MathFiction: Do Androids Dream of Symmetric Sheaves?: And Other Mathematically Bent Stories (Colin Adams)

a list compiled by Alex Kasman (College of Charleston)

...
Do Androids Dream of Symmetric Sheaves?: And Other Mathematically Bent Stories (2023)

Colin Adams
(click on names to see more mathematical fiction by the same author)
...

This is another collection from the humor column "Mathematically Bent" which Adams writes for the Mathematical Intelligencer. As I wrote in my entry for "Riot at the Calc Exam" (and which is equally true of this new anthology as well):

Contributed by Alex Kasman

I am not listing each of these stories separately on the website. In part, this is because some of them really do not quite qualify as "fiction" as I've narrowly defined that term for these purposes. Many of them, instead, are really just drawn out mathematical jokes. But, even those are worth reading. With his "bent" look at the subject we study and the academic environment in which we work, Adams' writings are sure to simultaneously entertain and inform readers from any background with even a passing interest in mathematics.

(Thanks to Allan Goldberg for suggesting I add this book to the list.)

More information about this work can be found at www.amazon.com.
(Note: This is just one work of mathematical fiction from the list. To see the entire list or to see more works of mathematical fiction, return to the Homepage.)

Works Similar to Do Androids Dream of Symmetric Sheaves?: And Other Mathematically Bent Stories

According to my `secret formula', the following works of mathematical fiction are similar to this one:

Mathematically Bent by Colin Adams
Riot at the Calc Exam and Other Mathematically Bent Stories by Colin Adams
Integration Bar by Erik Talvila
Lost in the Math Museum by Colin Adams
The Mathematics of Magic by L. Sprague de Camp / Fletcher Pratt
Mathe-Matti by Anuradha Mahasinghe
The Mischief of Math: Short Stories of Clowns, Contortionists, and Court-Jesters by Inavamsi Enaganti / Nivedita Ganesh / Bud Mishra / Alexander Lu (Illustrator)
Reality Conditions: short mathematical fiction by Alex Kasman
Intoxicating Heights (Höhenrausch. Die Mathematik des XX. Jahrhunderts in zwanzig Gehirnen) by Dietmar Dath
Fantasia Mathematica : Being a Set of Stories, Together With a Group of Oddments and Diversions, All Drawn from ... by Clifton Fadiman (editor)

Ratings for Do Androids Dream of Symmetric Sheaves?: And Other Mathematically Bent Stories:

Ratings		Have you seen/read this work of mathematical fiction? Then click here to enter your own votes on its mathematical content and literary quality or send me comments to post on this Webpage.
(unrated) PLEASE HELP US OUT BY ENTERING YOUR OWN RATINGS FOR THIS WORK.

Categories:

Genre	Humorous,
Motif	Academia,
Topic
Medium	Short Stories, Collection,

Home All New Browse Search About

Where are the new works of mathematical fiction?: As you can see from this chronological listing, this database includes many works of mathematical fiction for each year from 1990 to 2025. Strangely, only two are listed for 2026, so far. Either less mathematical fiction is being published than in previous years or I'm just having more trouble finding it. If you know of any works of fiction that should be added to this list, especially recently published ones, please let me know. (Keep in mind that I do not include self-published works or children's fiction that just covers elementary mathematical concepts.) Thanks!

(Maintained by Alex Kasman, College of Charleston)