众所周知，诺贝尔奖中未设数学奖，但在数学界有一项与诺贝尔奖同等声誉的国际数学大奖——菲尔兹奖。它在每四年举行一次的国际数学家大会上隆重颁发，获奖者都是年龄不超过40岁的数学精英。 本书介绍了自1936年菲尔兹奖开始颁发至今共43位获奖者的生平简历、重要建树及其对数学、数学研究或数学教育的精辟见解，展现了一幅幅数学发展的精彩画卷。21世纪的第一次国际数学家大会即将在北京召开，谨将此书献给2002北京国际数学家大会。

斯梅尔是1966年菲尔兹数学大奖得主，他是一位有着独特人生经历的当代数学大师。他在数学的许多领域中做出了卓越成就，例如首先证明将球体从内向外翻转在理论上是可能的，提出了混沌概念的先声——斯梅尔马蹄等等。斯梅尔首先突破了维数障碍，在高维宠加莱猜想上取得重大进展，证明一个六维的世界有可能比一个三维世界更为简单。不仅如此，斯梅尔还是一名发起了旨在终结越南战争的反战运动的狐胆骑侠，并与美国的科学管理机构进行过维护学术自由的不懈斗争。斯梅尔有丰富的业余爱好，不但被公认为顶级的矿石收藏家，而且还热衷于摄影、航海、登山。本书由一位十分熟悉他的数学家撰写，不但以极其通俗的语言，介绍了斯梅尔数学成就的迷人之处，更令我们看到了一个特立独行、勇于追求、执着探索的数学家形象。

Here is the classic, much-read introduction to the craft and history of mathematics by E.T. Bell, a leading figure in mathematics in America for half a century. Men of Mathematics accessibly explains the major mathematics, from the geometry of the Greeks through Newton's calculus and on to the laws of probability, symbolic logic, and the fourth dimension. In addition, the book goes beyond pure mathematics to present a series of engrossing biographies of the great mathematicians -- an extraordinary number of whom lived bizarre or unusual lives. Finally, Men of Mathematics is also a history of ideas, tracing the majestic development of mathematical thought from ancient times to the twentieth century. This enduring work's clear, often humorous way of dealing with complex ideas makes it an ideal book for the non-mathematician.

How could you, a mathematician, believe that extraterrestrials were sending you messages?" the visitor from Harvard asked the West Virginian with the movie-star looks and Olympian manner. "Because the ideas I had about supernatural beings came to me the same way my mathematical ideas did," came the answer. "So I took them seriously." Thus begins the true story of John Nash, the mathematical genius who was a legend by age thirty when he slipped into madness, and who -- thanks to the selflessness of a beautiful woman and the loyalty of the mathematics community -- emerged after decades of ghostlike existence to win a Nobel Prize and world acclaim. The inspiration for a major motion picture, Sylvia Nasar's award-winning biography is a drama about the mystery of the human mind, triumph over incredible adversity, and the healing power of love.