Long known as a mathematical storyteller, Howard Eves here writes his personal reminiscences mostly mathematical, some not. The cast of characters includes Albert Einstein, Norbert Wiener, Julian Lowell Coolidge, Maurice Frechet, Nathan Altshiller-Court, G. H., Hardy, and many other interesting figures whom he encountered in a long and active life in mathematics. In "Mathematical Reminiscences" we read of Eves' famous mathematical museum, with its lock of Einstein's hair, Hardy's scarf, Veblen's bright yellow lead pencil, Wiener's hat, and much, much, more.
Author(s): Howard Eves
Series: Spectrum Series
Publisher: Mathematical Assn of Amer
Year: 2001
Language: English
Pages: 197
Cover......Page 1
Title page......Page 4
Foreword......Page 8
Acknowledgements......Page 10
Contents......Page 12
The Mystery of the Four-Leaf Clovers......Page 14
A Fugue......Page 22
Tombstone Inscriptions......Page 28
The Two Lights......Page 30
MMM......Page 32
Acquiring Some of the Personal Items for MMM......Page 42
Difficulty in Explaining Relativity Theory in a Few Words......Page 48
Difficulty in Obtaining a Cup of Hot Tea......Page 50
Hail to Thee, Blithe Spirit!......Page 52
C. D.......Page 60
Cupid'
s Problem......Page 64
The Lighter Life of an Editor......Page 66
The Two Kellys......Page 72
Some Debts......Page 76
Hypnotic Powers......Page 78
Founding the Echols Mathematics Club......Page 80
Meeting Maurice Fréchet......Page 84
Mathematizing the New Mathematics Building......Page 88
Finding Some Lost Property Corners......Page 94
The Tennessee Valley Authority......Page 98
How I First Met Dr. Einstein......Page 102
Catching Vibes, and Kindred Matters......Page 104
A Pair of Unusual Walking Sticks......Page 106
A New Definition......Page 108
Dr. Einstein's First Public Address at Princeton......Page 110
Parting Advice......Page 114
Two Newspaper Items and a Phone Call......Page 118
Wherein the Author is Beasted......Page 122
The Scholar's Creed......Page 124
The Perfect Game of Solitaire......Page 132
The Most Seductive Book Ever Written......Page 138
The Master Geometer......Page 142
Sandy......Page 144
The Perfect Parabola......Page 146
Three Coolidge Remarks......Page 148
Professor Coolidge During Examinations......Page 150
Professor Coolidge's Test......Page 152
Borrowing Lecture Techniques from Admired Professors......Page 154
My Teaching Assistant Appointment......Page 156
A Night in the Widener Memorial Library......Page 158
The Slit in the Wall......Page 162
Nathan Altshiller Court......Page 166
An Editorial Comment......Page 168
Intimations of the Future......Page 170
A Rival Field......Page 174
A Chinese Lesson......Page 176
The Bookbag......Page 178
Running the Mile in Twenty-one Seconds......Page 180
Winning the 1992 Pólya Award......Page 182
A Love Story......Page 184
Eves' Photo Album......Page 190
A Condensed Biography of Howard Eves......Page 194
An Abridged Bibliography of Howard Eves' Works......Page 196
