Books › Fermat's Last Theorem
Fermat's Last Theorem
the story of a riddle that confounded the world's greatest minds for 358 years
First published 1997 · 397 pages
A centuries-spanning intellectual thriller that makes the pursuit of a mathematical proof feel like a high-stakes treasure hunt.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels like being handed the keys to a secret society of geniuses, where the currency is pure logic and the stakes are intellectual immortality. It transforms what could be a dry history of mathematics into a brisk, centuries-spanning detective story. You do not need to be a math prodigy to get swept up in the narrative; the prose is remarkably lucid, breaking down complex theories into accessible, awe-inspiring concepts. The atmosphere is thick with the obsession and frustration of brilliant minds chasing an impossible ghost. It delights readers who crave narrative non-fiction that respects their intelligence while delivering the propulsive tension of a thriller, culminating in a deeply satisfying, hard-won triumph of the human spirit.
- Mood
- intellectually stimulating
- awe-inspiring
- tense
- Tone
- enthusiastic
- accessible
- reverent
- suspenseful
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the obsession of genius · cumulative human knowledge · intellectual pursuit · the beauty of logic · rivalry and collaboration
- The writing
- Clear, engaging, and remarkably lucid, translating complex mathematical concepts into gripping narrative prose.
- The arc
- Moves from historical curiosity through centuries of mounting frustration to a triumphant, hard-won intellectual climax.
- Who it's for
- Curious minds who love a good mystery and want to feel smarter without being bogged down by academic jargon.
Content notes
- historical suicide
- mental distress
About the book
xn + yn = zn, where n represents 3, 4, 5,...no solution "I have discovered a truly marvelous demonstration of this proposition which this margin is too narrow to contain." With these words, the seventeenth-century French mathematician Pierre de Fermat threw down the gauntlet to future generations. What came to be known as Fermat's Last Theorem looked simple; proving it, however, became the Holy Grail of mathematics, baffling its finest minds for more than 350 years.
In Fermat's Enigma--based on the author's award-winning documentary film, which aired on PBS's "Nova"--Simon Singh tells the astonishingly entertaining story of the pursuit of that grail, and the lives that were devoted to, sacrificed for, and saved by it. Here is a mesmerizing tale of heartbreak and mastery that will forever change your feelings about mathematics.
Description from Open Library.
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