{"product_id":"numbers-rule-9780691209081","title":"Numbers Rule","description":"\u003cb\u003eBook Synopsis\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eTrade Review\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2010\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Honorable Mention for the 2010 PROSE Award in Mathematics, Association of American Publishers\"\u003cbr\u003e\"Mathematicians, economists, and political theorists have made their own attempts to elucidate the math of voting, and figure out better electoral systems. The story of these efforts is told in \u003ci\u003eNumbers Rule\u003c\/i\u003e. . . . Timely.\"\u003cb\u003e---Anthony Gottlieb, \u003ci\u003eNew Yorker\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Clear and energetic. . . Szpiro charts this history selectively and with the use of major characters to render vivid a story of rival systems, which can easily degenerate into equations. He is a mathematician and uses tables to illustrate his arguments: but these are accessible to simple understanding. He is also a journalist and thus can tell a story.\"\u003cb\u003e---John Lloyd, \u003ci\u003eFinancial Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Although voting problems manifest subtle mathematical complexities, Szpiro is an excellent communicator of mathematical concepts with a nimble ability to sidestep technical jargon. . . . An interesting, selective introduction into the complexities of voting reform.\"\u003cb\u003e---Donald G. Saari, \u003ci\u003eTimes Higher Education\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A history of social choice theory, with much more detail (yet still readable) than one is used to receiving on this topic. I liked this book very much.\"\u003cb\u003e---Tyler Cowen, \u003ci\u003eMarginal Revolution\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"I knew from reading Martin Gardner's columns that every voting system you can devise will occasionally turn up paradoxical results. . . . Szpiro walks you through the whole subject with very few equations.\"\u003cb\u003e---John Derbyshire, \u003ci\u003eNational Review\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Engaging storytelling . . . for a reader who is primarily interested in learning some of the historical context of the characters who have contributed to the mathematics of social choice theory, it is hard to imagine a better book.\"\u003cb\u003e---Darren Glass, \u003ci\u003eMAA Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"In \u003ci\u003eNumbers Rule\u003c\/i\u003e, mathematician and journalist Szpiro presents a refreshingly different presentation of the mathematics of voting and apportionment. . . . The mathematical content is not trivial, and it is well written, very clear, and should be accessible to readers with an understanding of arithmetic and a willingness to play with numbers.\" * Choice *\u003cbr\u003e\"Highly entertaining. . . . Anybody who has ever decried election results will be fascinated in Szpiro's accessible explanations of the paradoxes and enigmas that occur in all methods of election, from electing a pope in Rome, to apportionment of seats in the Congress by our founding fathers to ensure justice for all, even the minority.\"\u003cb\u003e---Phil Semler, \u003ci\u003eSacramento Book Review\u0026gt;\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The author skillfully placed the development and evolution of the Social Choice theories in a broad historical context. The book shines in weaving the emergent math theories with historical circumstances. . . . [E]njoyable and informative.\"\u003cb\u003e---Alexander Bogomolny, \u003ci\u003eCut the Knot\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Szpiro's book is a highly recommended good read on the history of the problems, which could illuminate a seminar series on the issues.\"\u003cb\u003e---Ron Johnston, \u003ci\u003eEnvironment and Planning\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"It is an excellent addition to a growing body of literature that aims to convey ideas from the mathematical sciences to general audiences. Moreover, Szpiro's book is unique among other offerings in the mathematical social sciences in that it focuses on the historical development of the field. The narrative is engaging, witty, and easy to read.\"\u003cb\u003e---Jonathan K. Hodge, \u003ci\u003eNotices of the AMS\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"George Szpiro's \u003ci\u003eNumbers Rule\u003c\/i\u003e does not break any new ground in the field of social choice theory, but it is probably the most entertaining book one is likely to find on the subject. . . . [A]ll social choice theorists should read this book. . . .Szpiro's book is ideally suited to be a supplementary reading for graduate classes in social choice theory.\"\u003cb\u003e---Justin Buchler, \u003ci\u003ePublic Choice\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e","brand":"Princeton University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":49403899248983,"sku":"9780691209081","price":17.09,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0817\/1739\/5799\/files\/9780691209081.jpg?v=1730484833","url":"https:\/\/bookcurl.com\/products\/numbers-rule-9780691209081","provider":"Book Curl","version":"1.0","type":"link"}