History of Mathematics. General Histories of Mathematics

• Mathematics in Civilization
Resnikoff and Wells. $11
I like this very well. It provides a reasonable introduction in under 400 pages, and has exactly the sort of exercises I find myself assigning. They are quite selective in their choice of material.
• The Development of Mathematics
Eric Temple Bell. $12
An interesting work. In fact, when I open it at random I generally stumble on something of interest. Quite polemical.
From page 1: ... mathematics has come down to the present by the two main streams of number and form. From page 132: Modern mathematics originated in five major advances of the seventeenth century:... . From page 81: [The Greek'] mathematics is intelligible to us ... Ours ... would appear to them ... as conclusive evidence of insanity.
• Mathematical Thought from Ancient to Modern Times
Morris Kline
Like Bell's, this is a selective history, oriented toward understanding how mathematics has progressed. More technical, more serious, less polemical in tone, perhaps equally opinionated, but certainly of greater depth. This is a subject in which passion is not out of place - since notions of progress vary widely.
• Great Moments in Mathematics, Howard Eves (2 vols.)
This is the original version of Eves' history book before it became a textbook. It is shorter, cheaper, and better and could be used as the main text. Each volume is $29, which I would say is overpriced. They are frequently available used at $10-$15.
• An Introduction to the History of Mathematics
Howard Eves. Each succeeding edition is longer, more expensive, and less focussed - like our calculus textbooks. $82
• History of Mathematics
Moritz Cantor, 4 vols in German (Geschichte der Mathematik).
Out of print, but useful in emergencies. A very excellent work, though out of date in some respects. In the Mathematics Library.

Back to resource page for History of Algebra

Back to History of Algebra Seminar Home

Back to Professor Cherlin's Home Page.

Back to Department of Mathematics ...

File date: Feb. 1999