Siobhan Roberts
Author of King of Infinite Space: Donald Coxeter, the Man Who Saved Geometry
About the Author
Siobhan Roberts is a National Magazine Award-winning science writer based in Toronto. While writing this book, she was a Director's Visitor at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton and a fellow at the Leon Levy Center for Biography at the CUNY Graduate Center in New York. Her first book, show more King of Infinite Space, won the Mathematical Association of America's Euler Prize for expanding the public's view of mathematics. show less
Works by Siobhan Roberts
Tagged
Common Knowledge
Members
Reviews
Genius At Play: The Curious Mind of John Horton Conway by Siobhan Roberts
This is a portrait of a mathematician, but one who was also a polymath among other characteristics. While he was born in Liverpool, Conway made his name in the environs of Cambridge and Princeton. Reading this book was like a science lesson, but one that was more enjoyable than most I've ever experienced.
Didn't care for it. The structure of the writing and narrative was convoluted at best. Too many side tangents, comments from Conway. Picked it up several times at different points, hoping for some improvement, but didn't really find it. Had to stop reading it.
Sizable and fascinating biography of the Cambridge/Princeton mathematician (group theorist and much else) best known to part of the general public for the Game of Life and the system of surreal numbers. The highly creative Conway (1937-) is also, evidently, highly disorganized. Roberts, who previously wrote a bio of Toronto geometer HSM Coxeter, agreeably structures her portrait of Conway around the years-long process she went through to gather the material, which includes lots of commentary from the subject himself.… (more)
2 
fpagan | 3 other reviews | Oct 20, 2015 |
fpagan | 3 other reviews | Oct 20, 2015 | 
The book spends a lot of time on people with connections to Coxeter. At times, these connections can be slight. As a result of this, the actual developments in Coxeter's life appear to take on a secondary role.
Nonetheless, the book gives a fascinating portrait of a fascinating mathematician. It made me want to seek out some of Coxeter's work!
Nonetheless, the book gives a fascinating portrait of a fascinating mathematician. It made me want to seek out some of Coxeter's work!
Lists
Awards
You May Also Like
Statistics
- Works
- 3
- Members
- 298
- Popularity
- #78,715
- Rating
- 3.8
- Reviews
- 9
- ISBNs
- 14
- Languages
- 1
- Favorited
- 1