Rating: 
Summary: Almost two books
Review: As the title states, despite the small size of this petite tome, "Zero" seems to me more like two books forced to live in the confines of one.Zero starts off about the concept of 0, who came up with it first, what it was used for, what people thought of it, etc. This premise takes up a little more than half of the space within. That said, this portion is very, etymologically speaking, a very interesting dive into the history of zero. It is interesting to know that the mezo americans had the number line right whist those in Eurasia had it wrong. Other zero tidbits about the state of mathematics from ancient until the 1500's make for a good read. The real passion of this author becomes readily apparent when he discusses "zero" from the 1600's to today. You can get a sense for the excitement he has for the subject of zero in physics and astrophysics as they stand today. His voice changes from that of an impartial observer to that of a child who has just turned in his golden ticket and entered Mr. Wonka's chocolate factory. The main character of the book, 0, seems to get swallowed up and shoved into a supporting role as the author goes off on a tangent into modern physics (by no means is this uninteresting - in fact I liked the second portion of the book much more) But it is for this very reason that "Zero" becomes not really a book on that concept but a vehicle for allowing the author to discuss what he really is interested in - namely, modern concepts of space and time. Yes, zero is a part of that subject, only as a minor player in this part. Overall, this is a very quick read, probably beguilingly quick, since I glossed over some of the more abstract concepts presented in this book and KNEW I did so without really understanding what I had just read. I'll probably read this book again, and my review will probably change when I do, but for now, all I can say is: take this book on a flight. If you feel piqued, read it again when you return home from your trip and then look in the "suggested readings" to learn more about the one or two myriad of subjects that the author brings up.
Rating: 
Summary: Good effort but falls apart
Review: This book is a historical survey of the origin and meaning of the number zero from ancient Babylonia to modern astronomy. It starts out well, but it begins to founder the closer it gets to modern applications of zero in both mathematics and applied sciences. By the time you reach the last chapter in the book, it's descended into a mess of overexuberant cliches and poorly written passages. It seems that the author is most comfortable with the early and medieval sections of his history, and he does a satisfactory job explaining how zero factored into the beginnings of calculus and the techniques of integraton. But the second half of the book doesn't come together.
Rating: 
Summary: good way to learn some math history
Review: Never realized zero was such a big deal. Whole philosophy hides behind that little symbol. If your scientific minded at all, you'll enjoy the book.
Rating: 
Summary: The Story of Zero
Review: Two books discuss the concept of zero. They are "The nothing that Is: A Natural History of Zero" by Robert Kaplan (1999) and "Zero: The Biography of a Dangerous Idea" by Charles Seiff (2000). The books tackle the same subject but are significantly different in their approach. Both books recognize the difficulties zero caused to the Greeks and their successors. Kaplan emphasizes the mysticism of zero. His book describes the confusion and avoidance of "nothing" throughout civilized history. While there is a smattering of mathematical concepts, the book is mostly an essay revolving about nihilism. This seems somewhat strange as Robert Kaplan has "taught mathematics to people from six to sixty. He is the co-founder of The Math Circle, a program open to the public for the enjoyment of pure mathematics." Seiff's story also includes descriptions of mankind's concern over "nothing" but emphasizes the solutions reached by mathematicians. The book is full of mathematical and physical concepts related to zero. If one is interested in philosophy, read Kaplan. If Math is the desired area, read Seiff.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent Book
Review: I always wondered why my Calculus teacher said "before we can continue you must agree that 1 and 0.9999... are the same thing", and this book explains that fact and many others. Although it's not all that scholarly this book is an excellent read, in fact it's readability may be due to it's general tone.
Rating:
Summary: Zero
Review: Great book for people who like math history and theroy.
Rating:
Summary: A Good Read
Review: The writing style is the true star of this one, although the subject matter is also fascinating. The author creates a stunning picture of the complications wrought by first the lack of zero, and then later its presence. Seife gives a chronological development of mathematical thinking from the ancient world of sheep counting (when zero was "unnecessary") to the present day problems of astrophysics (where zero is a stubborn devil that can't be wished away). Sure to be stimulating for the interested reader.
Rating:
Summary: great fun
Review: Clear writing, rare in math / science books, shines throughout here. The final few chapters of this book are in 'woo woo' land [which is 4 stars to zero side of Star Trek Voyager and on to infinity'] but this tome is a great read. It is not at all a math heavy work ... I suspect that a fair grip on 4th grade arithmetic would do it. Great for a 'book report' for a kid who 'hates math'.
Rating:
Summary: There is nothing to it.
Review: Really, there is nothing to it. . . .no-thing. And, it was timely; an aid to sorting out when one may celebrate a new millenium, even how often. To me, the chiefest virtue of the book is its integration of perspectives on zero, what it really means to think negative thoughts and which cultural sets makes doing so easy. Those are the cultures we had better watch and from which we had better learn.
Rating:
Summary: An interesting book, but not for everyone
Review: I read this book a little over a year ago, when I was in my first semester of Calculus. This book gave me a deeper understanding of what we were learning in class.....and it was an easy book to read, though it did move a bit slowly through few points. Overall, I really enjoyed it, and I think that if you are at all curious about the evolution of mathematical ideas, you will likely find it interesting as well. Overall, I'd give it a 4.5, but since half stars are not allowed for in this system, I rounded the score up to five.
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