Killing Bono: I Was Bono's Doppelganger

Book Description

Some are born great.
Some achieve greatness.
Some have greatness thrust upon them.
And some have the misfortune
to go to school with Bono.

Everyone wants to be famous. But as a young punk in Dublin in the 1970s, Neil McCormick's ambitions went way beyond mere pop stardom. It was his destiny to be a veritable Rock God. He had it all worked out: the albums, the concerts, the quest for world peace. There was only one thing he hadn't counted on. The boy sitting on the other side of the classroom had plans of his own.

Killing Bono is a story of divergent lives. As Bono and his band U2 ascended to global superstardom, his school friend Neil scorched a burning path in quite the opposite direction. Bad drugs, weird sex, bizarre haircuts: Neil experienced it all in his elusive quest for fame. But sometimes it is life's losers who have the most interesting tales to tell.

Featuring guest appearances by the Pope, Bob Dylan, and a galaxy of stars, Killing Bono offers an extremely funny, startlingly candid, and strangely moving account of a life lived in the shadows of superstardom.

"The problem with knowing you is that you've done everything I ever wanted to," Neil once complained to his famous friend. "I'm your doppelganger," Bono replied. "If you want your life back, you'll have to kill me."

Now there was a thought...

Download Description

"Some are born great. Some achieve greatness. Some have greatness thrust upon them. And some have the misfortune to go to school with Bono. Everyone wants to be famous. But as a young punk in Dublin in the 1970s, Neil McCormick's ambitions went way beyond mere pop stardom. It was his destiny to be a veritable Rock God. He had it all worked out: the albums, the concerts, the quest for world peace. There was only one thing he hadn't counted on. The boy sitting on the other side of the classroom had plans of his own. Killing Bono is a story of divergent lives. As Bono and his band U2 ascended to global superstardom, his school friend Neil scorched a burning path in quite the opposite direction. Bad drugs, weird sex, bizarre haircuts: Neil experienced it all in his elusive quest for fame. But sometimes it is life's losers who have the most interesting tales to tell. Featuring guest appearances by the Pope, Bob Dylan, and a galaxy of stars, Killing Bono offers an extremely funny, startlingly candid, and strangely moving account of a life lived in the shadows of superstardom. ""The problem with knowing you is that you've done everything I ever wanted to,"" Neil once complained to his famous friend. ""I'm your doppelganger,"" Bono replied. ""If you want your life back, you'll have to kill me."" Now there was a thought... "

Customer Reviews:

Awesome book - very funny!.......2007-01-09

I absolutely loved this book! It is a real underdog story and laugh out loud funny. I am a huge U2 fan and this book wasn't directly about U2 but was written by one of their good friends growing up in Dublin. Neil McCormick never quite made it big in music but has a great writing career ahead. Very entertaining read!

I Know a Boy, a Boy Named Crash.......2007-01-04

Very funny. An excellent insight into Bono's sense of humor.

If you see the Bono in the road, kill him.......2006-11-29

So I adopt a Zen koan, Bono for Buddha, but the moral remains: you should not set up as an idol the goal you seek, or limit how you envision the fulfillment of your potential and the answer to your dreams. It takes this author, with the connivance--fifteen or so years on in their friendship--for Bono and the author to agree that, yes, the need to "kill Bono" off is a necessity if Neil McCormick is to get on with his own life.

Neil McCormick's autobiography proved much more insightful than the cover, the title, or the blurbs would have let me to believe. The erstwhile frontman and determined vocalist of the pop bands Yeah! Yeah! and Shook Up! during the heyday of the New Wave-turned-synth pop, boy bands, and "manufactured" frothy era, Neil meditates long on why his four classmates made it big while he, his brother, and his bandmates failed to even get signed--at least for more than a week. He ponders how the pursuit of one's Buddha/Bono, the desperate desire to prove one's self as worthy of acclaim and reward and simple respect in the music industry as his humble schoolchums turned global celebrities takes many twists and turns in his own life. Cocaine, a bit of sex, less drinking than you'd suppose, and many hours of concerts, studio time, and dealing with A&R reps and producers shows also the balance of the mundane and the exhilarating for a struggling musician. It's instructive to consider also a rarity in show business: how with U2, the members have been together since about fifteen, as Bono with his wife Ali by the way, and as well as Neil and his brother Ivan, all wrapped up in their own ways into a scene unimaginable to seemingly ordinary North Dublin students circa 1976.

