A Certain Ambiguity: A Book Review

A Certain Ambiguity is a mathematical novel of ideas- a novel on which exposes mathematics and its mysteries. The story begins with a flashback experienced by the main character, Ravi, to the time his mathematician grandfather gave him a math problem to try on a calculator. The math problem given suggests gentleness and appreciation in the grandfather's relationship with his grandson and a solution might have on the boy. The grandfather died the next day, but the reader is left with the realization of the importance the memory of the grandfather played in Ravi's life. It is remarkable that in the absence of the grandfather's wise guidance the boy grows indifferent to mathematics.

The book is delightful and informative read. In the Epilogue, we learn that Ravi eventually preferred a career in mathematics than in Economics. We have understood that he had married Claire, a math student he met at the course. I was a little disappointed- for, while reading the book and sensing the evolving romance between Ravi and Claire; I'd been hoping that the authors would expand the side story into a sequel in the same genre. The book does a good job of presenting this point of view so that those who have never considered it this way can begin to have this sort of appreciation for mathematical logic. However, we soon learn that mathematics is not quite as perfect as we would like. The book does a great job of presenting this while still leaving us with an appreciation for mathematics despite its shortcomings. There is so much in this book, of philosophy; of mathematics. But one additional observation is well warranted-the authors have managed to present mathematics as a human endeavor by many timely excerpts from the diaries and correspondence of great mathematicians and scientists.  Though the rest of the book is mostly a work of fiction, it succeeded in achieving mathematics with a human face.

It is a smooth, easy read, despite the serious mathematics that threads through the book. There are people who will focus on the characters and the story and others who will focus on the mathematics, and others who will shift their attention back and forth between the two.