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Two reviews of Fermat's Last Theorem: Unlocking the Secret of an Ancient Mathematical Problem, by Amir D. Aczel: "Finding Buried Treasure in Beautiful Mathematics," by Richard Bernstein, New York Times, 16 December 1996; "The History of a Conundrum," by Jim Holt, Wall Street Journal, 25 November 1996.
Running only 147 pages, Aczel's book presents the history of Fermat's Last Theorem, starting with the origins of the problem in Babylonian mathematics and ending with the recent proof of the result by Andrew Wiles. Bernstein praises Aczel's book for the "sense of awe that Mr. Aczel imparts for the hidden, mystical harmonies of numbers." Although Bernstein found it difficult to understand some of the passages describing elements of Wiles' proof, he nevertheless called the book "well worth the effort." Holt's review of the book praises it for clarity, conciseness, and a "surprising amount of drama," but expresses wonder that such a fuss has been made over a theorem with so little usefulness. "The whole arsenal of higher math is hauled out to dispatch a mere curiosity," writes Holt.
-Allyn Jackson
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