★★★☆☆ The Sand Reckoner, by Archimedes, Thomas Heath (translator)
Doesn't really show Archimedes' genius
The Sand Reckoner
Archimedes, Thomas Heath (translator)
Doesn’t really show Archimedes’ genius
I was honestly disappointed by The Sand-Reckoner. The argument made here is almost trivial. Now, you will protest, "But to make it at that time was genius!" Perhaps. But I am familiar with some of Archimedes' other works, and this, by comparison, is nothing to write home about.
Also, it is very annoying that this edition is not typeset correctly. In particular, superscripts are not set as superscripts, so that one cannot see in the familiar way that (100,000,000)2 really means 100,000,000 squared. One figures it out quickly enough, however, but why this unnecessary impediment to understanding?