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734 735 Christopher Abani was born in 1967 in Afikpo, 737 Nigeria, a nation in West Africa that won its independence from Great Britain in 1960. The 739 postcolonial years found Nigeria in the grip of a civil war, a series of oppressive military regimes, 741 increasing tensions between the Christian 744 population and fundamentalist Muslims, and mob violence. In a brief reminiscence for the New York 745 Times Magazine (February 1, 2}o4),Abani recalled that as a 1"0-year-old boy he watched a man 749 accused of stealing be burned alive by an angry "As 750 mob: the man burned, people began to file past him in an orderly manner like the offertory line in "As 754 the Catholic Church I attended," Abani wrote. they walked past, they spat on the incandescent 757 figure. My aunt spat. I looked away, hand held over my nose at the smell of burning flesh, horrified that 760 'Spit,' it reminded me of kebabs. she snapped, 763 rapping me on the head with her knuckles. I spat.' Abani started writing as a teenager and 767 completed his first novel, Masters of the Board, 771 when he was 16. Speaking with Andie Miller for the Africa MaiI & Guardian (March 1'J.,2005, "a 774 on-line), Abani described his first novel as very crime thriller about neo-Nazis taking over Courtesy of ChristoPher Abani bad / /5 Nigeria to reinstate the Fourth Reich." He "Thrillers 777 explained, were fascinating to me , Christopher because you can indulge all your adolescent 779 fantasies about guns and women in them. I thought '- Poet; novelist; playwright it would bring me fame and wealth." The 780 manuscript won Nigeria's Delta Fiction Award, in published two years later. Abani ,.784 political dissident in his native Nigeria, 1"983,and was was then arested for treason by the Nigerian istopher Abani has endured imprisonment, government, then under General Ibrahim "However much deserves hure, and exile. [he] Babangida.The head of the Association of Nigerian -spect for his political courage," Dan Cryer wrote Authors, General Mamman Vatsa-who also fu the Chicago Tribune (February 29, 2oo4), happened to be Abani's mentor at the time-was tat's no rationale for praising his fiction aciused of plotting a coup and using Abani's novel "In Es writing can stand on its own." Since his first as a blueprint. the novel certain strategictargets 1ovel, Masters of the Board, debuted in 1985, had to be blown up, and when he [Vatsa] was rhen he was still a teenager,Abani has published arrested he was carrying a copy [ofl my novel," *veral other works, among them the poetry Abani told Miller. Abani was imprisoned for six he had not ollections Kalakuta Republic (2000), Daphne's months, and though, as he told Miller, been political before his internment, he emerged Int {2oog), and Dog Woman t2oo4), as well as the "a from prison with mix of idealism and a saviour eitically acclaimed novel GraceLand (2oo4). complex." -GmceLand," Merle Rubin wrote for the Los "amply In 1987, while a university student, Abani ran Angeles Times (April 5, 2oo4), afoul of the authorities once again, this time for demonstrates that Abani has the energy, ambition belonging to an allegedly subversive theater group and compassion to create a novel that delineates that conducted impromptu performances outside and illuminates a complicated, dynamic, deeply of government buildings. The manuscript for his fractured society." second novel, Siroccr'a tale of Palestinian ABANI degree in English from the University of terroiists planting a biological agent in Europe's master's (USC). water trrppty-*is seized by the government, and Southern poems contained in Abani's 2003 Abani wai sent to Kiri-Kiri, an infamous prison The Daphne's Lot, address war and located in the Nigerian capital of Lagos, where he compilation, as *"il as the universal themes of was subjected to [orture, before being released one viol6nce, "I'm and coming-of-age.In a representative year later. not sure what they were thinking compassion Ronald Gottesman, a professor emeritus at *httt they released me," he told Michael Datcher revi6w "Chris wrote, as quoted on Abani's Web site, for Blaci lssues Book Review (May-June 2005)' USC, iemind us of what happens.when "That I would stoP making art?" Abani's poems are obliterated and the In 1991 Abani giaduated magna cum laude from moral ioundaries of life becomes a kind of cynical ioke' Imo State UniverJity in Imo, Owerri, Nigeria, with sacredness poems also remind us of the human a bachelor's degreein English and literary studies' But these capacitv f* .o-p"ssion and love in the face of For his univeisity's convocation ceremony, -he crueity and fiendish conditions"' wrote Song of a Bioken Flute, a controversial play un'speatable novel GtaceLand is set in the late 1970s that critici-zed the rampant corruption in Nigeria's ibani's a slum on the outskirts government; the government responded. by and early 1980s in Maroko, The protagonist of- this dark irresting him a third time. Sentenced to death of Lag"os. - " is Efuis Oke, a bookish Nigerian Abani endured almost two Years of bildung-sroman earns his by impersonating his imprisonment-six months of which h-e spent in teenagJr who living Elvis Presley, for tourists' Elvis's solitary confinement-before friends bribed prison nameiake, father, Sunday, is unemployed, officials to arrange for his escape. widowed bereft of hope for himself and his Settling in Gieat Britain Abani completed a alcoholic, and Elvis, in his slruggle to escape his master's i"gt"* in gender, society, and culture at country. enters Nigeria's- criminal under- Birkbeck Cdllege, at the University of , in ,nr.orrnditgt, in drugs and human or-8ansfor 1995. He then wrote a collection of poems, world, trafflcking atta siniJter figure, dubbed the Kalakuta Republic, that served as a sort of prison a mysterious Scattered throughout are excerpts {rom memoir in verse. In an interview posted on the Colonel. mother'sJoutnal, which recall the Voices in Wartime Web site, Abani explained that Elvis's deceased earlier life in the countryside, with its he began writing poetry i1 an attempt to cap.ture family's "What folklore and recipes. Though some critics his eiperienceJ is a political prisoner: singuiar passages from Elvis's mother did not really dr"- -" to poetry, I suppose you could say, felt" the seamlessly with the rest of the story, is ttre brevity in it. . It's a form that resists always m-esh by and large earned higl, praise, sentimentaliiy. And when you are dealing wilh a GraieLand for its evocation of the sqrralid streets difficult subject, sentimentality is a- problem 'ofparticularly in a passagequoted by Chris Lehmann for because yon'i" sign-posting hory people. should L"got; iVashingion Posf-(February- Abani feel." Delcribed by Robert Winder for the New ttre "Half-3, -2oo4), "a