Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature

"An exuberant enthusiasm for mathematics (and life in general) shines through Dr. Hart." ―The New York Times

“An absolute joy to read!" ―Steven Levitt, New York Times bestselling author of Freakonomics

For  fans of Seven Brief Lessons in Physics, an exploration of the many ways  mathematics can transform our understanding of literature and vice  versa, by the first woman to hold England's oldest mathematical chair.

We  often think of mathematics and literature as polar opposites. But what  if, instead, they were fundamentally linked? In her clear, insightful,  laugh-out-loud funny debut, Once Upon a Prime, Professor Sarah Hart  shows us the myriad connections between math and literature, and how  understanding those connections can enhance our enjoyment of both.

Did  you know, for instance, that Moby-Dick is full of sophisticated  geometry? That James Joyce’s stream-of-consciousness novels are  deliberately checkered with mathematical references? That George Eliot  was obsessed with statistics? That Jurassic Park is undergirded by  fractal patterns? That Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Chimamanda Ngozi  Adichie wrote mathematician characters? From sonnets to fairytales to  experimental French literature, Professor Hart shows how math and  literature are complementary parts of the same quest, to understand  human life and our place in the universe.

As the first woman to  hold England’s oldest mathematical chair, Professor Hart is the ideal  tour guide, taking us on an unforgettable journey through the books we  thought we knew, revealing new layers of beauty and wonder. As she  promises, you’re going to need a bigger bookcase.