Conference - Mathematics and Fiction

The British Society for the History of Mathematics is holding a weekend residential meeting on the topic of “Mathematics and Fiction” meeting at Rewley House, Oxford on Saturday 30 and Sunday 31 May 2009. This meeting will explore the various uses of mathematics in fiction – novels about mathematics or mathematicians, and novels based on mathematical structures. We have an outstanding line-up of speakers, including novelists, critics and historians from the UK and USA. Don Knuth will be talking about his /Surreal Numbers/, which is the only time a mathematical theory has first been published in the form of a novel, and novelists participating include Andrew Crumey (“Mobius Dick” and “Sputnik Caledonia”), Nikita Lalwani (“Gifted”), Ann Lingard (“The Embalmer’s Book of Recipes”) and Scarlett Thomas (“PopCo” and “The End of Mister Y”). Contributions will take the form of readings and interviews as well as talks, there will be a bookstall and plenty of opportunities to talk to the writers about their work are planned.

Financial support is available for students wishing to attend – please contact the organiser at the email below.

Contributors are as follows:

    * Melanie Bayley (Oxford), 'Free will and statistics in /Middlemarch/ and /Jude the Obscure/'

    * David Bellos (Princeton), author, /Georges Perec: a life in words/, on the Oulipo

    * William Goldbloom Bloch (Wheaton, Massachusetts), 'Navigating Labyrinths in Jorge Luis Borges' story /The Library of Babel/'

    * Andrew Crumey, novelist, author of /Sputnik Caledonia /and /Mobius Dick/

    * Marilyn Gaull (Boston), 'Romantic numeracy'

    * Dorothy Ker, composer, 'the 19th step: Borges, Maths and Music'

    * Donald Knuth (Stanford) on his novel /Surreal Numbers/

    * Nikita Lalwani, novelist, author of /Gifted /

    * Ann Lingard, novelist, '/The Embalmer’s Book of Recipes/ (with a nervous nod towards quasicrystals)'

    * Mark McCartney (Ulster), 'James Clerk Maxwell: A Poetic Life'

    * Tony Mann (Greenwich), ‘Mathematics and fiction”

    * Scarlett Thomas, novelist, author of /PopCo/ and /The End of Mr Y/

Details, abstracts and biographies, and the registration form can be found here. Early registration is recommended. The meeting is organised by Noel-Ann Bradshaw (Greenwich), Raymond Flood (Oxford) and Tony Mann (Greenwich). If you would like to know more please contact Tony Mann (A.Mann@gre.ac.uk).