New York Books

This is a book that helps you see the world with fresh eyes and a generous heart. Jim Atwell has a knack for elevating the experiences of daily life - some charming and quirky, others poignant and painful, some just seemingly mundane - into the realm of the profound, the beautiful and the joyful. Though his world may seem circumscribed by the tiny, rural community of Fly Creek in upstate New York, that is simply the window through which we walk with him into a wider world of human behavior as he ponders the world of meaning in the doleful eyes of sheep, the world fame of the town kazoo band, and the lives of neighbors who befriend and transform him from a citified academic escaping the pain of his young wife's death into a new and vibrant, occasionally adept, farmer. These are tales that can give guidance to anyone intrigued by a life's journey.

Writers and illustrators worth their salt MUST add colors, or tangibly bring life, to images discussed and presented in their writings. Otherwise, their words and illustrations should naturally die on the vine.

In their current book, From Fly Creek, with Jim Atwell's words, and Anne Geddes-Atwell's illustrations, nothing dies at all. With his written observations and her magnificent illustrations, they do the positive things, and so much more. They poignantly paint such vivid and meaningful pictures. As readers, we must now use a different set of glasses, and view things through humans' AND animals' eyes. What an opportunity! To see and experience life through another perspective. Hey, not bad!

Anne Geddes-Atwell's illustrations are superb! They strike the graphic and visual chords that we all need to hear and feel. They enhance the pictures and text exactly when they need to appear. Jim's and Anne's creative talents add to more than the arithmetic total of their individual contributions. As readers, we are able to experience and enjoy their combined talents and offerings. Better still, we'll remember them individually on the levels we need to.

Several years ago, circumstances brought Jim to Fly Creek. He needed what that New York local community had to offer. Fly Creek needed the writing and visual talents that he and Anne ultimately brought to local readers. The rest, as some might say, is recorded history.

Excuse me, but have you ever fed hungry animals on a cold morning? If not, don't bother me with you're your small problems. The Atwell's have dealt with these, as well as bigger ones. Please read Chapter 2 of From Fly Creek. Then tell me about your insignificant concerns. Pardon me, while I don't care.

I have more encouraging words about future chapters. However, for now, I'll blow them off. Just buy the book. Believe me, you'll be better off for having done so.

Buy this book, NOW! Otherwise, you're missing a part of life you'll need.

Reading From Fly Creek is like listening to a good-humored friend, a friend looking at the passing parade from a country setting. Atwell's tales of unique persons and lively creatures are so filled with fine detail that "we are there," wherever he wants to take us. The song of his prose enchants us, especially when writing about Cooperstown's baseball aura and the Salvation Army kettle incident. And, oh yes, don't miss the delightful sketch of the mouse in the bed or the last page's inspiring motto. This is a book to read and re-read. Frances Fowler, California

I have been reading Jim Atwell's columns in the Coopertown Crier for a couple of years now and liked them so much I went back into the archives for more of Fly Creek's history and people. These essays are in the very best tradition of observational writings of authors like James Heriot and Bill Bryson. You will find yourself transported to and become part of this community whose people will become your neighbors and friends.

Jim Atwell is an immensely talented author. The powerful imagery found on each page of From Fly Creek: Starting Again In Leatherstocking Country will enchant and awaken your imagination. This lyrical, deeply felt but unsentimental, distinguished book of non-fiction is destined to win the Pulitzer Prize.

In GHOST OF PORTBYRON AND GHOSTS ALONG THE ERIEI HAVE SELECTED MOST OF THE FAMOUS STORIES.P.BHAPPENS TO HAVE A WEALTH OF THEM.MOST OF THEGHOSTS RECORDED CAN BE CONNECTED WITH SOME PERSONWHO DIED THERE.IN MY STORIES I HAVE PRESENTED ONLYTHOSE ACCOUNTS SUBSTANTIATED THRU OLD FAMILY RECORDS AND THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF RELIABLEINDIVIDUALS.HOW THE READER CHOOSES TO INTERPRETTHEM IS A MATTER THAT ONLY THE READER CAN DECIDE,IF YOU MEET UP WITH A GHOST, JUST EJOY THE HAPPENING. DON'T BE AFRAID. MARY ANN