the Maroko slum: of the town was Statesman(May 21, 2001) as sequenceof po-ems described confused mix of clapboard, wood, cement scraped from the harsh walls of a prison cell in built of a "short' sheets,raised above a swamp by means of Nigeiia," KalakutaRepublic is composed of and zinc and wooden walkways. The other half, built bloodstained notes frbm a -Oneplace where few of us stilts ground reclaimed from the sea,seemed to have any wish to go." poem from the on solid "Ode its way out of the primordial swamp, collection, to Joy" as quoted on the Web site be clawiig to become something else." Writing for of the New Zealand Electronic Poetry Centre, attemptinf 'l"J', "John Globe (April 2oo4), Melvin Jules details the brutal death of a young inmate: the Bostin "Abini's GtaceLand is both a 14 / Refused to serve his conscience up / to Bukiet opined, James, on urban decay and a coming-of- indict an innocent man / handcuffed to chair; they poetic *"ditutio.t picaresqu€' . . Abani creates an intensely tacked his penis / to the table / with a six inch nail ase portraii of an artificial nation whose people / and left him there / to drip / to death / s days .rl"i,i emotional vigor as natural resources latet." The British playwright Harold Pinter have alsmuch some have as much likelihood of avowed, as quoted on Abani's official Web site, and, scarily, potential as making the most "Abani's podmt are the most naked, harrowing throwing away their Harrisbn wrote for the New Yotk expression of prison life and political torture of it." S"ophie Review (February 22, 2oo4) that the irnaginable. Reading them is like being singed by Times nobt< a Nigerian teen doing Elvis P-resley a red hot iron." notion of wal "almost too weird to swallow"' While Abani was living in Great Britain, the impressions "The however, book works Nigerian government accuied him of treason and Sh; admitted, in two ways. As a convincinB soieht tJ have him extradited. When Abani's brilliantly 1nd record of life in a poor Nigerian neig'hbor,the only other Nigerianin the alartment unpatronizing as a frighteningly honest insight in-tq buiiding, was mysteriously murdered, the writer shin, and 1 by Iasual violence, it's wondetful"' began t"o suspeci that he was being targeted for world skewed Abani published the novella Becoming assassination-by agents from his homeland' He In 2006 another- coming-of-age tale about a subsequently leh Gieat Britain and moved to Los Abigail, youth, but with a female protagonist this Angel6s, Cilifornia. In 2oo2 Abani earned a NigErian

2 ACZEL

plays, including one aimed at nglish from the UniversitY of Left to fend off the sexual advances of her written several (rsc). relatives after her mother's untimely death, young adults, entitled The Poet, the SoldieL the (2003). nrtained in Abani's 2003 g Abigail acts out, practicing self-mutilation. Lover and the Paper-Kte Maker Abani has wtlr and ituation onlv worsens when she is sent to live received a number of honors and awatds, ne s Lot, address "This as the universal themes of relatives in London. portrait of a including a Prince Claus Award, the PEN USA ri-ng-of-age.In a representative ized girl given no control over her life or Freedom to Write Award, a Hellman/Hammett (Abigail's rsman. a professor emeritus at . . . featuresIeatures Abani'sAbanr's lyricaltyrrcal prose ll\Drgalr s Grant from Human Rights Watch, a Lannan "Chris ''s 'smelled d on Abini's Web site, armchair of the dreams of Foundation Literary Fellowship, and the haPPens when who had sat in it') and deft moves nd usof what 'Then' 'Now'- PEN/Hemingway Prize. *n short chapters titled and are obliterated and the Abani, who received a doctoral degree in the latter offering little promise," a reviewer ,comes a kind of cYnical ioke. literature and creative writing from USC in 2004, of the human for Publishers WeeHy (|anuary 9, 2006). In lso remind us has taught writing as an associate professor at and love in the face of pview for Library lournal (February L, 2006), ssion "Abani's Antioch University, in Los Angeles, since 2001;he ' and fiendish conditions." in Greczek wrote, abundant talent is has also been a visiting assistant professor at the rceland is set in the late 1970s evident throughout, as is his willingness to University of California, at Riverside. faroko, a slum on the outskirts brutally honest without being grotesque. playing protagonist of this dark becauseof the book's brevitv, Abani also In addition to writing Abani enjoys the dke, a bookish Nigerian ins from polemics and focuses solely on the saxophone. ilris -P.B.M. hiLsiiving bY imPersonating his presentation of a young, tragic life, leaving heslev, for tourists. Elvis's rtation to the reader." Sunday, is unemPloYed, h 2006 Abani also published the poetry SuggestedReading: Boston Globe D p7 Apr. 11, ft of hope for himself and his llection Hands Washing Waten His most recent 2OO4;Chicago Tribune C p3 Feb. 29, 2OO4; his struggle to escaPe his L, The Viryin of Flames, was published in Christopher Abani's Web site; Los Angeles Times rs \igeria's criminal under- E p10 Apr. 5, 2OO4;New StatesmanMay 2L, works alreadv noted, Abani n drugs and human oryar-rs{or In addition to the ZOO1;New York Times Book Review p8 Feb. 22, dubbed the publisheda bilingual, Dutch/Englishpoetry siniiter figure, 2OO4;New York Times Magazine p74Feb. 7, are excerPts from ection, issued in the Netherlands in 2003, throughout 2OO4;Washington Post C pa Feb. 3,2OO4 rther'slournal, which recall the tled Maar mijn hart is onvergankeliik (My r in the countrYside, with its Is Unending). His poetry collection Dog Selected Books: fiction-Mo stersof the Board, d recipes.Though some critics Joman was described by the poet Maurya Simon "a Abigail, 2006; from Elvis's mother did not G mesmerizing, haunting, and sometimes 1985; GraceLand, 2OO4;Becoming esslv rvith the rest of the storY, nbversive exploration of the personal and cultural The Virgin of Flames, 2OO7;poetry-Kolakuta Lot, 2OO3;Dog Woman, d large earned high Praise, lnlitics of disempowerment and power," Republic,2000; Daphne's evocation of the squalid streets uording to Abani's Web site. Abani has also 2OO4;Hands Washing Water, 2OO6 for ;e quoted bY Chris Lehmann ost-[FebruarY 3, 2Oo4), Abani "Half ,ko sium: of the town was mlr of clapboard, wood, cement EIse (2oo4); Descartes's Secret Notebook: A True sed above a swamp bY means of Aczel, Amir D. Mathematics, Mysticism, and the to n aikrsavs. The other half, built Tale of Quest (Jnderstand the Universe (2005); and Tfte Artist :laimed-from the sea,seemed to Nov. 6, 1950- Nonfiction writer The Story of Nicolas ' out of the primordial swamP, and the Mathematician: Bourbaki, the Genius Mathematician Who Never me something else." Writing for Although Amir Aczel had written books on jules Existed (2006). Bryce Christensen; in a review for (April 77, 2004), Melvin hrsiness statistics and on taxes (including a 'l,,2OOO),wrote "gift Booklist(October of Aczel's for A,bani's GraceLand is both a provocative 1995 volume entitled How to Beat the interpreting complex concepts" and ability to lnrurban decaYand a coming-of- IR.S. at lts Ovvn Game), it was when he started "to intenselY peneirate the human drama behind the - . -\bani creates an publishing engaging accounts of the history of r artificial nation whose PeoPle formulas." scientific and mathematical concepts that he was born in Carmel, Israel, on tional r-igor as natural resources Amir D. Aczel became better known to the general reading public. 