Shape

“Unreasonably entertaining new book … Shape makes geometry entertaining. Really, it does … For all Ellenberg’s wit and play (and his rightful admiration of some excellent 19th-century beards), the real work of Shape is in codifying that geometry on the page … To Ellenberg, geometry is not a reprieve from life but a force in it — and one that can be used for good, ill and for pleasures of its own. It binds and expands our notions of the world, the web of the real and the abstract. ‘I prove a theorem,’ the poet Rita Dove wrote, ‘and the house expands.’” —Parul Sehgal, The New York Times   “Ellenberg’s commitment to explanation, his exploration of the humanity of mathematics, and the tour de force of the final chapter in defense of a democracy girded by fairness and science are enough to remind you why he is America’s favorite math professor.” —Daily Beast “A deeply enjoyable and insightful book.” —The New York Times Book Review “Containing multitudes as he must, Ellenberg’s eyes grow wider and wider, his prose more and more energetic, as he moves from what geometry means to what geometry does in the modern world.” —The Telegraph “[Jordan Ellenberg] is up to the engaging standard of his prior book … almost anyone is likely to enjoy Ellenberg’s prose, and mind.” —Harvard Magazine “Serious mathematics at its intriguing, transporting best … [a] humorous, anecdotally rich dive into numerous mathematical theories.” —Kirkus “Math professor Ellenberg (How Not to Be Wrong) shows how challenging mathematics informs real-world problems in this breezy survey … Math-minded readers will be rewarded with a greater understanding of the world around them.” —Publishers Weekly “Shape is a triumph of mathematical exposition, exposing profound truths—from the nature of distance to the predictability of randomness—as well as profound mistakes—from historical misattributions to Supreme Court justice hardheadedness—with eloquence and hilarious wit. Ellenberg’s evident affection for both his subject and his reader makes us feel like the lucky ones who get to hear him hold forth in an intimate setting about his favorite subject, mathematics.” —Cathy O’Neil, author of Weapons of Math Destruction

Jordan Ellenberg is the John D. MacArthur Professor of Mathematics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. His writing has appeared in Slate, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Wired, and the Believer.