One does not have to read very many of the papers in this collection to be extremely impressed by the mathematical and writing abilities of Menachem Schiffer. The combined thickness of these two volumes as well as the use of the word “selected” in the title strongly reinforces this impression.
Volume 1 opens with a list of the Schiffer publications, the doctoral students of Schiffer, a chronology of his life and a series of very brief testimonials to Schiffer. Given his impact on mathematics, it is surprising that only 10 pages are devoted to this topic.
The remainder is devoted to reprints of Schiffer’s papers, some of which appear in the original German and French although the majority are in English. Most are followed by a commentary that is in English and approximately one page in length.
Many books about people that had a significant impact on mathematics have a great deal of ink devoted to the person. That is not the case here. Reading these books will expose you to the mathematical output of Menachem Schiffer, but you will learn very little about his life. Given that he left Germany for Palestine in 1933 as a consequence of the rise of the Nazi Party in Germany, there are no doubt some very interesting stories that could be told.
Charles Ashbacher splits his time between consulting with industry in projects involving math and computers, teaching college classes and co-editing The Journal of Recreational Mathematics. In his spare time, he reads about these things and helps his daughter in her lawn care business.
Comments
Review of Menahem Max Schiffer: Selected Papers, Volume 1
Readers who share the concerns expressed by the reviewer in his final paragraph will undoubtedly find the semi-autobiographical piece with which Volume 2 concludes of particular interest.