6, 1950. He earned bachelor's and r har-e is much likelihood of November Such titles include Fermat's Last Theorem: in mathematics from the rir potential as making the most master's degrees Ildocking the Secret of an Ancient Mathematical at Berkeley, in 1975 and rison rrrote for the New York University of California, Problem (rggo); Probability 1: Why There Must Be He the went on to earn a Ph.D. rr- (February 22, 2oO4)that the 1976 respectively. Intelligent Life in the (Jniverse (rggs); God's from the , in riarr teen doing Elvis PresleY in statistics Equation: Einstein, Relativity, and the Expanding 'aimost too weird to swallow." Eugene. "The (Jniverce (1999); The Mystery of the Aleph: Fermat, a French jurist living in the hou-er-er, book works Piene de Mathematics, the Kabbalah, and the Search for 1.7th century, had a passionate interest in ) \\-a\-s. As a convincing and 'l'637 Infinity (2000); The Riddle of the Compass: The mathematical theory, and in about he ord df iife in a Poor Nigerian Invention that Changed the World (2001); a note in the margin of one of his books rhteningly honest insight into a scribbled in Physics he had solved a well-known hual riiolence,it's wonderful." Entanglement: The Greatest Mystery stating that (zooz); Triumph problem-but neglected to show his rublished the novella Becoming Pendulum: Leon Foucault and the mathematical than three centuries, coming-of-age tale about a of Science (2003); Chance: A Guide to Gambling, solution. For more Everything mathematicians tried, fruitlessly, to piece together rt rvith i female Protagonist this Inve, the Stock Market, and lust about ACZEL

Aczel used his skills as a statistician to support the thesis of his next book, Probability 1: Why There Must Be Intelligent Life in the (Jniverse. Chris Aylott, writing for Space.com 24, "Aczel fianuary 2000), noted that bases his argument on Frank Drake's method for calculating how many civilizations might currently exist in our galaxy. By estimating all the factors likely to influence the answer, this method-famous as 'Drake's Equation'-cuts the problem down to size." Aylott "Drake continued, suggested figuring out how many habitable planets there are in the galaxy, how many are likely to develop life, how likely that life is to develop civilization, and so on. . Aczel spends most of Probability 1 going through each of the factors in Drake's Equation, presenting what astronomers now know about how common planets are and how likely life is to develop. His writing is clear and engaging,and Drake's Equation is so broad in scope that Probability 1 becomes an excellent general survey of current astronomy. Fans of Asimov, Sagan and other science writers will find much of the material familiar, but Aczel Debra GrossAczel/Courtesy of Harcourt also presents a lot of exciting new developments in Amir D. Aczel the field." Atlott, finding the book ultimately "IJnfortunately, disappointing, concluded, the 'proof'that the puzzle Fermat had left. Finally, in 1995, a final appearsin the book's final chapter mathematician named Andrew Wiles discovered wastes this survey of astronomy and math, using the answer. Fermat's Last Theorem: unlocking the almost none of it. Instead, Aczei simply makes thE point Secret of an Ancient Mathematical Problem is that even using arbitrarily tiny values for the factors in Drake's Equation, Aczel's account of the mathematics, people, and the number of stars in both our galaxy and the greater universe sometimes highly dramatic events involved. "The is so vast that it's impossible for the equation not to return author has taken a recent and newsworthy the practical certainty of alien life. Therefore, he mathematical topic and made it into a fascinating announces triumphantly, it's certain there's at story," Gary Klinger wrote in a review for least one other iivilizition somewhere in our Mathematics Teacher (September 1997). "Presented galaxy." in a conversational tone that is both ln God's Equation: Einstein, Relativity, and the readable and attractive, the story downplays the Expanding Universe, Aczel examines the "cosmological technical jargon and mathematical details while constant," a component of still presenting a logical and adequately complete Einstein's field equation for general relativity that picture of the solution. The middle of the book the famed physicist later disavowed. In a review discusses the various mathematical contributions for BooHisf (October 15, 1.999),Bryce Christensen "Even even remotely related to Fermat's conjecture, from wrote, readers without exceptional "has ancient times to the present." lAczel] written mathematical sophistication will grasp why a tale of buried treasure, the treasure here being Einstein first conceived of a cosmological constant immaterial, intellectual, of no practical benefit, but and then later repudiated it as [a] bad mistake. But rooted in the pleasure of pure knowledge,'Richard Aczel's greatest accomplishment lies in his deft Bernstein wrote for the New York Times weaving together of the seemingly disparate "His (December 16, 1996, on-line). book is research projects in cosmology and quantum physics that have modestly but lucidly presented, most (though not unexpectedly provided fresh evidence for the validity of Einstein's cosmological all) of the technical material understandable to constant as the key to understanding the 'strange people with only a smattering of mathematical energy' filling quantum space and driving our skill. This is a captivating volume even when it universe ever outward. A marvelous distillation of comes to those few passagesthat you might not epoch-making science." Writing for Discover entirely understand." While praising Aczel's "It (November 1999), Jeffrey Winter concurred: is lucidity, "Equally Bernstein concluded, important a wonderful time to glance back over is the sense of awe that Mr. Aczel imparts for the Einstein's path in developing the field equation. hidden, mystical harmonies of numbers, and for [But] it's not an easy road to follow. . . . that senseof awe alone, his slender volume is well Fortunately, we have a fabulous guide in Amir D. worth the effort." AczeI."

