Chris Hayhurst

I researched the author and could find no degree or area of expertise that would lead one to believe he is any sort of authority on the matter. In fact, he is a freelance writer with a vast repertoire covering everything from hepatitis to snowboarding.
Which leads me to my next point, I know this is a children’s book, but since the author is not a history nor math professor I expected to find more scholarly sources in his bibliography. Don’t misunderstand, the text is full of information and the author clearly did his homework, but as a historian, I was always taught the value of using scholarly presses. From what the author describes in the introduction, there seems to be a void of known information about Euclid. Through scarcity of paper and Euclid shunning tradition by writing about himself in any of his books, most of his story is constructed through the other brilliant men around him.
Fortunately, there is a timeline, an index, a glossary, a directory of museums’ websites for more information, and a list for further reading.
The author opens with a good generalized background of Ancient Greece, a brief lesson in Greece’s version of democracy, and what life would have been like during that time. Even going so far as to discuss the rampant slavery which was a matter-of-fact part of life at that time.
On a positive note, in lieu of illustrations, museums from around the world ‘loaned’ photographs for the book giving the reader a front-row seat to ancient artifacts, which in itself is entertaining.
Once the reader reaches Euclid’s teachings from his books ‘The Elements’, (beginning on page 74) there is a practical application and students at the beginning stages of geometry may find this information helpful. Educators could definitely take some of Euclid’s concepts, like the fifth postulate, and create some fun learning activities.… (meer)

If readers are intrigued by the mysterious life of Euclid, this book is for them! It begins with an overview of Greek life at the time that Euclid lived, moves onto Euclid's life (as we can best guess), his impact on mathematics, and the legacy he left behind. There are many connection explored between Euclid and other famous mathematicians from his time -- which really emphasizes the importance Euclid had in the mathematics world. The book features beautiful illustrations, each tying into the historical background present in the book. I would suggest this to any middle/high school students looking for a synthesized and brief summary of Euclid, the great geometer.… (meer)

This is a good book for students who want to learn about where math came from and who devised math. The book not only talks about Euclid, but refers to other great mathematicians like Plato, Pythagoras, Eudoxus, and Aristotle. This book would be a great starting place for someone wanting to learn about the history of math. The book includes a timeline of ancient mathematicians and a glossary. It also supplies a nice reading list for further reading. It has a bibliography. The book's author has studied ancient math/philosophers in college. Its a great book for a math teacher to use when introducing how and where math originated.… (meer)