The Joy of x: A Guided Tour of Math

Steven Strogatz
August 6, 2014

Viewed through the right lens, the universal language of math connects to literature, philosophy, law, medicine, art, business, and even pop culture and current events. It underpins every aspect of our lives, from finding the perfect romantic partner to understanding how Google works. Yet few of us understand math well enough to appreciate its beauty, prompting world-class mathematician Steven Strogatz to bring math to the masses through a regular New York Times column. Strogatz shares what worked – and what didn’t – in his efforts to democratize math, providing compelling clues on how to connect future generations to this increasingly critical discipline.

Steven Strogatz is the Jacob Gould Schurman Professor of Applied Mathematics at Cornell University and the author of Nonlinear Dynamics and Chaos, Sync, The Calculus of Friendship and The Joy of x.