"A lively biography of Archimedes . . . driven by a desire both to make Archimedes an exception in ancient science and to link him to the modern era."

Times Literary Supplement

“An engaging account of the life and legacy of Archimedes of Syracuse. . . . Nicastro presents Archimedes’s ideas and achievements with admirable clarity.”

Liba Taub, director and curator of the Whipple Museum of the History of Science, University of Cambridge

"An enthralling account of the wider cultural context in which Archimedes lived and worked. Nicastro is particularly good at debunking some of the myths surrounding one of the greatest figures in the history of science."

David Acheson, author of 'The Calculus Story' and 'The Spirit of Mathematics'

"The people and places around Archimedes—and the genius of the man himself—come back to life in technicolor in this marvelously vivid biography. I especially enjoyed Nicastro’s comments on ancient historical sources. He retells familiar stories with verve and fresh insight and provides quite a few laughs along the way."

Steven Strogatz, author of 'Infinite Powers'