In GHOST OF PORTBYRON AND GHOSTS ALONG THE ERIEI HAVE SELECTED MOST OF THE FAMOUS STORIES.P.BHAPPENS TO HAVE A WEALTH OF THEM.MOST OF THEGHOSTS RECORDED CAN BE CONNECTED WITH SOME PERSONWHO DIED THERE.IN MY STORIES I HAVE PRESENTED ONLYTHOSE ACCOUNTS SUBSTANTIATED THRU OLD FAMILY RECORDS AND THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF RELIABLEINDIVIDUALS.HOW THE READER CHOOSES TO INTERPRETTHEM IS A MATTER THAT ONLY THE READER CAN DECIDE,IF YOU MEET UP WITH A GHOST, JUST EJOY THE HAPPENING. DON'T BE AFRAID. MARY ANN

This book is absolutely ravishing. It's obvious that the author put her heart-and-soul into writing it and has a keen sense of recording the stories from around her town. Mary Ann Johnson must be a wonderful woman to know and must be the best and most beautiful Grandmother in the world.

In GHOST OF PORTBYRON AND GHOSTS ALONG THE ERIEI HAVE SELECTED MOST OF THE FAMOUS STORIES.P.BHAPPENS TO HAVE A WEALTH OF THEM.MOST OF THEGHOSTS RECORDED CAN BE CONNECTED WITH SOME PERSONWHO DIED THERE.IN MY STORIES I HAVE PRESENTED ONLYTHOSE ACCOUNTS SUBSTANTIATED THRU OLD FAMILY RECORDS AND THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF RELIABLEINDIVIDUALS.HOW THE READER CHOOSES TO INTERPRETTHEM IS A MATTER THAT ONLY THE READER CAN DECIDE,IF YOU MEET UP WITH A GHOST, JUST EJOY THE HAPPENING. DON'T BE AFRAID. MARY ANN

In GHOST OF PORTBYRON AND GHOSTS ALONG THE ERIEI HAVE SELECTED MOST OF THE FAMOUS STORIES.P.BHAPPENS TO HAVE A WEALTH OF THEM.MOST OF THEGHOSTS RECORDED CAN BE CONNECTED WITH SOME PERSONWHO DIED THERE.IN MY STORIES I HAVE PRESENTED ONLYTHOSE ACCOUNTS SUBSTANTIATED THRU OLD FAMILY RECORDS AND THE PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF RELIABLEINDIVIDUALS.HOW THE READER CHOOSES TO INTERPRETTHEM IS A MATTER THAT ONLY THE READER CAN DECIDE,IF YOU MEET UP WITH A GHOST, JUST EJOY THE HAPPENING. DON'T BE AFRAID. MARY ANN

I have only scanned the book, however I am historically familiar with a
lot of the content which motivated me to buy the book as a collectors
item. I also order the book for my grandson and a friend's son.

Doug Murray

Here is a man who should be an inspiration to a whole generation. This book is more proof that he is more than just an athlete. This book is recommended reading for all teenagers

On the Shoulders of Giants speaks of a bygone, sometimes forgotten piece of America and its culture that nevertheless has great, reaching tentacles into our present, and that will continue to shake and embrace us well into our future. Beautifully written, with a title that says it all, this book is just as evocative and fascinating for non-sports, non-jazz fans as it will undoubtedly be for those entrenched in both subjects.

A wonderful discovery.

Especially interesting are the musicians and music that originated or passed through Harlem during this time.

The Harlem Renaissance continues to contribute to society today, and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explains why in this memoir.

This book is great for anyone looking for entertainment in NYC. Not only does it break down all of the bars/clubs/restaurants/lounges for any kind of mood...it gives you great ideas for any kind of entertainment you are looking for. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone living or planning to visit NYC.

This book rocks! I'm a guy and I have to say that this is truly not just a "Girls Guide". My buddies and I picked it up one night at a local bookstore, just to see what all the hoop-la was about. To our surprise, we finally learned and figured out where to meet chicks! THANK YOU DANIELLA! Now, we can get out of our Apts. and stop playing PS2. This is a great book for guys as well. When is "Girls Guide 2" coming out? Looking forward to it!

Well, I've never been to your town but if like me, you come from a little town in the darkest recesses of wild and wooly wales (uk) then, theres nothing like getting your feet up and reading daniellas book. It was a laugh from the first page to the last and I'll make sure I make a bee-line to your shores toot sweet.Please give us some more and give my love to your mother who I'm sure is a lovely lady. Don't worry I'm a nice person really .....all the best E.