The trouble is, since the bands Neil fronted never had the chance to make it big, the music he describes suffers unavoidably when limited to his verbal descriptions. Lyrics that seem to me rather verbose and awkward when printed on the page probably gained much, taking not only Neil's word for it but the many positive (and some negative!) press reviews he cites, when heard in concert. It's very difficult to get a handle on what kind of clean, precise, catchy pop the bands he was in actually played, and what they sounded like. Also, the contrast between realistic stories about rape, depression, and abandonment that Neil wrote and the sound with which his bands played the music provided a tension that appears more recognized by Neil than his audiences or most of the "gatekeepers" who kept shutting the door on him and his talented but perhaps rather conventional sounding band.

The lyrics about doubt, date rape, child abuse, and incest, as he finds, made for a hard sell with the A&R suits. Great lyrics that, alone in the book, he quotes in full for the song he had more recently penned about doubt, God, and the Big Questions. As I said, it's difficult to understand fully this whole aspect when reading for hundreds of pages about a singer and his bands-- both of which you never have heard.

Still, if only in the closing acknowlegements, Neil notes that his career continues and lists his net niche for his current musical endeavors and another one (same as the book title, but a hyphen between the two words and a dot followed by "com") where the music he made in the 80s can be sampled.

The conversations about faith (as opposed to religion) that he and Bono carry on over the years contributed depth to this memoir. Not knowing the detail of the Virgin Prunes' background, I was intrigued to note that many of them apparently had, as Lypton Villagers, been also a part of the Shalom community along with members of U2. Neil contrasts well the appeal of both the Prunes and U2 to rival factions of the nascent Dublin alternative rock audiences of the (post)punk era. I and my eleven-year-old son talked about the book and the struggles that both Bono and Neil had in reconciling success with belief, intelligence with acclaim-- or how the lack of music business recognition for Neil, in his "existential wobble" unmoored him, into a malaise for fifteen years or so which contrasted so massively with U2's concurrent rise to worldwide triumphs. Nearly all of those who were callow teenagers and idealistic schoolmates way back when, to their credit, reveal their early or postponed hard-won maturity decades later in Neil's account. The band offers a welcome for Neil when he manages to break into the backstage fortresses, and as the band becomes more and more elevated while Neil struggles, as a successful rock journalist it must be admitted, to keep up with his own maturing and his own growth into what seems to have been a delayed marriage and manhood! While the level of detail Neil provides is admittedly rather too meticulously rendered, the events and insights he provides manage to remain apropos and consistently illuminate the deeper angst he battles.

The camaraderie with band members, the dreams they share, and the defeats they must endure amidst U2's ever-increasing fame prove poignant. Neil does not exploit his position vis-a-vis his classmates, and only once asks for the chance for Bono to make good on his earlier promise to give Neil's band a hearing for a single released by U2's in-house label, Mother Records. Bono does, but the five-person board (band members plus U2's manager, who between the lines seems not to like Neil's efforts I suspect) has to be unanimous for a signing, and one vote proved negative. Bono does not say who; he does handle the whole situation, which must have been a bit awkward for all involved, with deft tact and charity.

I came away from this narrative-- long suspicious of Bono-- with an appreciation for the political and philanthropic efforts of Bono (the Edge and Adam make cameos here and there; Larry is little to be seen, it seems) and his bandmates, dealing with temptation and fame, diplomats and fundraising, at a level beyond the imaginings even of Mount Temple schoolboys in the dim era when glam drifted into punk. It's often said that when viewing the "great" that you truly see what they are like when dealing with the seemingly inconsequential, "little" folks, and Bono and the other band members of U2 emerge with class, I am happy to report. I am not even that much of a U2 fan, but I concluded this book with respect for both these bands and their members, famous or unheralded. Idealism persists at both levels.

