The Man Who Counted: A Collection of Mathematical Adventures

This is a book that was written to teach children the concepts of mathematics and logic. It takes the form of a series of short stories about the adventures of Beremiz Samir (the eponymous Man Who COunted) and Hanak Tade Maia in Baghdad. Beremiz solves riddles and problems based upon his skills at counting, mathematics, and logic. The stories are short, told in a wryly amusing style and are interesting enough to keep an adult reading to the end. One or two stories have even shown up as problems in NPR's Car Talk. I found this to be witty and engaging and enjoyed trying to solve the problems before the actual end of the story. I even managed this a couple of time. If I have to nitpick I;d point out that as a Persian Beremiz is not an arab. That would be nitpicking though and in no way spoils the story. The ending is bittersweet but happy. Read it to children, read it to test your skills in logic. Whatever reason you choose to read this book you will enjoy it. It truly does deserve a wider audience.

I read this book as a kid, maybe a teenager, growing up in Brazil. I'm 47 now and I never forgot this book. I have fond memories of it. This is not just an amazing book to read just for fun, but it really shows you the beauty of math. I was always a bad math student, but this book made me at least be fascinated by it. None of my teachers at the time were able to show me the value and magic of mathematics. I think this book deserves to be included in elementary and middle school curriculums, not only in math but also in literature. It is a delight to read and a most valuable contribution to making math something fun, alive, deeply human, and important (not in a scary and forceful way) to everyone's life. If you have kids in school, I highly recommend this book. If you like math also, you should read it just for fun. I haven't yet read the English version, but I'm sure it is just as good. I just bought this book for my kids, one of which is in 3rd grade. The other is still a preschooler, but he'll enjoy it too one day. If your kid can't see the point of studying math, you MUST get this book and convince him/her to read it!

This is Arabian Nights with mathematics. It's a beautiful story, beautifully written. Lots of mathematics embedded in an interesting way. This story is great bedtime reading for my son, yet it's instructive (though not as instructive as the Number Devil). It's interesting to contrast this with Fractals, Googols and other Mathematical Tales by Pappas. which I bought at the same time. It's got more information in it, but not written well and therefore is not compelling. It's amazing that this book, which feels so in tune with the Islamic world, was actually written by a Brazillian mathematician!

good book

Great book, interesting, entertainment, and informational

One of the best books I've read.

I discovered this gem because of a tweet by Alex Bellos, the author of Here's Looking At Euclid, one of the finest books on mathematics I have ever encountered. The Man Who Counted is a worthy peer, with its series of mathematical dramas and engaging story of Beremiz's journey to Baghdad. Along the way, we see Beremiz do far more than merely count, as he settles disputes and makes brilliant observations, all by applying classical mathematical concepts. Beremiz is a wonderful man, not simply because of his math skills, but also because of his true character, and the book finishes with a very pleasing ending as Beremiz receives a just reward for his good works.

I read this book as a child, and it brings me wonderful memories! Very good book for the intellectual development of children.

Mind blowing maths stories. My kids and I love this.

My favorite childhood's book. I remembered about it and found it in amazon :)

Comprei em brochura e veio bem embalado e no prazo.

the mathematical paradoxes and puzzles are narrated and explained in the easiest and engaging way.. As a tutor, it provides me an opportunity to ask these puzzles to my teenage students and make the learning style more engaging for them...

Amazing book. Easy to read and fascinating to learn.