Are Numbers Real?

Praise for the author

Writers who understand science but, at least as importantly, are gifted communicators. George Musser, and Brian Clegg, on this side of the pond, are two that spring to mind. - Literary Review

He still manages to surprise me with something new on every page. - Mail on Sunday

Clegg’s enthusiasm is catching, his science immaculate. - The Good Book Guide

In ARE NUMBERS REAL? Clegg tackles a very deep question in his usual way; with clarity, wit and a wonderfully clear narrative writing style. For me, numbers are like natural language: they obviously don’t exist in a physical sense - you cannot trip over the number ‘2’ in the street - yet numbers are at the heart of understanding the universe. Clegg covers a wide variety of subjects to seek out the truth of the matter in an engaging and hugely accessible way. I personally couldn’t put it down, and as an active researcher in the field itself, it has provided me with some very real food for thought. - Amazon

A compact, very readable, and highly entertaining history of the development and use of mathematics to answer the important practical questions involved in advancing civilization … [a] sense of wonder permeates the entire book. There are courses in music appreciation and art appreciation, and if there is ever an institution with the good sense to create a course in math appreciation, this is absolutely the book I would want to see used for it. And that doesn’t even include the historical insights and sidelights that add to the pleasure of reading this book …

a superb introduction to mathematics, science, and that branch of philosophy devoted to exploring the nature of reality.