Recommended Reading: How Not to Be Wrong by Jordan Ellenberg
How Not to Be Wrong: The Power of Mathematical Thinking
by Jordan Ellenberg
Sourced: Uncharted Books on Broadway
Purchase this book HERE
Disclosure: I am an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.
How Not to Be Wrong
Recommended Reading:
Funny
Informative
Very few numbers
This book about math is funny. I know. I didn’t expect it either. The first time I laughed aloud while reading, I figured it was a fluke. An introduction is always somewhat less formal than the book itself and, remembering the math textbooks I had in school, I assumed this would be the only time I enjoyed this book. I was wrong. I lost track of the number of times my reading was interrupted by a giggling fit (If you decide to read this one, READ THE FOOTNOTES! That’s where most of the best jokes are.). Jordan Ellenberg displays complicated mathematics, not simply through numbers and equations, but by applying real world stories, and some sly social commentary, to each principle.
This is one of the first nonfiction books I have ever purchased for myself and, even at 30, it tickles me to know I am reading books that would intrigue Klaus Baudelaire. Klaus Baudelaire, from A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket, has been the object of my affection since I read book 1. Many people think my weakness for men in glasses stems from my Harry Potter obsession. Nope. Klaus Baudelaire. Like me, he valued reading and I watched him apply the knowledge gained from books to real life, high stakes situations. I loved thinking that my connection to books made me as smart or resourceful as Klaus. Unlike me, he didn’t just read fiction. Still, it wasn’t until the last couple of years that I began to seek more from a book than just a good story. I wanted to be exposed to new ideas and concepts. And, most importantly (for some reason), I wanted to hypothetically impress Klaus.
Naturally, I bought a book about quantum mechanics, read the first chapter, and flung myself onto my bed in despair (a favorite pastime of mine). The book was too difficult for me, something I had never experienced before. I wanted to relieve my shame by shredding the book into tiny pieces and then setting those pieces on fire. I wanted to lay in bed and feel sorry for myself and my stupid, stupid brain. And mostly, I wanted to wake up the next day and never again acknowledge what happened. At most points in my life, this is exactly how I would have handled the situation. Instead, I woke up the next day and put the book back on my shelf, promising myself that I would try again when I was ready. In the meantime, I would try something else. Something difficult, but not as completely foreign to me.
So, yah. I bought a book about math. I breezed through the first section, a review of concepts I learned in school. The book became progressively more difficult and I found myself having to read sections over and over to really absorb them. More than once, I threw the book down in frustration and replaced it with a novel. It took me over a year to read this book and I’m convinced it would have never happened without the pandemic providing me with extra hours for reading. On this side of it, I’m so glad I pushed through.
And the book on quantum mechanics? It’s been two years and I’m about halfway through. Sorry to be a braggart, but not only am I reading the book, I even understand some of it.
If you would like to read How Not to Be Wrong, please check your local public library.
If you would prefer to have your own copy, you can support this blog and independent bookstores across the country by purchasing it HERE.