A classic work in the literature of the history of mathematics. First published in 1949, it is a survey of the mathematical discoveries and work of significant figures who are not primarily known as mathematicians. It is a scholarly introduction to the lives and circumstances of these people.

This unique history surveys the mathematical contributions of numerous individuals noted mainly for their groundbreaking activities in other fields. It evaluates the discoveries of such luminaries as Plato, Leonardo da Vinci, Omar Khayyam, Jan de Witt, Denis Diderot, William George Horner, Antoine Arnauld, and many others, providing fascinating information on their lives and circumstances. The book also includes a valuable introductory essay by Professor Jeremy Gray, who comments on changes that have taken place in the study of history and mathematics since the initial publication of this classic work in 1949.

'the reader will find a good deal here ... The Mathematics of Great Amateurs has stood the test of time to become an essential reference on the shelf of every working historian of mathematics. It remains a delightful "read" for the general mathematician with even a passing interest in the development of the subject.' David M. Burton, University of New Hampshire, The Mathematical Intelligencer, Vol. 14, No. 3, 1992