The thick level of recalled detail for all of these conversations and ministrations, given the difficulty mentioned with "hearing" the music for its strengths and weaknesses when limited to the page, does occasionally slow the pace down here and there. Neil is not a flashy writer, but an efficient chronicler, so the book rarely drags for long. As an aside, since an examination of their relationship only occurs about 85% of the way through the narrative, I felt that more attention by Neil to his brother Ivan, who was with Neil in both bands, could have fleshed out their relationship so readers could better understand their lasting bond, although his comparative reticence may be out of respect for Ivan. Obviously they believed in their cause for many years under disheartening conditions. I wonder, if Neil had been born two decades later, how the Net would have enabled he and Ivan, perhaps, to share their musical visions in ways that the record labels with their stuffy A&R suits might never have predicted anymore than the rest of us back two decades ago!

P.S. I happen to have read this as the third rock music book in a row by someone about my age, the other two authors also being British music press journalists, and their common subject covers the late 70s-early 80s music scene in Britain (and Ireland, here). I have also reviewed on Amazon "Rip It Up and Start Again: Postpunk 1978-1984" by Simon Reynolds; Neil's brief comparison of the emerging Echo-to-Smiths indie scene with the New Wave-to New Romantic- to synth-pop trends fits well with Reynolds' own conclusions about the demise of the latter by 1984 or so in Britain. I also reviewed on Amazon a companion memoir; Dylan Jones' "IPod, Therefore I Am" mixes his own recollections of the glam, punk, and post-punk, rave, and jazz eras in the 70s and 80s into his own efforts to make on his iPod the soundtrack for his past four decades.

Why do some rise and some fall?.......2006-07-12

First the basics. McCormick grew up with this guy named Paul. They both formed bands and played the circuits, making connections with the music industry big wigs and recording their songs. Paul is now better known as Bono. McCormick is now better known as the music critic for the Telegraph. So what happened? What makes one person become a star and another fail to break through the maze of the music industry? Talent? Fate? Luck? This book takes you on the whole journey, sometimes funny, sometimes painful, but always interesting. I blazed through its 384 pages in four days, and wish there were still more of it to read. Along the way I was treated to deep discussions of fame, fortune, misfortune, music, the music industry, religion, and life in general. McCormick weaves together several themes and keeps them all relevant and alive. If you've ever dreamed of being a rock star, read this book.

I Was Bono's Doppelganger.......2006-05-18

This book is a blitz of fame, fortune, and failure. It is a thorougly amusing read for all lovers of U2. McCormick himself is a bumbling boffin who could've had it all, but missed the mark completely. He is a lovable loser.

Even so, the book left a bad taste in my mouth. Several anecdotes, probably meant to be funny, felt flat as I repulsed and stuck out my tongue. McCormick's comedy of errors was due in part to his bad decisions regarding drugs and sex. Several times I found myself thinking "Boy, that was dumb of him! When will he ever learn?"

"I Was Bono's Doppelganger" is an funny, light-hearted read for devoted U2 fans. It serves an important life lesson- that bad decisions bring bad results. You will be rooting for McCormick all the way through. Worth a read.

Book Description

This pictorial edition of A History of the Sikhs has updated and edited the most comprehensive two-volume book on the community. Written in Khushwant Singh's trademark style to be accessible to a general audience, it is based on scholarly archival research of original documents in Persian, Gurmukhi and English. It examines the social, religious and political background which led to the formation of the Sikh faith in the fifteenth century. The transformation of the Sikhs from a pacifist sect to a militant group called the Khalsa led by Guru Gobind Singh is portrayed in detail, as is the relationship of the Sikhs with the Mughals and the Afghans, until the consolidation of Sikh power under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. The continuing Sikh struggle for survival as a separate community marked by the demand for a distinct Sikh state has been chronicled, until the events leading up to and following Operation Blue Star when the Indian army entered the Golden Temple. The edition includes an epilogue that analyses events following the end of terrorism in Punjab and the achievement of the community's aspirations never more visible than in the elevation of a Sikh to the country's Prime Ministership.

India: An Illustrated History (Hippocrene Illustrated Histories)

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An undistorted summary of the whole gamut of Indian History
An exciting companion to travellers & culture enthusiasts

India: An Illustrated History (Hippocrene Illustrated Histories)
Prem Kishore , and Anuradha Kishore Ganpati
Manufacturer: Hippocrene Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0781809444

Customer Reviews:

An undistorted summary of the whole gamut of Indian History.......2003-10-05

Reading Prem Kishore and Anuradha Kishore Ganpati's book, India an Illustrated History, brought back to my mind the days when I started reading Indian History for a University degree many years ago. While carrying a burden of unusually heavy textbooks, I searched in vain for a simple and accurate introductory book like this, to serve as a first foundation for my studies.
Indian culture is an intricate mosaic, blending millions of variegated political and socio-economic elements into a living mandala. In presenting this procession of dramatic events, extending over 5000 years, in only 235 pages, without disturbing its vibrant harmony, the authors have demonstrated a very high level of erudition and a unique genius. Congratulations.

Dr. Lionel Maithri Perera
Ex-United Nations Consultant in Human Resources

An exciting companion to travellers & culture enthusiasts.......2003-10-01

Those who pick up the book 'India', an illustrated History, will be very satisfied as it gives an excellent overview of the significant historical facts and challenges that have shaped the current India. With an informative and scholarly text the book gives a wonderful glimpse into the beauty and sohistication of the rich cultural traditions and heritage of India. This concise book about India, a collaborative work of the mother-daughter team, Prem Kishore and Anuradha Kishore Ganpati is truly engaging. Their work focuses passionately on the theme of the imagination and the institutionalized structures that speak about the colonial and the independant India. It is quick and easy reading!!!. Pick it up!!!.

India-rubber and gutta-percha in the Civil War era: An illustrated history of rubber & pre-plastic antiques and militaria

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Great Reference Guide

India-rubber and gutta-percha in the Civil War era: An illustrated history of rubber & pre-plastic antiques and militaria
Mike Woshner
Manufacturer: O'Donnell Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Customer Reviews:

Great Reference Guide.......2005-07-29

I love this book, it has information for Men and Lady reenactors as well as for those interested in collecting this very interesting material. I met the author, Mr. Woshner, at a conference last spring, and WOW ! not only does he know his stuff... he owns alot of this stuff too! Very good book by a very good author.
Jeannie Rucker, Living History Reenactor

The History of Doing: An Illustrated Account of Movements for Women's Rights and Feminism in India 1800-1990

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The History of Doing: An Illustrated Account of Movements for Women's Rights and Feminism in India 1800-1990
Radha Kumar
Manufacturer: Verso
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

Social History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Feminist Theory | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

General | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0860916650

Gandhi and India (Interlink Illustrated Histories)

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Excellent overview for travellers

Gandhi and India (Interlink Illustrated Histories)
Gianni Sofri
Manufacturer: Interlink Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

South Asia | Asia | History | Subjects | Books

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Gandhi | Hinduism | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
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Fukuzawa Yukichi: From Samurai to Capitalist (Library of World Biography Series) (Library of World Biography)

ASIN: 1566562392

Book Description

1869: Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born in Porbandar. India was the most splendid jewel in the crown of the British Empire. From that date on, the story of British colonial rule and that of Gandhi would be interwoven for more than half a century. First in South Africa, where the young, London-educated lawyer rediscovered his roots in fighting for the dignity of Indian immigrants. Then in India, where Gandhi's struggle against British dominion helped him to define his choices: non-violence as an alternative to the temptations of terrorism; refusal of all intolerance and any division based on race or religion; the dream of a free and united country where Hindus and Muslims could live together in peace.

It was thanks to Gandhi that India's road to independence, unlike many roads to "decolonization," could be followed in a relatively peaceful way-even though the Mahatma would eventually become a helpless witness to the division of the nation, to the Hindu-Muslim conflict, and to the return of the intolerance that he opposed throughout his life.

Gandhi's life story in Gandhi and India takes shape within the context of the culture and history of India, whose development is followed up to the present day.

Customer Reviews:

Excellent overview for travellers.......2001-12-12

I purchased this book for some background information in preparation for a trip to India and it was well worth it. The subject matter is broader than the title suggests. Beginning with a brief overview of the country's geography, climate and origins, the author gives a relatively in-depth description of the colonial period, the struggle for independence, and of course Ghandi's life. The story doesn't stop there, but continues after his assination with Nehru, Indira Ghandi and modern times. The story of Indira is especially interesting--to quell social and political unrest she established herself as dictator in 1975, but unlike a dictator let free elections proceed two years later and lost. The governing coalition fell apart and she was re-elected as Prime Minister, staying in office until her assasination in 1984. Interestingly, when I visited Delhi, the shrine at Gandhi's house and the adjoining garden where he was assasinated were almost empty, while lines of Indian people wound around the block to gain admittance to the Indira Gandhi memorial park. Sprinkled throughout the book are short pieces on topics relevant to modern India such as the caste system, Hindu-Muslim conflict, language, etc., as well as many fascinating historical photos. Highly recommended!

The Illustrated History of Indian Cricket

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The Illustrated History of Indian Cricket
Boria Majumdar
Manufacturer: Tempus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Cricket | Other Team Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books

General | Sports | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0752441426

The Oxford India Illustrated Corbett (Oxford India Collection)

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The Oxford India Illustrated Corbett (Oxford India Collection)
Jim Corbett
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

Hunting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Shooting | Hunting & Fishing | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Essays & Travelogues | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 019566874X

Book Description

This is a richly illustrated anthology of the great hunter and conservationist's best writing, selected from his many popular works. The collection is meant to represent all phases of the great tiger hunter's life and adventures.

The Archetypal Actions of Ritual: A Theory of Ritual Illustrated by the Jain Rite of Worship (Oxford Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology)

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The Archetypal Actions of Ritual: A Theory of Ritual Illustrated by the Jain Rite of Worship (Oxford Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology)
Caroline Humphrey , and James Laidlaw
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Jainism | Other Eastern Religions | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0198279477

Book Description

Religious rituals can provoke a deeply ambigious reaction in those who practise them. What happens in religious traditions when the nature of the ritual is questioned, but the practice of performing rituals is not itself abandoned? This book draws on the authors' observations of such reactions among Jains in western India, and asks why they can tell us about ritual as a universal mode of human action. Most anthropologists have assumed that ritual is a special kind of happening, which requires a special kind of interpretation. The authors argue that 'ritual' is a quality which can in principle apply to any kind of action. The question they try to answer is: what is distinctive about actions which are ritualized? They reject the common view that ritual carries intrinsic meaning, and explore the apparent paradox that ritualization, which makes action in an important sense non-intentional, is itself the result of an intentional act - the adoption by the actor of what the authors call the 'ritual commitment'.

The Hibbert Lectures 1878: Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion, as Illustrated by the Religions of India 1878

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The Hibbert Lectures 1878: Lectures on the Origin and Growth of Religion, as Illustrated by the Religions of India 1878
F. Max Muller
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Comparative Religion | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

History | Religious Studies | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1417982381

Book Description

Delivered in the Chapter House, Westminster Abbey in April, May, and June, 1878.

Cassell's Illustrated History of India. 2 volumes

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Cassell's Illustrated History of India. 2 volumes
James Grant
Manufacturer: Cassell Petter & Galpin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000KL3V3M

Coincidences, Chaos, and All That Math Jazz: Making Light of Weighty Ideas
Average customer rating:

What they said ... making light of weight ideas!

This book = Great Fun + Great Insight!

Add a healthy dose of humor and you have a very accessible inquiry.

Math is a numerical representation of life ... no doubt about it !

Entertaining and simple

Coincidences, Chaos, and All That Math Jazz: Making Light of Weighty Ideas
Edward B. Burger , and Michael Starbird
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0393329313

Book Description

"A profusely illustrated, bemusingly unorthodox introduction to math."—Booklist

A book for the eternally curious, Coincidences fuses a professor's understanding of the hidden mathematical skeleton of the universe with the sensibility of a stand-up comedian, making life's big questions accessible and compelling. Each chapter opens with a surprising insight—not a mathematic formula, but a common observation. From there, the authors leapfrog over math and anecdote toward profound ideas about nature, art, and music. Coincidences is a book for lovers of puzzles and posers of outlandish questions, lapsed math aficionados and the formula-phobic alike. 160 illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

What they said ... making light of weight ideas!.......2007-06-02

What a wonderful motto for learning! To understand deep things simply, investigate simple things deeply. In "Coincidences, Chaos and All That Math Jazz", Burger and Starbird take that motto to heart and bless their readers with an entertaining, irreverent, always amusing yet eminently readable and completely understandable exploration of some of the frontiers of mathematics.

In the opening chapters, real-life numbers - the roulette wheel, nature vs nurture studies of twin's characteristics, e-mail stock picking scam and spam artists, air safety standards, HIV testing and the puzzle of coincident birth dates at a party - are used to put meat onto the bones of the familiar saying "lies, damned lies and statistics" and to introduce the modern concept of mathematical chaos.

