Humble Pi by Matt Parker

Matt Parker is a fascinating combination: mathematician and educator turned comedian, YouTuber, and author. It may sound odd to hear of someone so well-versed in the cool, calculated world of mathematics thriving in such lighthearted, public-facing social circles, but it works! If anyone can prove that there are captivating facets of this analytical sphere for all of us who never really enjoyed math (myself included…), then Parker can. This ex-high school math teacher and public mathematics communicator has a passion for making math accessible and engaging for the general public, through his themed comedy shows, his contributions to YouTube (most notably, he contributes to Numberphile episodes and runs the Stand-up Maths channel), his appearances on TV, radio, and podcasts, and of course, through his writing. Parker has written three books thus far, all on the entertaining and often quirky aspects of mathematics. I have yet to read Things to Make and Do in the Fourth Dimension or Love Triangle, but I did pick up Humble Pi some time ago for my non-fiction book club.

Post-college and picking up Humble Pi, I was skeptical because when I say I struggled with math in school, I mean I STRUGGLED. Don't get me wrong; I was decent at it as soon as I understood what I was doing. My problem is that I want to know the ins and outs of everything, the way--in this case, numbers--function and why. So, the more complex the math became, the more I struggled with the teachers saying, "Do this because this is just how it works" and moving on. At the time, I didn't know if Humble Pi would be a book I could power through. Now, years later, I still think of what a joy it was to read and what a different experience it gave me.

Humble Pi focuses on mathematical mistakes and their accompanying real-world consequences. It's very well-written and understandable, even when the situation is complex. There's no real need for background knowledge in anything technical. Parker's sense of humor transforms the serious into entertainment without detracting from the core concept. Take his explanation of the London Whale in 2012, for example, JP Morgan Chase lost billions of dollars due to a spreadsheet miscalculation. Sounds boring, right? Well, Parker not only gives a succinct explanation of the complicated situation, but he also manages to find the humor in the simple copy-paste mistake that spurred it all. He makes light of an unfortunately relatable human/spreadsheet error in a way that's educational, humorous, and, in many unforeseen ways, fascinating.

Some instances discussed are similar to the London Whale incident. There are also more… destructive examples like the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge in1940 and the Ariane 5 Rocket Explosion of 1996. But, even the ones like the building that swayed and danced with a jazzercise class due to structure miscalculations have their grain of humor. Reading this book is almost like watching it happen on screen or reading a novel describing the events in real-time. The difference is only with mathematical specificity and Parker's hand hiding a laugh as he writes.

It is fascinating to see the calculations and hiccups happening in the background of our everyday lives. While some examples included are nothing short of disastrous, they don't come across as daunting or distressing. Parker covers the gamut of issues: engineering disasters, space and science mistakes, computer algorithm failures, financial crumbling, statistical misinterpretations, and other odd problems. In addition (Ha.), the last few chapters dig into the human factors, tying in the humor with lighter, more amusing math errors like Amazon algorithms accidentally creating a loop of needlessly escalating prices for common items. He focuses on the significance of learning from our mistakes to improve as individuals and as a society. The light, hopeful tone balances out any gloom.

Humble Pi balances wholesome sentiments about human imperfection with informative analyses of major mathematical incidents, all through the comedic voice of Matt Parker. It's the kind of book that makes you forget to question why you're voluntarily reading about math. Here, Parker has accomplished his goal of making math effortless, applicable, and enjoyable for the general population. It's a great read for both math enthusiasts and curious bystanders alike.