book review: Elliptic Tales

Avner Ash, Robert Gross.
Elliptic Tales: curves, counting, and number theory.
Princeton University Press. 2012

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This book explains the Birch–Swinnerton-Dyer Conjecture in the mathematical field of elliptic curves. We get 14 chapters of background before the conjecture is stated in chapter 15; by that point we have learned a wide range of interesting mathematics, and are in a position, if not to fully understand, at least to appreciate the Conjecture and its importance.

The route to this point covers a lot of ground. Each new piece of mathematics introduced is (relatively!) straightforward, but by the end, there is just so much machinery in play, that it all becomes a little overwhelming. That feeling is good for understanding just how deep this Conjecture is.

I was reminded of things I learned long ago, and learned lots of new interesting pieces of mathematics: an algebraic definition of the projective plane, how points on a curve can have a group structure, group generators, analytic continuation, series expansions, and much much more. What is great about this book is the way each new piece is slotted into the picture with a route map of where each chapter is going, explanations of how the pieces fit, and explanations of the importance and meaning of the concepts.

There are exercises along the way, of a form that deepens understanding, there for the serious reader. I was more of a visitor, looking at the interesting details, frankly skimming a few of them, but not putting in the work needed to live there. But I had a good time as a tourist.

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For all my book reviews, see my main website.

book review: Six Wakes

Mur Lafferty.
Six Wakes.
Orbit. 2017

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In deep space, a ship full of frozen colonists and a crew of six criminal clones runs into trouble. The whole crew wakes in the cloning room: they had all been murdered. Recloning after death is standard, but they realise they have no memory not only of the events leading up to the mass murder, but of the entire 25 years since launch. Their backups are destroyed, the ship’s AI is offline, and the food printer is dispensing only hemlock. They need to figure out what is going on before they all die again.

This is a great murder mystery, fully dependent on the science fictional context of the technology of printing clones and the consequent social changes, of the scope of body and brain hacking, and the ‘locked room’ setting of deep space flight. We gradually see the back stories of the crew, and discover how those relate to the current mystery. Of course, nothing is as it first appears. Everything is both complicated (there are several different stories at work) and simple (there’s a honking great clue early on), and it’s a fun read to see how the jigsaw fits together to build a futuristic picture.

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For all my book reviews, see my main website.

sequestering carbon, several books at a time CXV

 The latest batch:

May ambiguity

There’s an old saying: “ne’er cast a clout ’til May be out”, which means don’t put off your winter clothes too soon.

There’s debate about the meaning of “May” in this saying.  Does it mean to wait until the end of the month (because May has notoriously fickle weather), or until the may blossoms (becasue it won't do so until it's properly warm)?

This is ambiguous most years, because the may usually blossoms in April.  Not this year.  April was freezing, literally: there were several frosts, and a bitter north wind.  May has been only a little warmer, and very wet.  So the may is blossoming now, and both meanings hold.  If things go on like this, I’ll still be wearing woollies come June!

late blossoming may

Covid-19 diary: the day after the second vaccination

 Unlike with the first jab, I’ve had no discernable side effects from the second one.  Yay!

Covid-19 diary: vaccination 2

This time it was raining heavily, so instead of walking I drove to the doctor’s surgery (about 5 minutes), put on my mask, was shepherded through a modified but still efficient conveyor system (sticky label with QR codes given to me on entry, scanned along the conveyor route, and taken from me on vaccination), answered a lot fewer questions, still in the negative, had a needle stuck in my right arm, which I did not feel, was asked for my email address so they could send me the leaflet, was given an updated vaccination record card, then left the centre, got in the car, took off my mask, waited the requested 15 minutes, then drove home.

Again, in total, I was out of the house for less than 40 minutes!

two total eclipses

I’ve posted before about the Dr Who resonances the song Total Eclipse of the Heart has for me.  It seems to be a favourite for mashups in many genres.  Today I come across two new examples -- each excellent in their own very different ways.

First, The Marsh family do their own Covid-inspired rendition of “Totally Fixed Where We Are”: brilliant lyrics, smashing singing, and inspired interpretive dance.  Clearly a very talented family:

Then there’s this Star Trek inspired one, which is ... different.  Now, I know that the term “slash” as in “slash fiction” comes from “Kirk/Spock” fanfic (say it out loud).  But I didn’t know “Spirk” was a synonym for the latter.  Until I saw the hysterically funny “Total Eclipse of Spirk”, complete with musical accompiament by The Squire of Gothos.

As well as the Squire scenes, I also recognised a clip from Amok Time.  The others are a bit more generic, but, frankly, I don’t remember Spock emoting quite that much! 

sequestering carbon, several books at a time CXIV

 The latest batch: