How Mathematicians Think

What Hacker News says

1. mindcrimeJan 2023
   Maybe not "made me better at math" per-se, but definitely "made me more enthusiastic about math":

   The Universe Speaks in Numbers[1] by Graham Farmelo

   I found this very motivating and insightful, in terms of developing even more of an appreciation for how much math underpins other branches of science. Not that that is a novel insight by any means... but the details of the incidents where breakthroughs in mathematics allowed further advances in physics, etc. and looking at the "back and forth" between the domains, that was wildly interesting to me. Reading this book definitely helped motivate me to get serious about committing more time / focus to studying mathematics.

   I also enjoyed the "counterpoint" book by Sabine Hosenfelder, Lost in Math[2]. I think these two books complement each other nicely.

   Then the handful of additional (no pun intended) books that jump to mind would be:

   - How Mathematicians Think by William Byers[3]

   - How to Think Like a Mathematician by Kevin Houston[4]

   - Discrete Mathematics with Applications[5] by Susanna Epp

   - How Not To Be Wrong[6] by Jordan Ellenberg

   - Introduction to Mathematical Thinking[7] by Keith Devlin

   - How to Measure Anything[8] by Douglas Hubbard

   [1]: https://www.amazon.com/Universe-Speaks-Numbers-Reveals-Natur...

   [2]: https://www.amazon.com/Lost-Math-Beauty-Physics-Astray/dp/15...

   [3]: https://www.amazon.com/How-Mathematicians-Think-Contradictio...

   [4]: https://www.amazon.com/How-Think-Like-Mathematician-Undergra...

   [5]: https://www.amazon.com/Susanna-S-Epp-Mathematics-Application...

   [6]: https://www.amazon.com/How-Not-Be-Wrong-Mathematical/dp/0143...

   [7]: https://www.amazon.com/Introduction-Mathematical-Thinking-Ke...

   [8]: https://www.amazon.com/How-Measure-Anything-Intangibles-Busi...

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2. jamez1Nov 2018
   Highly recommend this book for anyone interested in this line of thinking:

   How mathematicians think William P. Byers

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3. tokenroveDec 2013
   Something else I just read which is related but lighter is How Mathematicians Think by William Byers.
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4. mindcrimeMar 2011
   That's a really good point. And it reminds me that there is a really cool book titled How Mathematicians Think[1] that goes into much detail about how mathematics is a creative activity and not just a mechanical process (as some people seem to believe.)

   [1]: http://www.amazon.com/How-Mathematicians-Think-Contradiction...

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