Prime Obsession
Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics
by John Derbyshire · first published 2003
85% recommend12% neutral4% critical
Why HN recommends it
Accessible, well-written story of the Riemann hypothesis, alternating history chapters with math chapters. Suits laypeople and those with modest math backgrounds who want historical context and a captivating read.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
E, The Story of a Number
Eli Maor
Recommended by 8 · mentioned by 88 recommend · 8 mention8 recommend · 88 recommend
2009–2023Unknown Quantity
John Derbyshire
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 96 recommend · 9 mention6 recommend · 96 recommend
2020–2026Prime numbers and the Riemann hypothesis
Barry Mazur
Recommended by 2 · mentioned by 32 recommend · 3 mention2 recommend · 32 recommend
2017–2026Riemann's zeta function
Harold M. Edwards
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 43 recommend · 4 mention3 recommend · 43 recommend
2011–2023The Cauchy-Schwarz Master Class
J. Michael Steele
Recommended by 3 · mentioned by 33 recommend · 3 mention3 recommend · 33 recommend
2008–2023God Created the Integers
Stephen Hawking
Recommended by 6 · mentioned by 146 recommend · 14 mention6 recommend · 146 recommend
2012–2023An imaginary tale
Paul J. Nahin
Recommended by 10 · mentioned by 1110 recommend · 11 mention10 recommend · 1110 recommend
2014–2021Euler
William Dunham
Recommended by 5 · mentioned by 65 recommend · 6 mention5 recommend · 65 recommend
Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics [1] is a nice read if that kind of question occupies your mind. [1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prime_Obsession
on “Dreaming of prime numbers in short intervals” ↗Prime Obsession by John Derbyshire is another in-depth look. Part biography, part history, part math.
on “The Riemann Hypothesis (Part 2)” ↗"Prime Obsession" and "Unknown Quantity", both by John Derbyshire, contain significant sections on her (more so in "Unknown Quantity", as it is a popular history of algebra). Both are excellent books, though I'd have…
on “The Mighty Mathematician You’ve Never Heard Of” ↗I thought I was unable to learn math, until I learned it outside of a school. One book like Prime Obsession was worth more to me than every moment of high school math. It's unbelievable to me that anyone can learn something devoid of context. I think there's a similar problem in how second languages are taught…
on “A new algorithm for smoother 360 video viewing” ↗I can't recommend the book, 'Prime Obsession' by John Derbyshire enough. 'Gravity' by Hartle is invaluable and quite accessible. If you have a strong background in calculus, you can also check out 'Gravitation' by Misner, Thorne, and Wheeler.
on “So You Want to Learn Physics” ↗If you like this topic and didn’t read all the way to the bottom, the author’s recommendation of “Prime Obsession” by John Derbyshire is spot on. It’s a fantastic book.
on “The Riemann Hypothesis, explained” ↗Prime Obsession, by John Derbyshire, is a very entertaining and well written book about this topic, following a similar path (although much slower) among the conceptual building blocks required to understand the hypothesis.
on “The Riemann Hypothesis, explained (2016)” ↗…Between the two, a non-mathematician can acquire a layperson's comprehension of the Riemann Hypothesis. Additionally, John Derbyshire (of the unfortunate views regarding race) wrote a very good book "Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics" that covered both historical and mathematical aspects of the Riemann Hypothesis [0]. [0] https://www.amazon.com/Prime-Obsession-Bernhard-Greatest-Mat...
on “How I learned to love and fear the Riemann Hypothesis” ↗Prime Obsession : http://amzn.com/0309085497 - a great introduction to the Riemann hypothesis with chapters alternating between the history and impact of the claim, and a dive into the mathematics behind the claim.…
on “Ask HN: Best book you read in 2011” ↗I would add John Derbyshire's 'Prime Obsession' to that, which adds a nice historical context to the issue.
on “A Friendly Introduction to The Riemann Hypothesis [pdf]” ↗Here are a few: Sync: The Emerging Science of Spontaneous Order by Steven Strogatz Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann and the Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics by John Derbyshire Predictably Irrational: The Hidden Forces That Shape Our Decisions by Dan Ariely The Peter Principle: Why Things…
on “Ask HN: What are your favorite books?” ↗…enjoy math books like: - e; The story of a number (Eli Moar) - An imaginary tale; The story of -1 (Paul Nahin) - The Poincare Conjecture (Daniel O'Shea) - The man who loved only numbers (Paul Hoffman) - Prime Obsession (John Derbyshire) They're part biography, part history, and give a little colour to the subject that isn't available from your typical college textbook.
on “Why do many math books have so much detail and so little enlightenment? (2010)” ↗Book 'Prime Obsession' by John Derbyshire is also very good detailing the history and basic math behind Riemann Hypothesis. It is very accessible, well written and captivating.
on “The Riemann Hypothesis, explained” ↗…Mathematics? - Courant and Robbins A History of PI - Petr Beckmann An Imaginary Tale - Paul Nahin e: The Story of a Number - Eli Maor Imagining Numbers - Barry Mazur Journey Through Genius - William Dunham Prime Obsession - John Derbyshire
on “Classic Mathematics Books for Lifelong Learners” ↗…Non-Euclidean Geometries by Marvin Jay Greenberg (a textbook, but an easy one to read on your own) - Gödel's Proof by Nagel and Newman (best if he can read it with a partner and talk through the steps) - Prime Obsession by John Derbyshire Some of those have already been mentioned, but consider this another vote for them. :-)
on “Ask HN: Recommend a maths book for a teenager?” ↗