I Want to Be a Mathematician: An Automathography in Three Parts

A Fantastic Book -- this 400+ page manuscript nicely mixes mathematical science with a historical view of the development (1930's through early 1980's) of mathematical research in the United States. This book is highly readable, extremely enjoyable and quite straightforward with details and opinions. One gets a first hand insight into how the author approached his research, his career, and his life. Halmos has always been a brilliant and skillful writer but his contributions have mostly been in the technical arena; this time he has provided a volume we can all enjoy. I found it difficult to put this book down once I began its reading.