I received this book when I was 12, when I was a junior in college (physics)I finaly understood the importance of the symbology of the last page (the Maxwell equations). It exposed so much math to me that after years (decades) it is still helping me to visualize applications of math from mapping, to fibbinoci numbers, to everything.

Why don't they update it and redo?

I bought this book when I was, probably, 13. Until then Ihad no idea that there was so much more to the world of mathematicsthan arithmetic. I have never seen a better book to give a youngster a peek at the world of mathematics.

Over thirty years ago, I was in fourth grade, a below average student, getting C's and under in math. I received a copy of Irving Adler's "Magic House of Numbers," read it, and it just clicked. My grades in math jumped up to A's and didn't drop. Everything else improved: My overall motivation to learn, my esteem, my life. I really would like to give a copy of this book to all children who are struggling in math.

I can't believe this is out of print. I read this book first when I was about 13 or 14 and found it fascinating.

I reread it many years later and it was still interesting. The book presents an argument for why we need all those kinds of numbers (integers, reals, imaginary, complex...) and does so in a straightforward and elegant way. Make no mistake, it is NOT a mathematics textbook - there are no systematic proofs - but it presents solid reasons for adding different kinds of numbers.

The book starts with the counting numbers, then shows why we need zero, negative numbers, fractions (rational numbers), irrational numbers, imaginary numbers and complex numbers.

Hopefully it will be reprinted someday... I'll certainly buy a copy.