Review of 'How to Bake Pi: An Edible Exploration of the Mathematics of Mathematics' on 'Goodreads'
3 stars
Each chapter starts with a recipe, and like mathematics, both the ingredients and the method are important. Ends up comparing math and understanding to illumination. Author is strong in category theory, and that ends up the root of many discussions here.
However, while it is "about" category theory, it has few proofs "from" category theory, and that may throw off readers hoping for that level of detail. Think of this as an introductory text, if a bit conversational at times. I found myself wanting to know more about Cheng or more about math, and neither desire was satisfied.
For those not into math, randomly select an early chapter - using a six sided die perhaps. If that interests you, continue, otherwise return to the shelf. Pi stars.