We lost an essential toolkit for solving today’s challenges when most of us left geometry behind in the back of a high school classroom. In his new book, Shape: The Hidden Geometry of Information, Biology, Strategy, Democracy and Everything Else, New York Times bestselling author JORDAN ELLENBERG explores the subject’s surprising relevance and its power to reimagine the foundations of our society.
As Jordan Ellenberg uncovers, geometry can help us better understand practically everything, both in our personal and professional lives. If we look back to its roots, we find that the term “geometry” comes from the Greek word for “measuring the world.” But, surprisingly, even this idea sells the concept short. Geometry doesn’t just measure our lives— it shapes them. The common geometry we’ve been taught only brushes the surface—upon deeper consideration, it can answer some of the most important philosophical, political, and scientific dilemmas in the world today. As Ellenberg says, “Knowing mathematics is like wearing a pair of X-ray specs that reveal hidden structures underneath the messy and chaotic surface of the world.”
Written with fresh curiosity, compelling anecdotes, and jargon-free language, Shape exposes profound truths from one of the oldest branches of mathematics. Ellenberg approaches the subject with genuine enthusiasm—deftly exposing geometry as an extension of common sense by other means. From the predictability of randomness to the nature of distance, you’ll learn how an understanding of geometry can help us tame uncertainty in today’s upside-down world.
“Serious mathematics at its intriguing, transporting best…[a] humorous, anecdotally rich dive into numerous mathematical theories.” — Kirkus
Shape is available everywhere you buy books on May 25th.
Unlock the power of geometry for yourself, your team and your business with Jordan Ellenberg—contact The Lavin Agency today.
