deep connections
 between symmetry, string theory, and the very fabric and form of the universe.
 This story of discovery involves extraordinary characters, and Mark Ronan brings these people to life, vividly recreating the growing excitement of what became the biggest joint project ever in the field of mathematics. Vibrantly written, Symmetry and the Monster is a must-read for all fans of
 popular science--and especially readers of such books as Fermat's Last Theorem .
 Genres Mathematics Science Nonfiction Popular Science History Unfinished

 272 pages, Hardcover

 First published January 1, 2006

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 Mark Ronan

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 3.82
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 Yael
 135 reviews 16 followers
 May 25, 2009
 The hero of this book, the Monster of Symmetry, is a giant snowflake that requires 196,884 dimensions to describe it. Rather than being a mere mathematical curiosity, its structure points to deep connections between symmetry, number theory, and mathematical physics. Ultimately it may help us come to understand the fabric of our universe -- or even the infinite multiverse.

 This is the story of the quest to discover the Monster. Beginning in revolutionary France in the 1830s, it takes the reader up to the present day -- and beyond. Mark Ronan describes the driving determination, odd coincidences, and extraordinary people that were drawn into what became the greatest collaboration in the history of mathematics. He describes how the study of simple, regular shapes led to the whole field of simple groups, and the search for the basic nuts and bolts of symmetry. The hunt for the Monster began to classify all these nuts and bolts, the "atoms", of symmetry, and this bold project began to accelerate after World War II as new methods were devised to fill in the gaps in the classification, in the same way that chemists and physicists worked to fill out the Periodic Table of the Chemical Elements. The quest involves shapes in numerous dimensions, weird multi-crystals, and different ways of packing spheres that now underlie a good deal of modern technology. But some mathematical entities just don't fit the scheme, and the biggest, most bad-assed member of these outlaws was the Monster. As mathematicians drew ever-nearer to it, this dazzling entity's sheer scale and complexity became clear.

 But mathematicians are still struggling to grasp the nature of the Monster. Given the extraordinary links between it and the deep physical form of the universe, it will become far more important in the future than we realize even now, a piece of 22nd- or 23rd-century mathematics arriving by chance in the 20th century, hinting at answers to questions not yet asked, which may not be asked for decades or even centuries. When we finally understand the nature of the Monster, we will probably thereby open up a whole new, far more profound vista of the nature of physical reality.
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 Bryan Higgs
 619 reviews 23 followers
 April 7, 2011
 I loved this book! I tried to explain to a class I was teaching on Symmetry that I could not put it down. It was almost like a detective novel! The fact that it was probably the seventh or eighth book on symmetry I had read by then makes this all the more surprising and shows how well the author does his job.

 The book describes how the largest ever mathematical proof was solved by hundreds of mathematicians over many, many pages of proofs. Sounds dry? It's not! This history goes back to the beginnings of group theory, and runs all the way through to quite recent times. It includes some very interesting discussions of the personalities involved.

 Highly recommended!
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 Jose Brox
 208 reviews 23 followers
 April 22, 2017
 Este libro consigue contar la historia de la clasificación de los grupos simples finitos de manera interesante, intrigante incluso (¡hay cliffhangers matemáticos!)... hasta sus dos o tres últimos capítulos, que tristemente se vuelven más secos y aburridos, a pesar de que el escritor estaba metido en el ajo y conoció de primera mano a los protagonistas principales. Por esto ha perdido la quinta estrella.

 La narración versa fundamentalmente sobre las personas que desarrollaron la clasificación, pero hay matemáticas más o menos serias imbricadas en ella, con algunas fórmulas y conceptos desarrollados aquí y allá. He sufrido con la historia de Galois una vez más (y he visto una interpretación conspirativa de su muerte que es nueva para mí; ¿será cierta?), me he reído de lo lindo con algunas de las ocurrencias de Lie y he aprendido quién es quién en la teoría de grupos del siglo XX. Es impresionante ver en particular cómo afectó a la comunidad matemática la subida al poder del partido Nazi, pues Alemania era uno de los focos principales del álgebra de la época; la anécdota sobre Noether y Witt es indignante, y el comportamiento de este último de lo más peculiar.

 He echado en falta explicaciones matemáticas más detalladas (sobre las simetrías de los sólidos platónicos, por ejemplo), porque el autor decide, con valentía, meterse a explicar conceptos complicados y sin embargo parece que se arrepiente y los deja muy en el aire, vistos de refilón. Además algunas explicaciones me han parecido poco iluminantes (como las referidas a la relatividad). En cambio otras son bastante buenas. Además he aprendido por fin por qué el teorema de Feit-Thompson, que "lo único" que dice es que cualquier grupo simple no cíclico tiene orden par, y necesitó más de 200 páginas para ser demostrado, está considerado una de las piedras angulares de las matemáticas del siglo XX (SPOILER: existía una técnica para clasificar grupos a partir del centralizador de una involución, y todo grupo de orden par posee una involución; por tanto todo grupo simple no cíclico es suceptible de ser analizado mediante esta técnica).

 Como libro de divulgación lo considero espectacular: quien no conozca cómo funciona la investigación matemática podrá experimentarla como si la viviera desde dentro, ayudado por comentarios muy esclarecedores sobre cómo funcionan la demostración de teoremas, la creatividad matemática, el trabajo colaborativo, la vida nómada de los académicos, la publicación en revistas revisadas por pares, la contribución de los alumnos de doctorado y el paso del corpus de conocimiento a las generaciones más jóvenes. Y todo ello con un tema de partida poco habitual. En este respecto es un libro único e imprescindible.
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 Tim Robinson
 803 reviews 54 followers
 January 15, 2015
 On second reading, I've downgraded this book from five stars to four. Towards the end the maths dries up and the story becomes one of names, dates and places. I'm feeling brave enough to tackle some more technical details but they are lacking. What is the "next book up" on this topic?
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 Bojan Tunguz
 407 reviews 171 followers
 April 9, 2011
 One of the greatest achievements of the 20th century mathematics has been the classification of the finite simple groups. Groups are mathematical objects that tells us about symmetries, and like many other mathematical objects they are relatively easy to describe, but can be fiendishly difficult to fully understand. Sometimes understanding comes from a single brilliant insights by an incredibly gifted individual, and these individuals become part of the mathematical lore that can even touch upon the popular imagination. However, most of the time these days the game of mathematics has become complex enough that it can become increasingly difficult for any individual to fully contribute to on its own to the full problem. Professional mathematicians don't mind this at all: they thrive in collaborations and feed off of each other's work and enthusiasm. The collaborative nature of mathematics is at full display when it comes to the classification of finite simple groups, an effort that spanned hundreds of articles in scientific journals between 1955 and 1983. I have always been curious to find out more about this enterprise, and this book does a remarkable job at presenting it to the general reader. It is comprehensive without becoming technically hard to follow. Anyone who has ever taken a college level mathematics course should be able to read it without much difficulty, although some basic understanding of group theory and modern algebra would be great bonus. The book also doesn't dumb down mathematics to the point that it becomes irritating for those who have some mathematical sophistication, so even professional scientists and mathematicians can find it very informative and a rewarding read.

 And if you are curious, the Monster from the title refers to the special simple finite group that has been one of the most fascinating mathematical objects discovered so far.
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 Manuel Del Río Rodríguez
 69 reviews 1 follower
 April 6, 2024
 Georg Friedrich Gauss once described mathematics as ‘the queen of the sciences’. That may be true (it is so, in my opinion) but it definitely doesn’t show when come to the field of popular science books. This might be related to another famous quote, this time by Stephen Hawking: “Someone told me that each equation I included in the book would halve the sales”.

 Mark Ronan’s book doesn’t include many equations, but I’d ascribe the problems with math outreach in books to another factor, besides lay-frightening numerical and algebraic symbols. Most pop science books can shift the math to behind the stage, and focus on metaphors, graspable explanations, interesting material-world connections, and hero-scientist biography. Math books are more limited in this: they can’t really hide all the math away (the math is the point, after all). In interesting but abstract and technical developments, it can be very difficult to connect it to things an individual can grasp and see. Still, it is worth a try, and Mark Ronan has done it with this excellent little book, for which I can only pile words of praise. In Symmetry and the Monster, he has done a squaring of the circle, of sorts, creating a book about a very abstract and important mathematical achievement (the classification of Finite Simple Groups), and managing to make it both accessible and highly entertaining for the most part, modulo a little bit of effort and willingness on the part of the reader.

 Small aside: it is perhaps a well-known but no sufficiently interiorized fact that the 20th century has been the greatest, most golden age of mathematics ever, easily putting all other centuries to shame. Advances in the science have been accelerating since at least Newton and Leibniz and the Scientific Revolution, which means the 19th century was a silver age, the 18th a bronze one. The great achievements of Classical Greece hardly warrant more than copper in comparison. This has also tended to happen in other sciences, with Physics as a case in point, but its achievements have been much more easy to popularize and write about - Einstein and Relative, the birth Quantum Mechanics, the making of the Atomic bomb… The latter, in fact, has an excellent book by Richard Rhodes, which with its well-crafted, almost literary narration and collective scientific authorship has really reminded me of Ronan’s.

 So back to Symmetry and the Monster: this book attempts to trace the history and main developments in a mathematical quest that started in the 19th century and concluded as a massive collaborative work and one of the pinnacles of 20th century mathematics: the classification of Finite Simple Groups. It is a story that begins with the birth of modern, ‘Abstract’ Algebra, which has little to do with what we’re taught in high school, and a lot to do with the study of abstract structures with properties. One of these is a group, which is a set of objects with one operation you can do on them. A good example is the integers under addition: if add three or more, it doesn’t really matter how you group the sums (associativity); if you add 0 to any, you get what you started with (identity); for any integer there’s another one that when you add them together, you get 0 (inverses); and adding any two numbers together gets you a third that is still in the list of integers (closure). All this might seem nitpicky or trivial, but it actually turns out to be tremendously useful, and to model a lot of things in the real world, like symmetries (which can be simplified, explained and studied as groups).

 Now many groups have an infinite number of elements (like the integers under addition), but other are finite. And some groups can be ‘factored’ (like numbers) into smaller, constituent groups. Groups that can’t be reduced any more are called simple groups, or as Mark Ronan prefers to call them in this book, ‘atoms of symmetry’.

 From their appearance in the work of Evariste Galois, where they were invented as part of a proof of why 5th degree equations cannot be solved (like the lower-degree ones) using a simple algebraic formula, Ronan chronicles the development of their study, and the surprising discovery that finite simple groups could probably be classified into a list, that would include all their possible instantiations. On the way, we discover different types of groups (permutation, cyclic with prime order, continuous, or lie…) and the lives of the mathematicians who labored at them. We see how the project of making a table of the different families of finite simple groups develops, becoming a highly technical, demanding and flourishing branch of modern mathematics. We also see the discovery of ‘exceptional’ groups which don’t fit into any of the categories, and the work to pokemon-like ‘catch them all’, prove their existence and properties and incorporate them into the table. The last and biggest of these sporadic simple groups is the Monster that gives its title to the book, and which has an added interest because of weird and unexpected connections it makes with completely different branches of mathematics (Number Theory) and the real world (Physics, String Theory).

 Besides the discovery and the objects, the lives and anecdotes of the mathematicians working at the project are heavily referenced in the book, and add a non-trivial element to making it lighter and more accessible. I believe Ronan himself is a mathematician that did a lot of work in this area, so he knows many of the figures he talks about in the book (including the sadly deceased, maverick and magical genius John Horton Conway).

 As I said in the second paragraph, this book is an excellent read, and I think is not too daunting even for a relatively lay audience. The mathematical mechanics are mostly only hinted at and/or summarized, and is mostly expressed in understandable language, with a couple of exceptions (I got a bit lost in the part explaining how you can use cross sections to discover other finite simple groups, along with some mention of ‘subgroups’ of these which I didn’t really get). But small details aside, if you have a minimal interest in mathematics, you are likely to both enjoy and understand what this book talks about, and you will learn of a heroic epic that is at least as important as a feat of human science as the production of the atomic bomb. The Oppenheimers in this volume are much less known, much nicer and their work definitely less deadly, but in many other ways, it matches and surpasses the achievements of the Manhattan Project.
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 Dav
 269 reviews 24 followers
 November 20, 2010
 I have to give this one five stars, if for no other reason because it was the book I was reading when I finally started to understand group theory. It covered the history and importance of this branch of mathematics much the same as Why Beauty Is Truth: The Story of Symmetry but in a more concise manner. Another difference is this book was thematically structured around the development of a particularly interesting artifact of group theory known as the Monster (this is actually what mathematicians call it by the way, due to its sheer unprecedented size). I think using a concrete example throughout the discourse was a good choice. Ronan also chose well to sometimes stop the progression and say "let's remember how we got here," proceeding to review the series of discoveries for a few paragraphs that led to a certain new advance.

 I had been prepared to never understand group theory. For all I knew, it wasn't something that someone with a lack of formal math education (beyond calculus 20 years ago) was capable of learning from just reading books without a teacher. But somewhere halfway through this book things started to click into place a little bit. After that the book became immensely more enjoyable since I could follow along with the challenges and successes of the researchers with a significantly more understanding.

 It is an interesting story, and something that surely will be of particular importance to understanding the future we will be experiencing in the coming decades. I don't ever want to be the typical post middle-age person who has checked out of modern times just because they couldn't keep up with the scientific advances, and I am more convinced than ever that a basic understanding of group theory is going to be necessary for any hope of hanging on.
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 Chris
 142 reviews 31 followers
 May 20, 2019
 With some warts, Ronan has nearly achieved the holy grail of mathematics exposition: (1) short, (2) readable, (3) about mathematical objects of significance and interest.

 While the book has significant flaws, I give it 4/5 because the writing is clear enough for a non-mathematician, and there are so few of those in existence. Bad marks for supposed applicability of the ideas to the real world (including the usual demons of quantum physics, binary arithmetic = computers, and coding theory [which, see http://neilsloane.com/doc/Me109.pdf , users found gzip to be good enough and didn’t need the theoretically superior Leech lattice]), and nerd-machismo (Sophus Lie’s coke-bottle eyeglass rims are somehow muscular; chaired professors are cited for their intellectual immortality, when in reality most people don’t care at all about these 19th-century academic chairs or their works). Ronan also displays a scant understanding of history by, for example, using exactly one source for his entire chapter on Sophus Lie. But, whatever: it’s better that he clearly understands, and very clearly explains, the actually interesting mathematics --- which, in every other case, a non-mathematician would mis-explain.


 If you wonder if mathematics is interesting or not, give Ronan a read. You should be able to understand the interesting structures he describes, and the amount of physics and Bell Labs mysticism is soft-pedalled much more than the rest of the genre.
 mathematics
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 Bretbenesh
 9 reviews 33 followers
 February 14, 2011
 It was good, and it made me more interested in learning more about some of the sporadic simple groups (this is pretty close to my field of research).

 The best points: it provides a good history of finite group theory and is an engaging read. I think that he also does a good job making the technical mathematics accessible to the layperson.

 I have two complaints:

 1. In order to retain my membership as a pedantic mathematician, I will point out that he says that he says the order of the alternating group on n letters increases "exponentially" as n gets larger. This is false, although I understand that people are starting to commonly mis-use the word "exponentially."

 2. I lost track of the number of times Ronan says, "We will hear more about _____ later." It seems that this would be a result of poor organization, although the lives of these group theorists intersect so much that it would probably be impossible to avoid (although he could have simply let us find out that we will learn more about _____ on a couple of these occasions).

 These are pretty minor points.
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 Wanda
 168 reviews 6 followers
 August 30, 2017
 Ronan paints a fascinating historical perspective of the mathematical developments that lead up to the discovery of the Monster, as well as the "Moonshine" connections to other domains (e.g. number theory, string theory). However, I felt that although Ronan's enthusiasm for the topic is supreme and his passion for explaining the mathematical process shines, the writing of this book lacked polish and the analogies used were not clear; as a math enthusiast, I was able to recall enough of the theory of finite groups to understand where he was trying to go with his analogies and to flesh out details that were glossed over. My interest in the subject has definitely been piqued, and I was able to find some papers which provide a more technical survey of this topic, such as Moonshine by Duncan, Griffin, and Ono.
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 Basement Dweller
 4 reviews
 July 16, 2018
 A fun read that will likely get you at least somewhat interested in group theory. But the book uses analogies to talk about the ideas of the mathematical concepts rather than directly explaining them. If I were to explain something like addition in a similar manner that Ronan sometimes explains things in his book it might sound like this: it is an operation that takes two numbers and combines them to create another. It’s good because it doesn’t complicate things usually, but can end up sounding way too vague, leaving you just as confused as you would have been if he had just explained it.

 But still, I recommend this book as it is genuinely interesting and you will learn about groups, their symmetry, the monster, and the stories of the mathematicians who discovered them. It’s a goof introduction to group theory and has driven me to want to find out more about the topic.
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 Hyung Mook Kang
 13 reviews
 December 27, 2018
 Last three to four chapters are the most important chapters in this book. The rest are about mainly introducing the concept of group and Lie groups, with a slight of a monster. He tried to explain as best as he could about the concept of the simple group, but ended up repeating again and again that simple group is the group that is so "simple". This book basically tells you that there are mysterious connections between monster, modular form, and vertex operator algebra, to which the connection is called the Moonshine.
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 Gregory
 168 reviews 1 follower
 March 20, 2017
 This is a well written book especially considering the abstract nature of the material. I personally would have liked a little more detail on things. Maybe a description of four group families that have a Euclidean description. Though I don't think this would have be good for most readers. Most of the time when I would wish he would explain something it would appear in a few pages. So he addressed most of my criticisms before the book ended.
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 Ookami
 3 reviews
 December 20, 2019
 A well written book in the sense of understandable to someone with some interest and understanding of mathematics and history. Abstract mathematics is a help. The book is an interesting story of connections. Sometimes it feels like things are glossed over and the book could have contained both more history and technical explanations (perhaps more illustrations and examples). Still, I found it an enjoyable read over 2 days and an introduction to an interesting phenomenon
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 Nigel McFarlane
 224 reviews 1 follower
 September 1, 2019
 This describes the journey from the origins of group theory to the discovery of "The Monster" - a gigantic multi-dimensional symmetry that completed the classification of the groups. The biographical details are fascinating and frequently very sad, particularly when they concern the destruction wrought on German mathematics by the Nazis.
 non-fiction
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 Des Small
 150 reviews 3 followers
 September 6, 2023
 A history of the classification of finite simple groups exposited in the general direction of non-mathematicians. Richly larded with history, or at least anecdotes, and agreeably excitable in its telling.

 I didn't learn any maths along the way, but I also haven't read the appendices which may contain some.
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 Mark
 400 reviews 9 followers
 November 20, 2016
 I enjoyed the birds-eye view of strange connections between areas within mathematics and physics. His explanations lost me a few times, but it was well worth the read.
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 Robert
 1,510 reviews 18 followers
 April 10, 2019
 Goes into great detail on the project to classify the simple groups.
 science
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 Superconformal Hassaan
 63 reviews 17 followers
 July 14, 2023
 Great read. Will write a review when I am free.
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 Jonathan Widell
 173 reviews 27 followers
 June 9, 2014
 Too bad the book omits the obvious reference to "the shoulders of giants". What did I get out of the book? I found it fascinating to see how scientific discovery evolves in practice over centuries. It takes an oddball here and an oddball there to get the best results. Sometimes you go back to old books to find out what other have found out before you.

 Ronan provides a partly first-person account of this endeavour called Monsters and Moonshine and, while doing so, gives some valuable insights into how mathematical discovery takes place: for instance, you rarely have a mathematical research team but do your research individually, which is a pain, while acknowledging any help you have received from for example your thesis supervisor; you have to come up with a theorem if you wish to be immortal, and so on. The material Ronan provides is anecdotal. Those passages are fun to read but do not amount to real eye-openers. The book is at its strongest when it takes the bird's eye view and recounts how an idea has evolved over time. A couple of times Gauss is quoted as making the author's fundamental point: "Mathematical discoveries, like springtime violets in the woods, have their season which no human can hasten or retard." Ronan's sense of history is impressive.

 As for the math itself, Monsters are objects that belong to group theory. Group theory studies algebraic structures called groups or, as Ronan explains, which "deals with the study of symmetry" on page 1. The young French mathematician Évariste Galois turns out to be our hero. He discovered simple groups of permutation in 1830. Ronan calls those simple groups of permutations "atoms of symmetry". "Simple" meant, according to Ronan, groups that could not be broken down (or "deconstructed" as he prefers to say) any further. So, a Monster is a group...yes, what is it exactly? An exceptional symmetry object, is the answer. The main quest in this book is to find those exceptional symmetry objects, of which 26 have been found so far. The second largest of them is called affectionately the Baby Monster. The largest is called the Monster. By "large" we mean that the Monster has a staggering number of dimensions: 196,883. I don't pretend to understand where exactly we are going with this but that is what we are told.

 Moonshine is even more opaque. Moonshine is an attempt to explain some of the staggering correspondences that Monsters in group theory exhibit with number theory. Those correspondences are crystallized in an object in number theory, namely the number 196,884, which is almost the same as the number of the dimensions of the Monster. One is still at a loss to understand the connections, Ronan admits. He does not say much more. He does say, though, that string theory seems a promising home for both the Monsters and the Moonshine.

 The implication is that this is all very cutting edge. Therefore, one has to forgive the obscurity. However, the reader cannot avoid the impression that the book would have benefited from more careful editing. Many things are repeated at least twice. When that keeps happening, you start feeling as awkward as trying to laugh when you hear the same joke twice. Except this book is not funny. It does not make you laugh.

 To be fair, Ronan's excitement for his subject is contagious. I maintain that the book works best as a peek into the mind of someone who is discovering something that boggles the mind. How do you get your mind around something that boggles the mind? Maybe you don't. Hence the excitement, not only for the Monsters and Moonshine but for finding and pushing the limits of our minds.
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 Francis
 47 reviews
 May 1, 2009
 I really enjoyed this book. I think it gave a very rich yet comprehensible picture of the history of finite group theory (concentrating on the classification of the finite simple groups), starting with a bit of pre-history from the ancient Greeks, but really starting with Galois' immortal work on , and tracing the the major players in the 19th century like Cauchy, Jordan, Lie, Klein, Burnside, and the 20th century, like Dickson, Thompson, Gorenstein, Conway, Fischer, Aschbacher, etc., with a special emphasis on the largest sporadic finite simple group, the Monster, and the still-mysterious connections with modular functions, vertex operator algebras, and string theory, collectively referred to as Moonshine.

 In terms of reviewing the contents, I cannot hope to do better than Rob Griess's review, so I will link to it here:

 http://www.ams.org/notices/200702/rev...

 I have personal experience with some of the people discussed in this book and I have heard many of the same stories that were told to him, and I can say that his retellings of the stories are very faithful to what I have heard; it is a valuable historical document of the personalities and happenings during the time of the classification.

 One anecdote I wanted to amplify on was the one about the name "buildings". J.P. Serre related to a group of us at dinner once that they had thought about using the term "skeleton" instead (as discussed in the book) but then the elaboration of the metaphor produced "coffin", "ossuary", etc., which were quite morbid, so they chose "chamber", "apartment", "building" instead.

 For more details, I would recommend T. Thompson's "From Error-Correcting Codes Through Sphere Packings to Finite Simple Groups" for a pleasant mathematical narrative covering a significant portion of the middle of this book, and Conway and Sloane's "Sphere Packings, Lattices, and Groups" for an encyclopedic survey of much of the material, particularly the topics related to the Monster (e.g., the Leech lattice, the 26-dimensional Lorentzian lattice, Conway's Monster construction, and so forth). Also, for the middle part of the story (Klein, Lie, Dickson, Weyl, etc.) I would recommend Hawkins' "Emergence of the Theory of Lie Groups", a comprehensive history of that era.

 I perceived a few minor infelicities in the writing, such as some somewhat awkwardly interjected background mathematical anecdotes like the one about Emmy Noether and the university not being a bathhouse, and a tendency to introduce a topic with a "we'll discuss this later" quite frequently.

 I am curious to compare my experience of reading this book to that of someone without training in group theory.
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 Francisco Rodríguez
 48 reviews 11 followers
 August 1, 2017
 It is very difficult to read a mathematical book with a good balance between explaining the maths and not delving into difficult details. Each reader has a different preference. This book didn't achieve that balance for me at all. It explains too clearly the very easy things such as how to know the order of a polynomial, giving examples and so on, but anything more difficult than that is not explained at all: not even attempted. As a result I did not get a feeling for the subject except it being very difficult. I would have loved an explanation of Galois' work which started it all, and is probably explainable to a non mathematician, but I did not understand it. From that point onwards, having not understood the foundational work, it was completely impossible to follow the rest. I would have been much happier if the author had attempted to give explanations of the difficult concepts.
 mathematics
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 Matthew
 220 reviews 23 followers
 November 15, 2009
 As the book's subtitle promises, this book is about a quest--meaning, I had not sufficiently appreciated before I picked it up, a great deal of narrative about how mathematicians have to come to know what they know. As a non-mathematician, I did not find this at all helpful. The idea of multidimensional symmetry, for obscure reasons, fascinates me, but it is also intensely abstract and conceptually frustrating. The biographical details of the many people who contributed to group theory and such, especially in considering their false starts, only confuses things. Moreover, Ronan never quite gets beyond this mode to really distill the essence of the theory in its mature form, which is what I really want to understand. This book will probably be of much more utility to readers who already have a better grasp on the math and would like to learn more about the theory's human history, rather than someone like myself who is a nonspecialist interested in learning about symmetry and the Monster.
 real-worldy
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 Meghan
 13 reviews 7 followers
 October 19, 2009
 The subject matter of Ronan's "Symmetry and the Monster" is fascinating: Symmetry mathematics, an accidental quest of discovery that lasts for centuries, tie-ins with String Theory, Quantum Physics and the j-function. Still, though, I would not recommend this book if this is one's initial foray into studying any of these subjects. Ronan, while he writes gently and does explain some concepts, is first and foremost interested in the mathematical discoveries that led to the uncovering of the Monster Group. However, Ronan will bombard the reader with certain concepts that seem to appear in brain-aching clusters; paradoxically, Ronan will present a concept's name then write, "But more on this later..." as he continues the biography. Overall, it's an incredibly interesting book. Just do your homework before you go read it.
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 James
 Author 9 books 66 followers
 October 9, 2017
 Interesting experience reading. The book had explanations of how groups worked. I grasped each one loosely, then kind of forgot what I had grasped as I read on. I had a kind of " Tacit Dimension " style grasp of the explanations as I went into the next explanation. So now I have a vague sense of what groups are (and of how the various structures leading up to the Monster are), which was more than I had before. It's like, I understand, but I don't.

 It's good to have a taste of the mathematicians' vibe and "way of moving". I found myself thinking in terms of "These people / things are all different but I can take them to be the same in certain important respects", the same move the early group theorists made to invent group theory.
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 Charles
 18 reviews
 October 29, 2008
 Symmetry and the Monster: The Story of One of the Greatest Quests of Mathematics , By Mark Ronan. Oxford University Press, 2006. Note: I am also posting (probably several times) about this book and others like it on Gyre&Gimble .

 This is an excellent way for the non-mathematician to learn about what is going on in the attempt to classify symmetries by discovering all the finite "simple groups". The last one found was the Monster Group and the classification was completed in 1982. This book is full of fascinating information about how this came about and the tantalizing connections between physics and the Monster that have been discovered since.



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 Erickson
 290 reviews 119 followers
 January 12, 2012
 Good introduction on symmetry and group theory, with sufficient breadth though not depth. However, the writing style is quite 'vexing' sometimes, especially on the part where the author kept repeating "we shall meet with this later" or "we will deal with this in the next chapter" etc. too many times. It at one juncture really made the reader 'fed up'.

 Nonetheless, the book is broad enough to let readers know what is at stake and what are the things covered in those topics, though the exposition is not clear in explaining some basic concepts, or some explanations are too much simplified that the essence is probably lost. It is still a good book, though not an excellent one admittedly.
 mathematics
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 Brandon Wicke
 54 reviews 5 followers
 December 18, 2015
 Informative, though very dense and perhaps beyond my reach. Math, unlike physics where I have more experience, is much tougher to grasp conceptually, and I feel I would've benefitted from more exploration on how the great monster of symmetry underpins our physical universe, though perhaps that's simply not known yet. A good read, less interesting to me than the Language of Numbers, but definitely gives one the same inspiring sense that there is a very complex and fascinating order to things that numbers can uncover in extraordinary ways.
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 Thomas Bartsch
 3 reviews
 September 7, 2019
 The author presents the long succession of mathematicians who contributed to the classification of the finite simple groups. He indicates the debates and achievements that finally led to the complete solution. While reading the book I found myself swept up in the excitement of the quest.

 Unfortunately, the mathematical content of the book is minimal. If, like me, you are hoping to learn about the groups themselves, as opposed to the mathematicians who discovered them, this is not the right book for you.
 nonfiction unclassified
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 E
 10 reviews 5 followers
 April 15, 2020
 It nicely summarized all the major mathematical achievements that eventually led to the discovery of the Monster and the baby. The climax could be more dramatic, but I also liked the dryness in the tone of the narration. It was a good contrast when using the dry tone when narrating very dramatic and rather flame-like lives of many mathematicians, such as Galois and Sophus Lie, and their daring achievement to find the most beautiful and complex symmetry group that contains all the wonders of the universe.
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Symmetry and the Monster: The Story of One of the Great…
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https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33544879-the-desert-and-the-sea
The Desert and the Sea: 977 Days Captive on the Somali …
2018-07-24
Author
<div><div><p></p><h3>Friends &amp; Following </h3><p></p></div><div><p>Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews</p><div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/50966750-da-al"></a></section><section><p>360 reviews359 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2619028499">December 8, 2018</a></section><div><p>A commentary on heroism, journalism, survival, and sanity. How do journalists report on dangerous situations and emerge with body and soul intact? In some ways one may, in others one can't entirely... The author intelligently and vividly discusses how and why he survived almost 3 years as a hostage. In addition, he contemplates the effects of U.S. involvement in other countries. Excellent, including audio narrator.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/50966750?shelf=audio-books">audio-books</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/50966750?shelf=non-fiction">non-fiction</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/23100707-jean"></a></section><section><p>1,699 reviews737 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2489092824">August 18, 2018</a></section><div><p>This is a fascinating story about the three years of Moore’s captivity by Somali pirates. Moore is a journalist and a gifted storyteller. Moore used his journalist tools of observation, interviewing techniques, and his interest in people’s stories to help him survive and then write an excellent memoir. The author provided a first-hand account of the Muslim pirates, the beginning of Al-Shabaab and the rise of ISIS which revealed the various faces of Islam. I was interested in his analysis of the political and economic problems of Somali.<p>The book is well written; in fact, Moore’s storytelling gift made it read like a page turning novel. The story of his capture, starvation, isolation and injuries made this into a nail-biting thriller. He made this so real I almost felt the flies crawling on my face.</p><p>I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is just over twelve hours. Coray Snow does an excellent job narrating the story. Snow was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and is now a full-time audiobook narrator. Snow specializes in science fiction, fantasy, military and history audiobooks. He has a voice that is easy to listen too. He has a reading rhythm appropriate to the story.</p></p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/23100707?shelf=audio-book">audio-book</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/23100707?shelf=autobiography">autobiography</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/23100707?shelf=history">history</a> </ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/68789420-oko-w-sieci"></a></section><section><p>178 reviews1,225 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2855355475">June 12, 2019</a></section><div><p><b>FILMOWA RECENZJA: <a href="https://youtu.be/Uycil2fjMi0">https://youtu.be/Uycil2fjMi0</a></b><p></p><p>Zostałem porwany. Przez pustynię i przez morze.</p><p>Przekroczyłem tę granicę horyzontu, po której odczuwa się głód poznania nowego. Często wychodzę poza strefę swojego komfortu, żeby poczuć się nieswojo, ale dostać w zamian garść tematów do refleksji. Ta książka ma rozmiar uniwersalny. Dopasowuje się do wrażliwości czytelnika.<br />Wszyscy chcą dzisiaj mówić, ale nikt nie chce słuchać. Tym bardziej poczułem obowiązek, aby Wam o tej książce opowiedzieć.<br />Ta historia wydarzyła się naprawdę.<br />977 dni w niewoli. Wyobraźcie to sobie. Ja wciąż nie mogę.</p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/29796872-sara"></a></section><section><p>294 reviews3 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2487189862">August 14, 2018</a></section><div><p>I am amazed that a 450 page book about almost three years of captivity was so engrossing. I didn't realize how good a job Moore had done evoking what his captivity was like until the end of the book when he is finally released. Before he even tells you of his reaction to freedom, you can intuit what that would be like (only to a degree, of course) after the deprivation and hopelessness he experienced. Everything about this book was deeply human. </p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/4561338-nicola"></a></section><section><p>306 reviews15 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2685890980">January 23, 2019</a></section><div><p>I'm going against the grain here, because this book has had rave reviews. Well, folks, it's an interesting enough tome and I feel bad being critical of it because, heaven only knows, Michael Scott Moore underwent an ordeal that likely would have killed me. But, in his telling of it, I kept waiting for some really serious analysis, some attempted explanation of why piracy happens; how he found the will to survive; how a mix of tribalism, distorted Islam and world events may or may not create the 'perfect storm' that allows these kidnappings to happen. I never really found it in the book, in any depth. So, while I persisted with the entire thing, just to find out how it ended, I closed the covers feeling not one whit more informed about the circumstances of the event, and somewhat overfed on the details of the captivity.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/3117194-hillary"></a></section><section><p>194 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2470971221">November 18, 2018</a></section><div><p>This was an engrossing read, made all the more harrowing because the author is an acquaintance of mine. </p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3117194?shelf=bio-memoir">bio-memoir</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/984458-ren-e"></a></section><section><p>Author <i></i>6 books34 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2470100232">August 2, 2018</a></section><div><p>Michael Scott Moore's "The Desert and the Sea: 977 Days Captive on the Somali Pirate Coast" is phenomenal. It is an incredible book of memoir and reportage, personal experience and historical context. The writing is thoughtful, insightful, and beautiful. I wish Moore had never had the experience of being taken hostage; nevertheless, since he did, I am grateful for his profound record. (And--enormous thanks to all those who worked to bring him home. Plus Moore's mum really emerges as the hero of this story. Amazing.)</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/984458?shelf=favorites">favorites</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4337684462">November 20, 2021</a></section><div><p>After watching Captain Philips I wanted to learn more about Somali pirates and their country, this far-flung corner of the world thathas long been touted as the 'worst country in the world', one of the poorest, and one of the most dangerous. Michael Scott Moore's book is powerful, compelling and informative. Held captive in wretched conditions for almost 3 years by a revolving cast of pirates, thieves and criminals, he talks about his constant struggles to keep himself sane, look after his fellow captives, and manage and maintain the important but potentially devastating hope of going free.<p>Moore's work is in the best vein of non-fic works. He makes you forget that you re reading at all, and before you know it you ve read 100 pages. He paints a vivid picture of life, such as it is, as a captive in the Somali bush or aboard a captured, derelict fishing vessel. His writing on his own interior struggles with his declining mental and physical health, as well as his variable relationship with his captors, helps to paint a picture of just what an ordeal this was. Upon his eventual release, he describes how, even when he was safely back in Germany, he could scarcely believe it, and how long it took him to regain the powers of polite conversation and fully rational thought.</p><p>It also brought home to me just how alien Somalia is. Thanks to civil war and ongoing tribal conflicts, most of these pirates had never had any education. They lived in a world where FGM was the norm, where there was a universal hatred of jews despite tje fact none of them had ever seen one. They saw themselves as devout muslims despite contravening many of the Koran s rules. The outside world, particularly the west, was a distant land, barely understood if at all. Moore manages to generate some sympathy for the kinder pirates during his ordeal, but his simmering rage and anger against those who show him and his comrades cruelty, hardship or outright violence is clear, and neverending surprise and frustration at the pirates lax attitude towards the truth also rankles effectively.</p><p>This is where Moore is most effective, when describing events. There are some passages where he veers into philosophical thoughts and rumination on his capture that are harder to follow, where his point becomes somewhat nebulous. </p><p>Overall a great book that should be talked about more as a key work on modern Somalia, as well as included in lists of best nonfic books.</p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/18433359-mel"></a></section><section><p>896 reviews14 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2491623432">August 12, 2018</a></section><div><p>My husband read this and afterward said "read it". And I am glad I did, Michael Scott Moore has written an incredible story about a horrific situation. The way he humanizes his cruel, but ridiculous Somali guards is a testament to his talented writing and his generous spirit. By the time I finished his tale I loved him like a son. I am so glad he survived his capture to write this very important and informative book. </p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/73029907-cav"></a></section><section><p>625 reviews77 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3105987098">August 23, 2020</a></section><div><p>Wow, what a story! Author Michael Scott Moore went to Somalia to research and write a book on the Pirates there. I can say in a tongue-in-cheek way that his ultimate kidnapping and imprisonment by these pirates provided him with some great first-hand material for this book. <br /><a href="https://ibb.co/p1xtVTG">
 
</a><br />His presence became known by the local pirates almost immediately, and he heard rumors that they wanted to kidnap him. The rumors turned out to be true, and they scooped him up one day in January 2012, in the Somalian town of Galkayo.<br /><a href="https://imgbb.com/">
 
</a><br />The story here is quite incredible. I love reading tales of real-life sagas like this.<br />Moore's captivity ultimately lasted an unbelievable 977 days, and spanned many different locations; every time the pirates heard an airplane or got spooked, they would pack up and move. <br />Don't worry, I won't give away any spoilers in this review...<br /><a href="https://imgbb.com/">
 
