jared@mathstodon.xyz reviewed The seduction of curves by Allan McRobie
Review of 'The seduction of curves' on 'Storygraph'
5 stars
Pleasurable exposition of mathematics and art
the lines of beauty that connect mathematics, art, and the nude
159 pages
English language
Published Nov. 10, 2017
In this large-format book, lavishly illustrated in color throughout, Allan McRobie takes the reader on an alluring exploration of the beautiful curves that shape our world--from our bodies to Salvador Dalí's paintings and the space-time fabric of the universe itself. The book focuses on seven curves--the fold, cusp, swallowtail, and butterfly, plus the hyperbolic, elliptical, and parabolic "umbilics"--and describes the surprising origins of their taxonomy in the catastrophe theory of mathematician René Thom.
Pleasurable exposition of mathematics and art