page_title: The Number Devil
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: The Number Devil / History
caption_attribution_description: English: Hans Magnus Enzensberger (b. 1929), German writer
context_page_description: The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure is a book for children and young adults that explores mathematics. It was originally written in 1997 in German by Hans Magnus Enzensberger and illustrated by Rotraut Susanne Berner. The book follows a young boy named Robert, who is taught mathematics by a sly "number devil" called Teplotaxl over the course of twelve dreams.
  The book was met with mostly positive reviews from critics, approving its description of math while praising its simplicity. Its colorful use of fictional mathematical terms and its creative descriptions of concepts have made it a suggested book for both children and adults troubled with math. The Number Devil was a bestseller in Europe, and has been translated into English by Michael Henry Heim.
context_section_description: Enzensberger fostered a passion for mathematics and numbers, although he was not a mathematician by trade. In 1998, he delivered a speech at the International Congress of Mathematicians criticizing the isolation of mathematics from popular culture. The Number Devil was ultimately written on suggestion from Enzensberger's eleven-year-old daughter Theresia. Because he was displeased with the way mathematics was taught to students at school, the German author decided to pen a book that teaches mathematics in an innovative way. German illustrator Rotraut Susanne Berner provided many full-page illustrations, as well as smaller drawings, for the book. The Number Devil was first published in German in 1997. The Number Devil has been noted for its unorthodox abandonment of standard notation; instead, Enzensberger created a variety of fictional terms to  help describe mathematical concepts. For instance, exponentiation takes the term hopping, and the fictional term unreasonable numbers was coined for irrational numbers.  The UCLA Professor of Slavic Languages Michael Henry Heim translated the book from German to English. The translation was particularly difficult in that it required special attention to the numerical aspect of the book. He was also challenged by the necessity to use simple English words appropriate for the target audience of The Number Devil—that is, children aged eleven to fourteen. The mathematics book was then published in English in 1998.
  The book was a hit across Europe, becoming a best seller in at least Spain, Germany, the Netherlands,  and Italy.  The Number Devil also had considerable success in Japan. After the success of The Number Devil, Enzensberger wrote a follow-up, called Where Were You, Robert?, a children's book focusing on history rather than math. The German author has since stated he will not write any more young adult's books, but instead direct his effort towards poetry. Viva Media later published an educational computer game, similarly titled The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure, based on the book. An audiobook was also released for The Number Devil.
caption: Hans Magnus Enzensberger
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