Fibonacci
Leonardo Bonacci, the 12th-century Italian mathematician (later known as Fibonacci) who introduced Arabic numerals and the power of zero to the West, is the subject of this thought-provoking novel. This story features Leonardo at two critical junctures in his life, first as a boy in Pisa around 1183 CE and then as a man in the Kingdom of Jerusalem around the time of the Third Crusade.
Leonardo is the son of a wealthy middle-class merchant who makes his money from a customs brokerage house in the Republic of Pisa. His father, a good man who has made his own mark in the world of international commerce, invites Leo to accompany him to Bugia, Algeria, to grow their family business. Leo, a deeply curious and intelligent boy who often contemplates the mysteries of life and his place in it, finds his horizons in Bugia expanding as he is exposed to new ways of thinking. One way that particularly captures his imagination is the speed and precision with which Arab customs brokers, not bound to Roman numerals, can calculate, record, and verify their financial transactions. Thirteen years later, we find Leonardo following his dreams of learning more and leaving a legacy as he moves around the Middle East connecting with Arab intellectuals during a time of increasing militancy.
This novel offers an imaginatively compelling contribution to the historical importance of the Western world adopting Arabic numerals which resonates far beyond an improvement in accounting procedures. The life of musing in this story that Leonardo engages in does, in fact, change the world. Rich in the varying nuances of how people conceive the universe, this book will appeal to readers who not only appreciate historical details and lyrical writing, but who also relish pondering deeper philosophical questions through their reading.