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.l: r: :-*il ,*4'. ==. . 5i:*].19g$#$.g*1$g:tq4' .&!!, !F&il{1i};'ii}.;{.gxrir+&r .y:.. .uui ACZEL ills as a statistician to support The Mystery of the Aleph: Mathematics, the Foucault, whose pendulum experiments resulted ex1 book, Probability 1: Why bbalah,and the Searchfor Infinity is Aczel's in the first real proof of the Earth's rotation. With zlligent Life in the Universe. at the concept of infinity and includes the Chance: A Guide to Gambling, Love, the Stock g for Space.com $anuary 24, of , a 19th-century German Market, and lust About Everything EIse, AczeI Aczel bases his argument on tician who formulated an equation using returned to statistics and probability. A reviewer od for calculating how many aleph, the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet, for Publishers WeeHy (September L3, 2004, on- "A "fAczel] currently exist in our galaxy. describe infinity. single formula that Iine) wrote, untangles a number of urgent r factors likely to influence the to hold within itself the deepestmysteries conundrums, including why buses always seem to 'Drake's thod - famous as d existence: the idea rings with all sorts of run late, why any group of st people will include and why random walks problem down to size." Aylott 4iritual and scientific implications. The drama two with the same birthday sugested figuring out how &epens because at least two of the can model the stock market. The book abounds in ets there are in the galaxy, how nathematicians who explored the mystery most counterintuitive life lessons. You shouldn't rvelop life, how likely that life ridly-Cantor and Kurt Godel-went mad," gamble, he says, but if you do then you are better zaLtion,and so on" . Aczel Richard Bernstein wrote for the New Yotk Times off, probability-wise, if you blow your whole wad abilifi,1 going through each of O.iovember 15, 2000, on-line). Bernstein, while on a single spin of the roulette wheel than if you l's Equation, presenting what complaining-as did many reviewers-that The parcel it out in smaller bets. And the lovelorn can knorr about how common L{vstery of the Aleph was less accessible to the take comfort in knowing that, if you just keep i-Iikelv life is to develop. His hvperson than some of Aczel's previous efforts, dating, the odds are surprisingly good that your "Mr. ngaging, and Drake's Equation concluded, Aczel's book remains highly soul mate will turn up. . . . Aczel's treatments of that Probability 1 becomes an enjoyable and frustrating at the same time. It deals, some topics, like game theory, are so perfunctory generally urn-e\- of current astronomy. efter all, with great minds venturing into the as to baiely register, but his light touch gan and other science writers hrthest reaches of speculation, with the nature of makes probability come alive." In an assessment (November 'l', 2OO4),a critic wrote, n material familiar, but Aczel endlessness itself, both mathematical and for Booklisf "People, perform poorly when it comes exciting new developments in religious, subjectsthat were not meant to be easy." as a rule, risk and chance. Casinos profit from finding the book ultimately In the first chapter of The Riddle of the to esiimating "Unfortunately, about probability, and statistics in duded, the C.lrrmpass:The Invention That Changed the World, this ignorance tend not to be well understood by the ears in the book's final chapter Aczel wrote about growing up on a passengership the news public. Aczel takes on the noble mission of lf astronomy and math, using that his father captained around the enlightening readers with the theory behind stead.Aczel simply makes the Mediterranean. (He spent a few months ashore not everyday probability Extending his winning g arbitrarily tiny values for the each year, to attend school.) When AczeI was to steer the track record of popularizing science, Aczel pation, the number of stars in yet in his teens, his father taught him "steering is both an art entertains readers with ways to tame the the greater universe is so vast massive vessel. by compass I learned at the age of ten," he guesswork." for the equation not to return and a science, as - wrote. "Many years later I can still hear in my mind In Descartes's Secret Notebook: A True TaIe of 'F of alien life. Therefore, he the ticking of the compass, degreeby degree,as the Mathematics, Mysticism, and the Quest to antlr-. it's certain there's at ship turned." Inspired by his childhood (Jnderstand the (Jniverse and ?fte Artist and the rillization somewhere in our experiences, Aczel wrote The Riddle of tlte Mathematician: The Story of Nicolas Boutbaki, the Compass, a richly detailed history of the Genius Mathematician Who Nevet Existed, Aczel t: Einstein, Relativity, and the instrument. The book received largely mixed delivers the type of human drama that has proven 'se. -\czel examines the reviews, with most critics praising its accessibility exceedingly popular with his readers. Of the first sltant." a component of but wishing for more detail. In a representative volume, a Publishers Weekly (August 29, 2005, on- tion for general relativity that "What assessment, Robert C. Cowen wrote for the Iine) reviewer wrote, AczeI did for later disavowed. In a review Christian Science Monitor fseptember 13, 2001), mathematician Fermat (Ferm at' s Last Th eo rem) he r 15. 1999),Bryce Christensen *This lis an] interesting little book One now does for Descartes in this splendid study rdert rvithout exceptional wishes that the author had given his story greater about the French philosopher and mathematician ristication will grasp why context. Instead, we (rsgg-roso) most famous for his paradigm- depth and set it in [a]broader 'I red of a cosmological constant have a sketchy account fleshed out with potted smashing declaration, think; therefore, I am.'Part iated it as [a] bad mistake. But histories of such relevant developments as Marco historical sketch, part biography and part detective omplishment lies in his deft Polo's travels and the rise of Venice as a mini- story, Aczel's chronicle of Descartes'shidden work of the seemingly disparate superpower. If you take this essay on the level of hinges on his lost secret notebook. . As Aczel n cosmology and quantum an after-dinner conversation, it's an entertaining so deftly demonstrates, Descartes'smathematical unerpectedly provided fresh read. Meanwhile, we await a more