In the twentieth century, American mathematicians began to make critical advances in a field previously dominated by Europeans. Harvard’s mathematics department was at the center of these developments. A History in Sum is an inviting account of the pioneers who trailblazed a distinctly American tradition of mathematics—in algebraic geometry and topology, complex analysis, number theory, and a host of esoteric subdisciplines that have rarely been written about outside of journal articles or advanced textbooks. The heady mathematical concepts that emerged, and the men and women who shaped them, are described here in lively, accessible prose.

The story begins in 1825, when a precocious sixteen-year-old freshman, Benjamin Peirce, arrived at the College. He would become the first American to produce original mathematics—an ambition frowned upon in an era when professors largely limited themselves to teaching. Peirce’s successors—William Fogg Osgood and Maxime Bôcher—undertook the task of transforming the math department into a world-class research center, attracting to the faculty such luminaries as George David Birkhoff. Birkhoff produced a dazzling body of work, while training a generation of innovators—students like Marston Morse and Hassler Whitney, who forged novel pathways in topology and other areas. Influential figures from around the world soon flocked to Harvard, some overcoming great challenges to pursue their elected calling.

A History in Sum elucidates the contributions of these extraordinary minds and makes clear why the history of the Harvard mathematics department is an essential part of the history of mathematics in America and beyond.

"The story of the Harvard mathematics department’s growth into one of the world’s premier centers of mathematical research is of interest not only in its own right but as a microcosm of the development of the larger American mathematical community. A collaboration between a scientific journalist (Nadis) and an eminent Harvard mathematician (Yau) has now brought us a very readable account of this history." - American Mathematical Monthly

"[The authors] treat mathematics of ever-increasing theoretical difficulty with hands that manage deftly…to reveal the spirit, the excitement, and the dynamics of the mathematical endeavor at the cutting edge of research." - Canadian Journal of History

"Yau and Nadis succeed admirably in making clear how Harvard has long served as a magnet, attracting some of the world’s best mathematicians and thus making it an exciting place to be, a melting pot of mathematical activity." - Isis

"[An] interesting history of mathematics at Harvard… The book starts from the mid-19th century, when mathematics came into being as an area of study at Harvard University. It reveals a myriad of personalities who have contributed to its prestige as a center of mathematical research. It portrays life at Harvard from around 1825 to times of the great depression and the years following the 2nd World War. More importantly, it provides meaningful insight into all sorts of mathematical topics." - Mathematical Association of America Reviews

"The remarkable result is an account, at a consistently clear, non-specialist level, of a wide swath of modern mathematics." - Mathematical Reviews (starred review)

"The development of American mathematics, and American education more generally, cannot be told without an account of Harvard University… Though a department history seems like a parochial exercise, Harvard’s mathematics department’s history is much bigger and well worth the read." - Choice