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MathematicsScienceDecision Making

How Not to Be Wrong

by Jordan Ellenberg · 2014

Jordan Ellenberg's book about mathematical thinking, uncertainty, and the hidden math behind everyday judgment.

Recommended by 2 people

Why this author is included

Jordan Ellenberg · Mathematician and author

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Who recommends it

2 people have recommended How Not to Be Wrong. Each entry links to the source.

Bill Gates portrait in 2018 Bill GatesCo-founder, Microsoft; philanthropist
The book's larger point is that, as Ellenberg writes, 'to do mathematics is to be, at once, touched by fire and bound by reason'-and that there are ways in which we're all doing math, all the time.
Recommended · Exact quote Source: TIME
Evidence details 5 Books Bill Gates Wants You to Read This Summer

Gates included How Not to Be Wrong on his 2016 summer reading list and emphasized its case for everyday mathematical thinking.

The quote is taken word for word from the source.

TIME · 2016-05-17 · accessed 2026-06-20

Article · Gates Notes list via TIME

TIME reports Gates's 2016 Gates Notes summer list and quotes his comments on How Not to Be Wrong.

Portrait unavailable for Chip Huyen Chip HuyenAI engineer and ML systems educator

Huyen includes this work among her favorite engineering books and provides a positive personal review in her own reader-facing list.

Recommended · Wording not verified Source: Chip Huyen
Evidence details Books that made me think (as an engineer)

Personal engineering reading list. The Society of Mind is misspelled as Minds in the source; its canonical title is independently verified. Recommendations are separate from Huyen’s authored books.

This text documents what the source says, but it is not verified as a word-for-word quote.

Chip Huyen · 2022-12-27 · accessed 2026-10-05

Article · Personal favorite engineering books

Huyen includes this work among her favorite engineering books and provides a positive personal review in her own reader-facing list.

About the author

What the author has done, shown separately from who recommends the book.

Jordan EllenbergMathematician and author

Mathematician at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of popular mathematics books.

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