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Title: The Mystery of Numbers (Oxford Paperbacks) by Annemarie Schimmel, Franz Carl Mysterium Der Zahl Endres ISBN: 0-19-508919-7 Publisher: Oxford Press Pub. Date: March, 1994 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $17.95 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.25 (4 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: The Mysterious Figures 13
Comment: There are figures that appear in philosophy, religion, stories, poems and local customs that embody more than their numerical significance, and they are thus referred to as "mysterious" or "magical" figures or formulae. Most of these figures are odd numbers, and a few are the sum or multiples of "mysterious" numbers. For example, the number 13 is considered of special significance by the Han and Tibetan ethnic groups.
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THE FIGURE 13 IN CHINA AND THE WEST.
¡¡ In some Western nations the number 13 is regarded as unlucky. In the Netherlands, for example, it is difficult to find a house numbered 13, and in theaters in the United Kingdom and the United States there are no rows or seats numbered 13. When it is necessary to have 13, "2A" is often used as a substitute. People often avoid going out on the 13th of the month and never have 13 people seated for supper. The Tibetans, however, regard the number 13 as holy. According to King Gesar, the world's longest epic, when Gesar was born he held 13 flowers in his hands, walked 13 steps and vowed to become a Buddha at 13. Indeed, when he was 13, he was victorious in a horse race, married and became king of the state of Ling. Also according to King Gesar, Gesar had 13 concubines and 13 Buddhist guardians, and in the state of Ling under his rule there were 13 snowy mountains, 13 mountain ridges, and 13 lakes.
Rating: 4
Summary: An anthology of mysterious numbers
Comment: What are the roots of the divine "Trinity" concept or what is the secret meaning of Buddha's 3 bodies? Why was Amon-Ra called "The Lord of 4 directions" or why had the god Shiva 4 arms? What is the significance of number 5 in pentagram? Why the star of Israel had six corners? How come the number 13 is believed to bring bad luck in some traditions while in Mayan culture it is one of the essential numbers? Annemarie Schimmel, a specialist on Eastern philosophies, presents a very interesting and entertaining anthology of mysterious numbers in "The Mystery of Numbers". The book follows a linear path and begins with "Number 1" and passes several "stations" of curious numbers along the way. It also has an introduction that gives a summary about the numbering systems of various cultures. You can either keep it on your bookshelf to consult for some specific numbers from time to time, or you can carry it in your pocket and have your daily fun.
Rating: 5
Summary: Complex and Intricate Mysteries Unraveled
Comment: This is a rather odd but very enjoyable book. It begins with a very brief introduction to different number systems and beliefs about numbers, covering the Pythagoreans, gnosticism, the Cabala, Islamic mysticism, medieval numerology and numerical puzzles. The bulk of the book is a kind of encyclopedia of numbers: each of the numbers up to 21 gets its own chapter; after that they are dealt with "en masse".
Each chapter is an unordered and unstructured compilation of beliefs about the subject number, mostly drawn from Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Unfortunately, there is no attempt at cross-cultural comparative analysis or at relating beliefs about numbers to other symbolic systems.
This book might better serve as a reference rather than a complete read. It is very interesting but might be too much for one reading.
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Title: Medieval Number Symbolism : Its Sources, Meaning, and Influence on Thought and Expression by Vincent Foster Hopper ISBN: 0486414302 Publisher: Dover Pubns Pub. Date: 18 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $9.95 |
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Title: Number Words and Number Symbols : A Cultural History of Numbers by Karl Menninger ISBN: 0486270963 Publisher: Dover Pubns Pub. Date: 05 May, 1992 List Price(USD): $16.95 |
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Title: The Study of Numbers : A Guide to the Constant Creation of the Universe by R. A. Schwaller de Lubicz ISBN: 0892811129 Publisher: Inner Traditions Intl Ltd Pub. Date: October, 1986 List Price(USD): $10.95 |
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Title: Being Jewish by Ari L. Goldman ISBN: 0684823896 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Pub. Date: 05 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $25.00 |
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Title: The Universal History of Numbers : From Prehistory to the Invention of the Computer by Georges Ifrah ISBN: 0471393401 Publisher: John Wiley & Sons Pub. Date: 22 September, 2000 List Price(USD): $22.95 |
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