"The book is an unexpectedly intimate look into a highly accomplished man, his colleagues and friends, the development of a new field of geometric analysis, and a glimpse into a truly uncommon mind."--Nina MacLaughlin, Boston Globe "Fascinating, and an essential read for anyone interested in the history of modern mathematics."--Peter Woit, Columbia University, Not Even Wrong "An eye-opening and insightful account . Yau''s life story is an inspiring example of the power of education."-- South China Morning Post "Traces the remarkable arc of Yau''s life, from poverty and exile in Hong Kong to international renown as a Chinese-American mathematician and the first Chinese winner of the Fields Medal, often described as the Nobel Prize of mathematics."-- Science News "A well-written and readable story of a very accomplished man''s life."--Mathematical Association of America Reviews "Engaging, eminently readable . For those with a taste for elegant and largely jargon-free explanations of mathematics, The Shape of a Life promises hours of rewarding reading .
[Yau''s] account of life in his natural home--mathematics--and his quest to uncover deep truths about nature proves to be a terrific read."--Judith Goodstein, American Scientist "Yau and Nadis dive into explanations of some extremely complicated math and do so with an enviable clarity and precision. The book also offers a compelling portrait of the intellectual life of a mathematician. The Shape of a Life frequently talks about the conferences and colleagues that inspired Yau and influenced his work, a welcome antidote to the stereotype of the solitary theorist locked away in his office."--Physics Today Author Yau, who was awarded a Fields Medal in 1983 and other signiFicant honors, tells in great detail the story of his life, and more importantly, his interpretation in personal terms of its events. Mathematics majors from China may Find this book particularly inspiring.--Paul j. Campbell, Mathematics Magazine Finalist in the PROSE Awards mathematics category, sponsored by the Association of American Publishers "Yau and Nadis''s The Shape of a Life opens a window into the fascinating mind and world of today''s equivalent of Apollonius of Perga, ''The Great Geometer'' of antiquity.
"--Mario Livio, author of Brilliant Blunders "The interesting life of a remarkably influential modern mathematician."--Juan Maldacena, Institute for Advanced Study "This book tells a fascinating story of a life lived between multiple cultures--China and the West, and mathematics and physics. Yau''s journey from poverty in Hong Kong to the top levels of the mathematics world was not a simple one."--Edward Witten, Institute for Advanced Study "Candid, deep, and truly inspiring, The Shape of a Life is studded with unexpected insights into Yau''s thinking. An extraordinary story about an extraordinary person."--Gish Jen, author of The Girl at the Baggage Claim: Explaining the East-West Culture Gap "The remarkable story of one of the world''s most accomplished mathematicians, Shing-Tung Yau, who has made profound contributions in pure mathematics, general relativity, and string theory. Yau''s personal journey--from escaping China as a youngster, leading a gang outside Hong Kong, becoming captivated by mathematics, to making breakthroughs that thrust him on the world stage--inspires us all with humankind''s irrepressible spirit of discovery."--Brian Greene, author of The Elegant Universe.