Here's what Joe Allen, Associate
Professor of Mathematics, says about his five favorite reads:
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The Bible
by numerous authors (divinely inspired)
The Bible is the foundation that defines who I am. It offers
each reader the same opportunity. It is a library of books
that contain history, wisdom, prophesy, and biography. Since
each reader will discover their favorites, I will name the five that
have influenced me: (a) The Book of Genesis, (b) The Book of
Wisdom, (c) The Book of Psalms, (d) The Gospel according to John and
(e) The Book of Revelation. I invite the reader to peruse this
library.
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Siddhartha by
Hermann Hesse
The path to self-discovery requires
many guides. In my youth, Hermann Hesse proved to be a
particular powerful influence. He began by challenging me to
question formulas for self awareness by introducing me to
Siddhartha. (I’ll let the reader discover how Hesse does
this.) He continued to expand my awareness of the limitations
of tradition through his works
Demian,
Steppenwolf,
Beneath the
Wheel, and
Magister Ludi: The Glass Bead Game. His influence
is best summarized in the words of Robert Frost: “Two roads diverged
in a wood, and I --//I took the one less traveled by, //And that has
made all the difference.”
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The
Foundation Trilogy by Isaac Asimov
My introduction to Science Fiction began with Asimov’s Foundation
trilogy (Foundation, Foundation and Empire, and Second Foundation.
I still have my original copies of these books (they cost 95˘ each).
Although these are science fiction books, their message centers on
the impact of science and technology on social and political
structures. (The influence of mathematics as a tool for
predicting and influencing the future was particularly appealing.)
During the last 20 years, the release of the Ender Quartet by Orson
Scott Card (Ender’s Game,
Speaker for the Dead,
Xenocide, and
Children of the Mind) provided readers with a similar view of the
role of science and technology on society.
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A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt
My interest in this play was actually inspired by the movie of
the same name. The movie starred Paul Scofield as Thomas More.
Mores’ religious convictions led to stand against King Henry VIII
when the king sought an annulment from his queen, Catherine.
Mores’ conviction challenges readers to examine their beliefs and
ask “What would I sacrifice if my beliefs were challenged? My
examination led me farther along the road less traveled. I
turned to St. Teresa of Avila (Interior Castle) for this spiritual
quest.
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A Mathematician's Apology by G. H. Hardy
Those who know me are probably wondering when mathematics became
important in my life. The flame was kindled in high school,
but it became an inferno at Providence College. I read Hardy’s
book and fell in love with pure mathematics. Hardy showed the
passion that mathematicians have for this intellectual pursuit.
He emphasized that applications spoiled the intrinsic beauty of
mathematics. I agreed. But then I read “Adventures of a
Mathematician” by S.M. Ulam. The world of applied mathematics
is equally beautiful. Recently, Ian Stewart released his
version of “Hardy’s Apology,
Letters to a Young Mathematician.”
Stewart’s book accurately describes the life of the academic
mathematician, but it lacks the fire of Hardy’s Apology.
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Comments: All of the books described above were written by
good friends. They became good friends when they shared their
lives through their words. I visit them and ask for advice
when I am puzzled by personal or professional problems. They
don’t always tell me what I want to hear, but they usually lead me
to questions that clarify the problem. The good books in any
reader’s life are books that remain with them for life. |
To see if a book is available and where it is located,
click on the cover or title of the book. You may also wish to
submit your own list of Five Favorites or view
past favorites (President Di Pasquale's,
Allison Petro's,
Jim Salisbury's,
Bob Shea's). |
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