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Birkbeck Professor's book on the links between mathematics and literature hits top 30 in book charts

The revolutionary book is called 'Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature'

A woman smiles down the camera, next to a cover of a book which is an inllustration of a whale tale poking above water with mathematical equations around it
Professor Sarah Hart and the book cover ‘Once Upon a Prime’

Sarah Hart, Professor of Mathematics at Birkbeck and respected mathematician, has just released her book Once Upon a Prime: The Wondrous Connections Between Mathematics and Literature, published by Flatiron Books in the US and HarperCollins in the UK. The debut book reached the Amazon top 30 chart in its first week

In the book Professor Hart, who currently holds the Gresham Professorship of Geometry, the oldest mathematics chair in the UK, takes the reader on an unforgettable journey through literature investigating its connection with mathematics. It explores the presence of geometry in Moby-Dick, mathematical references in James Joyce's stream-of-consciousness novels, George Eliot's obsession with statistics, and the fractal patterns that underpin Jurassic Park, among other examples. Delving into the surprising links between the two fields, the book reveals how understanding these connections can enhance our enjoyment of both. 

The release of Professor Hart's book has sparked a renewed cultural interest in the connections between mathematics and literature. Furthermore, it has been well received and recently excerpted in the New York Times, as well as being reviewed by the New York Times, The Economist, The Sunday Times and The Guardian/Observer. Once Upon a Prime has also been discussed on a number of radio shows and podcasts; such as Freakonomics Radio, and BBC radio.

The book is available to purchase from major bookstores and online.

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