RD BK X The primes are the raw material out of which we have to build arithmetic

 A

Here’s a concise summary of The Secret Lives of Numbers: A Hidden History of Mathematics & Its Unsung Trailblazers by Kate Kitagawa & Timothy Revell, complete with standout quotes:

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📅 Background & Scope

• Published: August 17, 2023 (UK); July 9, 2024 (North America), paperback in 2024 (penguin.co.uk)

• Accolades: Shortlisted for the 2024 British Academy Book Prize; praised by Financial Times as “a book to make you love math” (harpercollins.ca)

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🌍 Revisionist & Inclusive History

• Challenges the Eurocentric narrative, spotlighting contributions from Arabic scholars, Indian innovators, African-American researchers, and pioneering women

• Highlights unsung trailblazers like Hypatia, scholars of Baghdad’s House of Wisdom, Madhava of Sangamagrama, Karen Uhlenbeck, lady computers, and Black mathematicians of the Civil Rights era (harpercollins.ca)

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🧠 Engaging Storytelling Meets Clear Math

• Seamlessly merges narratives of mathematicians’ lives with accessible explanations of complex concepts—like describing calculus through the question, “how much cake is in our cake?” (penguin.co.uk)

• Kirkus noted it “decouples [math] from its traditional Eurocentric focus,” offering a “fine history of mathematics” (kirkusreviews.com)

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✍️ Notable Quotes

• “The primes are the raw material out of which we have to build arithmetic.” (bookey.app)

• “Chaos is not random, it’s just very hard to predict…” (bookey.app)

• “What Turing wanted to do with his body—have sex with men—seemed to be more important … than what he could do with his mind.” (bookey.app)

• Guardian review:

  “When we think of the history of mathematics, it is not just about ancient Greeks and bearded white men… this isn’t about tearing anyone down. This is about explaining that the history of mathematics is way more complex, chaotic and amazing…” (theguardian.com)

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✅ Why It Stands Out

• Broad and global: Spans thousands of years across six continents

• Culturally rich: Explores underrepresented figures and eras—from Kerala’s 14th-century calculus to mid-20th-century Black educators (harpercollins.ca)

• Balances depth and accessibility: Blends thoughtful mathematical insight with compelling storytelling (harpercollins.ca)

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Let me know if you’d like a chapter-by-chapter breakdown, more quotes, or deep dives into particular mathematicians or theories!