Title: Spellbinding and Provocative
Review: As a retired professional mathematician eager to learn more about the history of my subject, I found this book absolutely fascinating. Bell writes very forcefully, sometimes expressing his personal judgments in a manner that some might find offensive but which I found provocative (he frequently gives references in his notes to other scholars who disagree with his views). He doesn't hesitate to report on the dark side of mathematicians' battles (both philosophical and personal) with one another.I recommend that one read a more conventional history of mathematics (such as Boyer, Kline or Gratton-Guinness) before attempting this controversial one.Be forewarned that Constance Reid, in her biography of Bell, points out errors in this book. I forgive Bell for those because no one person could possibly comprehend in detail all the abstruse mathematics which he covers relatively well. I recommend this book only to readers already somewhat knowledgeable in mathematics.
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