Jordan ellenberg has a phd in mathematics and an mfa in creative writing. Lockhart extols the method of exhaustion; ellenberg teaches it. Ellenberg is the rare mathematician who can write in a wonderfully conversational style.

There is not a single example of how elementary mathematical thinking will help anyone ‘not to be wrong’ in the ordinary experiences of daily living. The mathematical concepts in this book are not applicable in everyday circumstances. Both parties com...  Read More

The author spends needless and countless pages trying to confuse the reader with proofs, proof minutia, and proofs of proofs when simpler explanations would suffice and be appreciated.

There was a meandering narrative but no point by point summary. The author is too smart to inhale deeply into his lungs. Yet the the author goes on for several pages trying to defend it, despite it clearly being untenable.

The author falls into the taleb trap of trying to write about mathematics while not requiring any thinking of the reader. The book isn't really about mathematical thinking, but a subset, namely statistical thinking.

Ultra liberal apologist and revisionist. Author lives in madison, wi - the hotbed of mainstream academic liberalism. Author's harvard/madison liberal bias is grating.