incisive theories were paths to an understanding lofl the ilitr- of Einstein's cosmological order and mystery of the cosmos, and he kept the 'stringe history." to understanding the Entanglement: The Greatest Mystery in Physics notebook hidden because it contained a formula ltum space and driving our discusses a phenomenon that occurs in quantum that-because it supported Copernicus's model of rd. ^\ marvelous distillation of physics in which two subatomic particles remain the solar system-Descartes feared would lead to oce.'' Writing for Discover even when separated his persecution by the Inquisition. Aczel lucidly "It bafflingly connected, rftev \Vinter concurred: is physically. (If a change is made to one of the expliins the science, mystery and mathematics of hitne to glance back over particles, then instantaneously the same change is Descartes,who has never been so lively as he is in ereloping the field equation. manifested in its entangled partner.) In Pendulum: the pages of this first-rate [book]." The other easv road to follow. . . . lcon Foucault and the Triumph of Science, AczeI volume tells the story of a group of French e a fabulous guide in Amir D. examines another area of physics, visiting the life mathematicians who published their collective of the L9th-century French physicist Leon work under an imaginary name in the 1930s. ALEXANDER 'J.997; (Although it started as simply a prank, the group Teacher p49B Sep. New Scienfist p49 Oct. published several highly influential works.) Tfte 19, 1996;NewYorkTimes E pB Nov. 15, 2000; Artist and the Mathematician stirred some New York Times Book Review Nov. L5, 1998; excitement when ttre Washington Post BookWorld Publishers Weekly (on-line) Sep. L3, 2004, Aug. (October15, 2006)published a particularly vicious 29,2OO5;Science News p50 Jan. 27, 2O0'l'; review by Charles Siefe, who accused Aczel of Scientific American (on-line) Feb. tggg; "A plagiarism: reader without a PhD in Space.comJan.24,2000; WashingtonPost Book mathematics will be baffled by Aczql's prose. In all World p5 Nov. L9, 2000, p2 Aug. 23,2O01, p1'O probability, so would an intellectual property Oct. 15, 2006 ia*yet. Even in passages dealing yilh mathematicians, Aczel seems more than a little Selected Books: How to Beat the LR.S. at Its Own inspired by other writers." Aczel responded in a Game: Strategies to Avoid-and Survive-an 20O6: letter to the publication on October 22, Audit,1995; Fermat's Last Theorem: Unlocking "Unlike Seife, I am doubtful that an intellectual 'baffled'-bV-_*I the Secret of an Ancient Mathematical Problem, would ever be property lawyer 1996; Probability 1: Why There Must Be perhaps a libel lawyer might be baffled book-but Intelligent Life in the Universe, 1.998; God's by his review." Equation: Einstein, Relativity, and the Expanding has taught at various institutions, Aczel (Jniverse,1999; The Mystery of the Aleph: including Bentley College, in Waltham, Mathematics, the Kabbalah, and the Search for .He is currently a visiting researcher Infinity,2000; The Riddle of the Compass: The in the Department of the at that Changed the Worhd,2o01'; , in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Invention "Our The Greatest Mystery in Physics, The departmental Web site states, faculty gnd Entanglement: and the students employ historical, textual, ethnographic, 2o02; Pendulum: Leon Foucault A to and social scientific methods to ask larger Triumph of Science, 2003; Chance: Guide questions about how the various scienceswork in Gambling, Love, the Stock Market, and lust practice, the basis of their authority, how ethical about Everything EIse, 2oo4; Descartes's Secret ind political decisions are made about their Notebook: A True Tale of Mathematics, regulition and applications, how they relate to Mysticism, and the Quest to Understand the laiger intellectual, cultural, social, and political (Jniverse,2005; The Artist and the trends and changes, and much more." Mathematician: The Story of , Aczel lives with his wife and daughter in the Genius Mathematician Who Never Existed, Brookline, Massachusetts.On his Amazon.com "I 2006 profile page, he described his next book: began work on this book in China in the summer of 2005, when I visited the Peking Man site-the place 25 'the miles southwest of Beijing at which fossils of missing link' were found in 1929. Several skulls Alexander, Caroline and bones dated to 500,000 years ago were discovered here and recognized as belonging to the Man 13, 1-956- Travel vniter human ancestor named Homo erectus. This was a hominid found in Africa and in Asia that predates Though Caroline Alexander, the author of six the Neanderthals and modern humans. My book nonfiction titles, began her career as a travel writer, by an describes this amazing discovery she is perhaps best known for her extremely which included international team of scientists, popular revisionist works about Sir Ernest figure of Pierre Teilhard de the enigmatic Shlckleton's doomed expedition to the South Pole priest who was also a mystic and Chardin-a Jesuit and the famous mutiny on the British armed vessel renowned paleontologist. Teilhard remained a a Bounty. In the former of these books, The devout all his life, but he also believed in Jesuit : Shackleton's Legendary Antatctic evolution. The exiled him to China for his Jesuits Expedition (rggA), Alexander's text frames 170 views on evolution, which he often expressed previously unpublished photograph's that had publicly. As fate would have it, he arrived in China been taken by the expedition's photographer, in time to take part in one of the most lust Hurley, bringing to life the struggle for important discoveries in support of evolution. The Frank 'The survival endured by the Shackleton expedition titl-b of the book is Jesuit and the Skull,' and during its many months trapped on the Antarctic it [is scheduled to] appear in Septemberof 2oo7." _S.Y. ice. In the later book, The Bounty: The True Story of the Mutiny on the Bounty (2003), Alexander and eyewitness SuggestedReading: American Libtaries p6B Dec. uses historical records, diaries, why 2OOQBooklist p206 Oct. 1"5,1999, p296 Oct. 1, accounts to reassesspopular thinking about 2000,p450 Nov. L,2OO4;Choice p1,375 Apr. the master's mate, Fletcher Christian, led a mutiny 1.997;Christian Science Monitot p21 Sep' 13' against t}.LeBount5ls commander, William Bligh, in 2OO1,;Economist pO July 1'7,'1,999;Mathematics 1,789.

