Description: Take two parts biography, one part autobiography, one part mathematics, one half part philosophy, and one half part fantasy. Mix well, and arrive at a picture of the non-technical side of one mathematician's career. The author, who has won a National Book award and numerous other awards for his scientific writing, introduces readers to his life and others in a mathematical connection.
Review Quotes:
"This is a truly fascinating story which ... provides an insight into the life of an outstanding scientific writer."
--J. Usher, Mathematics Today
"If I ever were stranded in an airport, bored silly and searching for someone to talk to, I think I'd like Phillip J. Davis to be stranded with me... Davis appears to have no artifice. His book is a compendium of several tales that caught his interest. It's also a book that, often subtly, reveals the sort of mathematical lore that keeps mathematicians talking as they gather for afternoon tea in universities throughout the country."
--SIAM Review