Top 20 Must-Read Mathematics Books for the Curious Layman

[matqkks]

What are the top 20 mathematics books to read before you die? I not looking for classicals like Principlia Mathematica. Just books that are very enlightening and readable for the layman.

 

[Stephen Tashi]

"For the layman"? Are we ruling out books written for mathematicians?

 

[jtbell]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486432688/?tag=pfamazon01-20, a 4-volume collection of essays and articles by and about mathematicians, edited by James R. Newman. My parents bought the original boxed hardbound set when I was a kid, and I spent a lot of time with it. Here's the http://www.project2061.org/publications/rsl/online/Tradebks/TOCS/WORLMATH.HTM.

 

[kith]

I like "What is Mathematics?" by Courant and Robbins.

 

[George Jones]

Not exactly a math book, but I like "A Mathematician's Apology" by G.H. Hardy.

 

[matqkks]

"For the layman"? Are we ruling out books written for mathematicians?

No. It could even be textbook.

 

[Demystifier]

Just books that are very enlightening and readable for the layman.

Here is my list:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0395929687/?tag=pfamazon01-20

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486296644/?tag=pfamazon01-20
[URL]https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0073X0IKO/?tag=pfamazon01-20[/URL]+think&pebp=1418386758657
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0073X0IKO/?tag=pfamazon01-20 think&pebp=1418386758657[/URL]
[URL]https://www.amazon.com/dp/048669609X/?tag=pfamazon01-20[/URL]+foundations&pebp=1418386809861
https://www.amazon.com/dp/048669609X/?tag=pfamazon01-20 foundations&pebp=1418386809861[/URL]

[URL]https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486488209/?tag=pfamazon01-20 foundations of mathematics&pebp=1418386876706[/URL]
[URL]https://www.amazon.com/dp/1568814666/?tag=pfamazon01-20[/URL]+roads&pebp=1418386920660
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1568814666/?tag=pfamazon01-20 roads&pebp=1418386920660[/URL]
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LSX54VI/?tag=pfamazon01-20+ideas&pebp=1418387005942
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LSX54VI/?tag=pfamazon01-20 ideas&pebp=1418387005942[/URL]
[URL]https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486780163/?tag=pfamazon01-20[/URL]+northrop&pebp=1418387560400
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486780163/?tag=pfamazon01-20 northrop&pebp=1418387560400[/URL]
[URL]https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486284247/?tag=pfamazon01-20[/URL]+mathematics
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486284247/?tag=pfamazon01-20 mathematics[/URL]
[URL]https://www.amazon.com/dp/0465064892/?tag=pfamazon01-20[/URL]+visions&pebp=1418387194216
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0465064892/?tag=pfamazon01-20 visions&pebp=1418387194216[/URL]
[URL]https://www.amazon.com/dp/1568...=pfamazon01-20[/URL]+godel&pebp=1418387469033
https://www.amazon.com/dp/1405197676/?tag=pfamazon01-20 godel&pebp=1418387469033[/URL]

 

[jasonRF]

I really like "A history of pi" by Beckmann
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0312381859/?tag=pfamazon01-20
and "An imaginary tale" by Nahin,
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0691146004/?tag=pfamazon01-20
Both have some math and a bunch of history. Nahin requires calculus; Beckmann is better if you know calculus but enjoyable as long as you know some geometry and perhaps trigonometry - I read it in high school with no calculus under my belt and LOVED it.

Don't know if they are "top 20" but I really like these books.

enjoy,

jason

 

[matqkks]

Thanks for all this. I will be purchasing some of these books. Please let me know of any others.

 

[Smed]

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0486248232/?tag=pfamazon01-20 is very good.

 

[mathwonk]

I would suggest, What is mathematics by Courant and Robbins, Geometry and the imagination by Hilbert and Cohn-Vossen, Euclid in the green lion edition along with Hartshorne's Geometry: Euclid and beyond as a guide, possibly some of Elements of algebra by Euler, Calculus by Mike Spivak, and Algebra by Mike Artin.