BOOK NOOK REVIEW

The Infinite Book: a short guide to the boundless, timeless, and endless

December 23, 2008 at 1:43 p.m.

By Jill Williams

Is there a philosopher in you? Do you ever have time to sit and ponder things with deeper meanings? If so, perhaps you've wondered about infinity. What does it really mean? How can we comprehend it, how does it play into mathematics, science, and our everyday lives? What other philosophers studied its mysteries and came up with ideas based on them?

When a person pictures infinity, they typically picture an enormous number, extending on and never ending. Infinity can also mean infinitely small, too. If you have to travel a mile, and each day you travel half the remaining distance, you will never reach your goal, because your steps will become infinitely smaller and smaller. This is the sort of mathematical representation of infinity you will find in this book. There are all sorts of graphs, numbers, fractions, and such to try to put a tangible touch on the enormous topic. The most fun is the whole chapter on Hotel Infinity, which is attributed to a great German mathematician, David Hilbert. Eccentric Mr. Hilbert describes a hotel with an infinite number of rooms, all occupied by guests. What happens when a new guest arrives and asks for a room? Well, the manager simply moves the guest in room 1 into room 2, the guest in room 2 into room 3, and on and on until all the guests have been moved, leaving room 1 open for the new guest. Are you still paying attention? If so, ponder this: what does the manager do when the happy guest who checks out returns for another stay, this time bringing an INFINITE number of friends with him. Alas, you'll have to read the chapter to find out the answer.

For some of you, this book will be entertaining, food for thought, and can even be humorous. For others who are not inclined to deep thought, who just savor the nights when nobody gets out of bed and needs a drink in the middle of the night, this is not the book for you. It has some interesting points, and a few amusing story problems, but I wasn't captivated. It never seemed to take an infinite amount of time for me to read 300+ pages before. Well written, nicely done, just not on a topic I have time to contemplate. Perhaps in the afterlife...

Jill does laundry for a 7 year old who thinks he's too old for toys, a 5 year old gymnast, a 5 year old niece who has joined the family, and a 3 year old computer whiz. She also occasionally irons her husband's suits. In between loads, Jill loves to read.