Product Description
This book contains four essays on expository writing ofbooks and papers at the research level and at the level of graduatetexts. The authors were the four members of the AMS Committee onExpository Writing ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A must read for mathematicians and scientists
This short booklet contains four essays about how to write mathematics papers and books. The essays by Steenrod and Halmos, two prominent figures of 20th century mathematics, stand out for their common sense, depth and lucidity. They bring forth essential strategic issues, such as the need to maintain a clear separation between the formal and informal parts of mathematical papers, as well as useful tactical issues such aschoosing notation. In my opinion, the essays transcend the field of mathematics, and the principles that they delineate are applicable to all areas of scientific writing.

multi-author approach works
The various authors of "How to Write Mathematics" set out to describe their own personal writing styles, beginning with an admission that there is a lack of consensus on this topic. Indeed, the book closes with a couple of pages by the last author critiquing the advice of the first. On including detailed proofs in your publications, for example, you will find one author prescribing and another proscribing the practice.

The essays were written independently and this shows in the overlap and the contradictions. Whereas I have been highly critical of multi-author books in the past, the approach seems to work in this collection. Recalling my own efforts in writing a book on a topic within another field, I found myself agreeing or disagreeing with the authors on the various points. I was relieved to note that as early as at least three decades ago, authors before me shared identical conflicts with editors and copyreaders.

Based on my limited experience in writing, I had developed a number of half-formed rules of thumb. Given the recommendations of writers more experienced than I as so boldly presented, I am likely to be more aggressive in applying these rules. I would recommend this book to those authors with at least a few writing efforts under their belts. Given the specific nature of the examples in the essays, however, it is likely that only mathematicians will fully appreciate this book.

The paper by Halmos is worth the price of the book
Paul Halmos gives wonderful advice on how to write in mathematics.Get it. ... Read more