Rating: 
Summary: Very informative but tedious
Review: What you can expect from this book is a detailed historical account of the RH, and much information about the key players involved with it, written in a very readable fashion. However, be aware that the mathematical development of the RH can be quite slow.
Rating: 
Summary: A Sufficient Look Into A World Apart
Review: I concur with the other positive reviews. Derby presents us non-mathematicians a glimpse into the history and subject matter of those who are intrigued by math (which does not include me). A superb effort.
Rating:
Summary: A great introductory book on the Riemann hypthosis
Review: Now here is someone how knows how to write a math book. Anyone who can take a subject shrouded in a statement like "All non-trivial zeros of the zeta function have real part one-half" and distills it down to where someone armed with only a rudimentary smattering of math can understand and appreciate. The book is also structured in such a way that it alternates math and historical chapters where, when you had enough of the math you find yourself immersed in the intricate lives of the characters. It shows clearly that, in the hands of a mater story teller and tutor even the most abstract of ideas are within the grasps of the rest of us mere mortals. Here with patience and wit the Riemann hypothesis gives up its secret and give courage to those of us with a weaker mathematical constitution to venture further in our understanding of this, the most coveted of prizes I hope he writes many more books like this.
Rating: 
Summary: Good in general
Review: Most of the reviews on this book I have seen are positive reviews.
To me, the author has done a good job explaining the RH(from its history to its present) in general. I really think RH cannot be described in three or four hundred something pages. If you do math long enough, you'd really thank the author for his effort on trying. I give a two thumbs up for his effort on this. However, the golden key chapter seems to be coming up a bit short in explaining the RH's heart and soul. I would really suggest the "Riemann's Zeta Function"by H.M.Edwards if you are really into RH. In general, JD has done a good job in this book, if u only read it and not working out the math alongside, you are not reading this book!
Rating:
Summary: A Math Book with Literary Value
Review: This is as fine a book on the subject as I can possibly imagine. While the math is not always trivial, it is presented in a fashion that at least gives the reader a chance to see what is going on, and it is always summarized in a fashion to give the reader the big picture even if the details must remain a bit hazy. More than that, it is a work of biography, and history, and culture, by a writer who has a way with words. Better in every respect than the other Riemann Hypothesis book I reviewed a couple months ago. If only the author would write a similar book on particle physics and string theory!
Rating:
Summary: An intrinsically fascinating work
Review: Prime Obsession: Bernhard Riemann And The Greatest Unsolved Problem in Mathematics by mathematician, linguist, and financial analyst John Derbyshire presents what is perhaps the greatest unsolved mathematical mystery of this day and age. The Four-Color Theorem was proven in 1976, and Fermat's Last Theorem was proven in 1994, but Riemann's Hypothesis concerning the distribution of prime numbers - affects casual questions as "is there any way to calculate how many numbers less than a given number are prime, short of actually counting them?" as well as much more subtle and complex issues of mathematics, cryptology, and science - remains an enigma, neither proven nor disproved. Prime Obsession teaches the literate and intelligent lay reader the basic mathematic knowledge necessary to understand Riemann's hypothesis, and then allows one to wonder and ponder the possibilities. Prime Obsession is an intrinsically fascinating work which is very highly recommended for anyone curious about this great unsolved mathematical mystery.
Rating:
Summary: A great popular math book
Review: There seems to be a plethora of books about the Riemann Hypothesis (RH) lately. This book is very through for the non-mathematician. Every other chapter is mathematical in nature but is tractable with plenty of illustrations to guide the weary reader along the way. For the most part I couldn't see how Mr. Derbyshire could make it any easier. The other chapters are historical in nature and describe not only Mr. Riemann's life but how RH has touched mathematicians, physicists and the rest of humanity until present day.
Rating: 
Summary: Who is this for?
Review: This is another of those books that thinks the only people who are interested in math are those who know a lot about it. I couldn't be bothered sitting down with the author's technical chapters and working out what it all means. He could have tried a lot harder to carry with him the average reader, like me. In the end, because he doesn't make the math very clear I ended up being less interested in the more general chapters too. I guess i should try one of the other two books on this subject that are around at the moment. Other non-math majors seem to think they are easier and more interesting.
Rating: 
Summary: so so - too bad
Review: The chapters alternate between math and history
with history being the stronger of the two. In terms
of mathematics, the author creates difficulties for
himself immediately by introducing the RH via the zeta
complex zeroes instead of the simpler and more natural
version via prime numbers. Much harder to explain,
however, is the absence of the dramatic and important
work of Levinson [showing that the RH is at least
"one third true"]. The book was completed in a hurry
(it shows) and would have benefited from better editing.
Rating:
Summary: What a tease!!
Review: I am enjoying this book immensely. I took Trig up through high school, then the normal calc and diffy Q in college that were part of my engineering curriculum. Many of the math sections require two or three readings, but Mr. Derbyshire is MUCH more patient than my Calc TA's (and he doesn't assign homework!). The historical sections are fascinating. How little we, in the 21st century, realize about our intellectual heritage. How short the intervening time seems when measured in the lifespans of men. The only hazard of reading this book is that I now suffer under the illusion that I understand some key aspects of higher math. This will be a book that I re-read one day. There are not many books that I will say that about.
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