This book was the most hilarious, quick-witted thing I've read in a long, long time. I am EAGERLY awaiting the author's novel. I am her hugest fan now! The book is great (not to mention the chic art), includes many many places to hit in NYC and the stories are absolutely hysterical. She cuts nightlife down with a double-edged sword and makes choosing where to go out SO enjoyable, especially for a fellow soon-to-be-former commuter LI'er like me. God bless you Daniella, and your magical pen!

Good stuff! I'm a dude and all I have to say is, Thank you Daniella! I have been living in NYC for several years now and I can finally say that I have found my Nightlife guide. This is not just a "Girls Guide". Any smart guy should pick up this book and read it cover to cover. Fellas, she TELLS us where ALL the ladies are. How much easier can it get? I read it, used it and meet many females. You may have to go to the Beauty Bar, but who cares...you'll be glad you did later. She has it all in there. Be it the local hole(Reservior)to the high-roller(Bungalow 8) joints. She knows her spots and you will too!

I had Mr. Eder as a Professor for two Philosophy classes, so I knew a bit of the background behind his daughter's murder but I never completely grasped the tragedy of it. I cried like a baby in a few places...Mr. Eders' memoir is the heart-wrenching story of a father living his worst nightmare; the dissappearance and murder of his only daughter. I couldn't put it down until I had finished the book. My favorite quote from the book is so classically Eder: simply put yet powerful..."I teach the great Philosophers, study the great ideas, and search for God." Thank you for introducing me to this book, Professor.

As a former student of Mr. Eder's (and the former-Mrs. Adrienne Eder), I felt an instant connection to this book & the author. As a student, I knew that something bad had happened to their daughter, but I was not aware of the extent. This book is provacative, poignant and I must commend Mr. Eder for having the courage to write it.
As a teacher, myself, I know that it is hard to put your heartfelt personal life out there for students (let alone others in the general public) to see...this crime was so horrific, that I can't imagine how this man managed to inspire students the way that he did everyday. He has been through Hell and it is inspiring to see how he and his family have carried on with such dignity and courage.

James Eder has written a thoughtful and provocative memoir. His tone is candid and at times brutal in his frank inner pain. To read him is to discover our own worst fears; to walk with him is to realize the immeasurable power of the human spirit. The book aches in the very pages, but there is much beauty and craftsmanship in Eder's stirring journey. Ultimately, Eder's story is necessary reading for all of us.

Recommended to anyone who loves a good book; excellent for libraries.

Vicki was a fellow classmate of mine at Northport High School (Class of 1981), we were also in the Environment Team together(those who went to Northport know what that was). I remember vividly the day when they found Vicki's body, I cried like a baby. I suppose that was odd considering we were not good friends, but just aquaintances. Yet I cried like a baby none the less, the hurt and sorrow were real. After reading this book, the sadness all came back.
My heart goes out to Mr. Eder, and I thank him for sharing his terrible ordeal with us.

This book is amazing! I couldn't put it down! Eder is beautifully spoken and writes with pure honesty, emotion, and detail. Of course I'll never know what it's like to be in his shoes but this book comes close. He makes the intense thoughts of a father, husband, teacher, and human being during a time of crisis so real to the reader. There are things in this book that we can all relate to like the loss of a loved one, questioning of your worthiness as a parent, and questioning your relationship with God. Eder raises the questions we have all considered at one point in our lives - How can an all loving God allow such horrible things to happen? and Are our troubles in life punishments from God? I highly reccomend this book to anyone and everyone. The content is universal wether you believe in a God or not, wether you believe the world is an evil place or a good place, we all have something to gain from understanding the experiences of others.

This book is beautifully conceived. The photographer, James Rudnick, had the foresight and the love for these icons of New York City to preserve them photographically for generations to come.
The design is elegant. The text is interesting and important.
A great book.

Rudnick's book is monumental both figuratively and literally. In photographing the restorative work performed on New York's most recognizable structures, Rudnick has forever preserved an important piece of Americana. With a discerning and creative eye, he juxtaposes images of exquisite detail and grandiose sweep, of human form and man-made object, of decay and renewal. One of my favorite shots is that of Liberty's internal spiral staircase (p. 75). This photograph could just as easily be a study in abstract form; three ghostly lights punctuate an array of metallic angles and curves in an enormously deep field of vision. Another stand-out is a view of Liberty through scaffolding (p. 67). The torch rises dramatically above the gridwork, suggesting that American freedom can never be constrained. There is obvious forethought to Rudnick's work -- as in a shot of ironworkers on the Brooklyn Bridge perfectly framed by the Twin Towers (p. 49) -- but his photographs never appear cliched or stilted. Gotham Restored offers up new rewards with each viewing. It should serve to place Rudnick among the pantheon of living photographers. Highly, highly recommended.