6 ATEXANDER

her 197;.Vew Scientist p49 Oct. The eldest daughterof a British-born,Jewish Africa, in which Kingsley had chronicled to-me' fimes E pB Nov. 15, 2000; rther.Caroline Alexander was born on March13, explorations. Leafing through the 700-paBQ when first published in k ReviewNov. 15, 1998; , in Gainesville, Florida. Her parents divorced wliich was a best-seller 'l-8g7, that the preface ended n-line)Sep. L3, 2004,Aug. she was still a child, and her mother, Alexander noticed a doctorate with the rather bold declaration, according to ns p50 Jan.27,2O01.; zabeth Ann Kirby, who later earned Reeve,that if the reader should travel to on-line) Feb. tggg; art history, struggled to raise Alexander and her Catharine "you will find things as I have said." I,t/asftington Post Book r sister, |oanna, without any child support. West Africa, )00; "Even her &ill, ihe girls were fortunate enough to spend their Alexander told Reeve, before I checked lo0,e: Aug. 23, 2001,p10 eunmers at a camp in Tennessee, where their book out of the library, let alone read it, I had made nother taught swimming lessons, and Kirby up^ my mind to take Miss Kingsley up on her offer." to live overseas for two A few months later Alexander put her graduate to Beat the I.R.S. at lts Own tanged for the family years, first in Florence, , and then the studies on hold and set off for Gabon. Though lvoid-and Survive-an hel Netherlands, where Alexander learned to speak much had changed there in the last century, c tr-,astTheorem: Unlocking had 'ent French, German, and Italian. In 1976, at the age of book reveals thit many aspects of life there Mathematical Problem, "Weaving pattern 10, Alexander earned her bachelor's degree in remained unaltered. a narrative l'ht- There Must Be 'then of dassics from Florida State University, in of and now,' Alexander evokes images L'nit erce,1998; God's Tallahassee. and then became one of the first chugging river steamers packed ryjt! passengers, Expanding elativity, and the tomen to be named a Rhodes Scholar, studying at ro"dJ of red dust, pirogues paddled against the lh'stery of the Aleph: and more," L. Stanley wrote for &e University of Oxford's Somerville C-ollegefor current, ]anet "As tbalah, and the Search for lhree years. While pursuing her education, Library lournal (November 15, 19Bg). she iddle of the Compass: The Alexander also competed as a world-class athlete traveli in the footsteps of others, she reflects on the ,ed the World,2oo1,; fencing, pistol different faces of interpretive writing, selective 'reatest in five sports-swimhing, running, Mystery in Physics, rhootinf, and horseback riding. She served as an recollection, and the disparity between fact and n Foucault and the dternate for the American women's pentathlon fiction. But ultimately this is Alexander's own 2003; Chance:A Guide to Iam in the 1978 World Games. story of discovery and can be read and enioy-edas She avoids the patronizing, exaggeratedtone Stock Market, and lust After graduating from Oxford with degrees-in suc[. z. 2004; Descartes's Secret philosophy and iheology, in 1980, Alexander of much contemporary travel writing about Africa; le of Mathematics, onvinced the university's virology department to she is sympathetic and gently self-effacing." the Times luest to Understand the snd her and two others to the Southeast Asian Though Ciroline Moorehead, writing for (January 26,1990), felt that Artist and the island of Borneo on an insect-collecting Literiry Supplemenf (ingsley's "presence adds virtually nothing" Storv of Nicolas Bourbaki, apedition, though she knew little about Mary "the book, she was fascinated with tician Who Never Existed, cniomology. In 1982 she returned to the U.S. to to itre Eain for ihe World Games, but her plans were incidental characters, early travellers turned up intenupted by an invitation, offered at the behest during Alexander's diligent research, and whose the brief passages she quotes-are d the president of the small, Iand-locked African storiei-and "But ration of Malawi, to create a classics program at charming and lively." Moorehead concluded: tre University of Malawi, in the city of Zomba. Alexander is not only good on history. Her own line After compleiing this project in 1985, Alexander travels are well told, with considerable powers of mce again returned to the U.S', this time to attend description and a true sense of adventure. If lthe up fte griduate program in classics at Columbia booklis at times a little humourless, it makes I viter As a Ilniversity, in New York City, as the recipient of a for it in sympathy and perceptiveness. pestigious Mellon Fellowship. When she showed companion to an armchair traveller, she is lexaader. the author of six futl of oe of her favorite professors, Laura Slatkin, an resoirrceful, without prejudice and n h.ercareer as a travel writer, rticle she had written about her travels in Borneo, insights." : klonl for her extremely $atkin put her in touch with a literary agent, who tn fggf Alexander was awarded her doctorate rrorks about Sir Ernest "It gicklytold the piece to the New Yorker. was from Columbia University and began writing full- . erpedition to the South Pole i turning point," Alexander told Catharine Reeve time. In her second book, The Way to Xanadu rv on the British armed vessel "because h the ehTcago Tribune (April B, 1,990), (rgs+), Alexander sought to find the real-life of these books, The mer Ashowed me that people had faith in my ability to locations that correspond to the mythical fon',< Legendary Antarctic landscape in Samuel Taylor Coleridge's 181'6 convey my experiences." "Kubla Uerander's text frames L70 Alexander's agent then parlayed that success poem Khan," which immortalized-in the hed photograph's that had foto a book contract for the travelogue One Dry foestern world, at least-Kublai Khan, the founder In erpedition's photographer, $eason: In the Footsteps of Mary Kingsley, which of the l3th-century Mongol Dynasty of China' ing to life the struggle for las published in 1990' The book describes her travels the author explored the ruins of ' the Shackleton expedition Alexander's travels in Gabon, a former French Shangdu, Kublai Khan's summer palace, - and Lthstrapped on the Antarctic olony in West Africa, where she traced the path visited Ethiopia, Kashmir, and Florida-places Bounty: The True Story where mystical ice caves and fountains were , The dM.ty Kingsley, a Victorian woman w!ro, defying "The e Bounty (2003), Alexander le soiial customs of the time, traveled to Africa, supposed-to be