The Artist and the Mathematician: The Story of Nicolas Bourbaki, the Genius Mathematician Who Never Existed by Amir Aczel

This book tells the intriguing story of Nicolas Bourbaki, one of the most famous mathematicians of the 20th century, who also never existed. (Bourbaki was the collective pseudonym of a group of French mathematicians).

Unfortunately for the reader, however, this original story is undermined by a lack of focus. For instead of describing a clear tale of the Bourbaki math collective, we are instead presented with a hodgepodge of chapters that cover a wide range of topics. Though I found this book interesting overall, I was disappointed by this lack of focus, which is a shame given this fascinating subject matter.

2 1/2 out of 5 stars