A magisterial history of calculus (and the people behind it) from one of the world's foremost mathematicians. This is the captivating story of mathematics' greatest ever idea: calculus. Without it, there would be no computers, no microwave ovens, no GPS, and no space travel. But before it gave modern man almost infinite powers, calculus was behind centuries of controversy, competition, and even death. Taking us on a thrilling journey through three millennia, Professor Steven Strogatz charts the development of this seminal achievement from the days of Archimedes to today's breakthroughs in chaos theory and artificial intelligence. Filled with idiosyncratic characters from Pythagoras to Fourier, Infinite Powers is a compelling human drama that reveals the legacy of calculus on nearly every aspect of modern civilisation, including science, politics, medicine, philosophy, and much besides.
"Warning: this book is dangerous. It will make you love mathematics. Even more, there is a nonzero risk it will turn you into a mathematician."
Nassim Nicholas Taleb, bestselling author of The Black Swan
"Fascinating reading."
Scientific American
"A tour de force. Elegant and ebullient. Strogatz speaks to everyone, reminding us why mathematics matters in a practical sense while all the time highlighting its beauty."
Lisa Randall, Professor of Physics at Harvard University and author of Dark Matter and The
"An incalculable pleasure. If calculus is the language of the universe, then Steven Strogatz is its Homer."
Daniel Gilbert, author of Stumbling on Happiness
"Eloquent, erudite and charming. A remarkable story. Strogatz is a world class mathematician and a world class science writer. With a light touch and razor-sharp clarity, he tells the remarkable story of a mathematical breakthrough that changed the world - and continues to do so."
Alex Bellos, bestselling author of Alex's Adventures in Numberland