found. literary sleuthing that to ds, diaries, and eyewitness i 1895, to conduct research for a book that her Iiei behind [the author's] travel gives Tfte Way popular thinking about why Eher had failed to complete before his death. Xanadu an aura of madcap scholarship," Rand Richards Cooper wrote for the New Yotk Times rtcher Christian, led a mutiny .Clexander first learned of this intrepid adventurer "Extensive ommander, William Bligh, in December 1986. Browsing through her local Book Review (lune 5, 1994). chains of to hary, she discovered a copy of Travels in West citation, deduction and inference are required ALEXANDER deliver Ms. Alexander's destinations to her. Her needs-is to draw some conclusions about the identification of Florida as a source, for example, effects of big-time college athletics on the men's 'fragrant arises from a reference to groves' and lives, and on society generally." Hughes "Every 'perfumed' trees in the American naturalist concluded: Saturday during the season, William Bartram's 1791. account of his travels millions of Americans eagerly await the entrance through the American Southeast. If such of the players onto the gridiron. What becomes moves seem a little dodgy, and if the travel apparent after reading Battle's End is just how few narrative they produce . sometimes seems to care what happens to the athletes once the game is bear little direct relation to Coleridge or his poem, over." it doesn't really matter. . . . It is this elevation of While researching her next book, an the imagination, and not any far-flung destination, investigation into the 1914-15 expedition by Sir that makes her slight and graceful book the truly to the South Pole, Alexander romantic text it is." On the other hand, Robert discovered that the beloved cat aboard the ship Carver, in his review for the New Statesman and Endurance, Mrs. Chippy, had to be Ieft behind to '17, Society (December 1.993),was more critical: die after the crew found themselves stuck in the ice "[This is] a good idea, perhaps for a travel book, but for many months. A cat lover herself, the author it doesn't come off. . . . Alexander travels with decided to fashion a diary of the trip for Mrs. supportive, old-fashioned boyfriend George, and Chippy. Mrs. Chippy's Last Expedition: The in considerable luxury. She falls iII and doesn't Remarkable lournal of ShacHeton's Polar-Bound really care for the rigours of a not very rigorous trip. Cat was published in 1997 to generally positive The poverty in Africa refuses stubbornly to turn reviews. Claire Hutchings, writing for into poetry for her, and she wonders in print, Geographical (January 1998), found that the book "offers rather plaintively, that perhaps she should be a rather unique perspective of this much tampering with the material to make it sound written about expedition. For example, Alexander hardier and more romantic. Hers is a tourist jaunt includes comic details about the scarcity of mice out of litcrit-land and it doesn't make for either an aboard the ship and the dubious nature of Darwin's original or a stimulating read." theories, in the cat's view, when despite months With her third book, Battle's End: A Seminole stuck in ice no-one seemsto show signs of evolving Football Team Revisited (1995), Alexander looked into penguins! This tongue-in-cheek account of the at the impact of high-school sports and athletic expedition is accompanied by some wonderful scholarships on the quality of the education that black and white photographs taken by the official athletes receive. The book's genesis l"y in expedition photographer JamesFrancis Hurley. A Alexander's experience as a writing tutor for unique and beautifully presented book college freshmen football players, a position she particularly for all cat-lovers and Shackleton took shortly after returning to Tallahassee,Florida, admirers." in 1981. The relationship that she had forged with Alexander followed this book's publication her students was strong enough that, over a decade with The Endurance, her immensely popular Iater, she sought them out to see how their lives study of the Shackleton expedition, which is were progressing.Much of the book's text consists illustrated with some 1.70previously unpublished of interviews with the players, who recount their photos. In it, she describes the famous story of "This Iives since their college days. is the book for how, in his effort to become the first man to all those outsiders-be they intellectuals, social traverse , Shackleton and the crew of the reformers, liberals, or conservatives-who have Endurance found themselves trapped by ice floes ever deluded themselves into believing they that eventually destroyed their ship. Despite these understand what it can be like to be young, black, disastrous events,the Shackleton story is now seen and male in the U.S. today," Wes Lukowsky wrote as a heroic tale of survival, one in which every "Most "The for Booklist (December 15, 1995). of member of the Endurunce's crew was saved. Alexander's young men defined themselves expedition has been described more than once. Ms. athletically; the classroom was where th'ey were Alexander has sensibly, and ably, concentrated on mocked and failed, and reading was something the charactersand interactions of the men . . and they learned to distrust and dismiss as used her text as a frame for previously unpublished uncool. Alexander lets them present their pictures by the expedition's Australian stories without interference, and the result is an photographer, ," Phoebe-Lou Adams intimate look at the hopes, dreams, regrets, and wrote for the Atlantic Monthly (February 1999). "The plans of seven young men who were once college pictures are dazzling. There is no other word football players. There are no types here, no for the patterns of black rigging against snow, or for statistical standards-just individuals who've had the angles and shadows Hurley recorded as he to come such a long way to get to where so many climbed to improbable places and clung to people start." In the New York Times Book Review unlikely surfaces." In a review for the New York 14, 1996), Carolyn T. Hughes called the Review of Books (June 10, L999), Jonathan Raban fanuary"an "Given book interesting but flawed study," noting that criticized the work: the splendors of "is Alexander a talented interviewer, but what she Hurley's photographs, it may seem niggardly to does not do-and what the book desperately carp at the shortcomings of Caroline Alexander's

I

