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Wooden Books
Useful Mathematical & Physical Formulae
Popular in the United States, this is one of a new series of mathemagical and ancient traditions titles printed on highest grade recycled papers with no colours or chemical glosses. The covers are matt and leathery, printed in black and white inks to give an antique renaissance effect. Includes just about every equation most people ever need, even metric/imperial conversions.
58 pages, Paperback
First published April 1, 2001
4 people are currently reading
138 people want to read
About the author
Matthew Watkins
23 books5 followersMatthew Watkins completed a PhD in mathematics in 1994, but has always been more interested in trying to understand what mathematics "is" and "where it comes from" (as well as trying to explain it to his non-mathematical friends) than pursuing a conventional research or teaching career.
The second half of the 1990s were spent living as a nomadic musician (he plays the saz, a seven-stringed Turkish instrument), contemplating the underlying nature of reality while wandering the British Isles, busking, picking fruit, planting trees, visiting megalithic sites, etc. The music continues.
In 1999 he had a little maths and physics reference book published (also illustrated by Matt Tweed) as part of the popular Wooden Books series. This has since been licensed by Walker & Co., NYC and last time he checked, it had been translated into at least half a dozen languages.
Since 2000, he's been an Honorary Fellow in Exeter University's mathematics department. During this time, as well as having done a bit of teaching work, he initiated and has been since been curating the online Number Theory and Physics Archive and the related (but more popularly accessible) site Inexplicable Secrets of Creation, a project which naturally led to the idea of this series of books.
In 2004 he, together with playwright and mythogeographer Phil Smith, received the first arts commission from the British Association for the Advancement of Science in its 173-year history. This took place in Exeter and was a suprisingly well-received combination of a local history walk, a mathematics lecture and a piece of experimental street theatre, based on the fascinating life and work of local 19th century mathematical visionary William Clifford.
More recently, he's been showing up at various festivals (The Secret Garden Party, Big Green Gathering, etc.) as his alter ego, the (even more) eccentric mathematician Professor Raphael Appleblossom, doing "freestyle walkabout mathematics performance lecturing", honing his ability to communicate challenging mathematical ideas to highly non-mathematical (yet curious) members of the public.
In March 2010, he participated in an experimental collaborative venture with sculptor Conrad Shawcross at Urbanomic Studio, a centre of interdisciplinary arts/science/philosophy research in Falmouth, UK.
from http://www.secretsofcreation.com/auth...
The second half of the 1990s were spent living as a nomadic musician (he plays the saz, a seven-stringed Turkish instrument), contemplating the underlying nature of reality while wandering the British Isles, busking, picking fruit, planting trees, visiting megalithic sites, etc. The music continues.
In 1999 he had a little maths and physics reference book published (also illustrated by Matt Tweed) as part of the popular Wooden Books series. This has since been licensed by Walker & Co., NYC and last time he checked, it had been translated into at least half a dozen languages.
Since 2000, he's been an Honorary Fellow in Exeter University's mathematics department. During this time, as well as having done a bit of teaching work, he initiated and has been since been curating the online Number Theory and Physics Archive and the related (but more popularly accessible) site Inexplicable Secrets of Creation, a project which naturally led to the idea of this series of books.
In 2004 he, together with playwright and mythogeographer Phil Smith, received the first arts commission from the British Association for the Advancement of Science in its 173-year history. This took place in Exeter and was a suprisingly well-received combination of a local history walk, a mathematics lecture and a piece of experimental street theatre, based on the fascinating life and work of local 19th century mathematical visionary William Clifford.
More recently, he's been showing up at various festivals (The Secret Garden Party, Big Green Gathering, etc.) as his alter ego, the (even more) eccentric mathematician Professor Raphael Appleblossom, doing "freestyle walkabout mathematics performance lecturing", honing his ability to communicate challenging mathematical ideas to highly non-mathematical (yet curious) members of the public.
In March 2010, he participated in an experimental collaborative venture with sculptor Conrad Shawcross at Urbanomic Studio, a centre of interdisciplinary arts/science/philosophy research in Falmouth, UK.
from http://www.secretsofcreation.com/auth...
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
January 21, 2024
Unbelievable! They say if you can’t explain something simply, you don’t understand it. This man has simplified such complex concepts absolutely brilliantly.
September 10, 2024
short and fun read :)
although i couldn’t help but notice that on the page about combinations and permutaions, a ‘!’ is missing in both of their formulas.
although i couldn’t help but notice that on the page about combinations and permutaions, a ‘!’ is missing in both of their formulas.
July 28, 2013
This is the book you need if you want to go back in time and be a math God. Seriously. Also a very useful book for sorcerers of all kinds.
September 11, 2013
Very useful, condensed, to-the-point, little book. Cute illustrations.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews