Book review – A Guide to Infinity: Ten Mathematical Journeys by Edward R. Scheinerman

We were sent a free copy of this book by the publisher, and invited irregular contributor Elinor Flavell to read and review it. Been feeling finite recently? Bounded by life? Those larger numbers feeling out of reach? Then you need “A Guide to Infinity: Ten Mathematical Journeys” by Edward R. Scheinerman. Over ten chapters, Scheinerman takes the reader through the infinity at the end of the number line, that other infinity between zero and one, the other other infinity found in shapes, and many other other other infinities. The book reads like a set of lecture notes – and like lecture notes, has its pros and cons. This is not the book to give your friend to convince them that maths is amazing. However, if it’s been a while since you studied infinity, or you are looking for something to fill your time before you start university in the autumn, or maybe you are currently studying topics around infinity, you may find this book helpful. Like lecture notes, there are lots of definitions,…