Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities: A Book Review

“I incline to the view that a miscellany should be miscellaneous, and this one is”, Stewart notes in his introduction. Stewart, a mathematician at the University of Warwick in England, offers this book of puzzles, paradoxes, brainteasers, tricks, facts and jokes, which he accurately calls “curiosities.” 

Steward has indeed made an easier, logical and fun approach in math. Knowing that the most exciting math is not taught in school and beyond the four walls of the classroom, Stewart has spent years in constructing intriguing mathematical games, stories, facts, puzzled which are made for the adventurous mind. This book reveals the most exciting math puzzles made by Professor Stewart himself. As you go through each page, you will find different logic and geometry puzzles. Some problems may be easier to begin with but becomes more interesting and challenging as you leaf through each page. If you have come across articles on what are Fibonacci and Golden numbers, you would actually understand the logic behind those formulas and numbers. Some logical problems include a pop-up dodecahedron and the P=NP problems which you may win a million dollars if you solve it. Articles and facts on famous mathematicians- the logic behind their formulas are also included. Indeed, Stewart has made a challenging yet approachable way in understanding math- and I can say this with conviction because as you go through each page and solve a puzzle, mathematics exposes the semblance of reality that we are happy with. Indeed, there are hundreds of facts and puzzles that may look difficult as it may seem- yet Stewart presented it with enthusiasm and good humor.

No, Professor Ian Stewart’s Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities has no story in his book, no, parable nor moral nor to rebuke my failure to master Calculus or to identify the difference between a prime and a Mersenne prime-there is only delight and amazement as you go through the course of the book and self guilt toward my own idle response to the different mathematical challenges.