Joyful contemplation of mathematical patterns has long been part of the human experience, from the philosophers of Ancient Greece to the artists of the Renaissance, via Islamic design and Hindu mandalas. Now, Alex Bellos, the bestselling author of Alex's Adventures in Numberland, takes you on a calming and colourful journey into the magical world of mathematics. Snowflake, Seashell, Star is full of intricate and divinely beautiful illustrations, using patterns such as loops, waves and spirals, created by Alex Bellos in collaboration with his friend and mathematical artist, Edmund Harriss. Stretch your artistic talents and embrace mathematics' aesthetic and conceptual exquisiteness. In 80 glorious images, Alex will teach you how to convey the wonder of mathematics through colour and design. Snowflake, Seashell, Star is an incredible celebration of the overlaps between mathematics and art, learning and play, concentration and calm.

Author Biography

Alex Bellos is the author of the bestselling popular maths books Alex's Adventures in Numberland and Alex Through the Looking-Glass. He is the Guardian's maths and puzzles blogger and a regular science presenter on BBC Radio 4. He was the Guardian's foreign correspondent in South America, where he wrote a book on Brazilian football, and was Pele's ghost writer. Edmund Harriss is a well-known British mathematical artist. He has a PhD in maths from Imperial College, London, and is currently an assistant professor at the University of Arkansas. His research has appeared in Nature and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. He has led workshops at the Museum of Mathematics in New York and is Academic Director of Epsilon Camp, a summer camp in the US for mathematically gifted 8-11 year olds.