Birth of a Theorem

Reviews / Votes

Combining poetry, music and formidable sleuthing, the charismatic Cedric Villani skilfully unfolds the complex yet wondrous world of mathematics. Birth of a Theorem inspires and entertains! -- Patti Smith Cedric Villani's BIRTH OF A THEOREM is like no other book about maths: an unfiltered view into the daily life, and the soul, of a great mathematician, as he approaches and finally conquers a major result -- Jordan Ellenberg This man could plainly do for mathematics what Brian Cox has done for physics.... [Birth of a Theorem] is one of the most peculiar and entertaining science books you will ever read -- Brian Appleyard * Sunday Times * Villani has written probably the most unlikely unputdownable thriller of the decade -- Richard Morrison * The Times * A fine book from a brilliant man -- Rod Liddle * Sunday Times * A delightful foray into an esoteric world, full of insights and necessary digressions * New Scientist * The most glamorous maths book ever * The Bookseller * Compellingly readable.... I am not aware of any other account that so lucidly describes the desolation felt by mathematicians when a solution simply refuses to be found.... But as Birth of a Theorem shows, the exhilaration when a breakthrough occurs is beyond compare -- Noel-Ann Bradshaw * Times Higher Education * Birth of a Theorem is a remarkable book and I urge everyone to buy it -- Alexander Masters * Spectator * Something of a hero in this world... Villani can do to a complex mathematical equation what Franz Liszt used to do to a piano keyboard, and as it happens he dresses like Franz Liszt as well -- Tom Sutcliffe * Start the Week & Today Programme *