I want to be a mathematician

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1. gjm11Oct 2026
   Because Paul Halmos was an exceptionally good writer. (I greatly enjoyed his "automathography" called "I want to be a mathematician", though it will probably appeal significantly less to people who aren't mathematicians themselves. See also his article "How to write mathematics" at https://www.math.toronto.edu/mgsa/assets/teaching-seminar/ho....)

   The average Wikipedia contributor (even ignoring the possibility that they might be a robot) is not an exceptionally good writer, because very few people are exceptionally good writers, because that's what "exceptionally" means.

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2. gtsnexpNov 2024
   I Want to be a Mathematician: An Automathography

   Paul Richard Halmos

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3. ocfnashApr 2018
   For anyone looking for more of Halmos, his book "I want to be a mathematician: an automathography" is worth a look.

   Also well worth a look is Serre's "How to write mathematics badly": https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECQyFzzBHlo

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4. kenjacksonMar 2015
   "I Want to be a Mathematician: An Automathography" -- http://www.amazon.com/Want-Mathematician-An-Automathography/...

   This was a very influential book for me in just thinking about what it would be like to do math for a career. And I'm not a mathematician, so I think it worked. :-)

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5. wtrkOct 2012
   I have read and enjoyed some of the other books already mentioned and would add:

   * Paul R. Halmos's "I Want to Be a Mathematician... an automathography: http://www.amazon.com/Want-Be-Mathematician-Automathography-...

   * Frederick Mosteller's "The Pleasures of Statistics: The Autobiography of Frederick Mosteller": http://www.amazon.com/Pleasures-Statistics-Autobiography-Fre...

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6. kenjacksonJul 2010
   Great suggestions!

   Two more must read books: 1. "The Mathematical Experience" by Davis and Hersh (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Mathematical_Experience#cit...) 2. "I Want To Be a Mathematician" (http://www.amazon.com/I-Want-Be-Mathematician-Automathograph...).

   Probably the key thing for me in helping my math ability was to actively try to prove theorems. Before reading a proof, I always try to solve the theorem myself first. And then after reading the actual proof... try to prove it again. You'll be surprised how many times you can't prove a theorem for which you just read the proof!!!

   But this will help you get better at doing proofs, and understanding math. And it will also help you appreciate good proofs, because you would have already tried to solve it. You'll say, "Ahh... I didn't even think to try that, but that was exactly the step I would have needed".

   Lastly, as someone else mentioned -- the proofs you read in texts are polished proofs. Often those theorems proved have been attempted by famous mathematicians who failed to prove it in their lifetimes. Take your time, be rigorous, and thoughtful. If you do that, you come out ahead regardless.

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