The mathematical coloring book: Mathematics of coloring and the colorful life of its creators

Abstract

I have never encountered a book of this kind. The best description of it I can give is that it is a mystery novel I found it hard to stop reading before I finished (in two days) the whole text. Soifer engages the reader's attention not only mathematically, but emotionally and esthetically. May you enjoy the book as much as I did! -Branko Grünbaum University of Washington You are doing great service to the community by taking care of the past, so the things are better understood in the future. -Stanislaw P. Radziszowski, Rochester Institute of Technology They [Van der Waerden's sections] meet the highest standards of historical scholarship. -Charles C. Gillispie, Princeton University You have dug up a great deal of information - my compliments! -Dirk van Dalen, Utrecht University I have just finished reading your (second) article "in search of van der Waerden". It is a masterpiece, I could not stop reading it... Congratulations! -Janos Pach, Courant Institute of Mathematics "Mathematical Coloring Book" will (we can hope) have a great and salutary influence on all writing on mathematics in the future." -Peter D. Johnson Jr., Auburn University Just now a postman came to the door with a copy of the masterpiece of the century. I thank you and the mathematics community should thank you for years to come. You have set a standard for writing about mathematics and mathematicians that will be hard to match. -Harold W. Kuhn, Princeton University The beautiful and unique Mathematical coloring book of Alexander Soifer is another case of "good mathematics"... and presenting mathematics as both a science and an art It is difficult to explain how much beautiful and good mathematics is included and how much wisdom about life is given. -Peter Mihók, Mathematical Reviews. © Alexander Soifer 2009. All rights reserved.