The G. H. Hardy Reader

Description

G. H. Hardy (1877-1947) ranks among the great mathematicians of the twentieth century. He did essential research in number theory and analysis, held professorships at Cambridge and Oxford, wrote important textbooks as well as the classic A Mathematician's Apology, and famously collaborated with J. E. Littlewood and Srinivasa Ramanujan. Hardy was a colorful character with remarkable expository skills. This book is a feast of G. H. Hardy's writing. There are selections of his mathematical papers, his book reviews, his tributes to departed colleagues. Some articles are serious, whereas others display a wry sense of humor. And there are recollections by those who knew Hardy, along with biographical and mathematical pieces written explicitly for this collection. Fans of Hardy should find much here to like. And for those unfamiliar with his work, The G. H. Hardy Reader provides an introduction to this extraordinary individual.

Donald J. Albers served as Director of Publications and Associate Executive Director of the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) from 1991-2006 and Editorial Director of MAA Books from 2006-12. He was Editor of The College Mathematics Journal and Founding Editor of Math Horizons. He has written or co-authored six books, including Mathematical People and Fascinating Mathematical People - both with G. L. Alexanderson. Prior to his association with the MAA, he was Professor of Mathematics and Special Assistant to the President of Menlo College. Gerald L. Alexanderson is the Valeriote Professor of Science at Santa Clara University, California, where he has taught mathematics since developing an interest in problems under the guidance of George Polya and enthusiasm for analytic number theory from a course with Gabor Szegoe at Stanford. Long active in the Mathematical Association of America he has served as Secretary and as President, as well as Editor of Mathematics Magazine. He is author of many articles and reviews, and has co-authored or co-edited textbooks, problem collections, books of interviews, as well as biographies and books on history. William Dunham served as Koehler Professor of Mathematics at Muhlenberg College (emeritus, 2014) and taught mathematics history as a visiting professor at Harvard University, Princeton University, the University of Pennsylvania, and Cornell University. In 2009, he was a visiting scholar at the University of Cambridge, and the following year he recorded the DVD course 'Great Thinkers, Great Theorems' for The Teaching Company. He is the author of four books: Journey through Genius (1990), The Mathematical Universe (1995), Euler: The Master of Us All (1999), and The Calculus Gallery (2005). Dunham is currently a Research Associate in Mathematics at Bryn Mawr College, Pennsylvania.

'The editors are to be congratulated on putting together this beautiful 'reader' with material from so many different sources, which illustrates so well the life, character and work of one of the great mathematicians of the twentieth century, Godfrey Harold Hardy (1877-1947). Even if you are familiar with Hardy's masterpiece A Mathematician's Apology or his book on Ramanujan, Ramanujan: Twelve Lectures on Subjects Suggested by His Life and Work you will find a wealth of new and fascinating material in this 'reader' about Hardy.' Kenneth S. Williams, Canadian Mathematical Society Notes