If someone said to you, “I have a great book on math and virtue,” you might imagine a dry, niche read that only appeals to the most devout math or philosophy enthusiasts. Mathematics for Human Flourishing by Francis Su is about math and virtue; however, it is anything but dry. Easy to read, funny, and clever, Mathematics for Human Flourishing not only makes a case for the beauty of math, it also promotes a view of education that is deeply human and inspiring.

In addition to explanations of how the way one studies math can cultivate virtues and promote things such as meaning, justice, and community, Su intersperses mathematical brain teasers at the end of each chapter, giving the reader practice at the sort of mathematical exploration and play he is describing. Throughout the book there are also excerpts from letters written to Su by Christopher Jackson, an inmate in a federal prison who contacted Su to ask for help learning math. This structure of the book, along with the content, creates a reading experience that nourishes the mind and soul as one considers what it means to be human and humane.

Those who have tasted beauty and its virtues will welcome practice as a way to taste it again and again. For when we experience beauty that stirs us, we long for more. Of all the virtues cultivated by mathematical beauty, this may be the most important one of all: the disposition toward beauty. … A disposition toward mathematical beauty is the engine of mathematical persistence.

Francis Su