"Odifreddi's overview is of course a personal one, but it is hard to argue with either his choices or his organization. This is a perfect handle on an otherwise bewildering proliferation of ideas."
Ben Longstaff, New Scientist "Odifreddi clearly and concisely describes important 20th-century developments in pure and applied mathematics... Unlike similar volumes, this book keeps descriptions general and contains a ... Read moreshort section on the philosophical foundations of mathematics to help non-mathematicians easily navigate the material."
Library Journal "This is an astonishingly readable, succinct, and wonderful account of twentieth-century mathematics! It is a great book for mathematics majors, students in liberal-arts courses in mathematics, and the general public. I am amazed at how easily the author has set out the achievements in a broad array of mathematical fields. The writing appears effortless."
Paul Campbell, Mathematics Magazine "Piergiogio Odifreddi's book successfully portrays the major developments in 20th century mathematics by an examination of the mathematical problems that have gained prominence during the past 100 years... [T]he literary style is such that the contents are made accessible to a very wide readership, but with no hint of oversimplification."
P.N. Ruane, MathDL "Odifreddi ... has an engaging and effective style and a knack for compact but comprehensible summaries, making his presentation seem effortless. The Mathematical Century can be dabbled in, read through, or perhaps even used as a quick reference."
Danny Yee, Danny Reviews Show Less