Monthly Archives: September 2009

Number story: from counting to cryptography

Number story:  from counting to cryptography by Peter M. Higgins Peter Higgins distills centuries of work into one delightful narrative that celebrates the mystery of numbers and explains how different kinds of numbers arose and why they are useful. Full of historical snippets and interesting examples, the book ranges from simple number puzzles and magic tricks, to showing how ideas about numbers relate to real-world problems, such as: How are our bank account details kept secure when shopping over the...

Building a century of progress: the architecture of Chicago’s 1933-34 World’s Fair

Building a century of progress: the architecture of Chicago’s 1933-34 World’s Fair by Lisa D. Schrenk In the richly illustrated Building a Century of Progress, Lisa D. Schrenk explores the pivotal role of the 1933 Chicago World’s Fair in modern American architecture. She recounts how the exposition’s architectural commission promoted a broad definition of modern architecture, not relying on purely aesthetic characteristics but instead focusing on new design solutions. The fair’s pavilions incorporated recently introduced building materials such as masonite...

The Hindus: an alternative history

by Wendy Doniger The Hindus brings a fascinating multiplicity of actors and stories to the stage to show how brilliant and creative thinkers—many of them far removed from Brahmin authors of Sanskrit texts—have kept Hinduism alive in ways that other scholars have not fully explored. In this unique and authoritative account, debates about Hindu traditions become platforms from which to consider the ironies, and overlooked epiphanies, of history. CATALOG PAGE...

Al dente: culinary delight for the dental patient: recipes, tips and advice

Al dente: culinary delight for the dental patient: recipes, tips and advice by Norbert Salenbauch, Arrigo Cipriani and Volker Kriegel With genuine understanding for patients undergoing the pain and trauma of rehabilitative treatment, the book shows that it is possible to eat well, even feast, throughout the different phases of dental treatment. This book provides valuable preventive measures, self-care tips, and humorous vignettes from the author’s practice,interspersed with the tantalizing recipes and culinary advice. The reader is taken from the...