Everything and More
Everything and More
by David Foster Wallace
Reading this book is like being on the receiving end of a long, rambling conversation about mathematics' evolving concept of "infinity". That's not a negative statement, it's just that David Foster Wallace really approaches this subject with his own, inimitable style.
Please note: if you do not, at some level, enjoy mathematics, you will not enjoy this book. It gets pretty deep into the math ... at least as deep as it must in order to give the reader an appreciation for the magnitude of genius that has been applied to this seemingly intractable subject through the ages.
DFW did a great job of keeping me interested through the extensive use of footnotes, diversions, and interpolations. You really do feel like you could sit down and read this book in a single session ... the author barely pauses between thoughts. Most of the book was really setting the table for Cantor's late-1800s work on "infinity", and when you finally get to it, it's really quite breathtaking. Thumbs up.
Original Entry from Sep 17
This sounds like fun: David Foster Wallace writes about the history of the concept of infinity. I've always been a sucker for accessible math and science texts, so I'm looking forward to reading this.