Thomas Mellins provides the text for Gotham Restored: The Preservation Of Monumental New York, an impressive survey of photographer James Rudnick's works on New York. Rudnick's images gave him a reputation as a documentary photographer, and his projects following landmark buildings and structures in New York provide fine shots from 'before' and 'after' their reconstruction. New Yorkers in particular will find this packed with memories and familiar images.

This beautifully designed book presents monumental icons in a way that is both insightful and inspirational. The subject matter in this work is so very familiar (the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, Grand Central Station and the NY Public Library) that it would have been temptingly easy to trivialize and display these structures as they are frequently seen in glossy calendars and travel books. In contrast, Rudnick's exquisite work transcends these more commonly seen depictions. His intimate knowledge of, and obvious reverence for, the structures allows him to share with the reader unique perspectives that revitalize our appreciation for these great national treasures. The book celebrates the exhaustive and impressive work that the restorations entailed and the presence of the various craftspeople in the shots allows one to appreciate the enormous scale of the projects. Those who spend time with this book will never look upon these colossal structures in quite the same way again.

A curious thing happened to me as I read the text and looked at these photographs. They made me feel somehow comfortable and pleased. I realized this after going through the entire book. It was comforting to see how these standard landmarks are rejuvenated to be enjoyed for time to come. Far more than a "coffee table" book on famous sights (or sites), the images are embued with the authors sensitivy to the aesthetic of the structures and the city. If you love New York you will enjoy this volume. Wonderful book and a great gift for anyone who knows NYC.

I've got several Mickey Mantle books, but I really think this one is the best. Very detailed and accurate. Well done!

Very impressed with book - my son is big fan and loves it.

Excellent chronology of many highlights of Mickey's career ... especially the descriptions of those monsterous home runs ... no one before or since has had "power for distance" that Mickey had ... lists his lifetime stats, offense and defense, in the back of the book ...

the numerous descriptions of Mickey by his beloved teamates gives the reader clear insight into what kind of person Mickey was ...

the quintessential teammate who gave everything he had on and off the field to win and help his teammates ... e.g., playing in tremendous amounts of pain (so as not to disappoint, in case the father of a poor family took his boy once a year to see him play); at restaurants, picking up "the check" most of the time; insisting that old teammates come to autograph sessions (or he wouldn't attend) so they could make money too; and the lovable prankster (the "TP" prank)...

truly a one of a kind, the last of the 4 great Yankees (Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, Mantle), one of those who really was head and shoulders above the rest, and he was the last player to connect us to the baseball of a by-gone era ...

and to prove it all, he's got his own 4,500 lb. monument in Center Field! I could go on and on ... but ... the book is well worth the money ... buy it!

My kids grew up wanting to BE LIKE MIKE. Like many of my generation, I always wanted to be like Mick. THE MICK.

Mickey Mantle was, for us, the consummate baseball player. He hit the ball hard and ran the bases fast. His arm was strong and his glove golden.

But that's only part of why he was our hero. Randall Swearingen's book, A Great Teammate, covers the rest. Mickey was one of the greatest team players the game has ever known. He found a way to win. One day he'd hit a home run. The next he'd bunt and steal--or literally outrun a fly ball. It added up. Between 1951 and 1964, Mickey's Yankees made twelve trips to the World Series. Twelve!

When his teammates batted, Mickey cheered. When they slumped, he took them to dinner. When Roger wilted in the Babe's mighty shadow, Mickey took him under his wing and into his home--even as The Mick took his own shot at THE RECORD.

Mickey played hurt nearly every game of his major league career because, as a rookie, he deferred to a teammate named Joe DiMaggio. Mickey never complained or made excuses. He just came to the park early, took his treatments, hid the pain, and played hard. As good as he was, he could have been even better with two legs rather than one.

When asked why he didn't take himself out of the lineup to rest the legs, Mickey replied that some child might come to the ball park to watch him play, and he didn't want to let that child down. Mickey didn't know it, but I was that child. My family drove from North Carolina to New York City in 1961. It was the only chance I ever had, as a kid, to watch a major league game. Mickey didn't disappoint: he hit a line drive into the right field bleachers for a home run. From then on, Mickey was my hero. And, like so many southerners in those days, I became, of all things, a Yankee.

