Euclid's Elements,   ISBN:9781888009194

Customer Rating: 

Thomas L. Heath's translation is the most authoritative translation of Euclid's Elements in English. The extensive research he put into translating the work the way he did can be found in The Thirteen Books of Euclid's Elements, Books 1 and 2, which I would recommend to anyone who wants to further investigate Euclid, and his influences.

As far as this copy is concerned, it's amazing. I got the hardcover copy, and a friend got the softcover. They are both sufficient for studying - huge margins, large pages, and diagrams on every page (so you are not constantly flipping back and forth between pages). This book was not designed for portability, so don't be surprised by its size - it's about the size of a regular math textbook.

If anyone intends to thoroughly study The Elements, this is the copy I would recommend.

Customer Rating: 

The Elements is a work that every mathematician should read. In fact, a Math PHd degree should not be granted to anyone without such a one passing a comprehensive examination on Euclid. And by this, I don't just mean high school geometry, because The Elements contains far more than any high school course in Geometry.

Kudos to Heath. He has performed the best possible job he could. However, as with all other translations, Heath's explanations are often unclear or not immediately evident. Heath appears to write as if his audience already has a solid knowledge of mathematics, therefore the elements is not a work kind to beginners.

The ancient Greeks were intelligent beyond belief. It is not only possible that Archimedes knew how to differentiate, but highly probable that he used both integration and differentiation in his publications, many of which are now lost forever.

Every student intending to read the Elements should first read my blog on "how we got numbers". By so doing, the 'correct approach' will be in place for studying the elements. My blog on Euclid and area is also a good preparation for reading and understanding Euclid's works.

[...]

Customer Rating: 

I feel like I cannot adequately praise such an obviously beautiful and enduring classic of mathematics. The gravity of the book makes insignificant any praise I may have for it. One does not need to praise it, it is geometry; it stands true whether we praise it or not. No math is more elegant.

So, with that said, this is a great edition of Elements. It is high quality construction: thick paper, heavy binding, thick cover. You will certainly get a lot of use out of it.

Customer Rating: 

Pretty much anything I could say has already been mentioned, but I'd like to heap another perfect rating onto the pile. "Elements" is one of the most important books ever written, and the teachings it covers are the underpinnings of all modern math. The Green Lion edition is nearly peerless in terms of quality and completeness.

I often have trouble sleeping, and I'll reach for this book to lull myself with math, only to look at the clock and realize an hour or more has zipped away. Anyone with an interest in math, geometry, or philosophy should spend time with this volume.

Customer Rating: 

I have attempted the elements before but found myself caught in the voluminous commentary by its translator, Heath. This edition pares all that down into a crisp, readable text. The editors should be commended for their excellent decisions regarding typeface, reproducing the illustrations to coincide with the proofs and an overall wonderful exposition of Euclid's work. If you want to actually read Euclid as opposed to Heath, this is the book for you.