The Music of Pythagoras: How an Ancient Brotherhood Cracked the Code of the Universe and Lit the Path from Antiquity to Outer Space

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Publishers Weekly (02/18/2008)
The task Ferguson ("Tycho & Kepler") takes on is formidable: to describe not only the ancient Greek mathematician and mystic Pythagoras, but also the entire sweep of the Pythagorean legacy, from his time to ours. Even if the book's subtitle is never quite justified, she has largely succeeded. This chatty and readable account bites off great chunks of history and science, from Platonists to string theory. No matter how engaging, however, the book still reads more like a series of facts than a coherent narrative. Best when she comes on like a good friend bursting with some amazing thing she can't wait to share (the passages on Bertrand Russell are particularly sharp and funny), Ferguson has a tendency to punt when a concept becomes difficult to explain; rather than delve into a piece of ancient geometry called the Delian problem, she says, [a] lengthy text is needed to understand it. Ferguson concludes with banal generalizations about faith versus science. Still, the book is winning, accessible and intermittently fascinating. B&w illus. "(Apr.)" Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

Library Journal (05/15/2008)
Through the insightful eyes of popular science writer Ferguson ("Tycho & Kepler; Measuring the Universe"), readers glimpse the enormous impact of the Greek mathematician and philosopher Pythagoras and his followers and the ideas gathered around them. She describes the mythology that surrounded Pythagoras, as well as the facts behind the man, and how those myths changed over time but continued to influence natural inquiry. Covering thinkers from Aristotle to Kepler, Ferguson shows how Pythagorean themes played a role in their developing new ideas. This work is a joy to read and would be welcome in academic libraries and large public libraries. It is important to note that Ferguson's book is far more than a biography and cannot be compared with biographical works such as Christoph Riedweg's popular "Pythagoras: His Life, Teaching, and Influence".Eric D. Albright, Tufts Univ. Health Sciences Lib., Boston Copyright 2008 Reed Business Information.

ISBN: 0802716318 | EAN: 9780802716316
Publisher: Walker & Company  | Publication Date: April, 2008

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