From the acclaimed author of "A tour of the calculus" and "The advent of the algorithm" comes a riveting look at mathematics that reveals a hidden world in some of its most fundamental concepts.

Geometry defines the world around us, helping us make sense of everything from architecture to military science to fashion. Euclid's Elements is arguably the most influential book in the history of mathematics. Berlinski provides a concise homage to this elusive mathematician and his staggering achievements, and shows that, for centuries, scientists and thinkers have relied on Euclid's axiomatic system, a method of proof still taught in classrooms...