</a><br />The writing here is very good; Moore writes with an easy and engaging style. The book never struggles to hold your attention. <br /><i>The Desert and the Sea</i> was also super-interesting; there are many insights into the pirate culture, and there are some excellent stories in here. <br />Moore also intersplices the tale of his kidnapping with some deep information about his past, his father, and himself. <br /><br />Another small complaint about this book is that there were no pictures. I would have really liked to see the mercenary Joe, his fellow prisoner Rolly, and whatever else could be added. Oh well...<p>I would definitely recommend this one to anyone interested. Because, as catastrophically naïve and/or stupid as it may have been for a white American to travel to Somalia to research a book on pirates, it did at least make for a great story...<br />The irony (which I'm sure has not been lost on the author) is that Moore traveled to Somalia to write a book about the Somali Pirates. Well, he got his book. <br />Mess with the bull, get the horns.<br />4.5 stars.</p></p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/73029907?shelf=africa">africa</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/73029907?shelf=biography">biography</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/73029907?shelf=culture">culture</a> </ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2658542192">January 5, 2019</a></section><div><p><strong>Twice as long as it should be. </strong><p>It’s a good story. Possibly even a great story, but it starts to drag early on and doesn’t pick up again until the very end. It was a chore to read, and that’s a shame because it’s an amazing thing to have lived through. </p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/8457950-lynn-a-davidson"></a></section><section><p>5,739 reviews23 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2503961347">August 24, 2018</a></section><div><p>This is the very interesting true story about the author's harrowing experience as a journalist whose desire to interview pirates lead to his kidnapping and over 2 years as a hostage in Somalia. </p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/8457950?shelf=non-fiction">non-fiction</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/8457950?shelf=reviewed">reviewed</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2178074-bridget"></a></section><section><p>925 reviews85 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3544568129">September 12, 2020</a></section><div><p>There is a certain feel to a certain kind of captivity (or isolation) narrative and this one definitely has it - this sense that this person has spent a lot of time alone with their thoughts, and has perhaps written portions, or even the majority, of the book you're reading in their head during the worst stretches of confinement. It's the kind of book where the author seeks to understand his captors, then judges them harshly, then comes around to accepting them as individuals, and then writes them all off as hopeless criminals. And then does it all over again.<p>I was skeptical about how interesting this book could possibly be, having been recently burned by <a href="https://goodreads.com/book/show/39938157.Prisoner_My_544_Days_in_an_Iranian_Prison_Solitary_Confinement__a_Sham_Trial__High_Stakes_Diplomacy__and_the_Extraordinary_Efforts_It_Took_to_Get_Me_Out">Prisoner</a>, and seeing that it's really just the one guy and seemingly interchangeable captors. But Moore has none of Azarian's pettiness and Azarian has none of Moore's curiosity, and Moore's captors turn out to not be so interchangeable. Plus, he spends a decent chunk of time with a multinational band of hostages aboard a captured fishing boat and they are an extremely colorful cast of characters. If it weren't for the miserable circumstances, the opportunity for him to spend time with people like Rolly seems almost enviable.</p></p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2178074?shelf=2020">2020</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/50863622-cindy-vallar"></a></section><section><p>Author <i></i>4 books13 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2500802596">August 20, 2018</a></section><div><p>As a reporter for Spiegel Online, Michael Moore covered a piracy trial – the first held in Germany in over four hundred years. What he learned piqued his curiosity to know more about Somali pirates, so he accompanied Ashwin Raman, a documentary maker and war correspondent for German TV, to the Horn of Africa in 2012. At the time of their arrival, the pirates held more than 700 sailors captive. They mostly hailed from Asian countries and were often referred to as the “forgotten hostages.”<p>The journey cost several thousand dollars for two weeks and a Somali elder from the same town as many of the pirates on trial arranged for Moore’s and Raman’s protection during their stay. Having dual citizenship, Moore traveled under a German passport, but was also an American. All went according to plan until one conversation with Somalis mentioned a pirate lord who wished to kidnap him. It was just a rumor, perhaps spread to raise their anxiety, but an incident soon after convinced both men it was time to go home. But Moore hadn’t yet interviewed any of the pirate defendants’ families, so while Raman prepared to leave Somalia, Moore decided to stay just a few days longer to conduct the interviews. Instead, he was forced to remain in country for nearly three years.</p><p>The ambush occurred soon after he left the airport following the departure of Raman’s plane. Moore was yanked from the car, beaten, his wrist broken, his glasses lost, and his belongings taken. The threat of dying became a constant. He was awakened during the night and moved from one location to another – sometimes staying in dilapidated houses, other times in the bush or on a captured vessel – while enduring sickness, beatings, chains, malicious guards, a thorough regulation of his daily life, few comforts, and a total inability to understand why. Although there were periods where he was the only hostage, he also spent a lot of time with a kidnapped Seychelles fisherman named Rolly Tambara, who became his best friend and often warned, “Do not make them angry, Michael.” (11) Yet small defiances, hope of rescue or escape, friendship, and a desire not to end up like his father helped Moore endure.</p><p>The Desert and the Sea is principally an account of Michael Moore’s time as a pirate captive, and yet it is so much more. He introduces readers to Somali culture and history, from colonial times to independence to devolution into a war-torn country rife with poverty and anarchy. This book is not just his story; it is also about other hostages, including those with whom he spent time and others rescued or lost during his captivity. More importantly, he shows the psychological, physical, and emotional impacts of long-term captivity, as well as the after effects he and other captives experienced following their releases. At the same time, he discusses growing up in California and coming to terms with his father’s suicide. He also recounts the often unseen side of kidnappings – what the victims’ families experience and the frustrating process of negotiating with pirates who demand exorbitant ransoms, such as the $20,000,000 they demanded for Moore’s release.</p><p>This is an up-close-and-personal, harrowing account of a pirate captive. Perhaps because he entwines confinement with personal episodes from his past, we get a miniscule taste of what he experienced in a way that makes it all too real. We also come away with an inkling of just how long 977 days under the constant threat of loss of life and liberty must have felt like. It is equal to other such accounts, yet it is also unique and unforgettable. As gritty as desert sand and as salty as the sea.</p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/27062598-ellen"></a></section><section><p>361 reviews5 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2469715360">July 31, 2018</a></section><div><p>What a great read! Combine a gripping story and a good writer and you have a winner. A thrilling tale of kidnapping and survival under the harshest of conditions. </p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/27062598?shelf=favorites">favorites</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2546025236">October 18, 2018</a></section><section><div><p>The text below is notes I've taken for a resource review. It will give you an idea of what the book is like though, so I figured I'd include it. Spoilers.<p>-Author Michael Scott Moore an American who lives in Germany was inspired to go to Somalia to write a book about piracy and the culture surrounding it following the court case of a number of Somali pirates in Germany who had been captured after hijacking a German fishing boat. <br />-He initially intended to write a book comparing the situations of the US and Somalia, and argue that if Somalians were provided resources and infrastructure to help them build ports and harbours, the need and desire to commit piracy would be drastically reduced. This would be because these ports and harbours would provide jobs for people as well as an economic boost for the region. <br />-He discusses how in America, they had a major piracy problem that was more or less solved within in 3 decades. This was achieved by developing said harbours and ports along the Atlantic coast. He argued that while the situations are certainly different, it might be possible to achieve something similar in Somalia. <br />-Initially, his trip was moderately successful as he was able to tour the region, including Hobyo, a well-known pirate town, as well as interview a pirate directly. This pirate whom he interviewed noted that the reason they commit piracy is to defend their waters from other countries who come there to fish illegally. <br />-Somalia was in turmoil after the overthrowing of their dictator Mohammad Siad Barre by a rebel movement (this is touched on briefly in the film Black Hawk Down). Despite how despised Barre was, it seemed like he was the only one who would be able to keep foreign countries from illegally fishing in Somalian waters. <br />-As a by-product, groups of Somalians began to approach these international ships and force them to pay a tax or a fee before they could resume fishing in their waters. This was the basis for what would eventually become Somali piracy, as the groups slowly became more and more violent throughout the 1990’s and into the 2000’s and eventually realized that they could make a lot more money for the trouble if they simply hijacked the ship or kidnapped passengers. <br />-Another reason Somalian’s wanted to control their waters was because the Italian mafia, after the fall of Barre, had made agreements with Somali warlords that would allow them to dump poisonous or toxic waste in their waters OR bury it in their beaches. As a result, Moore noted that he would frequently see large barrels or drums sitting along beaches and was told that the locals were simply unable to remove them due to the size. This also meant that Moore essentially refused to drink well water during his trip as he was (understandably) concerned that the well water had been contaminated.<br />-Moore was travelling with another journalist. This journalist was set to fly out a day before Moore to Mogadishu, while Moore was flying out to Nairobi. After seeing off his fellow journalist at the airport, it was upon his return to his hotel that his vehicle was ambushed. That day, Moore suspiciously only had one guard with him, and as they were driving they were forced to pull over by an armoured truck with a mounted machine gun on it.<br />-Moore noted this was the first time he was ever consciously aware he was in denial. As numerous Somalians leapt from the armoured vehicle, he found himself thinking “this is normal, they just want to see my passport, and then they will let us go on our way”. This reality was quickly shattered when they tried to force open the door. Moore was beaten with the butt ends of their AK-47s, including his wrist being broken, glasses being shattered and a gash being opened on his head. <br />-Moore was then shuttled away and moved constantly for the next month or two. During his first few days, he encountered numerous other hostages, including two who would be rescued 4 days after his capture when a group of NAVY Seals snuck up on a sleeping group of pirates, executed them, and then escorted the hostages to safety.<br />-The first day of being a hostage, he was forced to call his mother in LA (who was already aware of his situation) and demand the ransom which his captors wanted: 20 million dollars. He initially laughed at the pirates and told them that no one has that kind of money. They of course did not think it was funny.<br />-Eventually, Moore was moved to a fishing boat and was held captive on the boat for 9 months. Surprisingly, this was the most enjoyable or positive part of the experience for Moore, as he was able to befriend the crew of the boat who were also being held hostage. This at least gave him some company.<br />-Moore was eventually returned to land, and the constant movement and changing of positions resumed. <br />-Near the end of his ordeal, Moore found it incredibly difficult to persevere, as many would. He found it especially difficult because as the pirates got more comfortable with him, they would leave weapons and guns lying around him. The typical thought of grabbing a gun and trying to blast his way to an escape crossed his mind occasionally. Perhaps more difficult, was the thought of grabbing the gun and committing suicide with it. This was something Moore agonized over for a long time, as he felt he would no longer be a burden to his family and friends if he ended his own life.<br />-While Moore was of course beaten, manipulated and abused while with these pirates, there were also some who treated him decently. The pirates also had an incentive to keep Moore healthy, so they provided him with things like a mosquito net to try to prevent him from getting malaria or providing him with bottled water as he refused to drink what he felt was contaminated well water.<br />-Moore’s captors eventually agreed to accept a 2.4 million dollar ransom that was raised by family and friends. He believes they settled on this amount because after two and a half years he was looking very frail and weak, and the pirates would rather take 2.4 million than have him die and get nothing.<br />-Moore was told at one point during the ordeal that his kidnapping was revenge for the Battle of Mogadishu, a battle which took place in 1993 in Mogadishu between US forces and Siad Barre’s men. This battle is the subject of the book/movie Black Hawk Down<br />-Moore found returning to normal life understandably difficult. He found himself constantly overwhelmed upon return. For example, friends and family had been taking care of his finances while he was held hostage. Upon his return there were a lot of loose ends that needed to be tied up, but Moore could only process paperwork or things of that nature for maybe 10 or 15 minutes a day following his return, otherwise he would become incredibly anxious and be unable to focus.<br />-Moore still seems to take the approach that Somali pirates are products of their environment and not necessarily bad people, although it does appear he holds some resentment towards the situation, which would be more than reasonable. <br />-The writing style of the book a lot of times makes it feel like you are reading a fiction novel. In addition, it is such an unbelievable story and it compels you to continue forward to find out what happens next. The book does start to lag a bit during the middle, however; but this makes sense as Moore was held captive for 2 and a half years. Sometimes the description is lacking, but it is understandable considering the experience he went through.</p></p></div><div><p>This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.</p></div></section><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/95178916-rebecca"></a></section><section><p>284 reviews3 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2900609880">September 19, 2019</a></section><div><p>I so enjoyed Michaels writing. Recently I have read many true stories, written by the people who lived them, but the difference with this book is that Michael not only lived it, but he is a professional writer. This bought another level to the book that my other recent reads didn’t have - bigger words, colourful phrases, more descriptions and details. He can paint a picture with words, so that I could “see” the faces, “feel” the hopelessness or the anger, “taste” the food (blerrgh). Michaels story was well crafted, explained the situation/political landscape of the country he was held captive in, with historical and political references, and explored the behaviour/motivations of his guards and kidnappers and the personalities of his fellow hostages. <br />Thankyou Micheal for telling your story.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><p><b>Read</b></p><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2589817344">November 10, 2018</a></section><div><p>American author is researching modern day piracy in Somalia when he is abducted in 2012. He remains in captivity for more than two years moved continually because of his captors worry about US rescue attempts. He spent a good portion of this time on a docked freighter with the Asian crew as fellow prisoners. Moore befriends a fisherman from Seychelles called Rolly. Like all such hostage situations the time in captivity is mostly extreme boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. Moore's curiosity about people and willingness to engage his captors keeps the reading interesting. He tries to escape once and worries about his mental balance. His release is emotional and it takes a long time for him to find his bearings. He was ransomed out but does not reveal how much was eventually paid to the pirates probably under advice that this would be harmful to future victims. Very well written. </p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/104110650-barbara-em"></a></section><section><p>94 reviews7 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3926226495">April 6, 2021</a></section><div><p>Bardzo porządnie napisany reportaż z ciekawymi wstawkami biograficzno-psychologiczno-filozoficznymi, zaprzeczyć się nie da, ale jeżeli ktoś szuka "prawdziwej historii o walce, przetrwaniu i potędze ludzkiego ducha" niech sobie poczyta idk Grudzińskiego bo to jednak zupełnie nie ten poziom. <br />Na marginesie przez całą książkę nie przestawało mnie bawić to jak cholernie amerykański jest autor, pomimo swojego mieszanego pochodzenia. Ta amerykańskość wyłazi każdym porem XDDD Przepiękne też były momenty kiedy tłumacz korygował autora. Niesamowicie szanuję.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/104110650?shelf=reportage">reportage</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2532724-jen-k"></a></section><section><p>958 reviews6 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3239813820">March 26, 2020</a></section><div><p>Engrossing account of a journalist held hostage by Somali pirates for almost 3 years. He took a gamble that he would be able to safely investigate the growing trend of pirates from Somalia and went much more in depth than he intended. I really couldn't imagine enduring that ordeal. Moore does a great job bringing the reader into the depravity of it, the constant unknown and instability. His years filled with regret for thinking visit Somalia was a good idea and the impact it would be causing his family in friends accompanied by the interactions with other hostages and the pirates, both guards and bosses. He contemplates the rage of being hostage and how to not let it overtake him. His survival is powerful and his mother is amazing for negotiating his ransom, fundraising money to pay the pirates and being there for her son. <p>I was able to hear Moore at a local reading when the book came out. It was obvious that this is a trauma that is not easily put in the past. </p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/82337497-hanna"></a></section><section><p>55 reviews1 follower</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4297584399">November 1, 2021</a></section><div><p>Sobering account of Moore’s time in captivity with Somali pirates. I really enjoyed Moore’s exploration of the complicated relationship and power dynamics between captors and captives, especially in the context of piracy. He does a great job at acknowledging how his treatment was a direct reflection of him being a white westerner, while still highlighting the extreme violence those without that same privilege suffered through. Frames piracy in a very realistic and digestible form. </p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2698591344">February 11, 2019</a></section><div><p>The author (a journalist) did an excellent job telling the details of his kidnapping. Not only did he tell his story but also gave good background on the beginning of pirates and other areas too, including about Muslims. </p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/21608484?shelf=books-2019">books-2019</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/21608484?shelf=memoir">memoir</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/90911683-angelica"></a></section><section><p>6 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2750844445">March 31, 2019</a></section><div><p>Amazing. Teetering between essay, memoir, and dreamlike story, this book is completely insightful and incredibly human. I am humbled.</p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/90911683?shelf=favorites">favorites</a></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/105841399-adrian-husar"></a></section><section><p>9 reviews4 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3234879961">June 3, 2020</a></section><div><p>Only a real, hard life could write a story like this one.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/5131404-nate-hendrix"></a></section><section><p>919 reviews6 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2469283802">April 11, 2019</a></section><div><p>Hostage stories are all different, but each has some elements in common. The advantage Moore has is that he is being held for ransom. The Somali pirates are holding him in expectation of a payday, not because of ideological differences. As unpleasant as his experience was it's not like he was being held by the Taliban, who could kill him to gain publicity. An easy read and educational. I learned things about Somalia and the pirate trade that I did not know before.</p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/6823182-peter-franklin"></a></section><section><p>43 reviews</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2645574359">December 30, 2018</a></section><div><p>Quite an interesting story to read. As I am short-sighted I can sympathise with the author having to go almost a 1000 days without his glasses. Much of his time in captivity was boring for him and also for his captors, some of whom were treated him not too harshly but others were much less decent.<p> For a story where not a lot happened most of the time, it was still a good read, which is testament to the Michael Scott Moore who was both the captive and author.</p></p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6823182?shelf=biography">biography</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6823182?shelf=memoir">memoir</a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/6823182?shelf=non-fiction">non-fiction</a> </ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2818347365">May 12, 2019</a></section><div><p>O walce o przetrwanie, o zachowanie godności w świecie barbarzyńskiego okrucieństwa oraz o współczesnych piratach opowiada Michael Scott Moore w Pustyni i morzu. 977 dni w niewoli na somalijskim wybrzeżu piratów.<p>Wizja korsarzy posiadana przez współczesnego mieszkańca Zachodniej cywilizacji, ukształtowana została przez wielkie hollywoodzkie produkcje. Wyobrażamy sobie władców mórz opływających wody na swych drewnianych łajbach, toczących walki zarówno z przeciwnikami dążącymi do ich pochwycenia i osądzenia, jak również zmagają się z żywiołem i niejednokrotnie nieprzychylną pogodą. Chodzą z opaską na oku, na ramienia kapitana znajduje się gadająca papuga, a szabla i armaty stają się dla nich nieodłącznymi towarzyszkami pełnego przygód i niebezpieczeństw życia. Jednak ich prawdziwy obraz różni się od tego wykreowanego przez kino. Przekonał się o tym Michael Scott Moore, który zbierając materiały do książki poświęconej tej właśnie tematyce, został porwany i więziony przez współczesnych piratów. </p><p>W styczniu 2012 roku ukończył cykl reportaży z hamburskiego procesu piratów somalijskich i pasjonując się od dzieciństwa korsarstwem, postanowił bardziej wnikliwie przyjrzeć się ich prawdziwemu wizerunkowi i możliwościom ukrócenia zjawiska kidnapingu, stanowiącego dla nich główne źródło dochodu. Chciał poznać przyczynę ich istnienia, zestawić historyczny obraz tych panów mórz i oceanów z tym obecnym. W tym celu udał się do Somalii, miał mieć zapewnioną gwarancję nietykalności, tymczasem dowiedział się o planach jego porwanie dla okupu. Wkrótce na własnej skórze przekonał się, że w Rogu Afryki każda pogłoska momentalnie może przeistoczyć się w prawdę. Uprowadzony i więziony przez blisko trzy lata, dogłębnie poznał prawdę o życiu somalijskich piratów, prawach jakimi się rządzą, istniejących między nimi podziałach i przede wszystkim regule siły panującej w obozie. Przyzwyczajony do europejskich i amerykańskich standardów egzystencji, przekonał się, że teraz znalazł się w zupełnie innej rzeczywistości, w której przetrwać mogą tylko najsilniejsi. </p><p>Moore doświadczał każdego dnia cienkiej granicy między depresją, poczuciem beznadziei, strachu a odnajdywaniem w sobie wewnętrznej siły do przeciwstawienia się okrucieństwu swych gospodarzy. Obecne klany rozbójników morskich nie mają nic wspólnego z Jackiem Sparrowem, a ich codzienność wiele nie różni się od tej, jaką prowadzili ich przodkowie żyjący dwieście lat temu. Na porządku dziennym jest podporządkowanie się surowym regułom, odpowiednie traktowanie więźniów - za przekraczanie dozwolonych granic, sami mogą zostać ukarani przez bossa. To ludzie wyklęci nie tylko przez świat Zachodu, ale również przez Islam potępiający praktyki porywania dla okupu. Podczas, gdy we własnej wyobraźni są bojownikami Allacha walczącymi z niewiernymi, ale przede wszystkim dążą do społecznej sprawiedliwości. Jeżeli Europejczycy bądź Amerykanie żyją na znacznie wyższym poziomie niż Somalijczycy, to czemu mają nie podzielić się swym bogactwem nawet, jeśli zostają do tego zmuszeni siłą. Autor zobaczył, że właśnie motyw wzbogacenia się i wyobrażeń milionów, jakie posiadają rodziny porwanych, stają się głównym motorem ich działania. Nie interesuje ich nic poza pieniędzmi. To ludzie ograniczeni, tępi, tacy których wbrew pozorom łatwo jest oszukać, nie istnieją między nimi żadne zasady wzajemnej lojalności – ważne jest tylko, komu uda się zgarnąć pieniądze. Stąd chcąc otrzymać oczekiwaną zapłatę, muszą zapewnić jeńcom bezpieczeństwo i nie pozwolić się wyśledzić przez służby wywiadowcze Stanów Zjednoczonych. Strach więc jest nieodłącznym uczuciem, jaki czują nie tylko zakładnicy ale i sami porywacze. Jedni i drudzy boją się o życie, z tego też powodu podejmują na tyle, na ile potrafią walkę o przetrwanie. Strażnicy pilnują swych „gości” aby nie uciekli, zmuszają ich do przestrzegania narzuconych im zasad i rytmu dnia, kontrolują przy rozmowach, aby przekazali rodzinom dokładnie to, co tamci mają usłyszeć. Wśród nich nie brakuje sadystów, jak również tych nie zgadzających się na znęcanie nad uprowadzonymi i bezmyślne zadawaniem im cierpienia. Moore więc mimo odczuwanego lęku o własne życie, postanowił wykorzystać korsarski „kodeks” do przeciwstawienia się okrutnemu i tępemu okrucieństwu, torturom, jak również podejmował próby przekazania wiadomości o swym obecnym miejscu przebywania. Walczył o lepsze jedzenie i warunki bytowania. </p><p>Autor nie tylko pokazuje codzienność zakładników, ale równocześnie analizuje przyczyny socjologiczne istnienia piractwa, odwołując się jednocześnie do jego wcześniejszych tradycji historycznych. Nawet cywilizowana Europa w swych dziejach ma epizody związane z grasowaniem piratów i walki, jaką podejmowały ówczesne potęgi morskie z tym zjawiskiem. Opisuje związki między nimi a gospodarką Somalii, czy walki klanowe. Podaje motywy działania i poglądy piratów na uprawianą przez nich praktykę. Równocześnie na tle tych dygresji, zamieszcza wiele wspomnień związanych z swoim życiem rodzinnym, czas dzieciństwa i życiowych wyborów. </p><p>Wszystko to sprawia, ze Pustynia i morze to z jednej strony swoistego rodzaju pamiętnik Moore`a z najgorszego w jego życiu okresu, z drugiej natomiast intersujące studium socjologiczno-kulturowe dotyczące współczesnego korsarstwa, z którym muszą się mierzyć państwa europejskie i USA. Książka ta jest na granicy sensacji i mimo, że zawiera swoistą autobiografię, to niestety są w niej momenty, gdy wydaje się mało realna, kiedy zaczyna dominować w niej amerykański epos super bohatera. Pisarz widząc śmierć swych współtowarzyszy, będąc bitym, głodzonym, widząc lęk w oczach innych zakładników, podejmuje swoiste starcie z porywaczami. Drażni ich, skarży się bossom, podejmuje strajki głodowe, jako formę protestu przeciw nieludzkiemu traktowaniu zakładników. Moore podejmuje również trudny temat, ile dla państw Zachodu warte jest życie ich obywateli. Kraje Zachodu bowiem nie spieszą się z płaceniem okupu, zamiast tego prowadzą kilkuletnie negocjacje z porywaczami, podejmują akcje zbrojne mające na celu uwolnienie swych obywateli z rąk porywaczy, wysyłają agentów rządowych do rodzin ofiar ucząc ich sposobów rozmowy z porywaczami, próbują zlokalizować miejsce przebywania więźniów. Przez to narażają ich tylko na większe niebezpieczeństwo. Autor jednak nie potępia zajmowanej między innymi przez Stany Zjednoczone postawy, lecz tłumaczy przyczynę, obrania przez nie takiej, a nie innej taktyki. Wreszcie książka ta stanowi istny tajfun emocji i dostarcza lektury, od której po prostu nie sposób się oderwać. </p></p></div><section><ul></ul></section><hr /></section></article></div><div><article><div><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2985672-david-hill"></a></section><section><p>505 reviews11 followers</p></section></div><section><section><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2502231767">August 24, 2018</a></section><div><p>Moore traveled to Somalia to research a book about the pirates there. He got more than he bargained for. <p><i>You have made a mistake. Mistakes are human.</i> He is told this by one of his captors, early on, and it becomes a bit of a mantra for him.</p><p>Moore spent more than two and a half years in captivity. Two and a half years as a hostage. For part of his time, he was kept with other hostages, other prisoners, on board a captured Chinese fishing boat.</p><p>He spent two and a half years sleeping on a foam mattress, swatting flies, confined to a single room. He spins this tale out to about 450 pages, and it's just the right length. We learn about why he went there, and when it's all over we get what I think is just the right amount of denouement. In between, we are with him as he struggles with his guards, with his memories, with his sanity.</p></p></div><section><ul><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/2985672?shelf=biography">biography</a></ul></section></section></article></div></div><p>Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews</p></div>||||I|||| * Home
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 The Desert and the Sea: 977 Days Captive on the Somali Pirate Coast

 Michael Scott Moore

 3.97
 1,970 ratings 176 reviews
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 Michael Scott Moore, a journalist and the author of Sweetness and Blood, incorporates personal narrative and rigorous investigative journalism in this profound and revelatory memoir of his three-year captivity by Somali pirates—a riveting,thoughtful, and emotionally resonant exploration of foreign policy, religious extremism, and the costs of survival.

 In January 2012, having covered a Somali pirate trial in Hamburg for Spiegel Online International—and funded by a grant from the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting—Michael Scott Moore traveled to the Horn of Africa to write about piracy and ways to end it. In a terrible twist of fate, Moore himself was kidnapped and subsequently held captive by Somali pirates. Subjected to conditions that break even the strongest spirits—physical injury, starvation, isolation, terror—Moore’s survival is a testament to his indomitable strength of mind. In September 2014, after 977 days, he walked free when his ransom was put together by the help of several US and German institutions, friends, colleagues, and his strong-willed mother.

 Yet Moore’s own struggle is only part of the story: The Desert and the Sea falls at the intersection of reportage, memoir, and history. Caught between Muslim pirates, the looming threat of Al-Shabaab, and the rise of ISIS, Moore observes the worlds that surrounded him—the economics and history of piracy; the effects of post-colonialism; the politics of hostage negotiation and ransom; while also conjuring the various faces of Islam—and places his ordeal in the context of the larger political and historical issues.