A simple straightforward chapter on the nature of numbers that almost effortlessly leads us into a basic understanding of much more complex topics such as cryptography, the Goldbach and the Twin Prime conjectures closes with the interesting comment, "... our instinctive desire to wonder about the world of numbers has paid enormous practical dividends in the past - abstract ideas about primes and factoring unexpectedly led to public key cryptography and security in Internet commerce. Somehow human curiosity about numbers from ancient times to the present seems to be in synchronicity with the universe."

Counting spirals on pineapples and sunflowers and the simple act of folding and unfolding a strip of paper is used as a springboard to take the reader, who is now thoroughly engrossed in the enjoyable style of the book, to a basic understanding of the Fibonacci sequence, the golden ratio, chaos and fractals.

But for me personally, the most interesting section was the last one. Burger and Starbird used extremely simple notions of counting, matching and a hotel with an infinite number of rooms to guide the unsuspecting reader to a brilliant "aha" moment - a concise, clear understanding of Cantor's ideas regarding the cardinality of infinity, the completely counterintuitive idea that some infinities are bigger than others.

Mathematics is fun and beautiful and this wonderful little book will show even the most math-phobic reader why! Highly recommended.

Paul Weiss

This book = Great Fun + Great Insight!.......2007-02-06

Who says math is boring or irrelevant?

Certainly not someone who's read this book and seen the many ways math serves as the skeleton key to life and the mysteries of the universe itself!

At the beginning of each chapter the authors skillfully say what they're going to prove in simple English and then by the end of the chapter end up proving it not only in English but math as well.

Starting simply with the subject of coincidences, the authors show how and why even in very small groups you may share a birthday with someone else. From coincidences the authors discuss choas, the reverse of coincidence where small differences ultimately make for...well...even bigger differences. Why is this so? They tell you.

Later they tackle cryptography and show how the patterns of running a lottery are in the end very similar to the patterns that govern the forms life takes. Amazingly, in twenty pages they manage to cover the same ground covered in the book "The Golden Ratio" (which by the way, is also very, good book but just a longer discussion).

Moving from the mysteries of life to the mysteries of the universe, the authors ACTUALLY MAKE YOU UNDERSTAND what the 4th dimension would be like. In this way, they manage through a brief treatment what the longer work "Flatterland" by Ian Stewart (also, by the way, a very good book, just longer) manages to do.

Finally, they plum that ultimate mystery of mathematics and creation -- infinity. Here again, they also manage in a brief treatment that which is also dealt with in a longer book, "Zero" by Charles Seife (again, also a very, good book but again just longer).

As both an introductory work to all the other books cited in this review or merely as a book read on its own, this book delivers both great fun and great insight.

Buy it now!

Add a healthy dose of humor and you have a very accessible inquiry........2007-01-07

Math professor Edward Burger and teaching professor Michael Starbird blend forces in a guide lay readers will find readily accessible, COINCIDENCES, CHAOS, AND ALL THAT MATH JAZZ: MAKING LIGHT OF WEIGHTY IDEAS. Nearly two hundred illustrations and diagrams supplement scientific 'trivia' questions about everything from an infinite motel's occupants to a sexy rectangle's origins. Yes, there's math here - but also hard science and an imaginative lively dialogue which draws even reluctant math readers to learn. Add a healthy dose of humor and you have a very accessible inquiry.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Math is a numerical representation of life ... no doubt about it ! .......2007-01-03

I am not a math freak ! I have always awed math and admired mathematicians for the ability they have ! so i got this book because all reviews said this was a light hearty read .... and none of those reviews were wrong .

The chapter on chaos theory was the best I read ... made me think so much about how human life and its eventual end can be put into context by studying the chaos theory of math.

Its definitely a good book to have for now and for future generations so they dont grow up fearing math but rather enjoying its magic !

Entertaining and simple.......2006-06-05

Great book on recreational mathematics that you can actually curl up in bed with! Very few books on mathematics, let alone chaos and complexity will let you read it laying down in bed at midnight. I think the fact that one of the author (Edward Burger) is a stand up comedian as well as professor of mathematics has something to do with making the book approachable and fun to read.

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