On Jul 11, 8:12*pm, Giles wrote:
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!

Perhaps "the" pop science" book is _One, Two, Three...Infinity_, by
George Gamow.

Also pretty good are almost any 'splain books by Isaac Asimov.

cheers

oz