Gary William Flake

I feel a strange draw towards two poles. I love the highly technial man-made achievements and I love the completely unspoiled "nature of nature". This book sythesizes the two extremes beautifully. As our computers push the envelope of mathematics, we are better able to sythesize and understand the structure and appearance of natural things. This book added to my appreciation of nature by showing me the level of computation required to simulate it. At the same time, it added to my appreciation of science by tying it to the emotional response that I feel when I see beauty in nature.

Very little of this is really share-able in a high school classroom. The kids love the fractals and this book helps explain the practical applications of fractals. But fractals weren't even in the CA teaching standards in the first place, so it's all kindof extra-curricular.

But, it's a beautiful book. Beautiful in the way that "Eternal Golden Braid" was beautiful. And much more concise.… (més)