 A sort of Catch-22 meets Black Hawk Down, The Desert and the Sea is written with dark humor, candor, and a journalist’s clinical distance and eye for detail. Moore offers an intimate and otherwise inaccessible view of life as we cannot fathom it, brilliantly weaving his own experience as a hostage with the social, economic, religious, and political factors creating it. The Desert and the Sea is wildly compelling and a book that will take its place next to titles like Den of Lions and Even Silence Has an End.
 Genres Nonfiction Memoir Africa Biography History Autobiography True Crime
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 480 pages, ebook

 First published July 24, 2018

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 Michael Scott Moore

 6 books 58 followers
 Michael Scott Moore is a literary journalist and novelist, author of a comic novel about L.A., "Too Much of Nothing," as well as a travel book about surfing, "Sweetness and Blood," which was named a best book of 2010 by The Economist and Popmatters. He was kidnapped in 2012 on a reporting trip to Somalia and held hostage for two and a half years.

 His book about the ordeal, "The Desert and the Sea," is due out from Harper in mid-2018. He’s covered the European migration crisis for Businessweek, and politics, travel, and literature for The New Yorker, The Atlantic, LitHub, Newlines, Der Spiegel, GQ, The New Republic, The New York Times, and The L.A. Review of Books.

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 3.97
 1,970 ratings 176 reviews
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 439 (22%)
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 Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
 da AL
 360 reviews 359 followers
 December 8, 2018
 A commentary on heroism, journalism, survival, and sanity. How do journalists report on dangerous situations and emerge with body and soul intact? In some ways one may, in others one can't entirely... The author intelligently and vividly discusses how and why he survived almost 3 years as a hostage. In addition, he contemplates the effects of U.S. involvement in other countries. Excellent, including audio narrator.
 audio-books non-fiction
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 Jean
 1,699 reviews 737 followers
 August 18, 2018
 This is a fascinating story about the three years of Moore’s captivity by Somali pirates. Moore is a journalist and a gifted storyteller. Moore used his journalist tools of observation, interviewing techniques, and his interest in people’s stories to help him survive and then write an excellent memoir. The author provided a first-hand account of the Muslim pirates, the beginning of Al-Shabaab and the rise of ISIS which revealed the various faces of Islam. I was interested in his analysis of the political and economic problems of Somali.

 The book is well written; in fact, Moore’s storytelling gift made it read like a page turning novel. The story of his capture, starvation, isolation and injuries made this into a nail-biting thriller. He made this so real I almost felt the flies crawling on my face.

 I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is just over twelve hours. Coray Snow does an excellent job narrating the story. Snow was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and is now a full-time audiobook narrator. Snow specializes in science fiction, fantasy, military and history audiobooks. He has a voice that is easy to listen too. He has a reading rhythm appropriate to the story.
 audio-book autobiography history
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 Okoń w sieci
 178 reviews 1,225 followers
 June 12, 2019
 FILMOWA RECENZJA: https://youtu.be/Uycil2fjMi0



 Zostałem porwany. Przez pustynię i przez morze.

 Przekroczyłem tę granicę horyzontu, po której odczuwa się głód poznania nowego. Często wychodzę poza strefę swojego komfortu, żeby poczuć się nieswojo, ale dostać w zamian garść tematów do refleksji. Ta książka ma rozmiar uniwersalny. Dopasowuje się do wrażliwości czytelnika.
 Wszyscy chcą dzisiaj mówić, ale nikt nie chce słuchać. Tym bardziej poczułem obowiązek, aby Wam o tej książce opowiedzieć.
 Ta historia wydarzyła się naprawdę.
 977 dni w niewoli. Wyobraźcie to sobie. Ja wciąż nie mogę.
 9 likes
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 Sara
 294 reviews 3 followers
 August 14, 2018
 I am amazed that a 450 page book about almost three years of captivity was so engrossing. I didn't realize how good a job Moore had done evoking what his captivity was like until the end of the book when he is finally released. Before he even tells you of his reaction to freedom, you can intuit what that would be like (only to a degree, of course) after the deprivation and hopelessness he experienced. Everything about this book was deeply human.
 8 likes
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 Nicola
 306 reviews 15 followers
 January 23, 2019
 I'm going against the grain here, because this book has had rave reviews. Well, folks, it's an interesting enough tome and I feel bad being critical of it because, heaven only knows, Michael Scott Moore underwent an ordeal that likely would have killed me. But, in his telling of it, I kept waiting for some really serious analysis, some attempted explanation of why piracy happens; how he found the will to survive; how a mix of tribalism, distorted Islam and world events may or may not create the 'perfect storm' that allows these kidnappings to happen. I never really found it in the book, in any depth. So, while I persisted with the entire thing, just to find out how it ended, I closed the covers feeling not one whit more informed about the circumstances of the event, and somewhat overfed on the details of the captivity.
 6 likes
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 Hillary
 194 reviews
 November 18, 2018
 This was an engrossing read, made all the more harrowing because the author is an acquaintance of mine.
 bio-memoir
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 Renée
 Author 6 books 34 followers
 August 2, 2018
 Michael Scott Moore's "The Desert and the Sea: 977 Days Captive on the Somali Pirate Coast" is phenomenal. It is an incredible book of memoir and reportage, personal experience and historical context. The writing is thoughtful, insightful, and beautiful. I wish Moore had never had the experience of being taken hostage; nevertheless, since he did, I am grateful for his profound record. (And--enormous thanks to all those who worked to bring him home. Plus Moore's mum really emerges as the hero of this story. Amazing.)
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 Veeral
 359 reviews 133 followers
 December 21, 2018

 "Fucking."

 "Fucking."
 africa biography-memoir crime-true
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 Matthew
 39 reviews
 November 20, 2021
 After watching Captain Philips I wanted to learn more about Somali pirates and their country, this far-flung corner of the world thathas long been touted as the 'worst country in the world', one of the poorest, and one of the most dangerous. Michael Scott Moore's book is powerful, compelling and informative. Held captive in wretched conditions for almost 3 years by a revolving cast of pirates, thieves and criminals, he talks about his constant struggles to keep himself sane, look after his fellow captives, and manage and maintain the important but potentially devastating hope of going free.

 Moore's work is in the best vein of non-fic works. He makes you forget that you re reading at all, and before you know it you ve read 100 pages. He paints a vivid picture of life, such as it is, as a captive in the Somali bush or aboard a captured, derelict fishing vessel. His writing on his own interior struggles with his declining mental and physical health, as well as his variable relationship with his captors, helps to paint a picture of just what an ordeal this was. Upon his eventual release, he describes how, even when he was safely back in Germany, he could scarcely believe it, and how long it took him to regain the powers of polite conversation and fully rational thought.

 It also brought home to me just how alien Somalia is. Thanks to civil war and ongoing tribal conflicts, most of these pirates had never had any education. They lived in a world where FGM was the norm, where there was a universal hatred of jews despite tje fact none of them had ever seen one. They saw themselves as devout muslims despite contravening many of the Koran s rules. The outside world, particularly the west, was a distant land, barely understood if at all. Moore manages to generate some sympathy for the kinder pirates during his ordeal, but his simmering rage and anger against those who show him and his comrades cruelty, hardship or outright violence is clear, and neverending surprise and frustration at the pirates lax attitude towards the truth also rankles effectively.

 This is where Moore is most effective, when describing events. There are some passages where he veers into philosophical thoughts and rumination on his capture that are harder to follow, where his point becomes somewhat nebulous.

 Overall a great book that should be talked about more as a key work on modern Somalia, as well as included in lists of best nonfic books.
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 Mel
 896 reviews 14 followers
 August 12, 2018
 My husband read this and afterward said "read it". And I am glad I did, Michael Scott Moore has written an incredible story about a horrific situation. The way he humanizes his cruel, but ridiculous Somali guards is a testament to his talented writing and his generous spirit. By the time I finished his tale I loved him like a son. I am so glad he survived his capture to write this very important and informative book.
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 Corinne Noel Garcia
 82 reviews 2 followers
 August 2, 2018
 Surprisingly boring
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 Cav
 625 reviews 77 followers
 August 23, 2020
 Wow, what a story! Author Michael Scott Moore went to Somalia to research and write a book on the Pirates there. I can say in a tongue-in-cheek way that his ultimate kidnapping and imprisonment by these pirates provided him with some great first-hand material for this book.

 His presence became known by the local pirates almost immediately, and he heard rumors that they wanted to kidnap him. The rumors turned out to be true, and they scooped him up one day in January 2012, in the Somalian town of Galkayo.

 The story here is quite incredible. I love reading tales of real-life sagas like this.
 Moore's captivity ultimately lasted an unbelievable 977 days, and spanned many different locations; every time the pirates heard an airplane or got spooked, they would pack up and move.
 Don't worry, I won't give away any spoilers in this review...

 The writing here is very good; Moore writes with an easy and engaging style. The book never struggles to hold your attention.
 The Desert and the Sea was also super-interesting; there are many insights into the pirate culture, and there are some excellent stories in here.
 Moore also intersplices the tale of his kidnapping with some deep information about his past, his father, and himself.
 Moore doesn't get into the details of how much ransom was eventually paid to secure his release. A quick internet search reveals that it was $1.6 million USD. There was no mention as to where this money ultimately came from.
 Another small complaint about this book is that there were no pictures. I would have really liked to see the mercenary Joe, his fellow prisoner Rolly, and whatever else could be added. Oh well...

 I would definitely recommend this one to anyone interested. Because, as catastrophically naïve and/or stupid as it may have been for a white American to travel to Somalia to research a book on pirates, it did at least make for a great story...
 The irony (which I'm sure has not been lost on the author) is that Moore traveled to Somalia to write a book about the Somali Pirates. Well, he got his book.
 Mess with the bull, get the horns.
 4.5 stars.["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>["br"]>
 africa biography culture
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 3 likes
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 Scott K Bozarth
 7 reviews
 January 5, 2019
 Twice as long as it should be.

 It’s a good story. Possibly even a great story, but it starts to drag early on and doesn’t pick up again until the very end. It was a chore to read, and that’s a shame because it’s an amazing thing to have lived through.
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 Lynn A. Davidson
 5,739 reviews 23 followers
 August 24, 2018
 This is the very interesting true story about the author's harrowing experience as a journalist whose desire to interview pirates lead to his kidnapping and over 2 years as a hostage in Somalia.
 non-fiction reviewed
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 Bridget
 925 reviews 85 followers
 September 12, 2020
 There is a certain feel to a certain kind of captivity (or isolation) narrative and this one definitely has it - this sense that this person has spent a lot of time alone with their thoughts, and has perhaps written portions, or even the majority, of the book you're reading in their head during the worst stretches of confinement. It's the kind of book where the author seeks to understand his captors, then judges them harshly, then comes around to accepting them as individuals, and then writes them all off as hopeless criminals. And then does it all over again.

 I was skeptical about how interesting this book could possibly be, having been recently burned by Prisoner , and seeing that it's really just the one guy and seemingly interchangeable captors. But Moore has none of Azarian's pettiness and Azarian has none of Moore's curiosity, and Moore's captors turn out to not be so interchangeable. Plus, he spends a decent chunk of time with a multinational band of hostages aboard a captured fishing boat and they are an extremely colorful cast of characters. If it weren't for the miserable circumstances, the opportunity for him to spend time with people like Rolly seems almost enviable.
 2020
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 Cindy Vallar
 Author 4 books 13 followers
 August 20, 2018
 As a reporter for Spiegel Online, Michael Moore covered a piracy trial – the first held in Germany in over four hundred years. What he learned piqued his curiosity to know more about Somali pirates, so he accompanied Ashwin Raman, a documentary maker and war correspondent for German TV, to the Horn of Africa in 2012. At the time of their arrival, the pirates held more than 700 sailors captive. They mostly hailed from Asian countries and were often referred to as the “forgotten hostages.”

 The journey cost several thousand dollars for two weeks and a Somali elder from the same town as many of the pirates on trial arranged for Moore’s and Raman’s protection during their stay. Having dual citizenship, Moore traveled under a German passport, but was also an American. All went according to plan until one conversation with Somalis mentioned a pirate lord who wished to kidnap him. It was just a rumor, perhaps spread to raise their anxiety, but an incident soon after convinced both men it was time to go home. But Moore hadn’t yet interviewed any of the pirate defendants’ families, so while Raman prepared to leave Somalia, Moore decided to stay just a few days longer to conduct the interviews. Instead, he was forced to remain in country for nearly three years.

 The ambush occurred soon after he left the airport following the departure of Raman’s plane. Moore was yanked from the car, beaten, his wrist broken, his glasses lost, and his belongings taken. The threat of dying became a constant. He was awakened during the night and moved from one location to another – sometimes staying in dilapidated houses, other times in the bush or on a captured vessel – while enduring sickness, beatings, chains, malicious guards, a thorough regulation of his daily life, few comforts, and a total inability to understand why. Although there were periods where he was the only hostage, he also spent a lot of time with a kidnapped Seychelles fisherman named Rolly Tambara, who became his best friend and often warned, “Do not make them angry, Michael.” (11) Yet small defiances, hope of rescue or escape, friendship, and a desire not to end up like his father helped Moore endure.

 The Desert and the Sea is principally an account of Michael Moore’s time as a pirate captive, and yet it is so much more. He introduces readers to Somali culture and history, from colonial times to independence to devolution into a war-torn country rife with poverty and anarchy. This book is not just his story; it is also about other hostages, including those with whom he spent time and others rescued or lost during his captivity. More importantly, he shows the psychological, physical, and emotional impacts of long-term captivity, as well as the after effects he and other captives experienced following their releases. At the same time, he discusses growing up in California and coming to terms with his father’s suicide. He also recounts the often unseen side of kidnappings – what the victims’ families experience and the frustrating process of negotiating with pirates who demand exorbitant ransoms, such as the $20,000,000 they demanded for Moore’s release.

 This is an up-close-and-personal, harrowing account of a pirate captive. Perhaps because he entwines confinement with personal episodes from his past, we get a miniscule taste of what he experienced in a way that makes it all too real. We also come away with an inkling of just how long 977 days under the constant threat of loss of life and liberty must have felt like. It is equal to other such accounts, yet it is also unique and unforgettable. As gritty as desert sand and as salty as the sea.
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 Ellen
 361 reviews 5 followers
 July 31, 2018
 What a great read! Combine a gripping story and a good writer and you have a winner. A thrilling tale of kidnapping and survival under the harshest of conditions.
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 Zack Kennedy
 28 reviews 1 follower
 October 18, 2018
 The text below is notes I've taken for a resource review. It will give you an idea of what the book is like though, so I figured I'd include it. Spoilers.



