The Secret Lives of Numbers: A Global History of Mathematics & its Unsung Trailblazers

Kate Kitagawa and Timothy Revell's "The Secret Lives of Numbers" is a revisionist history of mathematics that highlights the contributions of mathematicians from diverse backgrounds who have been erased by history. The book provides a lively and satisfying exploration of complex concepts, making mathematics accessible to a wide audience.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 17 August 2023
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Mathematics plays a crucial role in shaping our daily lives. However, the narratives we have been told about it are often inaccurate. In "The Secret Lives of Numbers," historian Kate Kitagawa and journalist Timothy Revell introduce readers to the mathematical boundary-smashers who have been erased from history due to their race, gender, or nationality.

From the brilliant Arabic scholars of the ninth-century House of Wisdom to the pioneering African American mathematicians of the twentieth century, and the female computers around the world who revolutionized our understanding of the night sky, we meet these fascinating trailblazers and explore how they have contributed to our global knowledge today.

Throughout the book, the mathematics itself is explained in a clear and engaging manner, using relatable examples such as describing calculus using the authors' home baking. By asking the question, "How much cake is in our cake?" they make the concept accessible and enjoyable for readers of all backgrounds.

This revisionist, accessible, and radically inclusive history of mathematics is not only entertaining but also profoundly important. It challenges the traditional narratives and highlights the contributions of marginalized individuals and groups in the field. It encourages readers to reexamine the history of mathematics and to recognize the diversity and richness of its contributions to our world.

Weight: 524g
Dimension: 240 x 163 x 30 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780241544112