Then came the 70s, 80s, and 90s. Sportswriters forgot who Mickey Mantle was and why he had been our hero. They publicized his alcoholism. His business failures. His divorce. If only he had fallen in his prime, they implied, like Gehrig with ALS or Ruth with cancer. But somehow he dodged the Hodgkin's curse. And even though alcoholism is every bit as much a disease as ALS, or cancer, or Hodgkin's, America stopped loving Mickey the way he had loved us. We forgot. And, I must admit, as I almost forgot.

Then I read A Great Teammate, and the memories came pouring back. Mickey winning games for his team. Mickey bringing out the best in his teammates. Mickey loving and respecting the game. Playing hard. Playing hurt. Always humble. Ever helpful. Never making excuses. And, in bottom of the 9th, whipping his toughest foe, alcoholism, and helping others do the same.

No doubt, Old Timers told these stories time and again at ball games, fantasy camps, reunions, and funerals. But, no one ever bothered to write them down for us, the fans. Until now. Mickey, Randall: thank you.

It was very important to our dad that he be remembered as a great teammate and this book does an excellent job of explaining why he was admired, not only by the fans but his teammates and opponents as well. Randall went to great lengths to research the relevant details of key events in dad's career in order to show the magnitude of dad's courage, competitiveness, loyalty, determination, athleticism and perseverance both on and off the field. Randall spent time with dad and his teammates at the Mickey Mantle fantasy camps and his knowledge and love of dad really shows in this book. Reading the book brought back many great memories and magically transported us back in time to our childhood. The Mantle family gives this book a big "thumbs up" and wishes to extend our heartfelt thanks to Randall for writing this inspiring and enjoyable book that beautifully echoes our deep love and respect for our dad. "A true teammate". - Merlyn, David and Danny Mantle

I first read "Please Kill Me" and developed a fascination for this era of American social history. This book describes, through stories and pictures, the various stages of Max's and all the celebrity goings on. Very entertaining, also a high quality edition, of a period of decadence.

I often walk past the site where Max's once stood. Even though I only came to New York about three years ago, I already knew the look of that building from photos. Patti Smith said that when she saw the deli that has taken over there, she cried. I found it sad myself and never even went to Max's. Thanks to this fascinating, touching, and sometimes terrifying book, I feel that I got a small taste of what it must have been like. I do realize, however, that "you really had to be there". Of course, if I had been, I might not be here now. Max's was probably way too fast for a guy like me to handle. I might look back fondly like some of the people in this book or I might have jumped off a building like Andrea Feldman. Pick this book up for a heartfelt examination of what was truly a crossroads for pop culture--a place where the only poeple who felt like freaks were the ones who weren't.

Anyone interested in the NYC rock'n'roll scene of the 1960's-'70's should get this book. Warhol's Superstars, the Velvets, Nico, Patti Smith, and so many more all have their place in here! Mickey Ruskin, the owner of Max's, pretty much kept alive 99% of the cities "starving artists" during those times! A lot of popular musicians got their start at Max's, from Bruce Springsteen to Debbie Harry (a former Max's waitress!). If you want to learn more about the "back room" at Max's and all the characters who hung out there, get this book! Lots of entertaining anecdotes from so many different scenesters! Most of these people lived on the edge! Other books I would recommend are "Man Enough To Be a Woman" by Jayne County and "Rebel Heart" by Bebe Buell (they were regulars at Max's as well)!!!

This book was great, excellent pictures and a great tell all of the time. Nothing was held back from this oral history, very detailed and fun. Yvonne Ruskin did a great job, I felt like I knew these people and since I have never been to Max's and now that it is gone it was alot of fun to see what it was like and sad at the same time because I wish I could of been there.

Yvonne Sewall-Ruskin's "High on Rebellion" is a wonderful recreation of Max's era (1965 thru 1981). Filled with hundreds of photographs (by Leee Black Childers, Anton Perich, Billy Name and others) and hundreds of interview quotes, reading it is like a multimedia experience - as exciting as a night in Max's infamous backroom! For those of us lucky enough to have been there, it is a trip back to the center of the maelstrom... Max's was New York's high energy intersection of the art and music world, where up and coming young ones could brush elbows with Warhol, Patti Smith, Bowie, the NY Dolls, et al. Beautifully designed, this book will be enjoyed by anyone interested in the artists, musicians and popular culture of the late sixties and the 1970's. It really is shocking to realize how many young talents succumbed to the excesses of that time, still the book created in me a longing to go back there again! Thanks for a wonderful tribute, Yvonne!

