The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures

A collection of famous mathematical puzzles, taken from a popular newspaper column, features the "writings" of the fictional author, Malba Tahan, who describes different mathematical puzzles and solutions applied to real situations. Simultaneous.

Here's a delightful little book that combines the joys of mathematical recreation with some fine storytelling. It follows the Arabian adventures of a man with remarkable mathematical skills, which he uses to settle conflict and give wise advice. The tales of his travels involve the solving of mathematical puzzles and sharing insights from the minds of some of history's great mathematicians. In reading it, you can almost smell the spices and feel the desert wind. You just don't find this kind of atmosphere in books about mathematics.