The mathematical coloring book

I have never encountered a book of this kind. The best description of it I can give is that it is a mystery novel… I found it hard to stop reading before I finished (in two days) the whole text. Soifer engages the reader's attention not only mathematically, but emotionally and esthetically. May you enjoy the book as much as I did! –Branko Grünbaum University of Washington You are doing great service to the community by taking care of the past, so the things are better understood in the future. –Stanislaw P. Radziszowski, Rochester Institute of Technology They [Van der Waerden’s sections] meet the highest standards of historical scholarship. –Charles C. Gillispie, Princeton University You have dug up a great deal of information – my compliments! –Dirk van Dalen, Utrecht University I have just finished reading your (second) article "in search of van der Waerden". It is a masterpiece, I could not stop reading it... Congratulations! –Janos Pach, Courant Institute of Mathematics "Mathematical Coloring Book" will (we can hope) have a great and salutary influence on all writing on mathematics in the future.“ –Peter D. Johnson Jr., Auburn University Just now a postman came to the door with