On Jul 11, 11:57*am, riverman wrote:


Goedel, Escher, Bach generated such a cult following that I was unable
to give it a real fair trial.

I wasn't aware of that cult following until I read a bit more about
Hofstadter last night. I guess nobody I know reads that kind of
stuff.....or none admit to it anyway. I gave it my best up to about
the middle of the book and then gave up in utter stupified
bewilderment. The same for "Le Ton beau de Marot" though giving up on
this one was easier to justify with a more or less intact ego because
much of it actually WAS in another language.....several others, to be
more precise.

But I find that 'Pop Math' books bore
me,

Ditto.....with a few notable exceptions.

while rigorous mathematical texts blow me out of the water.

Ditto.....in spades.

I have
a very narrow range of readable mathematical books...almost entirely
limited to historical biographies that give a context to major
discoveries.

Even that doesn't spark any interest here. But speaking of biography,
see below.*

Let me know if you get into Innumeracy....and the opening chapter of
Beyond Numeracy.

Will do. But don't hold your breath. My reading these days is
dictated primarily by kicking the piles and seeing what falls
out.....it could be a while.

I'll take a gander at Metamagica Themas.

Hope you enjoy it.

giles

* http://alturl.com/fug9t

HUZZAH!