The Man Who Counted

The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures by Malba Tahan / Published January 17th 1993 by W. W. Norton & Company (first published 1938). Malba Tahan is the creation of a celebrated Brazilian mathematician looking for a way to bring some of the mysteries and pleasures of mathematics to a wider public. The adventures of Beremiz Samir, The Man Who Counted, take the reader on a journey in which, time and again, Samir summons his extraordinary mathematical powers to settle disputes, give wise advice, overcome dangerous enemies, and win for himself fame, fortune, and rich rewards. We learn of previous mathematicians and come to admire Samir’s wisdom and patience. In the grace of Tahan’s telling, these stories hold unusual delights for the reader. 34 illustrations by Patricia Reid Baquero. Translated by Leslie Clark and Alastair Reid / Original Language: Portuguese.

“A great storyteller.”―Paulo Coelho, author of "The Alchemist".

[From Library Journal]: 'Puzzle books can be tedious (unless you like that sort of thing), but not this one. First published in Brazil in 1938 by the mathematician Julio Cesar de Melo e Sousa (Malba Tahan is the imaginary Arab author he claimed to have translated), it is a series of delightful "Arabian nights"-style tales, with each story built around a classic mathematical puzzle. The puzzles fit into the stories so naturally that they are a necessary part of the fantasy. The hero is a Persian mathematician and mystic named Beremiz Samir who uses his powers of calculation like a magic wand to amaze and entertain people, settle disputes, find justice and, finally, win the heart of a beautiful princess. Reading the stories is as much fun as trying to solve the puzzles. For adults and children'. -- Amy Brunvand, Fort Lewis Coll. Lib., Durango, Col. 1992.

[Amazon.com Review] 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.

“I love The Man Who Counted. The book transports you into a magical world of Bedouins, viziers, sheiks, princes, and kings, rich in references to Islamic traditions and locations in the Middle East. The math is gentle, accessible, and drives the stories.” (Alex Bellos, author of The Grapes of Math).

[About the Author]: Júlio César de Mello e Souza, a Brazilian mathematician, published more than one hundred books under the name "Malba Tahan". Even after his identity was exposed, he wrote as Malba Tahan until his death in 1974.

[The Translator]: Poet and translator Alastair Reid lives in New York City.
====
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_Who_Counted
http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-27254747

Artes / Aventura / Crônicas / Drama / Educação / Entretenimento / Fantasia / Ficção / História / Infantojuvenil / Jogos / Matemática / Romance / Suspense e Mistério