{"product_id":"the-unimaginable-mathematics-of-borges-library-of-babel","title":"The Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel","description":"The Library of Babel is arguably Jorge Luis Borges' best known story--memorialized along with Borges on an Argentine postage stamp. Now, in \u003cem\u003eThe Unimaginable Mathematics of Borges' Library of Babel\u003c\/em\u003e, William Goldbloom Bloch takes readers on a fascinating tour of the mathematical ideas hidden within one of the classic works of modern literature. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Written in the vein of Douglas R. Hofstadter's Pulitzer Prize-winning \u003cem\u003eG�del, Escher, Bach\u003c\/em\u003e, this original and imaginative book sheds light on one of Borges' most complex, richly layered works. Bloch begins each chapter with a mathematical idea--combinatorics, topology, geometry, information theory--followed by examples and illustrations that put flesh on the theoretical bones. In this way, he provides many fascinating insights into \u003cem\u003eBorges' Library\u003c\/em\u003e. He explains, for instance, a straightforward way to calculate how many books are in the Library--an easily notated but literally unimaginable number--and also shows that, if each book were the size of a grain of sand, the entire universe could only hold a fraction of the books in the Library. Indeed, if each book were the size of a proton, our universe would still not be big enough to hold anywhere near all the books. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e Given Borges' well-known affection for mathematics, this exploration of the story through the eyes of a humanistic mathematician makes a unique and important contribution to the body of Borgesian criticism. Bloch not only illuminates one of the great short stories of modern literature but also exposes the reader--including those more inclined to the literary world--to many intriguing and entrancing mathematical ideas.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWilliam Goldbloom Bloch\u003c\/strong\u003e is Professor of Mathematics at Wheaton College.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Oxford University Press","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50513944281362,"sku":"9780195334579","price":38.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_eb7e81f6-daf4-4628-a701-624ea4d48a16.jpg?v=1730968913","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/the-unimaginable-mathematics-of-borges-library-of-babel","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}