Math Stuff
by Theoni Pappas
Whether one is adjusting the settings of a camera, doing financial planning, or just talking about the weather, everyone is involved in mathematics every day. Theoni Pappas explores some of the many areas in which one least expects to find "e;math stuff." Readers learn how computers get stressed out, how epaper works, and how codes and numbers affect the body. As always, Pappas demystifies mathematics.
$12.95
On Beyond a Million : An Amazing Math Journey
by David M. Schwartz and Paul Meisel
Amazing facts about millions, trillions, and much bigger numbers are explained in picture-book cartoon scenarios, contributed by Paul Meisel. They show kids in the classroom, at the seashore, in the rain forest, and all over the place, learning how to count by powers of 10. The sheer numbers are astounding, whether they refer to the population of the U.S. or the number of stars in the Milky Way; and the explanation of exponents gives kids a way to count what seems unimaginable. In a funny gag, one kid keeps asking, "Have we reached infinity yet?" and the answers make math awesome and yet accessible--even for those of us who are scared of all those zeros.
$15.95
The Predictors
by Thomas A. Bass
The story of how Farmer and Packard became legendary in hacker circles since their failed attempt to beat the roulette tables in Las Vegas with toe-operated computers was chronicled in Bass's well-regarded 1985 book called The Eudaemonic Pie. This time, though, the two hit the jackpot with their cutting-edge computer programs and the company they created to trade German marks, Chicago commodities, Japanese treasury bonds, Texas oil futures, and New York securities. Bass's prose is a bit flowery at times, but his perceptive you-are-there account is nonetheless entertaining and sure to cement the pair's reputation as today's ultimate masters of "phynance," the successful, and now oft-copied, merger of physics and finance.
$15.00
Three Dimensional Geometry & Topology
by William P. Thurston & Silvio Levy
This book develops some of the extraordinary richness, beauty, and power of geometry in two and three dimensions, and the strong connection of geometry with topology. Hyperbolic geometry is the star. A strong effort has been made to convey not just denatured formal reasoning (definitions, theorems, and proofs), but a living feeling for the subject. There are many figures, examples, and exercises of varying difficulty.
A must for anyone entering the field of three-dimensional topology and geometry. Most of it is about hyperbolic geometry, which is the biggest area of research in 3-d geometry and topology nowadays. Most of it is readable to undergraduates but its target audience is beginning graduate students in mathematics.
$47.50
Unfinished Revolution: Human-centered Computers & What They Can Do for Us
by Michael Dertouzos
The author unmasks the deficiencies of our present systems and makes a compelling case for "human-centric computing," which has the potential to dramatically reduce our techno-aggravation, while improving our productivity and effectiveness. Written for people who use computers, and for the technologists who design and build them, Dertouzos's latest work clearly lays out a vision of human-centric computing. But it doesn't stop there. As in his previous works, Dertouzos connects his strong vision of the near future with practical ways computer users and designers can help create that future. At the book's core, Dertouzos identifies five human-centric forces: speech understanding, automation, individualized information access, collaboration, and customization and then provides specific examples of how each can be used to improve how we work with information technology. He goes on to offer vignettes that show how human-centric computing, when implemented, may improve health care, commerce, disaster control, medicine in developing countries, financial services, and even play.
$26.00
Towing Icebergs, Falling Dominoes, and Other Adventures in Applied Mathematics 
Why Do Buses Come in Threes? 