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High School and Adult Level Readers -   Under Construction!

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Suitability comments on
Main Reader Page z = Our family's favorites

Mainly Math

Algebra Unplugged z  Amdahl, Kenn/Loats, Jim   1995   Algebra
All the Math You'll Ever Need  Slavin, Steve  1999  General Math - great refresher, very few problems.

Calculus By and For Young People by Don Cohen

Calculus The Easy Way, Downing, Douglas, 1982 Story version of calculus, interesting way to review especially
Calculus Made Easy

The Mathematical Tourist,  Peterson, Ivan   1998   Math in nature, life
Mathematics and the Imagination, z Edward Kasner and James Newman classic
Mathematics - It's Magic & Mastery z Aaron Blakst, see review by Julie

Mathographics z by Robert Dixon - Wonderful designs to do the ancient way w/compass and then w/programming, can be a whole year's math blending Euclidean geometry with basic algebra and trigonometry

The Music of the Primes by Marcus Du Sautoy

The Penguin Book of Curious and Interesting Mathematics z by Wells, Very entertaining book of anecdotes about scientists and mathematicians

Trigonometry The Easy Way, Downing, Douglas, 2001 story version of the subject, not bad although a bit contrived


Applied Mathematics

Cartoon Guide To Statistics, Gonick, Larry 1993 (I haven’t read all of this, some of his stuff has some questionable material, but what I’ve seen in this book is okay)

The Economy in Cartoons   MindSparks    1996   Math in economics. Teacher resource notes

A Mathematician Reads The Newspaper; Paulos, John Allen 1995  Advanced level, well written, great for hs on up
Bridges to Infinity: The Human Side to Mathematics z by Guillen, Michael
Chaos    Gleik, James  1987 Math in nature & science. Great color pictures
The Math Behind Wall Street
Whatever Happened to Penny Candy? z Maybury, Richard 2000  Finance/economics (middle school / hs level)

When Are We Ever Gonna Have to Use This? Saunders, Hal, Does the job, not enthralling, but informative


Recreational Math

The Colossal Book of Mathematics: Classic Puzzles, Paradoxes, and Problems z Gardner, Martin
Mathematical Puzzles of Sam Loyd, z Gardner, Martin   1959  Logic, math puzzles, a classic


Math Fiction and Non-Fiction Literature

Conned Again, Watson z Bruce, Colin  2001   Sherlock Holmes style logic and math stories, up to date
Countdown  Math competition bios similar to "Spellbound"
Fantasia Mathematica z  Fadiman, Clifton, reprint of 1950's classic mathematical anthology
Flatland, by A. Square Fiction classic 2 dimensional world, written by clergyman in late 1800's
Fractals: The Patterns of Chaos

The Planiverse z Dewdney, A.K.   1984  Computer contact with a 2D world (modern version of Flatland)   Fun book! - a little old for some in this group, but some will enjoy the computer / sci fi theme
Which Door Has the Cadillac? Vazsonyi, Andrew   2002 Mathematical thinking. Personal stories, lots of history
Slide Rule, How to Use it  Bishop, Calvin   1955   Slide Rule, computation - the calculator before the calculator
The Dot and the Line, A Romance in Lower Mathematics z, Juster, Norton (VERY enjoyable and beautifully illustrated short story for young adults, author of Phantom Tollbooth)
Time Warp Stories, Pepper, Dennis (Young Oxford Book), Time dimensions, fiction
Uncle Petros & Goldbach's Conjecture x
In Code, A Young Woman's Mathematical Journey; Flannery, Sarah & David  2001 Biographical info, applied math, math puzzles, I've read part of this and it is promising


Math History / Cultural Math / Biographies

The World of Mathematics : A Four-Volume Set (back in print) z James Newman, fantanstic resource for math history, as much about the people as well as the math

Aeons: The Search for the Beginning of Time

Agnesi to Zeno: Over 100 Vignettes from the History of Math, z Sanderson Smith, teaching resource approx. hs level - much better value than Classic Math

Asimov's Chronology Of Science & Discovery 

Euclid's Elements, Vol 1, w/comments, Dover Press  1956   Geometry, classical math.

Euclid's Window: the Story of Geometry z From Parallel Lines to Hyperspace; good beginning young adult chapter, recommended w/caveato last chapter has profanity in a quote (not gratuitous); not for the younger ones

Classic Math Johnson, Art, Math history, bios, quotes, literature - more accessible for beginners

A Concise History of Mathematics, Dirk J. Struik - Concise it is :o). A bit dry to read, but a classic reference.

The Day the Universe Changed: How Galileo's Telescope Changed The Truth &Other Events in History 

Five Equations That Changed the World z by Guillen, Michael (told in story-like text)

Galileo's Commandment: An Anthology of Great Science Writing z Original works

The Heart of Mathematics: An Invitation to Effective Thinking, by Edward B. Burger, Michael Starbird - featured lecturers of the Joy of Thinking series I value very highly - I'll post more info on the book when I get it

History Of Pi  Beckmann, Peter

Mapping Time: The Calendar and Its History E. G. Richards, very detailed history of time and calendar, high reading level

Math and Mathematicians: The History of Math Discoveries Vol 1/2, z Leonard C. Bruno, Expensive, but worth it if you want a comprehensive but readable math history resource

Math and Mathematicians: The History of Math Discoveries Vol 3 z Leonard C. Bruno Follow up volume to the above

The Mathematical Experience, by Philip J. Davis, Reuben Hersh, z

Mathematics For the Million, Hogben, Lancelot, z Math history, lots of math, can be intimidating if you can't learn to skip what you don't get

The Measure of All Things,  Ken Adler

The Measure of Reality, Crosby, Alfred W., 1997 History of Quantification

The Principia,  Newton,  Translated by Cohen/Whitman 1999 Classical math & science

Of Men and Numbers   Muir, Jane  1961   Math History through bios, a classic, I do like Men of Mathematics better though

On the Shoulders of Giants, z Hawking, Stephen

The Rainbow of Mathematics

Realm of Algebra z Asimov, Isaac   1961   Algebra. Classic Asimov , but alas, OOP and hard to find; I have ordered and will preview his Realm of Numbers as well

Realm of Measure z  Asimov, Isaac, equally as good for simplicity and readability, *why* are these out of print?

Works of Archimedes  Ed by T.L. Heath   2002   Classical math & science

Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea, Charles Seife


Wooden Books zGorgeous illustrations!

   Li: Dynamic Form in Nature, Wade, David   Math in Nature

   Harmonograph: A Visual Guide to the Mathematics of Music, Ashton, Anthony

   Essential Elements: Atoms, Quarks, and the Periodic Table, Tweed, Matt

   Platonic & Archimedean Solids, Sutton, Daud

   Sacred Geometry, Lundy, Miranda

   A Little Book of Coincidence, by John Martineau (Illustrator)

   Sun, Moon, & Earth, by Robin Heath

   Useful Mathematical and Physical Formulae, by Matthew Watkins

   Stonehenge, by Robin Heath

Biographies:

Charles Babbage: And the Engines of Perfection (Biography)

Dialogues of Alfred North Whitehead (Biography)

Johannes Kepler: And the New Astronomy

Lewis Carroll

Newton's Gift

The Wisdom of Omar Khayyam

The Man Who Loved Only Numbers - Paul Erdos

The Mystery of the Aleph (Cantor bio)

A Beautiful Mind
Ben Franklin's Autobiography 
Carry On Mr. Bowditch (accessible to younger, but good reading for adult)
Sand-Reckoner by Gillian Bradshaw
The Man Who Knew Infinity A Life of the Genius Ramanujan by Robert Kanigel

Advanced for Most Readers

Against the Gods, Bernstein, Peter  1996   Risk, odds, math history

Godel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid  z Hofstadter, Douglas R. – Advanced but an interested child can read it, more for adults, math in many contexts, Pulitzer Price Winner Classic

How To Solve It zz  Polya, George  1957   Problem solving, a classic must read. Don't be discouraged by the math, move through it if you don't understand it, the principles and method are what count.


The Language of Mathematics : Making the Invisible Visible Keith Devlin

Wheels, Life, and Other Mathematical Amusements

The World Treasury of Physics, Astronomy, and Mathematics
Visualizations: The Nature Book of Art and Science,

Books I am previewing:   (Top)


The Mechanization of the World Picture: Pythagoras Dijksterhuis, E. J.
Archimedes Revenge  by Hoffman, Paul
Story of Mathematics Geometry for the Young  by Ruchlis
Fermat's Enigma : The Epic Question
Ancient Mathematics (Sciences of Antiquity) Serafina Cuomo
The Foundations of Modern Science in the Middle Ages Edward Grant
Math and Mathematicians: The History of Math Discoveries Leonard C. Bruno
MY BRAIN IS OPEN: The Mathematical Journeys of Paul Erdos


I am looking over the list at http://www.kolmogorov.com/ for additional ideas

 

Sylvie and Bruno Concluded by Lewis Carroll

MathNet (1987)  http://www.jillthepill.net/mathnet/wo04000.htm
The Mathematical Magpie, Clifton Fadiman
A Mathematical Mystery Tour : Discovering the Truth and Beauty of the Cosmos by A. K. Dewdney
The Chair of Philanthromathematics (1908)  O. Henry (William Sydney Porter)
Math Trek : Adventures in the Math Zone, Ivan Petersen
The Hunting of the Snark : An Agony in Eight Fits, Lewis Carroll
Mathematics, Magic and Mystery by Martin Gardner
The Growth of the Mind: And the Endangered Origins of Intelligence Stanley I. Greenspan
Life: The Science Of Biology

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