BRIAN CLEGG is a prize-winning science writer with a physics degree from Cambridge and a masters in the mathematical discipline operational research. He has written over 20 science books and articles for newspapers and magazines from The Observer and Wall Street Journal to BBC Focus and Playboy. He lives in Wiltshire, England, with his wife and two children.
Praise for the author Writers who understand science but, at least as importantly, are gifted communicators. George Musser, and Brian Clegg, on this side of the pond, are two that spring to mind. - Literary Review He still manages to surprise me with something new on every page. - Mail on Sunday Clegg's enthusiasm is catching, his science immaculate. - The Good Book Guide In ARE NUMBERS REAL? Clegg tackles a very deep question in his usual way; with clarity, wit and a wonderfully clear narrative writing style. For me, numbers are like natural language: they obviously don't exist in a physical sense - you cannot trip over the number '2' in the street - yet numbers are at the heart of understanding the universe. Clegg covers a wide variety of subjects to seek out the truth of the matter in an engaging and hugely accessible way. I personally couldn't put it down, and as an active researcher in the field itself, it has provided me with some very real food for thought. - Amazon A compact, very readable, and highly entertaining history of the development and use of mathematics to answer the important practical questions involved in advancing civilization . . . [a] sense of wonder permeates the entire book. There are courses in music appreciation and art appreciation, and if there is ever an institution with the good sense to create a course in math appreciation, this