A Mind for Numbers - A Review

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I have heard many people argue they can never succeed in a certain field of study because, they say, “I’m just not a math person.” The idea is that there are fields of knowledge that it requires some innate set of skills to gain any sort of foothold.

For the sake of debate, we might set aside those who are obviously especially gifted at some academic skill. One may, indeed, need to be specially gifted and then extensively trained to discover new proofs of mathematical ideas or originate create solutions to scientific problems. However, not having the capacity to be at the top of a field should not be confused with being unable to grasp the rudimentary aspects of it.

One of the central theses of Barbara Oakley’s book, A Mind for Numbers: How to Excel at Math and Science Even if You Flunked Algebra is that with due diligence, anyone can do well at Math and Science.

The examples tend to be oriented toward technical disciplines, but the reality is that this book is simply trying to teach habits that lead to academic success in any field. In fact, to someone who has done any significant research in metalearning or study habits, there is very little that is not known. Most of the information Oakley outlines is fairly intuitive for the experienced student.

That qualification is the key, though. Experienced students may have struggled through difficulties on their own, had a mentor who provided them guidance (like a parent, sibling, or neighbor), or simply have naturally fallen into a helpful set of habits related to study because of their environment.

Not everyone has the advantage of being homeschooled, having parents who teach and emphasize learning, or that have excelled in school and are able to help break down mental barriers when they arise. A Mind for Numbers is a treasure for those who are trying to figure out studying on their own, attempting to help a student grow when they aren’t really good students themselves, or looking for ways to restructure curriculum to set students up for success. The target audience of the book is high schoolers, but this is the sort of volume that is useful for college students or adult learners trying to retool for a better career, get a new certificate, or conquer a challenge that previously defeated them.

Oakley’s story is intriguing. Though she is now and engineering professor, she once believed she was incapable of doing math. At some point along the way, a family crisis led to an untimely move with an unhelpful teacher in a new school, all of which resulted in Oakley missing some key links in her mathematical understanding that made it hard for her to follow along in later efforts in the subject. Her natural reaction was the “sour grapes” approach, where she decided that math just wasn’t her thing and that was ok because it was a dumb subject anyway. She later enlisted in the Army, became a language specialist, earned a degree in Slavic languages, but came to realize that the career opportunities in that narrow field were quite limited. So, she decided to see if she could retrain herself to love math, and she pursued a degree in engineering. The end result being a lot of work to learn how to learn, a PhD in engineering, and a deep interested in the learning process.

Much of A Mind for Numbers is really just a plan to become a better student through better time management and prioritization techniques. There are no gimmicks about doing special online puzzles to improve spatial reasoning or whatever. Oakley offers explanations on why starting with easy problems, working examples in the textbook, and doing least-liked jobs first are part of getting through new or difficult subjects. There is a mix of practical wisdom and scientific data, along with the fact that the advice does not come from a parent or teacher who is already in an adversarial role. As a result, this might be a book that a struggling student may find helpful. Oakley digs into the brain science of procrastination, of test stress, and overconfidence. She offers some real, proven processes that will benefit most students in most subjects, even if it does not open up doors to a PhD for everyone.

The trick with any methodology is that the individual who needs the new technique has to want to apply it. There is no magic wand to shake over a student who is entirely uninterested in learning or overtly hostile to it. However, in many cases, those who are obstinate about studies often got that way because they weren’t particularly good at it, so Oakley’s book may offer a way to break a stalemate. Or, for the marginal student in a difficult situation, finding A Mind for Numbers in the library (or having it presented by a well-meaning mentor) may provide the beginning of a framework that can change their life.

One of the things I most appreciate about this book is that it does not make excessive promises. Oakley doesn’t promise that everyone can be a quantum physicist. She does, however, offer real hope that everyone can master even difficult scientific and mathematical concepts if they are willing to exert due diligence, apply themselves systematically, and given some of the basic resources necessary to be successful. That’s an honest claim that the book is entirely capable of delivering on.

The Serpent Slayer - A Review

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How do you get biblical theology to your children?

For those of us committed to discipling our children by helping them understand the big picture of Scripture as one narrative of God’s providence from creation to the fall, then through his redemption and final consummation, this can be a daunting task.

Sunday school is a powerful tool, with excellent curricula like LifeWay’s The Gospel Project pounding away at the big picture, reminding youngsters (and the adults that use the curriculum) that every story in the Bible whispers Jesus’ name. It’s good that curricula that teach biblical theology exists and are readily accessible to churches.

But what about the spaces between Sundays and Wednesdays when the Boxcar Kids, Harry Potter, Encyclopedia Brown, and the Animorphs capture our children’s attention? Should we try to backfit some Jesus ideas into those narratives and try to make connections?

There are cases where it can be helpful. Harry Potter is, of course, a type of Christ. J. K. Rowling has admitted as much. But teaching kids about “the Gospel in the Marvel Comic Universe” is a stretch and even the least discerning kids typically recognize it as such.

In a recent book Champ Thornton and Andy Naselli attempt a different approach to providing an imaginative pathway to teaching these basic biblical truths. New Growth Press released The Serpent Slayer early in 2022.

