The symbol of the soul

Author: Edward
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2001-10-01
Features: In this elegant exploration, Edward Rothstein, the chief critic of The New York Times, shows us the inner life of mathematics and music, how they affect us, what it feels like to immerse ourselves in them, and where they will lead us. As Rothstein embarks on this extraordinary journey, he explains how mathematics gives meaning to space, how music creates stories, how people study numbers, and how melody exerts its power. He explores the musical works of Bach, Beethoven, and Chopin; describes the mysteries of mathematics and the intricate theories of topology. Rothstein discusses the "Gordon Rectangle," as well as the development of Romanticism; praises the Hebrew Bible with rhetoric, and admires the swaying of telephone cords; both celebrates the importance of style in mathematics and laments the still-debated nature of "high art."