Archimedes

Nicholas Nicastro has taught history, anthropology and psychology at Cornell University and Hobart-William Smith Colleges. His books include Circumference: Eratosthenes and the Ancient Quest to Measure the Globe (2008), and he has written for the New York Times, the New York Observer and Archaeology.

"Nicholas Nicastro offers a lively biography of Archimedes . . . Driven by a desire both to make Archimedes an exception in ancient science and to link him to the modern era, Nicastro celebrates this “epochal figure” for his “historical precognition” and “stunning stroke[s] of insight”." - Alice König, Times Literary Supplement"As Nicholas Nicastro points out in his biography, the stories that circulate about Archimedes aren’t necessarily reliable . . . Archimedes was . . . a scientist who combined theory with practical know-how [and Nicastro] invokes Leonardo da Vinci and Galileo in support." - London Review of Books"With Archimedes: Fulcrum of Science, Nicastro gives us an engaging account of the life and legacy of Archimedes of Syracuse, renowned in antiquity and later for his work as a mathematician and engineer. Nicastro presents Archimedes' ideas and achievements with admirable clarity, set within the context of his time and place." - Liba Taub, Director and Curator of the Whipple Museum of the History of Science, Cambridge"An enthralling account of the wider cultural context in which Archimedes lived and worked. Nicastro is particularly good at debunking some of the myths surrounding one of the greatest figures in the history of science." - David Acheson, applied mathematician and author of The Calculus Story and The Spirit of Mathematics"The people and places around Archimedes – and the genius of the man himself – come back to life in technicolor in this marvelously vivid biography. I especially enjoyed Nicastro’s comments on ancient historical sources. He retells familiar stories with verve and fresh insight, and provides quite a few laughs along the way." - Steven Strogatz, professor of mathematics, Cornell University, and author of Infinite Powers"the impact and influence of Archimedes cannot be understated. This book is an enjoyable way to discover more about the life and work of one of the most foundational mathematicians." - Notes of the American Mathematical Society

• NoteChronologyPrologue 1 Engineer 2 Mathematician 3 LegacyReferencesSuggested ReadingAcknowledgementsPhoto AcknowledgementsIndex