Easy as Pi...Review

About the book:
Count the ways . . .

Have you ever stopped to think how many countless ways we use numbers? From the ring of the alarm clock in the morning to the numbers triggering our cell phones, our world is designed with numbers in mind. With
Easy as Pi, you'll get the 4-1-1 on the fascinating origin of many of the numbers we use or read about every day.

What makes "cloud nine" and "seventh heaven" so blissful?
Why is number 7 so lucky and 13 so unlucky?
Is "fourth-dimensional thinking" really out of this world?
What prompted Ray Bradbury to call his novel Fahrenheit 451?
How did 007 become James Bond's number?

For the math averse: Be not afraid.
Easy as Pi is not a textbook but rather a lively look at the derivation of numerical expressions and their inescapable influence on our culture -- from book titles to bus schedules. To sum it up, Easy as Pi equals one clever and often hilarious collection.

I like words and I have a real aversion to math. There's a reason I received an English degree in college. I wasn't sure about reading Easy as Pi, but I do enjoy books that show the origins of words and ideas, so I figured numbers couldn't be that bad!

This did not disappoint. I learned that paper burns at 451 degrees, which is why Ray Bradbury titled his book Fahrenheit 451; appropriate because the book is about a society where all books are burned. And Jean Valjean's prisoner number in Les Miserables--24601? It's apparently the date of Victor Hugo's conception. Weird!

With categories such as Numbers in Culture, Numbers in Mythology and Religion, Numbers in Language and more, this is a little book that has something for everyone. This would be a great gift book for someone more math- or science-oriented.

Thanks to Julie Harabedian of FSB Associates for the opportunity to review this book. You can learn more about the book here. You can purchase your own copy here.
Read 4/10

* * * *
4/5 Stars


Comments

  1. I like math and words, so I'd probably like this book. Thanks for your review.

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