Hilbert

If the life of any 20th century mathematician can be said to be a history of mathematics in his time, it is that of David Hilbert. To the enchanted young mathematicians and physicists who flocked to study with him in Gottingen before and between the World Wars, he seemed mathematics personified, the very air around him "scientifically electric." His remarkably prescient proposal in 1900 of twenty-three problems for the coming century set the course of much subsequent mathematics and remains a feat that no scientist in any field has been able to duplicate. When he died, Nature remarked that there was scarcely a mathematician in the world whose work did not derive from that of Hilbert. Constance Reid's classic biography is a moving, nontechnical account of the passionate scientific life of this man - from the early days in Konigsberg, when his revolutionary work was dismissed as "theology," to the golden years in Gottingen before Hitler came to power and within a few months destroyed the entire Hilbert school. The Copernicus paperback edition makes this book available to new generations of mathematicians who know the name Hilbert, which is everywhere in mathematics, but do not know the man.

if The Life Of Any 20th Century Mathematician Can Be Said To Be A History Of Mathematics In His Time, It Is That Of David Hilbert. To The Enchanted Young Mathematicians And Physicists Who Flocked To Study With Him In G Ttingen Before And Between The World Wars, He Seemed Mathematics Personified, The Very Air Around Him Scientifically Electric. His Remarkably Prescient Proposal In 1900 Of Twenty-three Problems For The Coming Century Set The Course Of Much Subsequent Mathematics And Remains A Feat That No Scientist In Any Field Has Been Able To Duplicate. When He Died, nature Remarked That There Was Scarcely A Mathematician In The World Whose Work Did Not Derive From That Of Hilbert.

constance Reid's Classic Biography Is A Moving, Nontechnical Account Of The Passionate Scientific Life Of This Man -- From The Early Days In K Nigsberg, When His Revolutionary Work Was Dismissed As Theology, To The Golden Years In G Ttingen Before Hitler Came To Power And Within A Few Months Destroyed The Entire Hilbert School.

constance Reid Has Been Called The Foremost Mathematical Biographer Of Our Time. Her Many Books Include from Zero To Infinity, a Long Way From Euclid, the Search For E.t. Bell, And neyman, From Life.

jeremy Bernestein

...books Of The Excellence Of Mrs. Reid's Are Few.
— the New Yorker)

Now in new trade paper editions, these classic biographies of two of the greatest 20th Century mathematicians are being released under the Copernicus imprint. These noteworthy accounts of the lives of David Hilbert and Richard Courant are closely related: Courant's story is, in many ways, seen as the sequel to the story of Hilbert. Originally published to great acclaim, both books explore the dramatic scientific history expressed in the lives of these two great scientists and described in the lively, nontechnical writing style of Contance Reid. Youth -- Friends and teachers -- Doctor of philosophy -- Paris -- Gordan's problem -- Changes -- Only number fields -- Tables, chairs, and beer mugs -- Problems -- The future of mathematics -- The new century -- Second youth -- The passionate scientific life -- Space, time, and number -- Friends and students -- Physics -- War -- The foundations oof mathematics -- The new order -- The infinite! -- Borrowed time -- Logic and the understanding of nature -- Exodus -- Age -- The last word. "It presents a sensitive portrait of a great human being. It describes accurately and intelligibly on a nontechnical level the world of mathematical ideas in which Hilbert created his masterpieces. And it illuminates the background of German social history against which the drama of Hilberts life was played. Beyond this, it is a poem in praise of mathematics." -SCIENCE The fortuitous combination of genes that produces an unusually gifted individual was effected by Otto Hilbert and his wife Maria sometime in the spring of 1861; and on January 23, 1862, at one o'clock in the afternoon, their first child was born in Wehlau, near Konigsberg, the capital of East Prussia.