Rating: 
Summary: Sweet, inspiring, stimulating read
Review: What can I say which hasn't been said already by my fellow reviewers! This is a heart-warming, mind-forming read of the first kind! I am writing this review as I prepare to read it for the second time in two years. This time I intend to solve ALL the puzzles and math problems, in a separate notebook. As a software programmer and math and cryptography aficionado, I have read Simon Singh's and Bruce Schneier's books, but I have never actually carried out any of the practical problems thereof other than in my head, skipping over most of the material I don't understand. Sarah Flannery's book has the advantage of being accessible and nicely graduated. To say nothing of the admirable human experience interspaced with the more intellectual stuff.I am giving this book away to all my nieces as they come of age 16! I am hoping they will obtain as much pleasure as I have from reading this uplifting, well-written story.
Rating:
Summary: It is the connections that count
Review: What I particularly like about this book is that the puzzles relate really nicely to the general concept of number theory. It is really nice when you can trace the roots of puzzles roots back and name the particular area of mathematics that the puzzle related to. Very often students are given puzzles to do but no view of the area of higher mathematics to which they are connected. I remember how excited I was when I realized that the famous "Handshake puzzle" was so nicely related to number theory. In this case Sarah's father, being a mathematics teacher and researcher himself, was able to give her the puzzles AND the view of the area of mathematics to which the concepts could later be applied. This was a particularly interesting account of how a young person conducted a research project which involved learning a subject in depth, following her own interests and using her creativity rather than just preparing for an exam. So often it seems to be assumed that creativity must wait until the student knows "enough". This book shows how, with the right mentoring, students can tap into their creativity early and how this is a fantastic way to create interest and enthusiasm for a subject which regrettably remains for most people, dull boring and even something to fear.
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