The Man Who Knew Too Much: Alan Turing and the Invention of the Computer (Great Discoveries) by David Leavitt

A good biography of Alan Turing, the famous British mathematician who helped crack the German spy machine enigma during world war two, and who was also one of the pioneers of computer science / artificial intelligence.

3 out of 5 stars

A Beautiful Math: John Nash, Game Theory, and the Modern Quest for a Code of Nature by Tom Siegfried

An intriguing look at game theory and how it can be applied in a wide variety of areas (e.g. voting patterns; theories of war and peace; explanations for altruism; biological processes; etc). I found the first part of the book quite good, but was not as captivated by the second half, as I found the book lost its focus near the end. Nevertheless, I found this a very interesting read overall, and would recommend it for anyone interested in game theory or probabilities.

3 out of 5 stars

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