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Synopsis
A New York Times Book Review Editors' Choice
"Wilkinson has accomplished something more moving and original, braiding his stumbling attempts to get better at math with his deepening awareness that there's an entire universe of understanding that will, in some fundamental sense, forever lie outside his reach." --Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times
"There is almost no writer I admire as much as I do Alec Wilkinson. His work has enduring brilliance and humanity." --Susan Orlean, author of The Library Book
Decades after struggling to understand math as a boy, Alec Wilkinson decides to embark on a journey to learn it as a middle-aged man. What begins as a personal challenge--and it is challenging--soon transforms into something greater than a belabored effort to learn math. Despite his incompetence, Wilkinson encounters a universe of unexpected questions in his pursuit of mathematical knowledge and quickly becomes fascinated; soon, his exercise in personal growth (and torture) morphs into an intellectually expansive exploration. In A Divine Language, Wilkinson, a contributor to The New Yorker for more than forty years, journeys into the heart of the divine aspects of mathematics--its mysteries, difficulties, and revelations--from antiquity to the present. As he submits himself to the lure of deep mathematics, he takes the reader through his investigations into the subject's big questions: number theory and the creation of numbers, the debate over math's human or otherworldly origins, problems and equations that remain unsolved after centuries, the conundrum of prime numbers. Writing with warm humor and sharp observation as he traverses practical math's endless frustrations and rewards, Wilkinson provides an awe-inspiring account of an adventure in a land of strange sights. Part memoir, part metaphysical travel book, and part journey in self-improvement, A Divine Language is one man's second attempt at understanding the numbers in front of him and the world beyond.
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About the Author
Alec Wilkinson is the author of many books, including The Ice Balloon, The Protest Singer, My Mentor, Mr. Apology, and The Happiest Man in the World. A contributor to The New Yorker since 1980, he is the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, a Robert F. Kennedy Book Award, and a Lyndhurst Prize. He lives in New York City.
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Divine Language
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A Divine Language: Learning Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus at the Edge of Old Age
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A Divine Language: Learning Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus at the Edge of Old Age
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Paperback. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G1250168597I4N00
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A Divine Language: Learning Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus at the Edge of Old Age
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A Divine Language: Learning Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus at the Edge of Old Age
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Divine Language
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Divine Language
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paperback. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_461903447
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Divine Language
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Condition: good. Supports Goodwill of Silicon Valley job training programs. The cover and pages are in Good condition! Any other included accessories are also in Good condition showing use. Use can include some highlighting and writing, page and cover creases as well as other types visible wear. Seller Inventory # GWSVV.1250168597.G
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Divine Language
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A Divine Language: Learning Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus at the Edge of Old Age
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Paperback. Condition: Near Fine. Crisp, bright, clean; no owners' marks; except for very light shelfwear at spine ends, as new. 287pp. Seller Inventory # 00086144