Finding Zero

A Mathemetician's Odyssey to Uncover the Origins of Numbers

By: Amir D. Aczel

Narrated by: Stefan Rudnicki

The story of how we got our numbers - told through one mathematician's journey to find zero.

The invention of numerals is perhaps the greatest abstraction the human mind has ever created. Virtually everything in our lives is digital, numerical, or quantified. The story of how and where we got these numerals, which we so depend on, has for thousands of years been shrouded in mystery. Finding Zero is an adventure-filled saga of Amir Aczel's lifelong obsession: to find the original sources of our numerals. Aczel has doggedly crisscrossed the ancient world, scouring dusty, moldy texts, cross examining so-called scholars who offered wildly differing sets of facts, and ultimately penetrating deep into a Cambodian jungle to find a definitive proof. Here, he takes the listener along for the ride.

The history begins with the early Babylonian cuneiform numbers, followed by the later Greek and Roman letter numerals. Then Aczel asks the key question: Where do the numbers we use today, the so-called Hindu-Arabic numerals, come from? It is this search that leads him to explore uncharted territory, to go on a grand quest into India, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, and ultimately into the wilds of Cambodia. There he is blown away to find the earliest zero - the keystone of our entire system of numbers - on a crumbling, vine-covered wall of a seventh-century temple adorned with eaten-away erotic sculptures. While on this odyssey, Aczel meets a host of fascinating characters: academics in search of truth, jungle trekkers looking for adventure, surprisingly honest politicians, shameless smugglers, and treacherous archaeological thieves - who finally reveal where our numbers come from.

©2015 Amir D. Aczel (P)2015 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Padded

Ideas are interesting. I'll remember for a long time. Lots of repetition and irrelevant detail, just to make it long enough for a book.

Not what I expected but I loved it just the same.

The personal journey of this author is by itself quite interesting and the added bonus of all the mathematical insights as well as the historical discovery make for some of the best reading a number junkie like myself could ever ask for. I recommend all of Mr. Aczel's books whether you are a Math hound or not.

Anti-Western Theme Throughout

We get it...Eastern civilizations are great and Western ones steal their ideas. The topic is interesting but the book is self-serving.

Couldn't stop listening

My first audible book that I couldn't stop listening to. Enjoyable start to finish. I would love to meet the author and shake his hand in seeing his vision through. I hope to see k127 for myself someday.

interesting

0 something that we all take for granted and this book. is simple yet so interesting