MathFiction: Hamisch in Avalon (Eliot Fintushel)

a list compiled by Alex Kasman (College of Charleston)

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Hamisch in Avalon (1995)

Eliot Fintushel
(click on names to see more mathematical fiction by the same author)
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This story marks the return of the Yiddishe mystic Izzy and his daughter in-law (now a math professor) Hamisch previously encountered in Izzy at the Lucky Three. There isn't as much math in this story, which sees Hamisch misusing Izzy's ukelele (which you'd better pronounce correctly if Izzy's listening!) and winding up in a jousting contest with King Arthur. There are some very real sounding descriptions of the problems that Hamisch is having reconciling her career in math with her marriage, and some nice stuff about the mathematical aspects of instrument tunings dating back to Pythagoras.

This story was published in the Summer 1995 issue of Crank! magazine.

(Note: This is just one work of mathematical fiction from the list. To see the entire list or to see more works of mathematical fiction, return to the Homepage.)

Works Similar to Hamisch in Avalon

According to my `secret formula', the following works of mathematical fiction are similar to this one:

The Grass and Tree by Eliot Fintushel
Izzy at the Lucky Three by Eliot Fintushel
Ylem by Eliot Fintushel
Fillet of Man by Eliot Fintushel
Herbrand's Conjecture and the White Sox Scandal by Eliot Fintushel
Description of a New World, Called The Blazing World by Margaret Cavendish
Fractal Mode by Piers Anthony
The Dreams in the Witch-House by H.P. Lovecraft
Through the Gates of the Silver Key by H.P. Lovecraft / E. Hoffmann Price
The Square Root of Pythagoras by Paul Di Filippo / Rudy Rucker

Ratings for Hamisch in Avalon:

Ratings

Have you seen/read this work of mathematical fiction? Then click here to enter your own votes on its mathematical content and literary quality or send me comments to post on this Webpage.

Mathematical Content:
2/5 (1 votes)

Literary Quality:
4/5 (1 votes)

Categories:

Genre	Science Fiction, Fantasy,
Motif	Female Mathematicians, Music,
Topic
Medium	Short Stories,

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(Maintained by Alex Kasman, College of Charleston)