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Library | Item Barcode | Call Number | Material Type | Item Category 1 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Searching... | 30000010201093 | QA29.R3 A43 1995 | Open Access Book | Book | Searching... |
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Summary
Summary
The letters that Ramanujan wrote to G. H. Hardy on January 16 and February 27, 1913, are two of the most famous letters in the history of mathematics. These and other letters introduced Ramanujan and his remarkable theorems to the world and stimulated much research, especially in the 1920s and 1930s. This book brings together many letters to, from, and about Ramanujan. The letters came from the National Archives in Delhi, the Archives in the State of Tamil Nadu, and a variety of other sources. Helping to orient the reader is the extensive commentary, both mathematical and cultural, by Berndt and Rankin; in particular, they discuss in detail the history, up to the present day, of each mathematical result in the letters. Containing many letters that have never been published before, this book will appeal to those interested in Ramanujan's mathematics as well as those wanting to learn more about the personal side of his life. Ramanujan: Letters and Commentary was selected for the CHOICE list of Outstanding Academic Books for 1996.
Reviews 1
Choice Review
The name Srinivasa Ramanujan is a household word among mathematicians. He is the extraordinary genius who rose and disappeared like a flashing comet in the firmament of 20th-century mathematics, producing prolific and prodigious theorems from the unfathomable depths of his being. This remarkable personage, whose creativity in his field is comparable to the sublime musical compositions of Mozart, was brought to the world's attention thanks to a now-famous letter he wrote to British mathematician G.H. Hardy in 1913. During the remaining seven years of his all-too-brief life, Ramanujan corresponded with many others as well, and on less-technical themes also. This commendable collection of all the extant letters by and (quite a few on) Ramanujan is a unique contribution to the history of mathematics for at least two reasons. It has brought together precious documents scattered in many places and provides the reader with a wealth of interesting matters related to one of the luminaries in the world of mathematics. Second, through brief and insightful notes and commentaries, the work throws light on many an interesting side street connecting to the grand avenue of knowledge on which we are riding. With resuscitations of some fading photographs and an impressive list of more than 300 references, this book is a very valuable addition to the literature on Ramanujan. Upper-division undergraduate through faculty. V. V. Raman; Rochester Institute of Technology
Table of Contents
| A brief biography of Ramanujan Ramanujan in Madras (chapter 1) |
| Ramanujan's first two letters to Hardy and Hardy's response (chapter 2) |
| Preparing to go to England (chapter 3) |
| Ramanujan at Cambridge (chapter 4) |
| Ramanujan is ill (chapter 5) |
| Ramanujan returns to India (chapter 6) |
| After his death (chapter 7) |
| Ramanujan's papers and manuscripts (chapter 8) |
| Family histories (chapter 9) |
| Provenance of letters |
| References |
| Index |
