The Secret Lives of Numbers

“The fascinating story of math … [that] highlights overlooked contributions to the field by ancient thinkers, non-Westerners, and women… . Their account of calculus is so lucid and compact that I found it thrilling.” – New York Times

“Kitagawa and Revell do an excellent job of broadening our view to the far more vibrant, collaborative, diverse, and interesting history [of mathematics]. … Mathematics is the most powerful tool humans ever invented, and this book is a welcome corrective to our understanding of how it came to be.” – Booklist (starred review)

“A fine history of mathematics that seeks to decouple it from its traditional Eurocentric focus…A solid corrective to a host of misunderstandings about math.” – Kirkus Reviews

“A delightful journey through some of the lesser-known highways and byways of mathematics that brings to the fore the many fascinating figures who have been unjustly forgotten.” – Ananyo Bhattacharya, author of The Man from the Future

“Kitagawa and Revell are good at explaining difficult concepts… . Secret Lives is at its most satisfying when it balances the connection between the complex maths, the lives of mathematicians and the impact their work has had on the real world… . Modern technology is built on the work of those who pursued math for maths’ sake. This book is a clever tribute to those brilliant, if sometimes erratic, lives.” – Sunday Times (London)

“A book to make you love math.” – Financial Times

“A surprisingly enlightening account of how humanity harnessed numbers. … Richly detailed and comprehensive in scope, the book offers a novel take on how both non-western cultures and women played key roles in [math’s] development.” – Forbes

“A fascinating story. … Engrossing.” – Parade

Kate Kitagawa is one of the world’s leading experts on the history of mathematics. She earned a Ph.D. from Princeton University, taught history at Harvard University, and has conducted research in the UK, Germany, and South Africa.

Timothy Revell is a science journalist and lapsed mathematician who is currently Executive Editor at New Scientist. He appears regularly on the BBC radio show The Naked Scientists, answering listener questions about mathematics.