What would Newton see if he looked out his bedroom window? Mathematics in Historical Context describes the world around the important mathematicians of the past, and explores the complex interaction between mathematics, mathematicians, and society. It takes the reader on a grand tour of history from the ancient Egyptians to the twentieth century to show how mathematicians and mathematics were affected by the outside world, and at the same time how the outside world was affected by mathematics and mathematicians. Part biography, part mathematics, and part history, this book provides the interested layperson the background to understand mathematics and the history of mathematics, and is suitable for supplemental reading in any history of mathematics course.

This is a different look at the history of our subject. For the author understands that history is more than facts, historical facts and chronologies — names, dates and places. It is also causes, explanations and interpretations — motivations, reasons and outcomes. One example of the author’s point of view is the story of Archimedes. In most histories, we read about his towering achievements, learn a bit about his life and a bit more about the legends (the bathtub and his defense of Syracuse during a siege). But here, we learn a great deal about the Punic Wars, that series of terrible wars that ended with the destruction of Carthage and established the domination of Rome. This provides the context for us to understand what was behind Archimedes’ achievements during the siege of Syracuse. In short, I highly recommend this worthy book to mathematicians, historians of mathematics, and students of these subjects.

Ezra Brown Source: MAA Reviews Online