 -Author Michael Scott Moore an American who lives in Germany was inspired to go to Somalia to write a book about piracy and the culture surrounding it following the court case of a number of Somali pirates in Germany who had been captured after hijacking a German fishing boat.
 -He initially intended to write a book comparing the situations of the US and Somalia, and argue that if Somalians were provided resources and infrastructure to help them build ports and harbours, the need and desire to commit piracy would be drastically reduced. This would be because these ports and harbours would provide jobs for people as well as an economic boost for the region.
 -He discusses how in America, they had a major piracy problem that was more or less solved within in 3 decades. This was achieved by developing said harbours and ports along the Atlantic coast. He argued that while the situations are certainly different, it might be possible to achieve something similar in Somalia.
 -Initially, his trip was moderately successful as he was able to tour the region, including Hobyo, a well-known pirate town, as well as interview a pirate directly. This pirate whom he interviewed noted that the reason they commit piracy is to defend their waters from other countries who come there to fish illegally.
 -Somalia was in turmoil after the overthrowing of their dictator Mohammad Siad Barre by a rebel movement (this is touched on briefly in the film Black Hawk Down). Despite how despised Barre was, it seemed like he was the only one who would be able to keep foreign countries from illegally fishing in Somalian waters.
 -As a by-product, groups of Somalians began to approach these international ships and force them to pay a tax or a fee before they could resume fishing in their waters. This was the basis for what would eventually become Somali piracy, as the groups slowly became more and more violent throughout the 1990’s and into the 2000’s and eventually realized that they could make a lot more money for the trouble if they simply hijacked the ship or kidnapped passengers.
 -Another reason Somalian’s wanted to control their waters was because the Italian mafia, after the fall of Barre, had made agreements with Somali warlords that would allow them to dump poisonous or toxic waste in their waters OR bury it in their beaches. As a result, Moore noted that he would frequently see large barrels or drums sitting along beaches and was told that the locals were simply unable to remove them due to the size. This also meant that Moore essentially refused to drink well water during his trip as he was (understandably) concerned that the well water had been contaminated.
 -Moore was travelling with another journalist. This journalist was set to fly out a day before Moore to Mogadishu, while Moore was flying out to Nairobi. After seeing off his fellow journalist at the airport, it was upon his return to his hotel that his vehicle was ambushed. That day, Moore suspiciously only had one guard with him, and as they were driving they were forced to pull over by an armoured truck with a mounted machine gun on it.
 -Moore noted this was the first time he was ever consciously aware he was in denial. As numerous Somalians leapt from the armoured vehicle, he found himself thinking “this is normal, they just want to see my passport, and then they will let us go on our way”. This reality was quickly shattered when they tried to force open the door. Moore was beaten with the butt ends of their AK-47s, including his wrist being broken, glasses being shattered and a gash being opened on his head.
 -Moore was then shuttled away and moved constantly for the next month or two. During his first few days, he encountered numerous other hostages, including two who would be rescued 4 days after his capture when a group of NAVY Seals snuck up on a sleeping group of pirates, executed them, and then escorted the hostages to safety.
 -The first day of being a hostage, he was forced to call his mother in LA (who was already aware of his situation) and demand the ransom which his captors wanted: 20 million dollars. He initially laughed at the pirates and told them that no one has that kind of money. They of course did not think it was funny.
 -Eventually, Moore was moved to a fishing boat and was held captive on the boat for 9 months. Surprisingly, this was the most enjoyable or positive part of the experience for Moore, as he was able to befriend the crew of the boat who were also being held hostage. This at least gave him some company.
 -Moore was eventually returned to land, and the constant movement and changing of positions resumed.
 -Near the end of his ordeal, Moore found it incredibly difficult to persevere, as many would. He found it especially difficult because as the pirates got more comfortable with him, they would leave weapons and guns lying around him. The typical thought of grabbing a gun and trying to blast his way to an escape crossed his mind occasionally. Perhaps more difficult, was the thought of grabbing the gun and committing suicide with it. This was something Moore agonized over for a long time, as he felt he would no longer be a burden to his family and friends if he ended his own life.
 -While Moore was of course beaten, manipulated and abused while with these pirates, there were also some who treated him decently. The pirates also had an incentive to keep Moore healthy, so they provided him with things like a mosquito net to try to prevent him from getting malaria or providing him with bottled water as he refused to drink what he felt was contaminated well water.
 -Moore’s captors eventually agreed to accept a 2.4 million dollar ransom that was raised by family and friends. He believes they settled on this amount because after two and a half years he was looking very frail and weak, and the pirates would rather take 2.4 million than have him die and get nothing.
 -Moore was told at one point during the ordeal that his kidnapping was revenge for the Battle of Mogadishu, a battle which took place in 1993 in Mogadishu between US forces and Siad Barre’s men. This battle is the subject of the book/movie Black Hawk Down
 -Moore found returning to normal life understandably difficult. He found himself constantly overwhelmed upon return. For example, friends and family had been taking care of his finances while he was held hostage. Upon his return there were a lot of loose ends that needed to be tied up, but Moore could only process paperwork or things of that nature for maybe 10 or 15 minutes a day following his return, otherwise he would become incredibly anxious and be unable to focus.
 -Moore still seems to take the approach that Somali pirates are products of their environment and not necessarily bad people, although it does appear he holds some resentment towards the situation, which would be more than reasonable.
 -The writing style of the book a lot of times makes it feel like you are reading a fiction novel. In addition, it is such an unbelievable story and it compels you to continue forward to find out what happens next. The book does start to lag a bit during the middle, however; but this makes sense as Moore was held captive for 2 and a half years. Sometimes the description is lacking, but it is understandable considering the experience he went through.
 This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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 Rebecca
 284 reviews 3 followers
 September 19, 2019
 I so enjoyed Michaels writing. Recently I have read many true stories, written by the people who lived them, but the difference with this book is that Michael not only lived it, but he is a professional writer. This bought another level to the book that my other recent reads didn’t have - bigger words, colourful phrases, more descriptions and details. He can paint a picture with words, so that I could “see” the faces, “feel” the hopelessness or the anger, “taste” the food (blerrgh). Michaels story was well crafted, explained the situation/political landscape of the country he was held captive in, with historical and political references, and explored the behaviour/motivations of his guards and kidnappers and the personalities of his fellow hostages.
 Thankyou Micheal for telling your story.
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 Adrian
 701 reviews 6 followers
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 November 10, 2018
 American author is researching modern day piracy in Somalia when he is abducted in 2012. He remains in captivity for more than two years moved continually because of his captors worry about US rescue attempts. He spent a good portion of this time on a docked freighter with the Asian crew as fellow prisoners. Moore befriends a fisherman from Seychelles called Rolly. Like all such hostage situations the time in captivity is mostly extreme boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. Moore's curiosity about people and willingness to engage his captors keeps the reading interesting. He tries to escape once and worries about his mental balance. His release is emotional and it takes a long time for him to find his bearings. He was ransomed out but does not reveal how much was eventually paid to the pirates probably under advice that this would be harmful to future victims. Very well written.
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 Barbara Em
 94 reviews 7 followers
 April 6, 2021
 Bardzo porządnie napisany reportaż z ciekawymi wstawkami biograficzno-psychologiczno-filozoficznymi, zaprzeczyć się nie da, ale jeżeli ktoś szuka "prawdziwej historii o walce, przetrwaniu i potędze ludzkiego ducha" niech sobie poczyta idk Grudzińskiego bo to jednak zupełnie nie ten poziom.
 Na marginesie przez całą książkę nie przestawało mnie bawić to jak cholernie amerykański jest autor, pomimo swojego mieszanego pochodzenia. Ta amerykańskość wyłazi każdym porem XDDD Przepiękne też były momenty kiedy tłumacz korygował autora. Niesamowicie szanuję.
 reportage
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 Jen K
 958 reviews 6 followers
 March 26, 2020
 Engrossing account of a journalist held hostage by Somali pirates for almost 3 years. He took a gamble that he would be able to safely investigate the growing trend of pirates from Somalia and went much more in depth than he intended. I really couldn't imagine enduring that ordeal. Moore does a great job bringing the reader into the depravity of it, the constant unknown and instability. His years filled with regret for thinking visit Somalia was a good idea and the impact it would be causing his family in friends accompanied by the interactions with other hostages and the pirates, both guards and bosses. He contemplates the rage of being hostage and how to not let it overtake him. His survival is powerful and his mother is amazing for negotiating his ransom, fundraising money to pay the pirates and being there for her son.

 I was able to hear Moore at a local reading when the book came out. It was obvious that this is a trauma that is not easily put in the past.
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 Hanna
 55 reviews 1 follower
 November 1, 2021
 Sobering account of Moore’s time in captivity with Somali pirates. I really enjoyed Moore’s exploration of the complicated relationship and power dynamics between captors and captives, especially in the context of piracy. He does a great job at acknowledging how his treatment was a direct reflection of him being a white westerner, while still highlighting the extreme violence those without that same privilege suffered through. Frames piracy in a very realistic and digestible form.
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 Carole
 188 reviews 3 followers
 February 11, 2019
 The author (a journalist) did an excellent job telling the details of his kidnapping. Not only did he tell his story but also gave good background on the beginning of pirates and other areas too, including about Muslims.
 books-2019 memoir
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 ANGELICA
 6 reviews
 March 31, 2019
 Amazing. Teetering between essay, memoir, and dreamlike story, this book is completely insightful and incredibly human. I am humbled.
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 Adrian Husar
 9 reviews 4 followers
 June 3, 2020
 Only a real, hard life could write a story like this one.
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 Nate Hendrix
 919 reviews 6 followers
 April 11, 2019
 Hostage stories are all different, but each has some elements in common. The advantage Moore has is that he is being held for ransom. The Somali pirates are holding him in expectation of a payday, not because of ideological differences. As unpleasant as his experience was it's not like he was being held by the Taliban, who could kill him to gain publicity. An easy read and educational. I learned things about Somalia and the pirate trade that I did not know before.
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 Peter Franklin
 43 reviews
 December 30, 2018
 Quite an interesting story to read. As I am short-sighted I can sympathise with the author having to go almost a 1000 days without his glasses. Much of his time in captivity was boring for him and also for his captors, some of whom were treated him not too harshly but others were much less decent.

 For a story where not a lot happened most of the time, it was still a good read, which is testament to the Michael Scott Moore who was both the captive and author.
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 Peter
 426 reviews 11 followers
 May 12, 2019
 O walce o przetrwanie, o zachowanie godności w świecie barbarzyńskiego okrucieństwa oraz o współczesnych piratach opowiada Michael Scott Moore w Pustyni i morzu. 977 dni w niewoli na somalijskim wybrzeżu piratów.

 Wizja korsarzy posiadana przez współczesnego mieszkańca Zachodniej cywilizacji, ukształtowana została przez wielkie hollywoodzkie produkcje. Wyobrażamy sobie władców mórz opływających wody na swych drewnianych łajbach, toczących walki zarówno z przeciwnikami dążącymi do ich pochwycenia i osądzenia, jak również zmagają się z żywiołem i niejednokrotnie nieprzychylną pogodą. Chodzą z opaską na oku, na ramienia kapitana znajduje się gadająca papuga, a szabla i armaty stają się dla nich nieodłącznymi towarzyszkami pełnego przygód i niebezpieczeństw życia. Jednak ich prawdziwy obraz różni się od tego wykreowanego przez kino. Przekonał się o tym Michael Scott Moore, który zbierając materiały do książki poświęconej tej właśnie tematyce, został porwany i więziony przez współczesnych piratów.

 W styczniu 2012 roku ukończył cykl reportaży z hamburskiego procesu piratów somalijskich i pasjonując się od dzieciństwa korsarstwem, postanowił bardziej wnikliwie przyjrzeć się ich prawdziwemu wizerunkowi i możliwościom ukrócenia zjawiska kidnapingu, stanowiącego dla nich główne źródło dochodu. Chciał poznać przyczynę ich istnienia, zestawić historyczny obraz tych panów mórz i oceanów z tym obecnym. W tym celu udał się do Somalii, miał mieć zapewnioną gwarancję nietykalności, tymczasem dowiedział się o planach jego porwanie dla okupu. Wkrótce na własnej skórze przekonał się, że w Rogu Afryki każda pogłoska momentalnie może przeistoczyć się w prawdę. Uprowadzony i więziony przez blisko trzy lata, dogłębnie poznał prawdę o życiu somalijskich piratów, prawach jakimi się rządzą, istniejących między nimi podziałach i przede wszystkim regule siły panującej w obozie. Przyzwyczajony do europejskich i amerykańskich standardów egzystencji, przekonał się, że teraz znalazł się w zupełnie innej rzeczywistości, w której przetrwać mogą tylko najsilniejsi.

 Moore doświadczał każdego dnia cienkiej granicy między depresją, poczuciem beznadziei, strachu a odnajdywaniem w sobie wewnętrznej siły do przeciwstawienia się okrucieństwu swych gospodarzy. Obecne klany rozbójników morskich nie mają nic wspólnego z Jackiem Sparrowem, a ich codzienność wiele nie różni się od tej, jaką prowadzili ich przodkowie żyjący dwieście lat temu. Na porządku dziennym jest podporządkowanie się surowym regułom, odpowiednie traktowanie więźniów - za przekraczanie dozwolonych granic, sami mogą zostać ukarani przez bossa. To ludzie wyklęci nie tylko przez świat Zachodu, ale również przez Islam potępiający praktyki porywania dla okupu. Podczas, gdy we własnej wyobraźni są bojownikami Allacha walczącymi z niewiernymi, ale przede wszystkim dążą do społecznej sprawiedliwości. Jeżeli Europejczycy bądź Amerykanie żyją na znacznie wyższym poziomie niż Somalijczycy, to czemu mają nie podzielić się swym bogactwem nawet, jeśli zostają do tego zmuszeni siłą. Autor zobaczył, że właśnie motyw wzbogacenia się i wyobrażeń milionów, jakie posiadają rodziny porwanych, stają się głównym motorem ich działania. Nie interesuje ich nic poza pieniędzmi. To ludzie ograniczeni, tępi, tacy których wbrew pozorom łatwo jest oszukać, nie istnieją między nimi żadne zasady wzajemnej lojalności – ważne jest tylko, komu uda się zgarnąć pieniądze. Stąd chcąc otrzymać oczekiwaną zapłatę, muszą zapewnić jeńcom bezpieczeństwo i nie pozwolić się wyśledzić przez służby wywiadowcze Stanów Zjednoczonych. Strach więc jest nieodłącznym uczuciem, jaki czują nie tylko zakładnicy ale i sami porywacze. Jedni i drudzy boją się o życie, z tego też powodu podejmują na tyle, na ile potrafią walkę o przetrwanie. Strażnicy pilnują swych „gości” aby nie uciekli, zmuszają ich do przestrzegania narzuconych im zasad i rytmu dnia, kontrolują przy rozmowach, aby przekazali rodzinom dokładnie to, co tamci mają usłyszeć. Wśród nich nie brakuje sadystów, jak również tych nie zgadzających się na znęcanie nad uprowadzonymi i bezmyślne zadawaniem im cierpienia. Moore więc mimo odczuwanego lęku o własne życie, postanowił wykorzystać korsarski „kodeks” do przeciwstawienia się okrutnemu i tępemu okrucieństwu, torturom, jak również podejmował próby przekazania wiadomości o swym obecnym miejscu przebywania. Walczył o lepsze jedzenie i warunki bytowania.

 Autor nie tylko pokazuje codzienność zakładników, ale równocześnie analizuje przyczyny socjologiczne istnienia piractwa, odwołując się jednocześnie do jego wcześniejszych tradycji historycznych. Nawet cywilizowana Europa w swych dziejach ma epizody związane z grasowaniem piratów i walki, jaką podejmowały ówczesne potęgi morskie z tym zjawiskiem. Opisuje związki między nimi a gospodarką Somalii, czy walki klanowe. Podaje motywy działania i poglądy piratów na uprawianą przez nich praktykę. Równocześnie na tle tych dygresji, zamieszcza wiele wspomnień związanych z swoim życiem rodzinnym, czas dzieciństwa i życiowych wyborów.

 Wszystko to sprawia, ze Pustynia i morze to z jednej strony swoistego rodzaju pamiętnik Moore`a z najgorszego w jego życiu okresu, z drugiej natomiast intersujące studium socjologiczno-kulturowe dotyczące współczesnego korsarstwa, z którym muszą się mierzyć państwa europejskie i USA. Książka ta jest na granicy sensacji i mimo, że zawiera swoistą autobiografię, to niestety są w niej momenty, gdy wydaje się mało realna, kiedy zaczyna dominować w niej amerykański epos super bohatera. Pisarz widząc śmierć swych współtowarzyszy, będąc bitym, głodzonym, widząc lęk w oczach innych zakładników, podejmuje swoiste starcie z porywaczami. Drażni ich, skarży się bossom, podejmuje strajki głodowe, jako formę protestu przeciw nieludzkiemu traktowaniu zakładników. Moore podejmuje również trudny temat, ile dla państw Zachodu warte jest życie ich obywateli. Kraje Zachodu bowiem nie spieszą się z płaceniem okupu, zamiast tego prowadzą kilkuletnie negocjacje z porywaczami, podejmują akcje zbrojne mające na celu uwolnienie swych obywateli z rąk porywaczy, wysyłają agentów rządowych do rodzin ofiar ucząc ich sposobów rozmowy z porywaczami, próbują zlokalizować miejsce przebywania więźniów. Przez to narażają ich tylko na większe niebezpieczeństwo. Autor jednak nie potępia zajmowanej między innymi przez Stany Zjednoczone postawy, lecz tłumaczy przyczynę, obrania przez nie takiej, a nie innej taktyki. Wreszcie książka ta stanowi istny tajfun emocji i dostarcza lektury, od której po prostu nie sposób się oderwać.
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 David Hill
 505 reviews 11 followers
 August 24, 2018
 Moore traveled to Somalia to research a book about the pirates there. He got more than he bargained for.

 You have made a mistake. Mistakes are human. He is told this by one of his captors, early on, and it becomes a bit of a mantra for him.

 Moore spent more than two and a half years in captivity. Two and a half years as a hostage. He wasn't tortured, wasn't beaten (much). Wasn't starved. For part of his time, he was kept with other hostages, other prisoners, on board a captured Chinese fishing boat.

