Thanks to Netgalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of this!

Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me. When reading non-fiction I definitely aim for relaxed, pop science vibes over more academic reading, and this felt a little too difficult to read. I have a math degree, though it's been 10+ years since I graduated, but I would've thought that anything for the general reader on math would feel pretty comfortable, this was not. I did attempt to pick up the ebook a couple times, and ended up going back to the audiobook because hearing it was easier to process for me, so I'm glad I had that format. The author was fine to listen to as the narrator. If you don't mind a little more thinking with your reading, you might enjoy this a lot more!

Informative but accessible, I highly recommend listening to Antonio Padilla tell you about the Google, black holes, how Usain Bolt time traveled just a bit, and more. I didn’t understand all of it, but I felt smarter for having read it, and Padilla does a great job of breaking huge concepts down to digestible chunks. Great for the layperson who is interested in really exceptional numbers and physics.

Thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the audiobook ARC!

As a science nerd, I was excited to listen to this book about extraordinary numbers that help explain our world. And as I got into it, I was awed by how the author made some really difficult-to-understand concepts seem approachable. The author also provides terrific narration, which is difficult to do, and always appreciated.

While my personal enjoyment of Fantastic Numbers and Where to Find Them falls closer to the 3-3.5 star range, the quality of the book demands a 4th star.

Math and physics have never been strengths of mine. I did ok in my high school classes, but I’ve always been more of a reader. However, in high school I also took an interest in the fun math side of YouTube on channels like ViHart and Numberphile, where Padilla made regular appearances to explain many of the numbers now featured in entire chapters of this book. With an open mind and the author to narrate the audiobook to me himself, I felt prepared to dive into something outside my comfort zone.

I was interested despite my lack of prior knowledge, and this tension ultimately became a sticking point throughout Fantastic Numbers. I found myself trying to follow along with the hundreds of imaginative situations necessary to explain some very complex topics in math and physics, but in almost every chapter I came to a point where I just couldn’t wrap my mind around it.

Nonetheless, I persevered and truly enjoyed the book. Behind every number and every problem, there’s a cultural and academic history that Padilla highlights in a way that lends a human appeal to largely abstract concepts. For anyone like myself, I recommend rolling with the punches to appreciate the story behind the numbers. For anyone with a decent grasp on the fundamentals of math and physics, I’m sure you will find this book accessible and mind-blowing!

Thank you to NetGalley for the eARC audiobook!

Well this was something else.

I was 100% trapped by the title. It’s amazing and I needed to read this. Im not a numbers person in the slightest, but I found that this gave me plenty to consider and think about. It definitely shared some facts that I didn’t know, the personal stories included made it feel less like throwing out facts and more like sharing stories around facts and the narration was spot on.

I received the audio version from NetGalley and it was definitely worth the listen. It’s enjoyable even for those of us that struggle with numbers (like myself).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s remarkable how someone so smart can make something so difficult so approachable for even the most math-challenged reader. I’m the kind of person who has to use Excel for even the most basic additions and yet I understood mostly everything in this fascinating book. There’s history, art, cultural references and simple examples to explain even quantum physics. Padilla uses everything from golf balls, bottles of wine or even relationships amongst people to make the most extraordinary concepts relatable and easy to grasp. He is also the narrator of his own audiobook, so you know you’re getting the ideas straight from his head. I wasn’t sure about getting the audio version, since sometimes it’s easier to see the numbers and equations written down but, to be honest, I don’t think it matters to laypeople as much. There is so much physics, about the universe and how it works, even if no one really knows why. Seriously, if I understood this book, anyone can read it and it’s worth the effort. The concepts explored here are mind-blowing (and I’m not talking about Graham’s number. From zero to infinity, this book shows how wonderful numbers are. I loved it!
I chose to listen to this audiobook and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, #NetGalley/#Macmillan Audio!

Like many book reviews about this title describe it, it is indeed fun and dazzling! Antonio Padilla explores nine of the most strange and extraordinary numbers that gives the reader physical insights into the reality of our universe.
I thoroughly enjoyed the way the concepts in this book are presented to the reader, especially the interactive format of the table of contents that are full of fascinating references. Padilla has done an excellent job at bringing such complex phenomenon to life for all types of readers to enjoy.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a very good book.

A fun math-meets-physics book.

You can just read Padilla's passion for numbers in this book, and the awe he has for maths.

There is a sense of wonder in this book, and I really appreciated it.

I have been on a mathematics and algorithm kick of books lately and this book was a great addition.

Would recommend!

3.8/5