Publishers Weekly
01/14/2019
Strogatz (The Joy of X), a professor of applied mathematics at Cornell University, provides a reminder that calculus has practical applications and makes the field accessible to readers at all levels in this far-ranging survey. He begins with the ancient Greeks and their search for ways to calculate the areas of circles and curves by slicing them into smaller pieces. Centuries later, Galileo studied the relationship between the length and movement of pendulums. Strogatz introduces the characters behind the math, covering great partnerships (such as that of astronomers Johannes Kepler and Tycho Brahe, whose work led to Kepler’s laws of planetary motion) and seething rivalries (such as that of Pierre de Fermat and René Descartes, who laid the groundwork for differential calculus, and the famous competition between calculus innovators Isaac Newton and Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz). Strogatz also gives plenty of real-world applications, from designing microwave ovens to plotting the course of spacecraft and fighting HIV. His discussion is clear and accessible, with plenty of diagrams, and mercifully few equations. Strogatz successfully illuminates a notoriously complex topic and this work should enhance appreciation for the history behind its innovations. Agent: Katinka Matson, Brockman Inc. (Apr.)
From the Publisher
A New York Times Bestseller Featured on NPR's Science Friday Shortlisted for the 2019 Royal Society Science Book Prize Named one of 10 Best Books to Read this Spring by Amazon's Chris Schluep “Marvelous . . . an array of witty and astonishing stories . . . to illuminate how calculus has helped bring into being our contemporary world and so many of the instruments whose role we now blithely assume.” —The Washington Post “Fortunately, we live in an era when a top mathematician can write a book about calculus that is accessible to the mathematically challenged...it is the historical detail in the book that not only allows me to follow the math by taking me through how it was discovered, but also sticks in my mind. [Strogatz] makes me want to get out a textbook and start studying calculus.” —Five Books “Wonderful . . . bringing the insights of calculus—among the most important of all developments in the history of mathematics—to everyone.” —Brian Greene, on Twitter “I've never read a clearer explanation of calculus or the significant powers we gained by harnessing infinity. Michael and I highly recommend it!” —Vsauce, on Twitter “Fascinating anecdotes abound in Infinite Powers . . . Strogatz uses the right amount of technical detail to convey complex concepts with clarity . . . evocatively conveys how calculus illuminates the patterns of the Universe, large and small.” —Nature “A brilliant, appealing explanation of how calculus works and why it makes our lives so much better.” —Amazon's Chris Schluep, for the Saturday Evening Post “Strogatz does a great job of explaining a difficult subject . . . he lays out the case that calculus is fundamental to the way we live today . . . a solid choice for readers who want to know what calculus is all about, and for teachers who wish to improve their presentation.” —Library Journal “An energetic effort that successfully communicates the author’s love of mathematics.” —Kirkus Reviews “Far-ranging survey . . . clear and accessible . . . Strogatz successfully illuminates a notoriously complex topic and this work should enhance appreciation for the history behind its innovations." —Publishers Weekly “A tale of how mathematics has changed all of our lives… Strogatz is a terrific storyteller and patient teacher…. By bringing infinity down to earth… and coupling those stories with some periodic excursions back out to the stars, Infinite Powers does a marvelous job of bringing calculus to life.” —Dan Rockmore, LitHub “Are you one of those people who always said you’d someday learn calculus? Well, someday is here, thanks to Steven Strogatz’s wide-ranging, humane, thoroughly readable take on one of the greatest ideas our species has ever produced.” —Jordan Ellenberg, author of How Not to Be Wrong “This is a glorious book. Steven Strogatz manages to unmask the true hidden wonder and delightful simplicity of calculus. Infinite Powers is a master class in accessible math writing and a perfect read for anyone who feels like they never quite understood what all the fuss was about. It had me leaping for joy.” —
