Ancient Loons: Stories David Pingree Told Me Contributor(s): Davis, Philip J. (Editor) |
|
ISBN: 1466501111 ISBN-13: 9781466501119 Publisher: A K PETERS OUR PRICE: $237.50 Product Type: Hardcover - Other Formats Published: December 2011 |
Additional Information |
BISAC Categories: - Mathematics | Recreations & Games - Biography & Autobiography | Science & Technology |
Dewey: 509.22 |
LCCN: 2011035759 |
Physical Information: 0.6" H x 6.1" W x 9" (0.80 lbs) 138 pages |
Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
Publisher Description: Ah, I'm Pingree. We meet again. Splendid. Won't you sit down? This small encounter and the snapshot of the protagonist on the cover of this book introduce the reader to David E. Pingree, the eminent classicist, Orientalist, historian of ancient science, and member of the Department of the History of Mathematics at Brown University. This is a book of his stories, retold by Phil Davis, award-winning author and raconteur par excellence, who reconstructs them from letters and many conversations with his friend Pingree. The stories trace connections between ancient characters, historical and mythical, and recreate a world in which the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake leads to unexpected pleasures and associations. They capture a world best described by Saul Lieberman's quip about Gershom Scholem's great work on the Kabala: Trash is trash; but the study of trash is scholarship, and David Pingree's imagined response, Yes, but there's always something of value to be learned. The book is dedicated to preserving and promoting the specialized knowledge and thoughts of David Pingree, a truly remarkable person and to inspire readers to follow academic tradition and at the same time explore unusual connections. |