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Summary: Awe-inspiring book!!
Review: Awe-inspiring book from Dr. Simon Singh. This book narrates the mathematician Andrew Wiles' effort to solve Fermat's Last Theorem. The theorem proposed by mathematician Pierre de Fermat has remained without any mathematical proof for centuries in spite of various attempts until Andrew Wiles provided the proof for the theorem.
The author traces the history of mathematics from Pythagoras, Euler, Fermat to the modern day Andrew Wiles. The author has narrated the story in simple and beautiful English. Recommended for anyone who wants to get inspiration and motivation from the efforts of mathematicians and apply it. Wonderful book!!
Rating:
Summary: Not Just For Geeks!
Review: I heard about this story in a documentary and was intrigued, even though I am mathematically challenged. I bought it on a whim, though I expected it may end up on the shelf of books that I'll never get to but make me look smarter for owning them.One day I decided to give it a try for a few minutes. Several hours later I was deep into it and giving up sleep to read "one more chapter". Singh does an excellent job of explaining complex mathematical problems so even I could understand them. Even so, I doubt that math geeks will find these sections condescending or oversimplified. For those like me who have negative physical reactions at the mere mention of math, the math sections are actually interesting to follow, and they add to the story so you can really understand what is going on. Mostly, this book is an interesting history of the mathematical problem the title implies. The story is well paced, organized chronologically, and has an excellent mix of literary devices to keep you flipping pages well past bedtime. This book has now ended up on the shelf of books I intend to re-read periodically.
Rating:
Summary: Great book!
Review: I read this book since I was so entertained by Singh's `Code Book'.
Fermat's Enigma is another excellent book of his. Singh is a great writer and is one of the few that can take dry scientific subject and make them interesting.
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Summary: What a great story
Review: If Simon Singh writes it, I am going to read it. He is that good and that dependable as a writer. Just as he did with "The Code Book," he as taken a potentially dull subject and turned it into a brilliant read. Reading this book you will be completely entertained, while at the same time learning a huge amount about the history of mathematics. Unlike what you might think, this history reads like well constructed novel, with strong character development and no shortage of twists and turns in the plot. When you finish this book, you will feel very good about the time you spent reading it. It gets my highest review.
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Summary: ap me bad man!
Review: mus' first confess dat higher math utterly escapes me (I got C-/D+ grades in college math), so I approached dis here book wiff some trepidation.
To muh ma srprise, it turned out ta be da first book on mathematics *which I could actually grasp*. Singh offers lucid, intelligible-to-the-layman explanations o' da mathematical principles, techniques, methodologies, personalities, history, an' problem-solving blind alleys involved in solving dis here centuries-old math problem. This iz uh mathematical detective story, an' absolutely coo' even ta non-mathematicians.
slap mah fro!
Rating:
Summary: An excellent popular science book
Review: Simon Singh has written a masterpiece of popular science, telling the story of Fermat's last theorem's solution. The book is written in a clear language, without any mathematical complexities (high-school math would suffice to understand it, and nearly all of the math is in the appendice, which can be skipped), and with excellent plot weaving. Mr. Singh makes some detours to present some material not directly related to the title. I think those detours put the plot in context - the attempts to find a proof were not made in a vacuum, were not done in a linear fashion, nor were they made by robots. The attempts were made by real people, who went in various directions, based on the math and context of the time, which makes the story so fascinating. I've read the book in three days, enjoyed it a lot, found it to expand my knowledge on the way, and that's all I expect from a popular science book. I recommend this book warmly to anyone who is interested in science and likes popular science books.
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Summary: stupifying!!!!!!
Review: simon singh makes the mathematical concepts easy to grasp... and the epic story covers a wide range...
Rating: 
Summary: Too simplistic, has errors
Review: The author, while must be complimented for his effort for taking us through the history of the Fermat's Last Theorem, has given a simple approach to the last theorem. This book is high school students and not even for amateur mathematicians and people interested in the history of mathematics. Some of data presented in it is wrong. While it does show that the Shimura-Taniyama conjecture was used for solving the Last Theorem by Andrew Wiles, the author states that Andrew Wiles proved the conjecture itself - every elliptical curve can be represented by a modular form. Andrew Wiles used a subset of this, every elliptical curve in a semi-stable state can be represented by a modular form. I suspect that Simon Singh does not understand enough of the conjecture and the proof and hence the hamhanded approach. This is almost presented as a novel. For any serious person, I would recommend them to start with Fermat's Last Theorem for Amateurs by Paolo Ribenbaum and go on to Modular Forms and Fermat's Last Theorem. These are involved books but do not have any factual errors and take one through the evolution in a systematic manner.
Rating:
Summary: A real page turner!!
Review: This book reads like the latest blockbuster novel. I started reading it at 4:30 pm and I have taken a break to write this review. I have finished about 1/2 the book and its about 7:15 pm. I am not the world's fastest reader, but what keeps my rather short attention span rivetted to each page is the pace with which the writer tells this maginificent mathematical story. He moves through time starting from Euler to the days of Gauss and Godel with a flurry. Like an Alexandre Dumas novel the characters (great mathematicians from the past 350 odd years) visit the pages carrying their link with the Fermat's Last Theorem and leave just as quickly. Like relay sprinters moving the baton along the solution of the great poser i laid to rest by generations of mathematicians. The best part is the awesome history lesson added witht he fact the you realise (albeit with a lot of hand waving) how mathematician approch problem solving: giants standing on the shoulders of giants. This book requires very little knowledge of math. In fact for those attempting to get into recreational mathematics and looking to explore Fermat's Last theorem this is the first book you would want to read. Highly recommended. Now to get back to the book!!
Rating: 
Summary: So much fun, like a chocolate truffle
Review: This is a bite-sized book that you'll definitely enjoy even if you don't know anything about mathematics. It's a good story told well. Don't expect much beyond that, though. You'll read it in a day and pass it on to a friend. But that's not a bad thing.
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