MATHEMATICAL FICTION:

a list compiled by Alex Kasman (College of Charleston)

Home All New Browse Search About

...
Surreal Numbers: How Two Ex-Students Turned on to Pure Mathematics and Found Total Happiness (1974)
Don Knuth
...

The famous computer scientist (known to many grateful mathematicians as the creator of TeX) presents Conway's "surreal numbers" in the form of a fictionalized dialogue. Includes exercises!

Contributed by Jose Brox

It becomes repetitive; moreover, I think it actually isn't mathematical fiction! It is just a math text a little disguised.

Contributed by David L

Book Description: This book was intended to show an example of mathematical thinking. To accomplish this, Knuth chose to write about a subject that no one would have any previous experience with, namely Conway's surreal numbers.

Contributed by Sue VanHattum

I loved this book. Yes, the characters are flimsy, and yes, the storyline completely revolves around them coming to understand the mathematical system described on a rock. But that was enough for me. This is a way to understand surreal numbers (closely related to hyperreal numbers, used in non-standard analysis). If you enjoy doing proofs, this little story is a great framework.

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 Surreal Numbers: How Two Ex-Students Turned on to Pure Mathematics and Found Total Happiness
According to my `secret formula', the following works of mathematical fiction are similar to this one:
  1. Let's Consider Two Spherical Chickens by Tommaso Bolognesi
  2. No Chance by Guy Hasson
  3. The Raven and the Writing Desk by Ian T. Durham
  4. Gauß, Eisenstein, and the ``third'' proof of the Quadratic Reciprocity Theorem: Ein kleines Schauspiel by Reinhard C. Laubenbacher / David J. Pengelley
  5. Dialógusok a matematikáról [Dialogues on Mathematics] by Alfréd Rényi
  6. Letters to a Young Mathematician by Ian Stewart
  7. Math Girls by Hiroshi Yuki
  8. Gulliver's Posthumous Travels to Riemann's Land and Lobachevskia by William Pepperell Montague
  9. Report from the Ambassador to Cida-2 by Clifton Cunningham
  10. The Extraordinary Hotel or the Thousand and First Journey of Ion the Quiet by Naum Ya. Vilenkin
Ratings for Surreal Numbers: How Two Ex-Students Turned on to Pure Mathematics and Found Total Happiness:
RatingsHave 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:
5/5 (8 votes)
.
Literary Quality:
2.12/5 (8 votes)
..

Categories:
GenreDidactic,
Motif
TopicAlgebra/Arithmetic/Number Theory, Real Mathematics,
Medium

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)