A Divine Language
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"A Divine Language" by Alec Wilkinson is a mathematics book and learning resource focused on Core Mathematics. Best for teachers, students, and readers looking for stronger mathematical understanding.
A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice “Wilkinson has accomplished something more moving and original, braiding his stumbling attempts to get better at math with his deepening awareness that there’s an entire universe of understanding that will, in some fundamental sense, forever lie outside his reach.” —Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times “There is almost no writer I admire as much as I do Alec Wilkinson. His work has enduring brilliance and humanity.” —Susan Orlean, author of The Library Book A spirited, metaphysical exploration into math's deepest mysteries and conundrums at the crux of middle age. Decades after struggling to understand math as a boy, Alec Wilkinson decides to embark on a journey to learn it as a middle-aged man. What begins as a personal challenge—and it is challenging—soon transforms into something greater than a belabored effort to learn math. Despite his incompetence, Wilkinson encounters a universe of unexpected questions in his pursuit of mathematical knowledge and quickly becomes fascinated; soon, his exercise in personal growth (and torture) morphs into an intellectually expansive exploration. In A Divine Language, Wilkinson, a contributor to The New Yorker for more than forty years, journeys into the heart of the divine aspects of mathematics—its mysteries, difficulties, and revelations—from antiquity to the present. As he submits himself to the lure of deep mathematics, he takes the reader through his investigations into the subject’s big questions: number theory and the creation of numbers, the debate over math’s human or otherworldly origins, problems and equations that remain unsolved after centuries, the conundrum of prime numbers. Writing with warm humor and sharp observation as he traverses practical math’s endless frustrations and rewards, Wilkinson provides an awe-inspiring account of an adventure in a land of strange sights. Part memoir, part metaphysical travel book, and part journey in self-improvement, A Divine Language is one man’s second attempt at understanding the numbers in front of him and the world beyond.
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"A Divine Language" by Alec Wilkinson is a mathematics book and learning resource focused on Core Mathematics. Best for teachers, students, and readers looking for stronger mathematical understanding.
Topic: Core Mathematics
Author: Alec Wilkinson
Who this is for:
- Teachers and classroom instructors
- Students building subject mastery
- Readers looking for practical learning support
Why this book matters: It stands out as a practical math resource that helps explain concepts, strengthen problem-solving, and support classroom or independent learning.
A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice “Wilkinson has accomplished something more moving and original, braiding his stumbling attempts to get better at math with his deepening awareness that there’s an entire universe of understanding that will, in some fundamental sense, forever lie outside his reach.” —Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times “There is almost no writer I admire as much as I do Alec Wilkinson. His work has enduring brilliance and humanity.” —Susan Orlean, author of The Library Book A spirited, metaphysical exploration into math's deepest mysteries and conundrums at the crux of middle age. Decades after struggling to understand math as a boy, Alec Wilkinson decides to embark on a journey to learn it as a middle-aged man. What begins as a personal challenge—and it is challenging—soon transforms into something greater than a belabored effort to learn math. Despite his incompetence, Wilkinson encounters a universe of unexpected questions in his pursuit of mathematical knowledge and quickly becomes fascinated; soon, his exercise in personal growth (and torture) morphs into an intellectually expansive exploration. In A Divine Language, Wilkinson, a contributor to The New Yorker for more than forty years, journeys into the heart of the divine aspects of mathematics—its mysteries, difficulties, and revelations—from antiquity to the present. As he submits himself to the lure of deep mathematics, he takes the reader through his investigations into the subject’s big questions: number theory and the creation of numbers, the debate over math’s human or otherworldly origins, problems and equations that remain unsolved after centuries, the conundrum of prime numbers. Writing with warm humor and sharp observation as he traverses practical math’s endless frustrations and rewards, Wilkinson provides an awe-inspiring account of an adventure in a land of strange sights. Part memoir, part metaphysical travel book, and part journey in self-improvement, A Divine Language is one man’s second attempt at understanding the numbers in front of him and the world beyond.
| Author | Alec Wilkinson |
| Publisher | Picador USA |
| Published | 2023-07-11 |
| ISBN-13 | 9781250168597 |
| Binding | Paperback |
| Language | English |
| Subjects | Biography & Autobiography |
| Topic | Core Mathematics |
Format: Paperback
Language: English
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