MATHEMATICAL FICTION:

a list compiled by Alex Kasman (College of Charleston)

Home All New Browse Search About

...
A Suitable Boy (1993)
Vikram Seth
...

Sometimes referred to as the longest published English novel, this book about a mother's search for a husband for her daughter in post-colonial India has enough pages to devote a few to mathematics. And, as Fr. Joseph from the math department at Christ University in Bangalore has written to say, it apparently does:

Contributed by Fr. Joseph Varghese Kureethara

Vikram Seth's novel "A Suitable Boy" has two characters, a Mathematics Professor Dr Durrani and young Bhaskar. The name Bhaskar itself is after the great Indian Mathematician Bhaskara. There are many references of Mathematics in the novel. I am listing the pages where I could find them, and this is not exhaustive.

  • 45
  • 46
  • 101
  • 171
  • 191 and 601
  • 193
  • 208
  • 211
  • 212
  • 222
  • 223
  • 595
  • 745
  • 833

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 A Suitable Boy
According to my `secret formula', the following works of mathematical fiction are similar to this one:
  1. A Certain Ambiguity: A Mathematical Novel by Gaurav Suri / Hartosh Singh Bal
  2. The City of Devi by Manil Suri
  3. Uncle Petros and Goldbach's Conjecture by Apostolos Doxiadis
  4. A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines by Janna Levin
  5. The Art Student's War by Brad Leithauser
  6. Continuums by Robert Carr
  7. The Sand-Reckoner by Gillian Bradshaw
  8. Once Upon a Wardrobe by Patti Callahan
  9. Two Moons by Thomas Mallon
  10. The Shiloh Project by David R. Beaucage
Ratings for A Suitable Boy:
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.
(unrated)

PLEASE HELP US OUT BY ENTERING YOUR OWN RATINGS FOR THIS WORK.

Categories:
GenreHistorical Fiction,
MotifRomance, Religion,
Topic
MediumNovels,

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)