Pythagoras'' Revenge
ISBN: 9781400829903
Platform/Publisher: Project MUSE / Princeton University Press
Digital rights: Users: Unlimited; Printing: Chapters; Download: Chapters
Subjects: Secret societies; Mathematics Ancient; Historians; Women mathematicians;

Math geeks will best appreciate this uneasy mix of higher mathematics and Dan Brown-style intrigue, the fiction debut of science journalist Sangalli (The Importance of Being Fuzzy and Other Insights from the Border Between Math and Computers). The Order of the Beacon, a "Neo-Pythagorean sect" that believes the ancient Greek philosopher has been reincarnated, is seeking Pythagoras' current incarnation. The conspiracy ropes in mathematician Jule Davidson and his twin sister, Johanna, a computer security specialist. Pages of academic prose devoted to such concepts as random numbers as well as unnecessary chronological jumps interrupt the narrative flow. Those who enjoyed Tefcros Michaelides's Pythagorean Crimes (Reviews, July 21, 2008) will find more of the same. (June) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

Arturo Sangalli is a freelance science journalist and writer. He has a PhD in mathematics from the University of Montreal. He is the author of The Importance of Being Fuzzy: And Other Insights from the Border between Math and Computers (Princeton) and has contributed many pieces to New Scientist .

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