Critics Corner

Reviews of books, websites, poster sets, movies, and other resources for learning and teaching the history of mathematics.

History of Mathematics

Boyer's classic text, as revised by Uta Merzbach, is still worth having.

Multicultural Classroom Posters Sets 3 & 4

These posters illustrate aspects of the history of mathematics in countries from Babylonia to Ireland.

Measuring America

The beginnings of land measurement in the early United States and how this affected American democracy.

Benjamin Banneker

Poster of Banneker, with a brief description of his life and work.

Hypatia of Alexandria: Mathematician and Martyr

A biography of Hypatia in her times, which carefully distinguishes between the known facts of her life and the many speculations about her.

Abel's Proof

A discussion of the meaning of mathematical unsolvability in the context of the history of Abel's proof of the unsolvability of the quintic equation in terms of radicals.

Mathematicians: An Outer View of the Inner World

Portraits of 92 living mathematicians, with autobiographical comments.

The Greate Invention of Algebra

Jacqueline Stedall has uncovered the numerous algebraic ideas of Thomas Harriot from the early 17th century and has organized them into a readable treatise.

Review of Eratosthenes' Geography

An English translation of Eratosthenes' Geography, which includes "On the Measurement of the Earth."

Joy of Pi Website

This website is connected to the book, The Joy of Pi. It has numerous interesting facts about pi, with links to additional sites.