Must read for anyone in the Ironworker family!! You will learn a lot about what it means to live the life plus you'll learn the roots and sufferings of the early sky-walkers.

Not many books have made me stay up until the early morning hours reading,this one did,the alternating chapters of present day steel workers and early 1900s history was a stroke of genius,all you office people who sit in your little air conditioned rat holes all year need to read this and understand what the construction industry has had to put up with for many years just so you little prima donnas can be comfortable.This is the story of real men working hard for a living.

"High Steel" has the reader marveling that this dramatic story has remained untold until now. As in "Seabiscuit," the author's narrative skills work with an exotic profession, and a dramatic period in history, to produce a truly gripping read. Rasenberger illuminates the history of ironwork in this country, and beautifully evokes both its danger and its draw to those who join the trade. It is a thrilling, perilous, foreign world up there where the ironworkers spend their days; we are privileged to gain entrance to this world through "High Steel."

Jim Rasenberger unblinkingly depicts the demanding nature of the work done by these unique men. The reader cannot help but be impressed with their bravery and accomplishment.

It's also clear that this is one of the last few places where men only need apply. In almost every other phase of American working life, qualified women are accepted as working peers. It's really ironic that one of the thickest "glass ceilings" is where they haven't even built the ceiling yet...

But Rasenberger's job is not to change this world, but just write about it. And write he does - you share in the working days of these men, of what happens when they fall (as they do), their families, their heritage, and, in an especially moving chapter, their heroic work right after the collapse of the World Trade Center.

Gender equality is the right thing. I get impatient when I encounter a workplace where women are so clearly unwelcome. What these men do, though, is very special and very much worth our attention and praise. As we might ask them to confront their stereptypes about women, we're challenged to confront our own stereotypes about the "lazy, ignorant construction worker." Rasenberger teaches us that nothing could be more unfair.

These are intelligent, skilled, disciplined and, above all, brave men who can do what we need done. The book will open your eyes.

An outstanding account of the brotherhood that built the New York City skyline. Rasenberger does two things particularly well in this book. First, he provides a fine history of the DANGEROUS iron working trade, as it developed with the advent of the syscraper, the redoubtable Flatiron building. "The danger was reflected in the carnage...of 1,000 members of Chicago Local 1 that same year, 103 were injured, 15 permanently disabled and 18 died." Second, he paints lovely portraits of the individuals (the stoic daredevils) who did the work, Sam Parks, "Frenchy" and Jack Doyle, to name a few. I highly recommend that a prospective reader use Amazon's "look inside" feature to sample Rasenber's non-nonsene prose, so well-suited to his subject matter.

This is one of those rare works by a true master. The following quote from page 161 definitely applies to the book itself:

"If we understand the preceding ideas, we understand the foundations of modern mathematics".

This is what this book is about. If you're looking precisely for this, as I was, you'll be truly enlightened by its reading.

I assume that it was very unusual, in the early 20th century, for scholars of Whitehead's stature to write for an educated lay readership, and that IM is one of only a handful of 'popular mathematics' books of its day. As such, IM and Whitehead are to be commended. Aside from an occasional reference to the 'ether', as others have noted, IM is current and compelling in every respect. It is a fine read (though rather curiously organized: it's final two chapters seem to belong much earlier in the book). I give it 4 stars only because others, standing on Whitehead's shoulders, have done a much better job of covering similar ground. I have in mind, especially, Tobias Dantzig's first-rate "Number: The Language of Science" (recently reissued).

A word to the wise: avoid the Barnes and Noble edition of IM. It is rife with typos, not to mention a missing diagram. I don't know whether the errors are B&N's own, or owe to the fact(?) -- it seems -- that this edition corresponds to (though does not photo-reproduce) the original 1911 edition, which (judging from the latest offerings on Amazon), was superseded by a corrected edition in 1948. Whatever the source of these errors, they are many and greatly distracting.

"The study of mathematics is apt to commence in disappointment."

"One of the causes of the apparent triviality of much of elementary algebra is the preoccupation of the textbooks with the solutions of equations."