. --:ztu.4r.t-iaa ALEXANDER some conclusions about the which is a workmanlike retelling of a story interesting than it has ever been." Frank Mclynn, nilege athletics on the men's many times before. The best-known version is writing for the New Statesman(November 3, 2003), rc,c:et]' generally." Hughes Lansing'sEndurance (rgsg); much the best- was far more critical in his assessment,proposing "Alexander's Sa:urday during the season, ented is to be found in Roland Huntford's that work is poorly structured, with nrs eagerly await the entrance d 19Bs biography, Shackleton. In a a Godardian problem about beginnings, middle th: eridiron. What becomes vhat condescending note of acknowledge- and ends that dissipates narrative tension. To tg 5ari1e'sEnd is just how few at the end of her book. Alexander belittles borrow a term from the movies (appropriately, in 'a o t-le a,thietesonce the game is ing's as rip-roaring narration,' which does this case), one might say that it suffers from a very lated injustice. Alexander has taken pains poor second act, when Alexander reproduces the who ing her next book, an herself from Lansing; . . . and [she] has courtmartial proceedings of those mutineers re 191-l-15 expedition by Sir a mass of new details, manv of them from had been recaptured at unconscionable o the South Pole. Alexander Yet in its essential shape and tone, ?fte length. It seems her main thesis is that Bligh was beioi ed cat aboard the ship seems more than faintlv derivative of guilty of no more than flashes of temper, that ippi. had to be left behind to mnce. What she has not done-and it is a Fletcher Christian was the mentally unbalanced writes well and has done rnd themselves stuck in the ice missed opportunity-is to bring Frank Hurley one. . . . Although she i cat lor-er herself, the author into the foregroundof the story." Hurley's a lot of archival sleuthing, Alexander tells me that this talented author a dian- of the trip for Mrs. ographs were also prominently displayed in nothing new. Let us hope 'Inst has not already been written ,p-I-',c Expedltion: The documentary The Endurance: ShacHeton's will find a subject that ground will produce something truly oi ShacHeton's Polar-Bound Antarctic Expedition (2000),which was into the and next book." in 1997 to generally positive on Alexander's book. original in her Alexander has been a contributor to Hutchings, writing for Alexander's most recent book is The Bountv, a Caroline noted periodicals as the New Yorker, Granta, n- 1998),found that the book onist look at the events that led up to the such Cond| Nast Travelen Smithsonian, Outside, and perspective of this much mutiny aboard the British transport ship. lue National Geographic. She is a fellow of the Royal itiLon.For example, Alexander book recounts how Fletcher Christian led a Geographic Society and a member of the American iis about the scarcity of mice against the commander of the ship, Association, the Society for the he dubious nature of Darwin's iamBligh, and setBligh andhis loyalistsadrift Philological Promotion of Hellenic Studies, and a number of ; rieu-. when despite months a longboat in the South Pacific, before sailing environmental organizations. She lives in rcms to show signs of evolving v. Eventually, after two grueling months at sea, 's England' ongue-in-cheek account of the party reached Timor. Christian and his -c,M. npanied by some wonderful ts established a colonv on Pitcairn Island, rtographstaken by the official their descendants can still be found todav; SuggestedReading: Atlantic Monthly p106 Feb. pher james Francis Hurley. A mutineers later returned to Tahiti, where the 1999; Boston Globe (on-line) Nov. 13, 2003; rutifully presented book s voyage had begun, and three of those Chicago Tribune N p1 Apr. B, 1990; Christian cat-lovers and Shackleton members were court-martialed and hanged. ScienceMonitor p12 Mar. 23, 1990; Geographical r reevaluates the traditional accounts of 's pB4 1998; New Statesman and Society p77 ;ed this book's publication villainy and alleged abuse of his crew to ]an.'1.7,1993; Dec. New York Review of Books p14 ce. her immensely popular icer a more balanced judgment on the incident. 10, 1999; New York Times Book Review pJ rleton expedition, which is to the the mutinv, Alexander had few fune cause of 5, 1994,p1B 14, 1996,p9 Sep. 14, r 1i0 prer.iouslyunpublished about placing blame. As she told ]une Jan. Jessica 2003; Times Literary Supplement p97 Jan. 26, escribes the famous story of in interview posted on the Borders ;an, an 1990 to become the first man to site: "If the Bounty's mission was doomed ihrackletonand the crew of the the start it was becauseFletcher Christian was Selected Books: One Dry Season:In the ernseir-estrapped by ice floes board. . . . There are manv reasons whv Footstepsof Mary Kngsley,1990; The Way to oved their ship. Despitethese an did break-familv circumstances, his Xanadu,1994; Battle's End: A Seminole Football r Shackietonstory is now seen Bligh's nagging, the memory of , undoubted Team Revisited,1995; Mrs. Chippy's Last mn-ilal. one in which every eaqv life in Tahiti, his probable drinking on the "The Expedition: The Remarkable lournal of rcnnc6'screw was saved. before the mutiny; but it is my belief that if Shackleton's Polar-Bound Cat, 1.997; The lescribedmore than once.Ms. have been no not broken down there would Endurance: ShacHeton's Legendary Antarctic lh-. arrd ably, concentrated on Expedition, 1998; The Bounty: The True Story of teractionsof the men . . and the New Yerlyn Klinkenborg proclaimed in the Mutiny on the Bounty, 2003 nefor previously unpublished Times Book Review (september 14, 2003): erpedition's Australian der's vigorous retelling . . . leads to lots of Hiiile\'," Phoebe-LouAdams i rethinking . . . . [This] is a story of dc \lonthly (February 1999). us complexity, one with ramifications that zzling. There is no other word m to spin off in every direction. . Alexander cli riging against snow, or for rlore than equal to the task. With this and her lo'rt-sHurley recorded as he rrious book. The Endurance. she has made the able places and clung to genre of open-boat-voyage narratives n a review for the New York more wondrous. . . . A sea mist hangs over re 10. 1999),Jonathan Raban age-old tale. Alexander dispels it, to the "Given : the splendors of s fascination. But when all the facts are told s" it may seem niggardly to the fates of the cast are dulv chronicled, the sea Lingsof Caroline Alexander's settles in again, as impenetrable and yet more

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