*** If you’d like a signed copy of The Mathematicians’ Library get in touch! ***
About the book
ISBN: 9781836004851
Published: 11th September 2025
The Mathematicians’ Library is a book of books; an exploration of works throughout human history that have contributed to the development of mathematics as a subject. The word ‘books’ is loosely defined: as well as printed, bound and published works, there are also papyri, clay tablets, and at least one leg bone from an ancient relative of the baboon.
It is a relaxed wander through the history of human achievement, picking out a small but well-curated selection from the enormous range of works available, and whilst some are pure maths books, others intersect with such diverse fields of interest as astronomy, literature, and crochet.
As full-colour, hard-bound tome it’s the perfect addition to any coffee table, but its 272 pages also make it an excellent doorstop.
Read the publisher’s page for The Mathematicians’ Library here.
Where to buy
In order of preference:
- Buy through my uk.Bookshop.org affiliate page
- If you must buy from Amazon, please do so via my affiliate link
- Borrow it from your local library!
- Support your nearest independent bookshop by ordering a copy through them
The Mathematcians’ Library can be bought anywhere good books are sold. I don’t get royalties from sales, so if you get a copy for less than RRP, please consider splitting the difference with me:
If you’d like a signed copy:
- Buy a copy, then bring it to me (with a pen).
- Get in touch and ask if I can send you one.
Bear in mind that this will probably take longer and cost more than buying an unsigned copy elsewhere.
Reviews
Dedication
I didn’t get a dedication page in the book, but if I did it would have read…
To my dad, Peter Briggs, who worked it out with a pencil.
My dad died while I was in the latter stages of writing The Mathematicians’ Library. I know he’d be immensely proud to have seen the finished book.
Acknowledgments
I didn’t get an acknowledgments page either, but there are people who deserve a mention. As well as the general support and encouragement provided by friends and family, and the wet shoulders and bent ears of the nearest and dearest members of those two groups, there are a handful of people whose words, deeds, and counsel had very specific effects on the very existence of the book, and shaped its final form in some way.
These people include:
- Colin Beveridge
- Peter Rowlett
- Brigitte Stenhouse
and I am eternally grateful for the help that they offered.
Q&A
These are some questions I’ve been asked about The Mathematicians’ Library and its content, along with my answers. If you have a question that’s not answered here, get in touch!
Can I borrow The Mathematicians’ Library from an actual library?
Yes! But only if they have it in stock:
If they’ve somehow overlooked it you might like to suggest that they get a copy or two: most libraries’ websites have a special form for suggesting books and this is your chance to use it!
Can I buy a signed copy of The Mathematicians’ Library?
Yes! If you like, I can get hold of a copy, sign it, and then send it to you. Get in touch to discuss details.
Please note:
- You’ll need to cover the cost of the book (£28) + postage & packing or delivery (estimated £6-7 by 2nd class Royal Mail in the UK)
- It might take a while: I have to order copies direct from the publisher and wait for them to be delivered before I can sign and send them on.
- If you’d rather buy your own copy and get me to sign it, try this question.
Do you give talks or presentations about your book, or on related themes?
Yes! I have spoken about Me and the Mathematicians’ Library at conferences, and provided Adventures in the Mathematicians’ Library sessions to school groups from Upper Key Stage 2 to Sixth Form.
I am unable to agree to appearances that leave me out-of-pocket, so any expenses need to be covered. Usually, I would expect to be fairly compensated for my time in addition to this. Please get in touch to discuss your requirements.
How can I support you as a first-time author?
- Write a shining review, and post it at one or more online booksellers of your choice. Please send me a link to your review!
- If you use a book tracking platform such as Goodreads or TheStoryGraph, add The Mathematicians’ Library to your to-read list, and then rate & review it when you’ve finished it.
- Tell other people about the book, and why you liked it. Maybe even buy them a copy as a gift!
- Suggest that your local library gets a copy (most have an online form for this purpose).
I’m not a mathematician: will I get anything out of reading The Mathematicians’ Library?
Yes! I wrote it with you in mind: someone who doesn’t necessarily think of themselves as a mathematician, but wants to find out more about how mathematics has developed over time, and to explore the effect that it has had on the development of humanity.
It’s not just a book about maths: it’s a book about history; a book about people; and a book about books!
And, by the way, if you’re engaging with mathematics on any level and for any reason, as far as I’m concerned you are a mathematician.
Where can I buy a copy of the book that will give you, the author, the best income from it?
I was paid a fixed fee to write the book. This means that I don’t get any ongoing royalties: regardless of where you buy the book, I’ll receive exactly £0 from that sale. That said:
- If you buy through one of the affiliate links under ‘where to buy‘ at the top of this page I may receive a small percentage of the price you pay.
- You could buy direct from me (especially if you’d like a signed copy): I get a discount on copies that I purchase from the publisher. Get in touch to discuss that!
- Authors get paid a small amount when books they have written are borrowed from libraries. How cool is that‽
- If you liked the book and think it’s worth a tip, I’m not too proud to accept:
Why didn’t you include [book title]?
There are many, many titles that can be argued to have some influence on the development of mathematics throughout human history, and a big reason why any given example might be missing is that there just isn’t enough space in any sensibly-sized book to fit them all in. An extension of this idea is that there are too many books to fit inside one human brain, so I may have forgotten about some; and may not even have encountered others. If your favourite book is missing and you feel that it needs to be spoken about, please do let me know about it. I’m happy to consider hosting a well-written Blog post about it if you’d like to go that far! And maybe, if I get enough suggestions, someone will fund me to write a follow-up.
Will you sign my copy of The Mathematicians’ Library?
Yes! If we’re in the same place at the same time I’m happy to do so, and totally stoked that you asked. Can I borrow a pen?
Would you like to write another book?
Yes! Contact me if you think I might be the author you’re looking for.