 He spent two and a half years sleeping on a foam mattress, swatting flies, confined to a single room. He spins this tale out to about 450 pages, and it's just the right length. We learn about why he went there, and when it's all over we get what I think is just the right amount of denouement. In between, we are with him as he struggles with his guards, with his memories, with his sanity.
 biography
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Friends &amp; Following      Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews          360 reviews359 followers     December 8, 2018   A commentary on heroism, journalism, survival, and sanity. How do journalists report on dangerous situations and emerge with body and soul intact? In some ways one may, in others one can't entirely... The author intelligently and vividly discusses how and why he survived almost 3 years as a hostage. In addition, he contemplates the effects of U.S. involvement in other countries. Excellent, including audio narrator.    audio-books non-fiction               1,699 reviews737 followers     August 18, 2018   This is a fascinating story about the three years of Moore’s captivity by Somali pirates. Moore is a journalist and a gifted storyteller. Moore used his journalist tools of observation, interviewing techniques, and his interest in people’s stories to help him survive and then write an excellent memoir. The author provided a first-hand account of the Muslim pirates, the beginning of Al-Shabaab and the rise of ISIS which revealed the various faces of Islam. I was interested in his analysis of the political and economic problems of Somali.The book is well written; in fact, Moore’s storytelling gift made it read like a page turning novel. The story of his capture, starvation, isolation and injuries made this into a nail-biting thriller. He made this so real I almost felt the flies crawling on my face. I read this as an audiobook downloaded from Audible. The book is just over twelve hours. Coray Snow does an excellent job narrating the story. Snow was a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division and is now a full-time audiobook narrator. Snow specializes in science fiction, fantasy, military and history audiobooks. He has a voice that is easy to listen too. He has a reading rhythm appropriate to the story.     audio-book autobiography history               178 reviews1,225 followers     June 12, 2019    FILMOWA RECENZJA: https://youtu.be/Uycil2fjMi0    Zostałem porwany. Przez pustynię i przez morze. Przekroczyłem tę granicę horyzontu, po której odczuwa się głód poznania nowego. Często wychodzę poza strefę swojego komfortu, żeby poczuć się nieswojo, ale dostać w zamian garść tematów do refleksji. Ta książka ma rozmiar uniwersalny. Dopasowuje się do wrażliwości czytelnika.Wszyscy chcą dzisiaj mówić, ale nikt nie chce słuchać. Tym bardziej poczułem obowiązek, aby Wam o tej książce opowiedzieć.Ta historia wydarzyła się naprawdę.977 dni w niewoli. Wyobraźcie to sobie. Ja wciąż nie mogę.                   294 reviews3 followers     August 14, 2018   I am amazed that a 450 page book about almost three years of captivity was so engrossing. I didn't realize how good a job Moore had done evoking what his captivity was like until the end of the book when he is finally released. Before he even tells you of his reaction to freedom, you can intuit what that would be like (only to a degree, of course) after the deprivation and hopelessness he experienced. Everything about this book was deeply human.                   306 reviews15 followers     January 23, 2019   I'm going against the grain here, because this book has had rave reviews. Well, folks, it's an interesting enough tome and I feel bad being critical of it because, heaven only knows, Michael Scott Moore underwent an ordeal that likely would have killed me. But, in his telling of it, I kept waiting for some really serious analysis, some attempted explanation of why piracy happens; how he found the will to survive; how a mix of tribalism, distorted Islam and world events may or may not create the 'perfect storm' that allows these kidnappings to happen. I never really found it in the book, in any depth. So, while I persisted with the entire thing, just to find out how it ended, I closed the covers feeling not one whit more informed about the circumstances of the event, and somewhat overfed on the details of the captivity.                  194 reviews     November 18, 2018   This was an engrossing read, made all the more harrowing because the author is an acquaintance of mine.     bio-memoir               Author  6 books34 followers     August 2, 2018   Michael Scott Moore's "The Desert and the Sea: 977 Days Captive on the Somali Pirate Coast" is phenomenal. It is an incredible book of memoir and reportage, personal experience and historical context. The writing is thoughtful, insightful, and beautiful. I wish Moore had never had the experience of being taken hostage; nevertheless, since he did, I am grateful for his profound record. (And--enormous thanks to all those who worked to bring him home. Plus Moore's mum really emerges as the hero of this story. Amazing.)    favorites           November 20, 2021   After watching Captain Philips I wanted to learn more about Somali pirates and their country, this far-flung corner of the world thathas long been touted as the 'worst country in the world', one of the poorest, and one of the most dangerous. Michael Scott Moore's book is powerful, compelling and informative. Held captive in wretched conditions for almost 3 years by a revolving cast of pirates, thieves and criminals, he talks about his constant struggles to keep himself sane, look after his fellow captives, and manage and maintain the important but potentially devastating hope of going free.Moore's work is in the best vein of non-fic works. He makes you forget that you re reading at all, and before you know it you ve read 100 pages. He paints a vivid picture of life, such as it is, as a captive in the Somali bush or aboard a captured, derelict fishing vessel. His writing on his own interior struggles with his declining mental and physical health, as well as his variable relationship with his captors, helps to paint a picture of just what an ordeal this was. Upon his eventual release, he describes how, even when he was safely back in Germany, he could scarcely believe it, and how long it took him to regain the powers of polite conversation and fully rational thought. It also brought home to me just how alien Somalia is. Thanks to civil war and ongoing tribal conflicts, most of these pirates had never had any education. They lived in a world where FGM was the norm, where there was a universal hatred of jews despite tje fact none of them had ever seen one. They saw themselves as devout muslims despite contravening many of the Koran s rules. The outside world, particularly the west, was a distant land, barely understood if at all. Moore manages to generate some sympathy for the kinder pirates during his ordeal, but his simmering rage and anger against those who show him and his comrades cruelty, hardship or outright violence is clear, and neverending surprise and frustration at the pirates lax attitude towards the truth also rankles effectively. This is where Moore is most effective, when describing events. There are some passages where he veers into philosophical thoughts and rumination on his capture that are harder to follow, where his point becomes somewhat nebulous.  Overall a great book that should be talked about more as a key work on modern Somalia, as well as included in lists of best nonfic books.                   896 reviews14 followers     August 12, 2018   My husband read this and afterward said "read it". And I am glad I did, Michael Scott Moore has written an incredible story about a horrific situation. The way he humanizes his cruel, but ridiculous Somali guards is a testament to his talented writing and his generous spirit. By the time I finished his tale I loved him like a son. I am so glad he survived his capture to write this very important and informative book.                   625 reviews77 followers     August 23, 2020   Wow, what a story! Author Michael Scott Moore went to Somalia to research and write a book on the Pirates there. I can say in a tongue-in-cheek way that his ultimate kidnapping and imprisonment by these pirates provided him with some great first-hand material for this book.  
 
 His presence became known by the local pirates almost immediately, and he heard rumors that they wanted to kidnap him. The rumors turned out to be true, and they scooped him up one day in January 2012, in the Somalian town of Galkayo. 
 
 The story here is quite incredible. I love reading tales of real-life sagas like this.Moore's captivity ultimately lasted an unbelievable 977 days, and spanned many different locations; every time the pirates heard an airplane or got spooked, they would pack up and move. Don't worry, I won't give away any spoilers in this review... 
 