The book is a middle grade level chapter book that follows twins, Nomi and Emmet, as they have a wild adventure where they get sucked into stories that turn out to be part of the biblical story line. There’s a little bit of mystery, a little bit of Never Ending Story, some repentance and moral truth telling, along with unmistakable elements of biblical theology.

The story is carried along with riddles that will likely seem transparent to an educated reader, but which will be engaging for the 9-13 year-old target audience. There are twenty-five concise chapters that keep the plot moving along in the 135 page volume. Readers that have cut their teeth on The Mysterious Benedict Society and similar tomes will find this book a light snack in comparison. But there is some meat in the content, so the authors included a Reader’s Guide at the end that helps make clear the symbolism for kids that need a little help putting the pieces together.

There are elements of magic within the book, which may make some parents skittish. But when this is put in context of the theological grounding that Naselli and Thornton have demonstrated in their other works, there is good reason to expect that the mysterious events remain a devise to move the plot rather than a subject to be explored. In order to be interesting, there needs to be something out of the ordinary as a hook.

The book is intended to be the beginning of a series. There is a fair amount of space invested in introducing the characters. Later books may have opportunity for more thorough character development because the foundation is already laid. As far as tone and quality, this has more of the feel of The Hardy Boys than The Chronicles of Prydain, but at the rate many kids devour literature this is a welcome addition to a church book shelf, a home library, or even as something to request for your local library.

NOTE: I received a gratis copy of this volume from the publisher with no expectation of a positive review.

The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis - A Review

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For some people, another book about C. S. Lewis leaves them scratching their head wondering what else there is to say. For other people, new analysis of Lewis’ grocery shopping habits would be a must read.

I can say that I am much closer to being in the second camp than the first, though I have reached the point in my studies that the mere presence of Lewis’ portrait on the cover or his name in the title of a book are no longer enough to get me excited.

I am, however, excited to have read the recent book on Lewis by Jason Baxter, The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis: How Great Books Shaped a Great Mind. It is a relatively brief volume and it takes up questions that have been explored in other volumes, but it also explores them in ways that I have not encountered in my research in the secondary literature on C. S. Lewis.

Allow me to begin by explaining a few reasons why this book is worth your time and money.

First, it is a concise volume at just over 160 pages. Too many books are about twenty-five percent too long these days. They make their case and then they continue to do so well after their point has been well expressed. Baxter avoids that, leaving the reader interested by the end, which is a gift to the serial reader.

Second, Baxter makes Lewis the main subject of the book not his own research. When writing on a subject has reached a certain critical mass it becomes possible to read a book that claims to be about a topic, but it is really about the author’s interactions with books and articles about the topic instead of the topic itself. The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis interacts with significant segments of the secondary literature, but the majority of the sources are Lewis’ works and the main thrust of the book’s arguments is an interaction with and exposition of C. S. Lewis. This is a volume that leads the reader to Lewis and beyond the author’s own mind.

Third, The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis explores a major aspect of Lewis’ work that is well-deserving of attention. Lewis described himself as a dinosaur, by which he meant that he was really a man of an earlier age, specifically the medieval age. This has been explored to some degree in several biographies of Lewis. It was also the thrust of Chris Armstrong’s book, Medieval Wisdom for Modern Christians. Baxter’s book is distinct from these earlier volumes because it explores some of Lewis’ lesser known works, like Allegory of Love and Discarded Image, while tying those resources to the books that Lewis read, interacted with, and in some cases helped maintain some interest in among contemporary scholars.

The end result is a volume that is a pleasure to read, deepens the readers understanding of Lewis and medieval thought, and connects to some lesser explored aspects of Lewis scholarship.

This is the sort of volume that has significant explanatory power. It helps to explain why Narnia feels different and that when reading Lewis one encounters something deeper than the offerings of much of modernity. Baxter begins by describing the medieval cosmos, then explores Lewis’ deep roots in the scholarship of the era. He then introduces some of the counterpoints between antiquity and modernity, the shifts in the understanding of the human mind and person. Baxter goes on to explore the ways Lewis went beyond the presuppositions of his day to see the wonder of humanity, and the mystery of God. These all contribute to a worldview that tends to tear down barriers build by modern constructs.

The Medieval Mind of C. S. Lewis is an instructive book that may serve for some readers as an introduction to sources often unknown to contemporary readers. For those coming to Lewis anew, being pointed to Boethius and Dante, for example, may open up new worlds for explorations and broader reading lists for continued digging.

Baxter’s book is a good one. It is thoroughly readable and can be consumed by someone without an advanced degree in literature, philosophy, or theology. It is engaging and carefully constructed. For those that love C. S. Lewis, it is a welcome exploration in a cherished topic. This is a book that belongs on the shelf of the Lewis scholar, the teacher hoping to get a student engaged in some deeper thinking. More significantly, it belongs in the hands of a reader hoping to be delighted and broadened through the reading experience.

NOTE: I was provided a gratis copy of this volume with no expectation of a positive review.