The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel Book PDF, ePub eBook

Join our eBook service for unlimited books & audiobooks. Get a free 7 day subscription! ↓↓↓↓↓


Book Descriptions:
"The Library of Babel" is arguably Jorge Luis Borges' best known story--memorialized along with Borges on an Argentine postage stamp. Now, in The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel, William Goldbloom Bloch takes readers on a fascinating tour of the mathematical ideas hidden within one of the classic works of modern literature.

Written in the vein of Douglas R. Hofstadter's Pulitzer Prize-winning G?del, Escher, Bach, this original and imaginative book sheds light on one of Borges' most complex, richly layered works. Bloch begins each chapter with a mathematical idea--combinatorics, topology, geometry, information theory--followed by examples and illustrations that put flesh on the theoretical bones. In this way, he provides many fascinating insights into Borges' Library. He explains, for instance, a straightforward way to calculate how many books are in the Library--an easily notated but literally unimaginable number--and also shows that, if each book were the size of a grain of sand, the entire universe could only hold a fraction of the books in the Library. Indeed, if each book were the size of a proton, our universe would still not be big enough to hold anywhere near all the books.

Given Borges' well-known affection for mathematics, this exploration of the story through the eyes of a humanistic mathematician makes a unique and important contribution to the body of Borgesian criticism. Bloch not only illuminates one of the great short stories of modern literature but also exposes the reader--including those more inclined to the literary world--to many intriguing and entrancing mathematical ideas.

The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel by William Goldbloom Bloch

From reader reviews:

Blair Kennedy:

Do you have favorite book? In case you have, what is your favorite's book? Publication is very important thing for us to learn everything in the world. Each reserve has different aim or perhaps goal; it means that publication has different type. Some people experience enjoy to spend their a chance to read a book. These are reading whatever they take because their hobby is reading a book. Why not the person who don't like reading through a book? Sometime, person feel need book whenever they found difficult problem as well as exercise. Well, probably you will require this The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel.

Florence Croy:

The book The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel can give more knowledge and information about everything you want. Why then must we leave the great thing like a book The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel? Several of you have a different opinion about guide. But one aim which book can give many data for us. It is absolutely correct. Right now, try to closer together with your book. Knowledge or details that you take for that, it is possible to give for each other; you could share all of these. Book The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel has simple shape however, you know: it has great and big function for you. You can appearance the enormous world by available and read a e-book. So it is very wonderful.

Matthew Thompson:

The particular book The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel has a lot associated with on it. So when you make sure to read this book you can get a lot of benefit. The book was compiled by the very famous author. The author makes some research prior to write this book. This kind of book very easy to read you can obtain the point easily after scanning this book.

Sophia Morrison:

As we know that book is vital thing to add our understanding for everything. By a e-book we can know everything you want. A book is a set of written, printed, illustrated or blank sheet. Every year had been exactly added. This e-book The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel was filled about science. Spend your time to add your knowledge about your scientific disciplines competence. Some people has diverse feel when they reading any book. If you know how big good thing about a book, you can sense enjoy to read a reserve. In the modern era like right now, many ways to get book which you wanted.