《我所知道的普林斯顿》怀想中的普林斯顿，学术圣地，如此宽容与儒雅。流连其中，你是一个朝圣者，找到自己的精神归属。普林斯顿是作者在国外待的时间最长的一个地方，也是最有感触之地。作者的笔锋掠过普林斯顿的历史、地理、文化，带着浓浓的人文主义气息。没有铺张与华丽的堆砌，简洁、平实的文风尽显大师风范，既是回忆，也是品位。这本书是一位学者对普林斯顿的体悟：正是因为普林斯顿的宽容和“大爱”，安德鲁·怀尔斯教授才有可能9年不出1篇论文，埋头苦干、静心研究，解决了困扰世界数学界长达360余年的一大难题——费马大定理，最终获得历史上唯一的菲尔兹特别成就奖；她也允许患有精神病的天才数学家约翰·纳什静心地生活在校园内，并给予极大的关爱，终于使他在与疾病搏斗30年后获得了诺贝尔经济学奖，充分体现了人类应该具有的“美丽心灵”。也许，这就是普林斯顿大学成为美国第一大学的真谛！ 学术圣地普林斯顿，文化圣地普林斯顿，你所不知道的普林斯顿。

This is a one-of-a-kind reference for anyone with a serious interest in mathematics. Edited by Timothy Gowers, a recipient of the Fields Medal, it presents nearly two hundred entries, written especially for this book by some of the world's leading mathematicians, that introduce basic mathematical tools and vocabulary; trace the development of modern mathematics; explain essential terms and concepts; examine core ideas in major areas of mathematics; describe the achievements of scores of famous mathematicians; explore the impact of mathematics on other disciplines such as biology, finance, and music--and much, much more. Unparalleled in its depth of coverage, The Princeton Companion to Mathematics surveys the most active and exciting branches of pure mathematics, providing the context and broad perspective that are vital at a time of increasing specialization in the field. Packed with information and presented in an accessible style, this is an indispensable resource for undergraduate and graduate students in mathematics as well as for researchers and scholars seeking to understand areas outside their specialties. * Features nearly 200 entries, organized thematically and written by an international team of distinguished contributors * Presents major ideas and branches of pure mathematics in a clear, accessible style * Defines and explains important mathematical concepts, methods, theorems, and open problems * Introduces the language of mathematics and the goals of mathematical research * Covers number theory, algebra, analysis, geometry, logic, probability, and more * Traces the history and development of modern mathematics * Profiles more than ninety-five mathematicians who influenced those working today * Explores the influence of mathematics on other disciplines * Includes bibliographies, cross-references, and a comprehensive index