MathFiction: Hamisch in Avalon (Eliot Fintushel)

a list compiled by Alex Kasman (College of Charleston)

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Hamisch in Avalon (1995)

Eliot Fintushel
(click on names to see more mathematical fiction by the same author)
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This story marks the return of the Yiddishe mystic Izzy and his daughter in-law (now a math professor) Hamisch previously encountered in Izzy at the Lucky Three. There isn't as much math in this story, which sees Hamisch misusing Izzy's ukelele (which you'd better pronounce correctly if Izzy's listening!) and winding up in a jousting contest with King Arthur. There are some very real sounding descriptions of the problems that Hamisch is having reconciling her career in math with her marriage, and some nice stuff about the mathematical aspects of instrument tunings dating back to Pythagoras.

This story was published in the Summer 1995 issue of Crank! magazine.

(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 Hamisch in Avalon

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

Gödel geht [Gödel's Exit] by Andreas Findig
Dante Dreams by Stephen Baxter
Ambiguity Machines: An Examination by Vandana Singh
The Tower of Babylon by Ted Chiang
Perelman's Song by Tina Chang
Ylem by Eliot Fintushel
The Spacetime Pool by Catherine Asaro
Fractal Mode by Piers Anthony
Description of a New World, Called The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish
The Dreams in the Witch-House by H.P. Lovecraft

Ratings for Hamisch in Avalon:

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.

Mathematical Content:
2/5 (1 votes)

Literary Quality:
4/5 (1 votes)

Categories:

Genre	Science Fiction, Fantasy,
Motif	Female Mathematicians, Music,
Topic
Medium	Short Stories,

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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)