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  • The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdos and the Search for Mathematical Truth

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The Man Who Loved Only Numbers: The Story of Paul Erdos and the Search for Mathematical Truth

by Paul Hoffman (Author) Format: Hardcover
4.6 out of 5 stars (388)
"A funny, marvelously readable portrait of one of the most brilliant and eccentric men in history." --The Seattle Times

Paul Erdos was an amazing and prolific mathematician whose life as a world-wandering numerical nomad was legendary. He published almost 1500 scholarly papers before his death in 1996, and he probably thought more about math problems than anyone in history. Like a traveling salesman offering his thoughts as wares, Erdos would show up on the doorstep of one mathematician or another and announce, "My brain is open." After working through a problem, he'd move on to the next place, the next solution.

Hoffman's book, like Sylvia Nasar's biography of John Nash, A Beautiful Mind, reveals a genius's life that transcended the merely quirky. But Erdos's brand of madness was joyful, unlike Nash's despairing schizophrenia. Erdos never tried to dilute his obsessive passion for numbers with ordinary emotional interactions, thus avoiding hurting the people around him, as Nash did. Oliver Sacks writes of Erdos: "A mathematical genius of the first order, Paul Erdos was totally obsessed with his subject--he thought and wrote mathematics for nineteen hours a day until the day he died. He traveled constantly, living out of a plastic bag, and had no interest in food, sex, companionship, art--all that is usually indispensable to a human life."

The Man Who Loved Only Numbers is easy to love, despite his strangeness. It's hard not to have affection for someone who referred to children as "epsilons," from the Greek letter used to represent small quantities in mathematics; a man whose epitaph for himself read, "Finally I am becoming stupider no more"; and whose only really necessary tool to do his work was a quiet and open mind.

Hoffman, who followed and spoke with Erdos over the last 10 years of his life, introduces us to an undeniably odd, yet pure and joyful, man who loved numbers more than he loved God--whom he referred to as SF, for Supreme Fascist. He was often misunderstood, and he certainly annoyed people sometimes, but Paul Erdos is no doubt missed. --Therese Littleton
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  1. Print length
    320 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Grand Central Publishing
  4. Publication date
    July 15, 1998
  5. Grade level
    8 and up
  6. Reading age
    13 years and up
  7. Dimensions
    5.5 x 8.25 inches
  8. ISBN-10
    0786863625
  9. ISBN-13
    978-0786863624
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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Paul Erdös was an amazing and prolific mathematician whose life as a world-wandering numerical nomad was legendary. He published almost 1500 scholarly papers before his death in 1996, and he probably thought more about math problems than anyone in history. Like a traveling salesman offering his thoughts as wares, Erdös would show up on the doorstep of one mathematician or another and announce, "My brain is open." After working through a problem, he'd move on to the next place, the next solution.

Hoffman's book, like Sylvia Nasar's biography of John Nash, A Beautiful Mind, reveals a genius's life that transcended the merely quirky. But Erdös's brand of madness was joyful, unlike Nash's despairing schizophrenia. Erdös never tried to dilute his obsessive passion for numbers with ordinary emotional interactions, thus avoiding hurting the people around him, as Nash did. Oliver Sacks writes of Erdös: "A mathematical genius of the first order, Paul Erdös was totally obsessed with his subject--he thought and wrote mathematics for nineteen hours a day until the day he died. He traveled constantly, living out of a plastic bag, and had no interest in food, sex, companionship, art--all that is usually indispensable to a human life."