 The writing here is very good; Moore writes with an easy and engaging style. The book never struggles to hold your attention.  The Desert and the Sea was also super-interesting; there are many insights into the pirate culture, and there are some excellent stories in here. Moore also intersplices the tale of his kidnapping with some deep information about his past, his father, and himself.  Another small complaint about this book is that there were no pictures. I would have really liked to see the mercenary Joe, his fellow prisoner Rolly, and whatever else could be added. Oh well...I would definitely recommend this one to anyone interested. Because, as catastrophically naïve and/or stupid as it may have been for a white American to travel to Somalia to research a book on pirates, it did at least make for a great story...The irony (which I'm sure has not been lost on the author) is that Moore traveled to Somalia to write a book about the Somali Pirates. Well, he got his book. Mess with the bull, get the horns.4.5 stars.     africa biography culture           January 5, 2019    Twice as long as it should be.  It’s a good story. Possibly even a great story, but it starts to drag early on and doesn’t pick up again until the very end. It was a chore to read, and that’s a shame because it’s an amazing thing to have lived through.                    5,739 reviews23 followers     August 24, 2018   This is the very interesting true story about the author's harrowing experience as a journalist whose desire to interview pirates lead to his kidnapping and over 2 years as a hostage in Somalia.     non-fiction reviewed               925 reviews85 followers     September 12, 2020   There is a certain feel to a certain kind of captivity (or isolation) narrative and this one definitely has it - this sense that this person has spent a lot of time alone with their thoughts, and has perhaps written portions, or even the majority, of the book you're reading in their head during the worst stretches of confinement. It's the kind of book where the author seeks to understand his captors, then judges them harshly, then comes around to accepting them as individuals, and then writes them all off as hopeless criminals. And then does it all over again.I was skeptical about how interesting this book could possibly be, having been recently burned by Prisoner, and seeing that it's really just the one guy and seemingly interchangeable captors. But Moore has none of Azarian's pettiness and Azarian has none of Moore's curiosity, and Moore's captors turn out to not be so interchangeable. Plus, he spends a decent chunk of time with a multinational band of hostages aboard a captured fishing boat and they are an extremely colorful cast of characters. If it weren't for the miserable circumstances, the opportunity for him to spend time with people like Rolly seems almost enviable.     2020               Author  4 books13 followers     August 20, 2018   As a reporter for Spiegel Online, Michael Moore covered a piracy trial – the first held in Germany in over four hundred years. What he learned piqued his curiosity to know more about Somali pirates, so he accompanied Ashwin Raman, a documentary maker and war correspondent for German TV, to the Horn of Africa in 2012. At the time of their arrival, the pirates held more than 700 sailors captive. They mostly hailed from Asian countries and were often referred to as the “forgotten hostages.”The journey cost several thousand dollars for two weeks and a Somali elder from the same town as many of the pirates on trial arranged for Moore’s and Raman’s protection during their stay. Having dual citizenship, Moore traveled under a German passport, but was also an American. All went according to plan until one conversation with Somalis mentioned a pirate lord who wished to kidnap him. It was just a rumor, perhaps spread to raise their anxiety, but an incident soon after convinced both men it was time to go home. But Moore hadn’t yet interviewed any of the pirate defendants’ families, so while Raman prepared to leave Somalia, Moore decided to stay just a few days longer to conduct the interviews. Instead, he was forced to remain in country for nearly three years. The ambush occurred soon after he left the airport following the departure of Raman’s plane. Moore was yanked from the car, beaten, his wrist broken, his glasses lost, and his belongings taken. The threat of dying became a constant. He was awakened during the night and moved from one location to another – sometimes staying in dilapidated houses, other times in the bush or on a captured vessel – while enduring sickness, beatings, chains, malicious guards, a thorough regulation of his daily life, few comforts, and a total inability to understand why. Although there were periods where he was the only hostage, he also spent a lot of time with a kidnapped Seychelles fisherman named Rolly Tambara, who became his best friend and often warned, “Do not make them angry, Michael.” (11) Yet small defiances, hope of rescue or escape, friendship, and a desire not to end up like his father helped Moore endure. The Desert and the Sea is principally an account of Michael Moore’s time as a pirate captive, and yet it is so much more. He introduces readers to Somali culture and history, from colonial times to independence to devolution into a war-torn country rife with poverty and anarchy. This book is not just his story; it is also about other hostages, including those with whom he spent time and others rescued or lost during his captivity. More importantly, he shows the psychological, physical, and emotional impacts of long-term captivity, as well as the after effects he and other captives experienced following their releases. At the same time, he discusses growing up in California and coming to terms with his father’s suicide. He also recounts the often unseen side of kidnappings – what the victims’ families experience and the frustrating process of negotiating with pirates who demand exorbitant ransoms, such as the $20,000,000 they demanded for Moore’s release. This is an up-close-and-personal, harrowing account of a pirate captive. Perhaps because he entwines confinement with personal episodes from his past, we get a miniscule taste of what he experienced in a way that makes it all too real. We also come away with an inkling of just how long 977 days under the constant threat of loss of life and liberty must have felt like. It is equal to other such accounts, yet it is also unique and unforgettable. As gritty as desert sand and as salty as the sea.                   361 reviews5 followers     July 31, 2018   What a great read! Combine a gripping story and a good writer and you have a winner. A thrilling tale of kidnapping and survival under the harshest of conditions.     favorites           October 18, 2018    The text below is notes I've taken for a resource review. It will give you an idea of what the book is like though, so I figured I'd include it. Spoilers.-Author Michael Scott Moore an American who lives in Germany was inspired to go to Somalia to write a book about piracy and the culture surrounding it following the court case of a number of Somali pirates in Germany who had been captured after hijacking a German fishing boat. -He initially intended to write a book comparing the situations of the US and Somalia, and argue that if Somalians were provided resources and infrastructure to help them build ports and harbours, the need and desire to commit piracy would be drastically reduced. This would be because these ports and harbours would provide jobs for people as well as an economic boost for the region. -He discusses how in America, they had a major piracy problem that was more or less solved within in 3 decades. This was achieved by developing said harbours and ports along the Atlantic coast. He argued that while the situations are certainly different, it might be possible to achieve something similar in Somalia. -Initially, his trip was moderately successful as he was able to tour the region, including Hobyo, a well-known pirate town, as well as interview a pirate directly. This pirate whom he interviewed noted that the reason they commit piracy is to defend their waters from other countries who come there to fish illegally. -Somalia was in turmoil after the overthrowing of their dictator Mohammad Siad Barre by a rebel movement (this is touched on briefly in the film Black Hawk Down). Despite how despised Barre was, it seemed like he was the only one who would be able to keep foreign countries from illegally fishing in Somalian waters. -As a by-product, groups of Somalians began to approach these international ships and force them to pay a tax or a fee before they could resume fishing in their waters. This was the basis for what would eventually become Somali piracy, as the groups slowly became more and more violent throughout the 1990’s and into the 2000’s and eventually realized that they could make a lot more money for the trouble if they simply hijacked the ship or kidnapped passengers. -Another reason Somalian’s wanted to control their waters was because the Italian mafia, after the fall of Barre, had made agreements with Somali warlords that would allow them to dump poisonous or toxic waste in their waters OR bury it in their beaches. As a result, Moore noted that he would frequently see large barrels or drums sitting along beaches and was told that the locals were simply unable to remove them due to the size. This also meant that Moore essentially refused to drink well water during his trip as he was (understandably) concerned that the well water had been contaminated.-Moore was travelling with another journalist. This journalist was set to fly out a day before Moore to Mogadishu, while Moore was flying out to Nairobi. After seeing off his fellow journalist at the airport, it was upon his return to his hotel that his vehicle was ambushed. That day, Moore suspiciously only had one guard with him, and as they were driving they were forced to pull over by an armoured truck with a mounted machine gun on it.-Moore noted this was the first time he was ever consciously aware he was in denial. As numerous Somalians leapt from the armoured vehicle, he found himself thinking “this is normal, they just want to see my passport, and then they will let us go on our way”. This reality was quickly shattered when they tried to force open the door. Moore was beaten with the butt ends of their AK-47s, including his wrist being broken, glasses being shattered and a gash being opened on his head. -Moore was then shuttled away and moved constantly for the next month or two. During his first few days, he encountered numerous other hostages, including two who would be rescued 4 days after his capture when a group of NAVY Seals snuck up on a sleeping group of pirates, executed them, and then escorted the hostages to safety.-The first day of being a hostage, he was forced to call his mother in LA (who was already aware of his situation) and demand the ransom which his captors wanted: 20 million dollars. He initially laughed at the pirates and told them that no one has that kind of money. They of course did not think it was funny.-Eventually, Moore was moved to a fishing boat and was held captive on the boat for 9 months. Surprisingly, this was the most enjoyable or positive part of the experience for Moore, as he was able to befriend the crew of the boat who were also being held hostage. This at least gave him some company.-Moore was eventually returned to land, and the constant movement and changing of positions resumed. -Near the end of his ordeal, Moore found it incredibly difficult to persevere, as many would. He found it especially difficult because as the pirates got more comfortable with him, they would leave weapons and guns lying around him. The typical thought of grabbing a gun and trying to blast his way to an escape crossed his mind occasionally. Perhaps more difficult, was the thought of grabbing the gun and committing suicide with it. This was something Moore agonized over for a long time, as he felt he would no longer be a burden to his family and friends if he ended his own life.-While Moore was of course beaten, manipulated and abused while with these pirates, there were also some who treated him decently. The pirates also had an incentive to keep Moore healthy, so they provided him with things like a mosquito net to try to prevent him from getting malaria or providing him with bottled water as he refused to drink what he felt was contaminated well water.-Moore’s captors eventually agreed to accept a 2.4 million dollar ransom that was raised by family and friends. He believes they settled on this amount because after two and a half years he was looking very frail and weak, and the pirates would rather take 2.4 million than have him die and get nothing.-Moore was told at one point during the ordeal that his kidnapping was revenge for the Battle of Mogadishu, a battle which took place in 1993 in Mogadishu between US forces and Siad Barre’s men. This battle is the subject of the book/movie Black Hawk Down-Moore found returning to normal life understandably difficult. He found himself constantly overwhelmed upon return. For example, friends and family had been taking care of his finances while he was held hostage. Upon his return there were a lot of loose ends that needed to be tied up, but Moore could only process paperwork or things of that nature for maybe 10 or 15 minutes a day following his return, otherwise he would become incredibly anxious and be unable to focus.-Moore still seems to take the approach that Somali pirates are products of their environment and not necessarily bad people, although it does appear he holds some resentment towards the situation, which would be more than reasonable. -The writing style of the book a lot of times makes it feel like you are reading a fiction novel. In addition, it is such an unbelievable story and it compels you to continue forward to find out what happens next. The book does start to lag a bit during the middle, however; but this makes sense as Moore was held captive for 2 and a half years. Sometimes the description is lacking, but it is understandable considering the experience he went through.    This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.                   284 reviews3 followers     September 19, 2019   I so enjoyed Michaels writing. Recently I have read many true stories, written by the people who lived them, but the difference with this book is that Michael not only lived it, but he is a professional writer. This bought another level to the book that my other recent reads didn’t have - bigger words, colourful phrases, more descriptions and details. He can paint a picture with words, so that I could “see” the faces, “feel” the hopelessness or the anger, “taste” the food (blerrgh). Michaels story was well crafted, explained the situation/political landscape of the country he was held captive in, with historical and political references, and explored the behaviour/motivations of his guards and kidnappers and the personalities of his fellow hostages. Thankyou Micheal for telling your story.               Read  November 10, 2018   American author is researching modern day piracy in Somalia when he is abducted in 2012. He remains in captivity for more than two years moved continually because of his captors worry about US rescue attempts. He spent a good portion of this time on a docked freighter with the Asian crew as fellow prisoners. Moore befriends a fisherman from Seychelles called Rolly. Like all such hostage situations the time in captivity is mostly extreme boredom punctuated by moments of sheer terror. Moore's curiosity about people and willingness to engage his captors keeps the reading interesting. He tries to escape once and worries about his mental balance. His release is emotional and it takes a long time for him to find his bearings. He was ransomed out but does not reveal how much was eventually paid to the pirates probably under advice that this would be harmful to future victims. Very well written.                   94 reviews7 followers     April 6, 2021   Bardzo porządnie napisany reportaż z ciekawymi wstawkami biograficzno-psychologiczno-filozoficznymi, zaprzeczyć się nie da, ale jeżeli ktoś szuka "prawdziwej historii o walce, przetrwaniu i potędze ludzkiego ducha" niech sobie poczyta idk Grudzińskiego bo to jednak zupełnie nie ten poziom. Na marginesie przez całą książkę nie przestawało mnie bawić to jak cholernie amerykański jest autor, pomimo swojego mieszanego pochodzenia. Ta amerykańskość wyłazi każdym porem XDDD Przepiękne też były momenty kiedy tłumacz korygował autora. Niesamowicie szanuję.    reportage               958 reviews6 followers     March 26, 2020   Engrossing account of a journalist held hostage by Somali pirates for almost 3 years. He took a gamble that he would be able to safely investigate the growing trend of pirates from Somalia and went much more in depth than he intended. I really couldn't imagine enduring that ordeal. Moore does a great job bringing the reader into the depravity of it, the constant unknown and instability. His years filled with regret for thinking visit Somalia was a good idea and the impact it would be causing his family in friends accompanied by the interactions with other hostages and the pirates, both guards and bosses. He contemplates the rage of being hostage and how to not let it overtake him. His survival is powerful and his mother is amazing for negotiating his ransom, fundraising money to pay the pirates and being there for her son. I was able to hear Moore at a local reading when the book came out. It was obvious that this is a trauma that is not easily put in the past.                    55 reviews1 follower     November 1, 2021   Sobering account of Moore’s time in captivity with Somali pirates. I really enjoyed Moore’s exploration of the complicated relationship and power dynamics between captors and captives, especially in the context of piracy. He does a great job at acknowledging how his treatment was a direct reflection of him being a white westerner, while still highlighting the extreme violence those without that same privilege suffered through. Frames piracy in a very realistic and digestible form.               February 11, 2019   The author (a journalist) did an excellent job telling the details of his kidnapping. Not only did he tell his story but also gave good background on the beginning of pirates and other areas too, including about Muslims.     books-2019 memoir               6 reviews     March 31, 2019   Amazing. Teetering between essay, memoir, and dreamlike story, this book is completely insightful and incredibly human. I am humbled.    favorites               9 reviews4 followers     June 3, 2020   Only a real, hard life could write a story like this one.                  919 reviews6 followers     April 11, 2019   Hostage stories are all different, but each has some elements in common. The advantage Moore has is that he is being held for ransom. The Somali pirates are holding him in expectation of a payday, not because of ideological differences. As unpleasant as his experience was it's not like he was being held by the Taliban, who could kill him to gain publicity. An easy read and educational. I learned things about Somalia and the pirate trade that I did not know before.                  43 reviews     December 30, 2018   Quite an interesting story to read. As I am short-sighted I can sympathise with the author having to go almost a 1000 days without his glasses. Much of his time in captivity was boring for him and also for his captors, some of whom were treated him not too harshly but others were much less decent. For a story where not a lot happened most of the time, it was still a good read, which is testament to the Michael Scott Moore who was both the captive and author.     biography memoir non-fiction           May 12, 2019   O walce o przetrwanie, o zachowanie godności w świecie barbarzyńskiego okrucieństwa oraz o współczesnych piratach opowiada Michael Scott Moore w Pustyni i morzu. 977 dni w niewoli na somalijskim wybrzeżu piratów.Wizja korsarzy posiadana przez współczesnego mieszkańca Zachodniej cywilizacji, ukształtowana została przez wielkie hollywoodzkie produkcje. Wyobrażamy sobie władców mórz opływających wody na swych drewnianych łajbach, toczących walki zarówno z przeciwnikami dążącymi do ich pochwycenia i osądzenia, jak również zmagają się z żywiołem i niejednokrotnie nieprzychylną pogodą. Chodzą z opaską na oku, na ramienia kapitana znajduje się gadająca papuga, a szabla i armaty stają się dla nich nieodłącznymi towarzyszkami pełnego przygód i niebezpieczeństw życia. Jednak ich prawdziwy obraz różni się od tego wykreowanego przez kino. Przekonał się o tym Michael Scott Moore, który zbierając materiały do książki poświęconej tej właśnie tematyce, został porwany i więziony przez współczesnych piratów.  W styczniu 2012 roku ukończył cykl reportaży z hamburskiego procesu piratów somalijskich i pasjonując się od dzieciństwa korsarstwem, postanowił bardziej wnikliwie przyjrzeć się ich prawdziwemu wizerunkowi i możliwościom ukrócenia zjawiska kidnapingu, stanowiącego dla nich główne źródło dochodu. Chciał poznać przyczynę ich istnienia, zestawić historyczny obraz tych panów mórz i oceanów z tym obecnym. W tym celu udał się do Somalii, miał mieć zapewnioną gwarancję nietykalności, tymczasem dowiedział się o planach jego porwanie dla okupu. Wkrótce na własnej skórze przekonał się, że w Rogu Afryki każda pogłoska momentalnie może przeistoczyć się w prawdę. Uprowadzony i więziony przez blisko trzy lata, dogłębnie poznał prawdę o życiu somalijskich piratów, prawach jakimi się rządzą, istniejących między nimi podziałach i przede wszystkim regule siły panującej w obozie. Przyzwyczajony do europejskich i amerykańskich standardów egzystencji, przekonał się, że teraz znalazł się w zupełnie innej rzeczywistości, w której przetrwać mogą tylko najsilniejsi.  Moore doświadczał każdego dnia cienkiej granicy między depresją, poczuciem beznadziei, strachu a odnajdywaniem w sobie wewnętrznej siły do przeciwstawienia się okrucieństwu swych gospodarzy. Obecne klany rozbójników morskich nie mają nic wspólnego z Jackiem Sparrowem, a ich codzienność wiele nie różni się od tej, jaką prowadzili ich przodkowie żyjący dwieście lat temu. Na porządku dziennym jest podporządkowanie się surowym regułom, odpowiednie traktowanie więźniów - za przekraczanie dozwolonych granic, sami mogą zostać ukarani przez bossa. To ludzie wyklęci nie tylko przez świat Zachodu, ale również przez Islam potępiający praktyki porywania dla okupu. Podczas, gdy we własnej wyobraźni są bojownikami Allacha walczącymi z niewiernymi, ale przede wszystkim dążą do społecznej sprawiedliwości. Jeżeli Europejczycy bądź Amerykanie żyją na znacznie wyższym poziomie niż Somalijczycy, to czemu mają nie podzielić się swym bogactwem nawet, jeśli zostają do tego zmuszeni siłą. Autor zobaczył, że właśnie motyw wzbogacenia się i wyobrażeń milionów, jakie posiadają rodziny porwanych, stają się głównym motorem ich działania. Nie interesuje ich nic poza pieniędzmi. To ludzie ograniczeni, tępi, tacy których wbrew pozorom łatwo jest oszukać, nie istnieją między nimi żadne zasady wzajemnej lojalności – ważne jest tylko, komu uda się zgarnąć pieniądze. Stąd chcąc otrzymać oczekiwaną zapłatę, muszą zapewnić jeńcom bezpieczeństwo i nie pozwolić się wyśledzić przez służby wywiadowcze Stanów Zjednoczonych. Strach więc jest nieodłącznym uczuciem, jaki czują nie tylko zakładnicy ale i sami porywacze. Jedni i drudzy boją się o życie, z tego też powodu podejmują na tyle, na ile potrafią walkę o przetrwanie. Strażnicy pilnują swych „gości” aby nie uciekli, zmuszają ich do przestrzegania narzuconych im zasad i rytmu dnia, kontrolują przy rozmowach, aby przekazali rodzinom dokładnie to, co tamci mają usłyszeć. Wśród nich nie brakuje sadystów, jak również tych nie zgadzających się na znęcanie nad uprowadzonymi i bezmyślne zadawaniem im cierpienia. Moore więc mimo odczuwanego lęku o własne życie, postanowił wykorzystać korsarski „kodeks” do przeciwstawienia się okrutnemu i tępemu okrucieństwu, torturom, jak również podejmował próby przekazania wiadomości o swym obecnym miejscu przebywania. Walczył o lepsze jedzenie i warunki bytowania.  Autor nie tylko pokazuje codzienność zakładników, ale równocześnie analizuje przyczyny socjologiczne istnienia piractwa, odwołując się jednocześnie do jego wcześniejszych tradycji historycznych. Nawet cywilizowana Europa w swych dziejach ma epizody związane z grasowaniem piratów i walki, jaką podejmowały ówczesne potęgi morskie z tym zjawiskiem. Opisuje związki między nimi a gospodarką Somalii, czy walki klanowe. Podaje motywy działania i poglądy piratów na uprawianą przez nich praktykę. Równocześnie na tle tych dygresji, zamieszcza wiele wspomnień związanych z swoim życiem rodzinnym, czas dzieciństwa i życiowych wyborów.  Wszystko to sprawia, ze Pustynia i morze to z jednej strony swoistego rodzaju pamiętnik Moore`a z najgorszego w jego życiu okresu, z drugiej natomiast intersujące studium socjologiczno-kulturowe dotyczące współczesnego korsarstwa, z którym muszą się mierzyć państwa europejskie i USA. Książka ta jest na granicy sensacji i mimo, że zawiera swoistą autobiografię, to niestety są w niej momenty, gdy wydaje się mało realna, kiedy zaczyna dominować w niej amerykański epos super bohatera. Pisarz widząc śmierć swych współtowarzyszy, będąc bitym, głodzonym, widząc lęk w oczach innych zakładników, podejmuje swoiste starcie z porywaczami. Drażni ich, skarży się bossom, podejmuje strajki głodowe, jako formę protestu przeciw nieludzkiemu traktowaniu zakładników. Moore podejmuje również trudny temat, ile dla państw Zachodu warte jest życie ich obywateli. Kraje Zachodu bowiem nie spieszą się z płaceniem okupu, zamiast tego prowadzą kilkuletnie negocjacje z porywaczami, podejmują akcje zbrojne mające na celu uwolnienie swych obywateli z rąk porywaczy, wysyłają agentów rządowych do rodzin ofiar ucząc ich sposobów rozmowy z porywaczami, próbują zlokalizować miejsce przebywania więźniów. Przez to narażają ich tylko na większe niebezpieczeństwo. Autor jednak nie potępia zajmowanej między innymi przez Stany Zjednoczone postawy, lecz tłumaczy przyczynę, obrania przez nie takiej, a nie innej taktyki. Wreszcie książka ta stanowi istny tajfun emocji i dostarcza lektury, od której po prostu nie sposób się oderwać.                    505 reviews11 followers     August 24, 2018   Moore traveled to Somalia to research a book about the pirates there. He got more than he bargained for.  You have made a mistake. Mistakes are human. He is told this by one of his captors, early on, and it becomes a bit of a mantra for him. Moore spent more than two and a half years in captivity. Two and a half years as a hostage. For part of his time, he was kept with other hostages, other prisoners, on board a captured Chinese fishing boat. He spent two and a half years sleeping on a foam mattress, swatting flies, confined to a single room. He spins this tale out to about 450 pages, and it's just the right length. We learn about why he went there, and when it's all over we get what I think is just the right amount of denouement. In between, we are with him as he struggles with his guards, with his memories, with his sanity.     biography       Displaying 1 - 30 of 176 reviews
The Desert and the Sea: 977 Days Captive on the Somali …
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Fate of Roe v. Wade in the hands of the Supreme Court after spirited arguments
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<div><div><div><p></p></div><div><div><figure><figcaption><p>During Supreme Court oral arguments on Dec. 1, Justice Sonia Sotomayor pointedly refuted several arguments supporting a Mississippi anti-abortion law. (Video: The Washington Post)</p></figcaption></figure></div><div><p><time>Updated <p></p>Published </time></p></div></div><div><article><div><p></p></div><div><p><h2><strong>Live coverage contributors</strong> 17</h2></p></div><div><div><p></p><div><p></p></div></div></div></article></div></div></div>||||I|||| Accessibility statementSkip to main content
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 During Supreme Court oral arguments on Dec. 1, Justice Sonia Sotomayor pointedly refuted several arguments supporting a Mississippi anti-abortion law. (Video: The Washington Post)

 Fate of Roe v. Wade in the hands of the Supreme Court after spirited arguments

 Updated December 1, 2021 at 2:29 p.m. EST | Published December 1, 2021 at 7:25 a.m. EST
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 The Supreme Court on Wednesday signaled that it is on the verge of a major shift in its abortion jurisprudence after hearing nearly two hours of arguments from attorneys for Mississippi, an abortion provider from the state and the Biden administration.
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 In accepting the Mississippi case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the court said it will decide whether all prohibitions on abortion before viability are unconstitutional.
 Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned that the court would risk losing legitimacy if it overturned Roe, asking: “Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts?”
 Justice Samuel Alito, during a discussion of the issue of viability, emphasized that “the fetus has an interest in having a life.”
 Past court rulings, public appearances and other public comments by the nine justices give insight into their thinking on abortion and court precedents.
 The case probably will not be decided for months.

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 In accepting the Mississippi case, Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the court said it will decide whether all prohibitions on abortion before viability are unconstitutional.
 Justice Sonia Sotomayor warned that the court would risk losing legitimacy if it overturned Roe, asking: “Will this institution survive the stench that this creates in the public perception that the Constitution and its reading are just political acts?”
 Justice Samuel Alito, during a discussion of the issue of viability, emphasized that “the fetus has an interest in having a life.”
 Past court rulings, public appearances and other public comments by the nine justices give insight into their thinking on abortion and court precedents.
 The case probably will not be decided for months.
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During Supreme Court oral arguments on Dec. 1, Justice Sonia Sotomayor pointedly refuted several arguments supporting a Mississippi anti-abortion law. (Video: The Washington Post)      Updated  Published              Live coverage contributors 17
Fate of Roe v. Wade in the hands of the Supreme Court after spirited arguments
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/12/01/supreme-court-mississippi-abortion-live-updates/