Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

If you are interested in mathematics, or particularly if you are not, this delightful introduction to the history of the subject is captivating, illuminating and fascinating.
Numbers rule our world and understanding how they work and how they influence our lives is key to understanding the evolution of our civilisation.
This anecdotal journey provides something for everyone from expert to neophyte.

A very interesting book about mathematics and its beauty, from the very beginning, consisting in patterns, to its extensive use today.

The author gives many examples of the use of mathematics in everyday life, mixing history and facts that are more or less known, with little anecdotes, finding numbers and patterns everywhere around us - he certainly succeeds in conveying his love for mathematics in this book.

From early times humankind has known about the patterns in nature and tried to apply these to their lives. From this has come Mathematics. In this book the historical perspective is considered alongside several anecdotes showing how history and maths are interlinked.
At its best this is a really amusing and interesting read however a bit like a double maths lesson, too much of a good thing is rather boring. I found myself drifting off in some of the more complex equation sections yet loving so anecdotes and facts - the Amazonian tribe who only have numbers up to two, anything more is 'lots' is a good example. Probably a better book to dip in and out of than to read cover to cover.

Math and physics are such fascinating fields. One of the reasons is that they are omnipresent in every domain and everything around us revolve around them.

Mickaël Launay does a great job popularizing math in this book by examples chosen, mostly in the second half of the book. First part didn’t bring anything new for me, starting from the beginning of math, discovery of the ‘Arabic’ numbers by Indians, Archimedes to Pythagoras, Fibonacci to Pascal, etc. I guess I know more about the ancient math than modern one.

But later on, he started to present several examples which I did not encounter in any other book I read so far, therefore, from there on, it captivated me completely and I couldn’t put it down.

He might not be one of the greater writers out there, but what he lacks in skills, he compensates in the enthusiasm present in every phrase. You can feel his passion and dedication in every word he writes.

I recommend this book to everyone interested in the origins, development of math and its applications. Even if you see it as an abstract domain, I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.