History of Mathematics. Biographical

General Histories, but oriented toward biography.

• Of Men and Numbers
Jane Muir, $7
A pleasant little book, discussing Pythagoras, Eculid, Archimedes, Cardan, Descartes, Pascal, Newton, Euler, Gauss, Lobachevsky, Galois, and Cantor. Not a bad way to get some broad orientation. Comes with a sensible 2-page bibliography.
• History of Mathematics
D. E. Smith. 2 vols, $11 each, Dover
A good reference work. A bit dry, but aimed specifically at providing information of value to teachers.
• A Short Account of the History of Mathematics.
W. Rouse Ball. $11
This seems to me more for browsing than for study, and good on points of mathematical interest, particularly in relatively recent times. On page 264 he gives his point of view:
We may discuss separately the development of different branches of mathematics ... Or we may describe in succession the lives and writings of the mathematicians ... Personally, I prefer the latter.
• A History of Mathematics
Cajori. $30. Hardcover only
A good point of departure if one is interested in a particular mathematician.

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File date: Feb. 1999