The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel
by William Goldbloom Bloch · first published 2008
5mentions
4recommended by
5HN commenters
2012–2022first – last mentioned
80% recommend20% neutral
"The Library of Babel is arguably Jorge Luis Borges' best known story. Now, in The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel, William Goldbloom Bloch takes readers on a fascinating tour of the mathematical ideas hidden within one of the' classic works of modern literature. Bloch begins each chapter with a mathematical idea - combinatorics, topology, geometry, information theory - followed by examples and illustrations that put flesh on the theoretical bones. In this way, he provides many insights into Borges' Library."--Book jacket.
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Mathematically inclined Borges nerds will enjoy William Goldbloom Bloch's The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel [0]. It's a pop-math book, but much better written than most, and intriguing enough in uncovering mathematical connections to the Library that I recommend it even to readers already familiar with all…
on “A Lecture on Johnson and Boswell by Jorge Luis Borges” ↗William Goldbloom Bloch, The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel is a pretty good companion volume by a math professor, delving into some fun combinations and topology topics.
on “Borges: The Library of Babel [pdf]” ↗For those who haven't read the Borges short story, this might seem a bit confusing. For those who have, another book to read is The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel. It definitely confirms my suspicion that sometimes Borges wrote horror stories for anyone who touches combinations.
on “Library of Babel” ↗…(scientific) hypotheses" which is a pity because this is a fascinating subject. A much better time investment would be to read The Library of Babel by Borges, if you haven't already done so. Then, buy The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel, which is truly excellent.
on “Notes Towards the Complete Works of Shakespeare” ↗…the story made our very real universe feel small for the first time in my life. and to think, I barely scratched the surface. a whole book was published about the math in that one story alone: "The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel" by William Goldbloom Bloch.
on “A Jorge Luis Borges Reading List” ↗