(This post is the first in a new section on this site. This will probably become a regular item on the site as I read through the library of books I have laying about. As I have a lot of math related books around right now most of the book reviews will be math related at first.)

Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction is an easy to read book that attempts to explain to the reader the differences between research mathematics and the math taught in high schools. It covers subjects such as: mathematical modeling which is the creation of a mathematical system to describe a measurable phenomenon, Abstraction the application of ideas in a general manner, Proofs, Dimensions above an beyond the three we live in, Accurate Estimation plus a whole section on Questions the author (Timothy Gowers) is frequently asked. The book also touches on complex numbers, limits, and infinity making all of these ideas accessible for those that have never seen them before while not focusing on those ideas enough to bore the people already familiar with them (such as those that have taken a college calculus course). Mathematics: A Very Short Introductionuses diagrams and basic English to explain ideas and theories. There is almost no math in the book as it’s primarily about the type of work mathematicians come across in their daily jobs. This would be a good read for anybody that might be interested in going into mathematics to get a basic idea about what mathematics entails at the higher levels. The most interesting part of the book would have to be the chapter of questions the author is asked. It’s great to get the opinion from someone who has been in the field about some of the questions that appear, such as the common question of whether or not mathematicians burn out in their late twenties. With Mathematics: A Very Short Introduction costing less than $10 USD it’s a great book for anybody interested in math to pickup and read.