John Miller
Carnegie Mellon University
Book Recommendations:
Recommended by John Miller
“Tsing's extraordinary book provides an intimate account of the ecology of the matsutake and the work of the pickers, entrepreneurs and gourmets who bring it into the global economy. As such, The Mushroom at the End of the World is about much more than mushrooms. This is a book, perhaps above all, about the experience of living in precarious times and about life at the edges or in the cracks of the world system of capitalism. . . . A remarkable and elegantly conceived book that well rewards close attention.” (from Amazon)
by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing·You?
by Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing·You?
What a rare mushroom can teach us about sustaining life on a fragile planet Matsutake is the most valuable mushroom in the world―and a weed that grows in human-disturbed forests across the northern hemisphere. Through its ability to nurture trees, matsutake helps forests to grow in daunting places. It is also an edible delicacy in Japan, where it sometimes commands astronomical prices. In all its contradictions, matsutake offers insights into areas far beyond just mushrooms and addresses a crucial question: what manages to live in the ruins we have made? A tale of diversity within our damaged landscapes, The Mushroom at the End of the World follows one of the strangest commodity chains of our times to explore the unexpected corners of capitalism. Here, we witness the varied and peculiar worlds of matsutake commerce: the worlds of Japanese gourmets, capitalist traders, Hmong jungle fighters, industrial forests, Yi Chinese goat herders, Finnish nature guides, and more. These companions also lead us into fungal ecologies and forest histories to better understand the promise of cohabitation in a time of massive human destruction. By investigating one of the world's most sought-after fungi, The Mushroom at the End of the World presents an original examination into the relation between capitalist destruction and collaborative survival within multispecies landscapes, the prerequisite for continuing life on earth.
Recommended by John Miller
“A lot of modern science is applied math. Thus, The Princeton Companion to Applied Mathematics is a remarkable compendium of insight from across the sciences.” (from Amazon)
by Nicholas J. Higham, Mark R. Dennis, Paul Glendinning, Paul A. Martin, Fadil Santosa, Jared Tanner·You?
by Nicholas J. Higham, Mark R. Dennis, Paul Glendinning, Paul A. Martin, Fadil Santosa, Jared Tanner·You?
The must-have compendium on applied mathematics This is the most authoritative and accessible single-volume reference book on applied mathematics. Featuring numerous entries by leading experts and organized thematically, it introduces readers to applied mathematics and its uses; explains key concepts; describes important equations, laws, and functions; looks at exciting areas of research; covers modeling and simulation; explores areas of application; and more. Modeled on the popular Princeton Companion to Mathematics, this volume is an indispensable resource for undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and practitioners in other disciplines seeking a user-friendly reference book on applied mathematics. Features nearly 200 entries organized thematically and written by an international team of distinguished contributorsPresents the major ideas and branches of applied mathematics in a clear and accessible wayExplains important mathematical concepts, methods, equations, and applicationsIntroduces the language of applied mathematics and the goals of applied mathematical researchGives a wide range of examples of mathematical modelingCovers continuum mechanics, dynamical systems, numerical analysis, discrete and combinatorial mathematics, mathematical physics, and much moreExplores the connections between applied mathematics and other disciplinesIncludes suggestions for further reading, cross-references, and a comprehensive index