Mathematics: Rhyme and Reason is an exploration of the aesthetic value of mathematics and the culture of the mathematics community. This book introduces budding mathematicians of all ages to mathematical ways of thinking through a series of chapters that mix episodes from the author's life with explanations of intriguing mathematical concepts and the stories of the mathematicians who discovered them. The chapters can be read independently, and most require only a background in basic high school algebra or geometry to appreciate the topics covered. Part personal memoir, part appreciation of the poetry and humanity inherent in mathematics, this entertaining collection of stories, theorems, and reflections will be of interest to anyone curious about mathematics and the human beings who practice it. In the interest of fostering a greater awareness and appreciation of mathematics and its connections to other disciplines and everyday life, MSRI and the AMS are publishing books in the Mathematical Circles Library series as a service to young people, their parents and teachers, and the mathematics profession.

With almost 5 million copies sold 60 years after its original publication, generations of readers have now journeyed with Milo to the Lands Beyond in this beloved classic. Enriched by Jules Feiffer’s splendid illustrations, the wit, wisdom, and wordplay of Norton Juster’s offbeat fantasy are as beguiling as ever. “Comes up bright and new every time I read it . . . it will continue to charm and delight for a very long time yet. And teach us some wisdom, too.” --Phillip Pullman For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason. Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams!

The Harvard mathematician authors of The Art of the Infinite present a history of the famous relation "A squared plus B squared equals C squared" that assesses its contributors from da Vinci to the Freemasons while analyzing its numerous proofs and applications.

‘Prince Roger sets out eagerly on a quest and finds a few adventures, a lot of friends, a damsel or two in distress (not!) and himself, in the end. A ‘carrier of joy’ whose mere presence causes everyone to laugh uncontrollably, Roger finds cruelty and kindness equally amusing, and expects his quest to be a lark. It’s anything but: As Roger passes through the Forever Forest, nearly starves at the Dastardly Divide, sees people at their worst in the Valley of Vengeance, and temporarily despairs in the Mountains of Malice, he sobers up, learns to care for others, becomes an expert peacemaker, does Good Deeds, and falls in love with Lady Sadie, who says what she thinks as she repeatedly saves his bacon.’—K. ‘Feiffer’s worldly-wise, confiding tone and sense of the absurd are highly congenial, and the drawings are a vintage Feiffer delight.’—Publishers Weekly. 100 Books for Reading and Sharing 1995 (NY Public Library)

A hilarious reeducation in mathematics-full of joy, jokes, and stick figures-that sheds light on the countless practical and wonderful ways that math structures and shapes our world. In Math With Bad Drawings, Ben Orlin reveals to us what math actually is; its myriad uses, its strange symbols, and the wild leaps of logic and faith that define the usually impenetrable work of the mathematician. Truth and knowledge come in multiple forms: colorful drawings, encouraging jokes, and the stories and insights of an empathetic teacher who believes that math should belong to everyone. Orlin shows us how to think like a mathematician by teaching us a brand-new game of tic-tac-toe, how to understand an economic crises by rolling a pair of dice, and the mathematical headache that ensues when attempting to build a spherical Death Star. Every discussion in the book is illustrated with Orlin's trademark "bad drawings," which convey his message and insights with perfect pitch and clarity. With 24 chapters covering topics from the electoral college to human genetics to the reasons not to trust statistics, Math with Bad Drawings is a life-changing book for the math-estranged and math-enamored alike.

The story of a young boy's delight in his pet black rabbit, Shadrach.

Sophie dreams of wild animals losing their fur, feathers, scales, and skin, and helps them all find their proper coverings again.

Classical Euclidean geometry, with all its triangles, circles, and inscribed angles, remains an excellent playground for high-school mathematics students, even if it looks outdated from the professional mathematician's viewpoint. It provides an excellent choice of elegant and natural problems that can be used in a course based on problem solving. The book contains more than 750 (mostly) easy but nontrivial problems in all areas of plane geometry and solutions for most of them, as well as additional problems for self-study (some with hints). Each chapter also provides concise reminders of basic notions used in the chapter, so the book is almost self-contained (although a good textbook and competent teacher are always recommended). More than 450 figures illustrate the problems and their solutions. The book can be used by motivated high-school students, as well as their teachers and parents. After solving the problems in the book the student will have mastered the main notions and methods of plane geometry and, hopefully, will have had fun in the process. In the interest of fostering a greater awareness and appreciation of mathematics and its connections to other disciplines and everyday life, MSRI and the AMS are publishing books in the Mathematical Circles Library series as a service to young people, their parents and teachers, and the mathematics profession. What a joy! Shen's ``Geometry in Problems'' is a gift to the school teaching world. Beautifully organized by content topic, Shen has collated a vast collection of fresh, innovative, and highly classroom-relevant questions, problems, and challenges sure to enliven the minds and clever thinking of all those studying Euclidean geometry for the first time. This book is a spectacular resource for educators and students alike. Users will not only sharpen their mathematical understanding of specific topics but will also sharpen their problem-solving wits and come to truly own the mathematics explored. Also, Math Circle leaders can draw much inspiration for session ideas from the material presented in this book. --James Tanton, Mathematician-at-Large, Mathematical Association of America We learn mathematics best by doing mathematics. The author of this book recognizes this principle. He invites the reader to participate in learning plane geometry through carefully chosen problems, with brief explanations leading to much activity. The problems in the book are sometimes deep and subtle: almost everyone can do some of them, and almost no one can do all. The reader comes away with a view of geometry refreshed by experience. --Mark Saul, Director of Competitions, Mathematical Association of America