Description
After Napolean’s exile, with France in turmoil, Evarist Galois turns away from the world to concentrate on his passion, mathematics, but the suspicious nature of his father’s death forces him back into society where he soon joins the Republican cause.
While growing up in revolutionary France, Evariste Galois immersed himself in the study of mathematics, a pursuit that allowed him a welcome glimpse of order at a time when chaos consumed his country. Arrogant, ambitious, and brilliant, Galois dreamed of solving the quintic, a complex equation that had baffled many talented mathematicians before him — but after the mysterious death of his father, he devoted himself to Republican politics with the same fervent energy he had applied to his mathematical studies.
Rich in historical detail and bursting with intellectual passion, this captivating novel describes a genius’s valiant quest for truth — in a turbulent and uncertain era that in many ways mirrors the one in which we live today.
Reviews:
“I would highly recommend “The French Mathematician” to fans of math, french history and even those who could care less about math.
This book follows Galois’ discovery of his talents in mathematics and the conflicts in France that make him decide if he will follow his genius and study math, or join the revoultion for democracy in France.
This book is well written and is full of wonderful imagery that puts you right in revolutionary France. I would guess that most people could understand the passion for democracy that the characters in the book have, but this book also helps you understand Galois’ passion for mathematics.” – (Amazon review)
‘This is an intriguing and tragic true story about a troubled young man who very likely suffered from what we now know as Asperger’s Syndrome. Evariste Galois was a mathematical genius who had trouble focusing on his talent until faced with what he considered an imminent death the next morning. Under these circumstances and staying awake all night, Galois made an original important mathematical contribution that is still useful today (even though he died during the French Revolution, approximately 1840. The story is told about about his family and personal lives in a vey empathetic manner. It was a delight to read and would be so even for someone who had no interest in mathematics.- (Amazon review)
Author: Tom Petsinis
Publishing House: Penguin Books
Year: 1998
Condition: Soft cover. Fab 2nd hand condition – great!
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