Books: “A primer into the most beautiful mathematics” by Yoko Ogawa + Masahiko Fujiwara

「世にも美しい数学入門」

Currently not translated into English, this is an interview style conversation between novelist Ogawa and the celebrated Japanese mathematician, Masahiko Fujiwara. The two unlikely pair came together for Ogawa’s research for her novel “The Housekeeper and the Professor.”  As per its title translated literally, “A primer into the most beautiful mathematics,” the discourse includes snippets of mathematical history: the how, who, and, when, beautiful (important) theorems and conjectures came to.  But the title fails to deliver the full depth and subtlety of the discussion. It is so much more. It is about how Ogawa thinks of writing, how Fujiwara thinks of ‘elegance’, in both cultural and mathematical spheres. It is the sharing of creative process, and of cultivating aesthetics. It is about the importance of beauty for the sake of beauty. It is of humility: the very same humility that Fujiwara believes lead to the discovery of “zero”.    

Fujiwara’s and Ogawa’s mutual respect is endearing; it is no wonder the pair have collaborated in other such projects. Their rapport is quite similar to that of the housekeeper, and the professor, in Ogawa’s very lovely tale of love and math (and baseball).