Empire of the Sum

“The book provides a breezy mathematical history tour through the development of number systems, slide rules, mechanical calculators and microchips. ” – Jeffrey M. Perkel - Nature“Houston’s sprightly history aims to give the calculator the recognition it deserves as a stepping stone to the digital era… He makes a convincing case, in sum, for the significance of the calculator. ” – The Economist“Houston’s narrative is full of oddballs, many of them brilliant…” – Alexander Nazaryan - The New York Times Book Review“Starting from the seemingly simple task of recounting the history of the pocket calculator, Keith Houston unfolds a complex and fascinating history of numeracy, the evolution of technology, and the human desire to push our capabilities ever further. Deep,” – Cal Newport, The New York Times bestselling author of Digital Minimalism and A World Without Email“Everywhere and nowhere at once’ is how Keith Houston describes the pocket calculator, a machine that is so intimately intertwined with human history that it is impossible to imagine our lives deprived of its influence. In Empire of the Sum, Houston takes us on a journey that spans centuries and reaches across the universe, always coming back to humanity’s craving for calculating machines in all their diverse forms. I dare you to reach the end of this book and not be irresistibly charmed by both the pocket calculator and Houston’s witty, gregarious prose.” – Natalia Holt, The New York Times bestselling author of Rise of the Rocket Girls”[An] enlightening history” – Pablo Scheffer - The Times Literary Supplement

Keith Houston is the author of Face with Tears of Joy, Empire of the Sum, Shady Characters, and The Book. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and on Mental Floss, BBC Culture, and Literary Hub. He lives in Linlithgow, Scotland.