“Like most ancient peoples, the Greeks were stargazers, and the Babylonians were the first masters of astronomy: they had learned how to predict eclipses. Thales, the first Greek astronomer, learned how to do this from the Babylonians, or perhaps through the Egyptians. ... With Babylonian astronomy came Babylonian numbers. For astronomical purposes, the Greeks adopted a sexagesimal number system and even divided hours into 60 minutes....” Pg 39
“Pythagoras himself fled for his life, and he might have gotten away had he not run smack into a bean field. There he stopped. He declared that he would rather be killed than cross the field of beans. His pursuers were more than happy to oblige. They cut his throat.” Pg 38
pick#riotgrams Day 3 - one word title: Zero. "A stunning chronicle of the denial, heresy, and grudging acceptance of zero and its companion concepts, infinity and the void." -U.S News & World Report. I gave this one a solid four stars.
bailedThe first four chapters of this book are written in easily an accessible manner; but in chapter 5, things get a little dicey. When your ability to understand each successive idea relies on your ability to understand what came before, you can't skim past what you don't get, and then hope it will gel later. After several attempts at "Kepler's Barrels," I have to admit defeat ?
Yesterday I talked about how I leave books on my desk. Well this was on my co-workers desk today. I'm totally putting it on my TBR shelf! #Librarianlife
I was too tired and/or too stupid to understand what the heck chapters 5 & 6 were saying, so I'm going to put this down for a few days, and come back to it after I finish a big work project later this week. Also, go ahead and ask Siri what zero divided by zero is 😄
Just Started: The writing seems oddly, almost comically dramatic; but it is keeping me interested and engaged!
Heading out for a week of hiking, kayaking, and uncertain cell/WiFi service! I'm bringing four used/low-risk-if-damaged books along; a NF, a Lit-Fic, a Spy Thriller, and a Romance :-) #cabinlife
Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea | 