The Man Who Loved Only Numbers is easy to love, despite his strangeness. It's hard not to have affection for someone who referred to children as "epsilons," from the Greek letter used to represent small quantities in mathematics; a man whose epitaph for himself read, "Finally I am becoming stupider no more"; and whose only really necessary tool to do his work was a quiet and open mind. Hoffman, who followed and spoke with Erdös over the last 10 years of his life, introduces us to an undeniably odd, yet pure and joyful, man who loved numbers more than he loved God--whom he referred to as SF, for Supreme Fascist. He was often misunderstood, and he certainly annoyed people sometimes, but Paul Erdös is no doubt missed. --Therese Littleton

From Scientific American

The peripatetic Hungarian mathematician Paul Erdos (1913­1996) was renowned for his almost total concentration on his work. Hoffman describes him as "a mathematical monk" who renounced physical pleasure and material possessions for an ascetic, contemplative life, a life devoted to uncovering mathematical truth. This he did in 1,475 papers that he wrote or co-authored with 485 collaborators--more than any other mathematician has produced and a landmark that has given rise to the cherished "Erdos number." An Erdos co-author's number is 1; a mathematician who has published with someone who was an Erdos co-author is a 2, and so on in widening circles to infinity for everyone who has never written a mathematical paper. Hoffman is among those at infinity, but he describes Erdos's life and eccentricities engagingly and deals comprehensively with the great man's mathematical work.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ July 15, 1998
  • Edition ‏ : ‎ First Edition
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 320 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0786863625
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0786863624
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.08 pounds
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ 13 years and up
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 8.25 inches
  • Grade level ‏ : ‎ 8 and up
  • Best Sellers Rank: #165,339 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 out of 5 stars (388)

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  1. Paul Hoffman

    Paul Hoffman

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  2. 平石 律子

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
388 global ratings
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Customers say

Customers enjoy reading the anecdotes in this book, which provides insight into the inner world of math geniuses through the life of Paul Erdos. The writing is well-crafted, with one customer noting it's clearly written for a general audience, and customers find the story engaging, with one describing catching a glimpse of Erdos' extraordinary and crazy life.
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41 customers mention content, 40 positive, 1 negative
Customers find the book delightful and highly enjoyable, particularly appreciating the anecdotes. One customer mentions it's a book they read over and over again.
...have sometimes liked more details on the mathematics, but this is a great book.Read more
Five StarsRead more
I loved this book and have given it to my son and to a friend -- they both like the book too. Great anecdotes and fun math throughout.Read more
This is a very interesting and enjoyable book about Paul Erdos, an eccentric math genius....Read more
22 customers mention informative, 16 positive, 6 negative
Customers find the book informative, providing insight into the inner world of math geniuses, particularly focusing on the incredible mathematician Paul Erdos. One customer notes that the mathematical explanations are among the best they've read, while another mentions that the book is accessible even to those who don't enjoy math.
...It made me really appreciate math so much more and I think everyone should read this.Read more
This is a great read about an interesting man. Entertaining and informative.Read more
...I admit that I had to skim over some of the actual math (not my strong suit) but I wasn't reading it to learn higher math....Read more
...We learn about the inner world of math geniuses, the lines of progress that have been made in the twentieth century, and the problem solving process...Read more
9 customers mention writing quality, 8 positive, 1 negative
Customers praise the writing quality of the book, with one noting it is clearly written for a general audience.
The author, Paul Hoffman, did an excellent job at writing down an account for what the Great Mathematician Paul Erdös has built as its Oeuvres....Read more
A wonderfully written book about an unusual mathematician who travels the world with one suitcase spreading mathematical problems among his...Read more
...For what it does and attempts to do, this is a very well-written book....Read more
The book is written very well and depicts one of the greatest mathematicians fairly well....Read more
5 customers mention story, 5 positive, 0 negative
Customers enjoy the story of Paul Erdos, with one customer noting how it captures his extraordinary and crazy life.
Great story of very unique and very bright individuals who get to do in life what they really love and have a passion for.Read more
...(and Erdos probably would not have given me the time of day), his story is touching and anyone who has felt like an outsider and pursued a passion...Read more
good book good story.Read more
...I feel honored to have caught a glimmer of his extraordinary, crazy life and better understand my daughter's passion.Read more
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