In discussing Descartes' coordinate geometry, Whitehead states, "Philosophers, when they have possessed a thorough knowledge of mathematics, have been among those who have enriched the science with some of its best ideas. On the other hand, it must be said that, with hardly an exception, all remarks on mathematics made by those philosophers who have possessed but a slight or hasty and late-acquired knowledge of it, are entirely worthless, being either trivial or wrong."

"Civilization advances by extending the number of important operations which we can perform without thinking about them. Operations of thought are like cavalry charges in a battle - they are strictly limited in number, they require fresh horses, and must only be made at decisive moments."

"The really profound changes in human life have all had their ultimate origin in knowledge pursued for its own sake."

Alfred North Whitehead, a remarkable British mathematician and philosopher, enlivens his look at the fundamental ideas underlying mathematics with provocative observations. Nonetheless, Whitehead does not avoid mathematics while trying to explain mathematics. While this book is clearly for the layman, it may occasionally require some effort. An Introduction to Mathematics is delightful, insightful, and intellectually stimulating.

Whitehead argues that mathematics is an abstract science that is primarily concerned with generality, not specificity. In trying to master the techniques and mechanics of arithmetic, algebra, and geometry, many students fail to recognize the fundamental ideas. They become lost in a murky fog of details.

I found myself surprised by Whitehead's insightful explanations of familiar topics like variables, constants, and simple algebraic equations. I know math. But I now recognize that I had not really given sufficient thought to some very basic concepts. Just a few pages into this little book I was actually looking at some familiar concepts from a very different perspective.

Later discussions on mathematical symbolism, imaginary numbers, conic sections, trigonometry, and infinite series move more slowly and may require rereading. But the insights gained will more than offset any additional effort.

Whitehead occasionally digresses to discuss the act of mathematical creation. He agrees with the poet Shelley who compared the discovery of "some great truth" to the slow snowflake by snowflake accumulation that leads to an avalanche. While not discounting the role of genius, Whitehead sees breakthroughs in mathematical thought, often as unexpected as an avalanche, the natural result of the accumulation of knowledge through the centuries.

Whitehead's small book could serve as the basis for a short class or tutorial for high school students (or perhaps even for humanities majors with less than fond feelings for mathematics.) An Introduction to Mathematics is an effective counterbalance to standard textbooks that focus too much on technique, manipulation, and mechanics. Five stars.

Whitehead's "Introduction to Mathematics" is an illustrative, lucid, and concise discourse on the "three great mathematical ideas of the variable, of algebraic form, and of generalization." As other reviewers have indicated, the author presupposes that the reader have at least *some* experience with elementary algebra, geometry, and trigonometry. The book's greatest strength, however, lie in its ability to supplement the rigor of an undergraduate math education (or something akin) with the "why" of said education. In sum, both math- and non-math oriented folk will benefit from reading this book --- the non-mathematicians may be turned on to the elegance of the discipline whereas the mathematicians may be reminded (gasp!) of its beauty and relevance.

This is a nice, little book: short, clear, and very well written. I confess, though, that I'm not sure who its best audience really is. If you know some math, and have thought and read AT ALL about the philosophy of math, you will not find much new in this book; still, since it will be quick and easy to read, you will probably find it worthwhile, for the occasional new insight or alternative way of looking at things. I found the section on series particularly worth reading, because series were not well covered in my own math education. I also found the comments on the measurement of time to be subtle and thought-provoking.

If you know little or no math, you MIGHT find this a good introduction (as the title implies), but don't expect any detailed exposition on the actual PRACTICE of math. This book is really an introduction to the philosophy of math. It is concerned with WHY we do math, and why math takes the form that it does. Whitehead's goal is to introduce some key concepts, common to all math, such as variables and abstraction. Any actual proofs or expositions in the book are included only as examples of how these concepts play out in seemingly different areas of study.

Perhaps the reader best served by this book would be one who is comfortable with the practice of math at least through the basic high school level (geometry, algebra, trigonometry), and possibly more, but is just starting to think about the underlying philosophy: the "why" of math as opposed to the "how" of it.

For those who don't know, Whitehead was, of course, one of the premier philosophers of math of the early 20th century, co-author with Bertrand Russell of the 3-volume magnum opus "Principia Mathematica". The present book was written around 1911, and is definitely dated in spots - for instance he talks about electro-magnetic vibrations in the "ether" - but that doesn't detract from either its usefulness or readability.