Book Review-The Number Devil

Title: The Number Devil

Author: Hans Magnus Enzensberger

Illustrator: Rotraut Susanne Berner

Translated by: Michael Henry Hein

Pubisher: Granta Books

First Published: 1997, in German

ISBN: 978-1-84708-0530

Robert is a twelve year old boy who hates Maths. One night he meets the Number devil in a dream, who changes his perception about Maths.

Each night, Robert meets The Number Devil who shows him that there is more to Mathematics than he thinks. He shows him lots of Math Tricks and theories. He teaches him lots of Math concepts including Fractions, decimals, division, squares, cubes, and their roots, Prime Numbers (and the sieve of Eratosthenes) Fibonacci Numbers, Combinations, Imaginary Numbers, and factorials, in a charming way, all with interesting examples and witty stories.

Very soon, Robert and the Number Devil become friends. Robert looks forward to meet the Number Devil every night. The Number Devil shows him what numbers are, how important they are and what they can do, He tells him that numbers are infinite, and they can be unreasonable.  He gives Robert the proof he needs, and brings the subject to life, illustrating a charming world where numbers can fascinate and amaze.

In the Twelfth Night, the Number Devil comes with a dinner invitation for Robert and takes him to Number Hell/Number Heaven, where he lives.

They meet a lot of Mathematicians and marvel at their inventions. Finally, they have dinner together.

Robert is accepted in the lowest rank of Number Apprentices. The General Secretary gives him a gold chain with a five-pointed star. Then Robert and the Number Devil part their ways…

…Robert’s mother wakes him up in the morning in time for school. The dream is over.

While brushing his teeth, he realizes that he is still wearing the gold chain the General Secretary awarded him with!

At School, when his teacher assigns them a very challenging problem, he uses the gold chain and the tricks he learnt from the Number Devil to solve it.

The Number devil is an amazing book for Students and Teachers alike. Everyone who has an interest in Maths (and those who do not) should read it.