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It All Started in a Wine Bar

The MIT Technology Review gives an overview of Enlightening Symbols: A Short History of Mathematical Notation and Its Hidden Powers by MIT alumnus Joseph Mazur.

Mazur's book is the first comprehensive treatment of mathematical notation since 1927. It draws on primary sources unavailable at the time of the earlier publication, and is written in an approachable style.

“I’m trying to popularize math and science,” Mazur says. “[I] tend to be memoirish; I bring myself into it. I think that pulls people into it…I don’t water anything down, I just try to simplify it to make sure that people are understanding.”

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Start Date: 
Friday, July 4, 2014