Wonders Beyond Numbers : A History of All Things Mathematical

Johnny Ball is by some margin Britain's most famous mathematician. Wonders Beyond Numbers is his magnum opus, and his first book for more than ten years. It is nothing less than the history of mathematics; he describes it as 'a summation of my career as an enthusiast for mathematics'. It will help spark (or re-spark) the reader's love of maths in its many facets. The scope of the book is breathtaking. Running in something approaching chronological order, it shows that every breakthrough in maths represents a single step forward, resting on the work of others, and brings to life the importance of numbers, shapes and patterns in the world around us. It's all-encompassing, yet written in a light and reader-friendly fashion, and filled with diagrams to help explain the maths. Dotted throughout will be anecdotes and stories from Johnny's life and mathematical adventures, both in front of the camera and in the real world, too.