What I'm Reading:
Here are some books that I'm currently reading, have recently finished, or are otherwise relevant to my life right now! I've included some short reviews and recomendations below. Also see my Substack and my Goodreads.
Algebra – Michael Artin
I've been using this book to self-study Linear Algebra and Group Theory alongside my classes, and I will continue to use it to learn about Rings and Fields through Galois Theory. It's not a light read, but I would highly recomend picking up a copy (or finding a pdf) if you're beginning to study mathematics or any adjacent field. It's great to have on hand just to reference. A friend asked about an edge case of vector fields last night and I whipped it out to check the wordings of the axioms. If you don't like math, don't get this book, but it's 10/10 for a nerd like me.
Another Country – James Baldwin
Fantastic, devastating, and nuanced, as expected from James Baldwin. My contender for the Great American Novel, but if you want an uplifting story, look elsewhere.
Collected Fictions – Jorge Luis Borges
I've been reading a short story or two from this book before bed. These are some of the most creative stories I've ever read.
Gödel, Escher, Bach – Douglas Hofstadter
I went into a book store a few weeks ago not intending to buy anything, but temptation got the best of me as usual. Music, art, and math all in one 800 page, pulitzer-winning volume? I couldn't not buy it. I feel like it was written with people exactly like me in mind.
I'm currently making my way through this book and I love it. The writing style is conversational and engaging but does not shy away from getting deep into the little nerdy details of each topic discussed. Every other chapter is a dialogue between achilles and a turtle, which serves to introduce new ideas in a fun way before they're explored more formally.
I don't think any real mathematical knowledge is required to enoy this book, as long as you're interested in the subject. I'm really enjoying this book so far. 11/10.
Notes on Complexity – Neil Theise
I read this book the summer of 2024, right before beginning college, and it made me confident that I had made the right choice in becoming a math major. It's one of those books I wasn't able to stop thinking about (or talking about) for months after finishing it because it put so many things into a new and fascinating light. When I got to college, I made my friend Henry read it just so I'd have someone to talk to about complex systems.
I've been flipping through it again recently because the topics discussed turn out to be relevant to my current research. This is a fantastic (and quick) read that requires no mathematical background whatsoever. It discusses complexity in a philosophicl light. Topics range from factals to Kurt Gödel to Zen Buddhism. I would reccomend this book to everyone. (and by now, I just about have)