Subject: Re: [HM] Mathematics in Literature
From: Lambrou Michael (lambrou@itia.math.uch.gr)
Date: Sun Jun 04 2000 - 16:32:42 EDT
> Date: Fri, 2 Jun 2000 10:10:53 -0400
> From: "Barron, Alfred [PRI]" <ABARRON@prius.jnj.com>
> Subject: Re: [HM] Mathematics in Literature
>
> I'd love to see a few tales about the boy Galois and not have to
> worry about whether every word he said was documented by Dumas or
> not.
Then read Leopold Infeld's marvelous "Whom the Gods love".
Actually it is factual (but then Galois life was like fiction
anyway). It is written by a collaborator of Einstein, who himself
was a victim of persecution. So the power of description (and
the research required) are praisworthy.Highly recommended.
> Certainly Newton's alchemy makes for a curious theme.
A recent biography of Newton (I forget the author) adopts this angle
of the great scientists occupation. Very much an angle avoided by
other biographers because it is not "proper" to see a first rate pure
scientist to work on the occult. I recommend it too.
Michael Lambrou.
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