Although this book is intended to raise the mathematical thought process of the reader, it is not intended for the reader to come away thinking that mathematics consists simply in reading and proving theorems. The goal is to blend a nuanced amalgam of inductive and deductive reasoning. Utmost in the goal of the book was to avoid the dogmatism of page‐after‐page of theorems and proofs, to prompt the reader in thinking about the ideas presented.

The book is loaded with informative sidebars, historical notes, and tons of graphics, which hopefully provides an enjoyable atmosphere for a constructive learning process.

Over the years, I have managed to track down, dig up, sniff out, and even make up a few fascinating problems myself. Each section of the book is packed with loads of problems for readers of all interests and abilities. Each section is filled with a broad range of examples intended to add clarity and insight to abstract concepts. The book takes time to explain the thinking and intuition behind many concepts.