» The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures

The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures Reviews

Customer Rating:
Summary: Wonderful book
Comment: I read this book (the Spanish version) when I was 11 and I was mesmerized by it. I loved figuring out the math problems, seeing math applied to very real situations (in the context of the book), and reading about math in such a wondrous manner. I also loved the story, the setting (I got it at the same time I got the Thousand and One Nights, so I was already in that frame of mind) and the fact that the student was a woman.

So I'm very glad I've found this book again (and in English!). My kids are a little bit too young for it now, but I hope they will enjoy it as much I did.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: My Father's Best Gift Yet!
Comment: My dad gave me this book for my 7th birthday (oh so many years ago), and it is still one of my favorite books ever. It tells the adventures of Beremis Samir, the "man who calculated", from the point of view of his companion.

It fires up your imagination like Arabian Nights, and leaves with you a message that goes beyond the importance, truth, history, beauty and enjoyment of Mathematics: This book speaks directly to your heart, as it tells of justice and equality (beyond numbers), charity (beyond the use of gold), and humility, even in a genius.

A must read for adults and children alike!

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Possible basis of multi-subject thematic unit
Comment: This book contains math puzzles, but it is not simply a book of math puzzles. It's a novel with puzzles woven throughout. So even people who don't really like math might find it enjoyable. Because of its setting in the medieval Islamic world and mention of such places as Samarra, Baghdad, and Basra (heard, seen or read in the news every day) it is extremely relevant now. That's why I intend to approach social studies teachers about collaborating on a thematic interdisciplinary use of the book at my high school, but with or without their cooperation, I'll likely make it part of an ongoing project during one grading period.

One reviewer faulted the book because of religious references, but it's set in Baghadad and other parts of the Islamic empire in the 13th century. I think it would be disingenuous to omit them. Another reviewer faulted the author for the Gregorian date of 1321 on the dedication page. I think that's actually supposed to be 1321 in the Islamic calendar, or 1903. That makes more sense because the fictitious author dedicates the book to modern mathematicians like Leibniz and Lagrange.

A good read.

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Must read
Comment: This booke is a excelent source of entreteriment, matematical curiosities and knologe! I a must for everyone...

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Customer Rating:
Summary: Math is fun!
Comment: This is one of the quirkiest books I've read. If you are one to hit the papers first thing in the morning to solve Sudoku, Kakuro, Mind bender, then go ahead and read this book. This is definitely your kind of book.

The Man Who Counted is about a mathematician Beremiz Samir and how he solves different problems with his knowledge of mathematics. Sort of like your Arabian Sherlock Holmes, just that the problems may not be that gory in nature. More like fights over camel distribution and such. He is not your regular human calculator, rather someone who sees romance in mathematics just as he sees it in nature, poetry. It is a collection of logical puzzles, stories, observations, anecdotes. The stories are written by Malba Tahan in the manner of storytellers of old.

The quirkiness doesn't end there. Malba Tahan is a fictitious person. The book is really written by a Brazilian mathematics professor, Júlio César de Mello e Souza's. This isn't just your regular pseudonym, Julio Cesar created a complete persona of an Arabic traveler Malba Tahan and wrote the books completely from his perspective.

The book uses interesting fables like dividing inheritance of camels amongst brothers to show how seemingly complex mathematics can be so simple and used in ordinary things. I think it can be a good tool for teachers, when mathematics becomes a chore for kids, to them the "cool" aspect of mathematics.

For those who enjoy solving logic puzzles, or even those wondering the point of Microsoft interview questions, this will be a good read. The problems may not seem like much, but the combination of storytelling with mathematics is an amusing read.

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