2019, book 1: Trolling Euclid, Tom Wright

Trolling Euclid: an irreverent guide to nine of mathematics' most important problems, Tom Wright

A cute introduction to number theory and its most famous unsolved problems.

Perhaps the humour is a bit forced (and the title and cover are disappointingly simpleminded), but the expositions are great. Makes me want do maths again!

15, 16: Last two books of 2018

15: Japanese Nudes and the amateur photographer, George Nikolaidis

Meh.

16: A Year in Paris, John Baxter

More meh. I received an uncorrected proof copy for review.

A collection of essays, some of which deal with Paris.

The Republican calendar forms a weak recurring theme, but it does not bind the whole together. The result is a book that is a messy and confusing olio of thoughts vaguely related to France and the seasons, and that leaves one to wonder whether John Baxter simply ran out of interesting things to write about.

The most interesting bit to me was the passing mention of Jazz in France during the occupation. In particular, a listing of artists enjoyed by the Germans and an anecdote about Dietrich Schulz-Köhn (pp 282-285).

The list of artists, with the perhaps surprising mention of Lunceford:

My guide to the bunker proudly informed me that his father, who had projected films for the Germans, also found the music they most enjoyed, scouring the city and surrounding districts for records by American big bands, in particular Count Basie, Duke Ellington, and Jimmie Lunceford.

The anecdote about Schulz-Köhn:

"You know," said the curator of the bunker [museum], "we had that Doktor Jazz down here."
"Schultz-Köhn?" [sic] I said. "What was he doing in La Rochelle?"
"Something to do with the surrender. He didn't make a very good impression on the Americans, I think."
"Why?"
"Apparently he asked if they had any Benny Goodman records."