James Metcalf on the fictionality of the latest archaeological page-turners
Stephen Puddicombe looks at the unusual appeal of Samuel Beckett's Waiting for Godot
Ciaran Rafferty investigates the science of book classification
Fermat's Last Theorem - Amir Aczel
Fermat was perhaps the greatest amateur mathematician and his unsolved problems fascinated mathematicians for decades after his demise. In the case of his most famous problem, the solution is infinitely more understandable when aided by an enthralling history of geometry and 20th Century mathematics. Ever wondered how to add up all the numbers from 1 to 1000 in under a minute? This book is for you.
Fast Food Nation - Eric Schlosser
Any book based largely on statistics that is interesting enough to be made into a large budget Hollywood film must be worth a read. And in this case the history of fast food restaurants combined with the reality of current agricultural and boviary practices in the developed world hits all the right notes. A book that is made infinitely better by its brilliant foreword and conclusion alone.
Faster - James Gleick
Drawing largely from the work of Stephen Hawking and Albert Einstein, Faster should appeal to fans of sci-fi authors such as Kurt Vonnegut or Douglas Coupland for its dystopian theme alone. What really makes this book great though is the way it challenges preconceptions of both space and time while reminding us all of the present we all live in and aspire to improve. Preferably read it just before reading Super-Cannes by the late JG Ballard.
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