Numerology: The Magic of Numbers

RARE signed book on numerology by famous mathematician and author Eric Temple Bell (haven't seen a signed copy of this ever come up for sale before) known by the pseudonym John Taine for his science fiction novels. Flat signed by author on the FFEP with a very curious inscription! Condition: GOOD/VERY GOOD ABOUT THE BOOK This is a tongue-in-cheek, humorous history of Numerology and its practice with some mathematics thrown in for good measure. Published in 1945 by United Book Guild in New York. First edition thus, first printing: in original cloth boards with black spine lettering. Octavo. With its original dust jacket. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Eric Temple Bell (February 1883 - December 1960) was a Scottish-born mathematician, educator and science fiction writer who lived in the United States for most of his life. He published non-fiction using his given name and fiction as John Taine. Bell was part of the faculty first at the University of Washington and later at the California Institute of Technology. While at the University of Washington, he taught Howard P. Robertson and encouraged him to enroll at Caltech for his doctoral studies. Bell researched number theory; see in particular Bell series. He is the eponym of the Bell polynomials and the Bell numbers of combinatorics. In 1924 Bell was awarded the B cher Memorial Prize for his work in mathematical analysis. In 1927, he was elected to the National Academy of Sciences. He was elected to the American Philosophical Society in 1937. He also wrote several science fiction novels by the pseudonym John Taine, which independently invented some of the earliest devices and ideas of science fiction. Bell wrote a book of biographical essays titled Men of Mathematics which inspired notable mathematicians including Julia Robinson, John Forbes Nash, Jr., and Andrew Wiles to begin careers in mathematics. His book on Fermat's Last Theorem, The Last Problem, was published the year after his death and is a hybrid of social history and the history of mathematics. It inspired mathematician Andrew Wiles to solve the problem. CONDITION REPORT The book is in GOOD condition. Clean, unfaded cloth with a spot or two. Tight binding. Rubbing to extremities. Several pages with marginalia and some highlighting. Some creasing, bent corners and some smudges and stains. The unclipped dust jacket is VERY GOOD - some dust soiling (particularly on rear panel) and edge wear - chipping, small tears and some creases. A larger chip from head of spine. Overall, a rare SIGNED copy..…