Elliptic Functions: An Elementary Text-Book for Students of Mathematics by Baker

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By Abil Kile Posted on Nov 15, 2025
In Category - Romance
Baker, Arthur Latham, 1853-1934 Baker, Arthur Latham, 1853-1934
English
Okay, hear me out. I just finished the most fascinating book—it's about the mathematical patterns hidden inside a simple swinging pendulum. It sounds dry, right? But 'Elliptic Functions' by Arthur Latham Baker is like a detective story. The mystery is this: how do you precisely track something that swings in a perfect arc, like a clock's pendulum or a planet's orbit? The math we all learn in school (sines and cosines) fails here. This book is the case file, showing how 19th-century mathematicians cracked the code with these special, powerful tools called elliptic functions. It's a quiet, brilliant puzzle from a bygone era of pen-and-paper genius.
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Central Portion of MacMonnies Fountain--Effect of Electric Light. HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES FROM THE EARLIEST DISCOVERY OF AMERICA TO THE PRESENT TIME BY E. BENJAMIN ANDREWS CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FORMERLY PRESIDENT OF BROWN UNIVERSITY With 650 Illustrations and Maps VOLUME IV. NEW YORK CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 1912 COPYRIGHT, 1894 AND 1903, BY CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS [Illustration: Scribner's logo.] CONTENTS PERIOD IV CIVIL WAR AND RECONSTRUCTION (Continued) 1860--1868 CHAPTER V. THE STRUGGLE FOR THE MISSISSIPPI VALLEY Three Great Lines of Campaign.—Confederate Posts in Kentucky.—Surrender of Fort Henry.—Siege of Fort Donelson.—Capture.—Kentucky Cleared of Armed Confederates.—Pope Captures Island No. 10.—Gunboat Fight.—Memphis Ours.—Battle of Pittsburg—Landing.—Defeat and Victory.—Farragut and Butler to New Orleans.—Battle.—Victory.—The Crescent City Won.—On to Vicksburg.—Iuka.—Corinth.—Grant's Masterly Strategy.—Sherman's Movements.—McClernand's.—Gunboats pass Vicksburg.—Capture of Jackson, Miss.—Battle of Champion's Hill.—Siege of Vicksburg.—Famine within.—The Surrender. CHAPTER VI. THE WAR IN THE CENTRE Bragg Invades Kentucky.—Buell Saves Louisville.—Battle of Perryville.—Of Stone River.—Losses.—Chickamauga.—Thomas the "Rock of Chickamauga."—Grant to the Front.—Bragg's Movements.—Chattanooga.—The "Battle above the Clouds."—Capture of Missionary Ridge.—Bragg's Army Broken Up.—Grant Lieutenant-General.—Plan of Campaign for 1864-65.—Sherman's Army.—Skirmishes.—Kenesaw Mountain.—Johnston at Bay.—Hood in Command.—Assumes the Offensive.—Sherman in Atlanta.—Losses.—Hood to Alabama and Tennessee.—The March to the Sea.—Living on the Country.—Sherman at Savannah.—Hardee Evacuates.—A Christmas Gift.—The Blow to the Confederacy.—Thomas Crushes Hood.—Sherman Marches North.—Charleston Falls.—Columbia.—Johnston Routed at Bentonville.—Sherman Master of the Carolinas.—Johnston Surrenders. CHAPTER VII. THE VIRGINIA CAMPAIGNS OF 1862--63 McClellan to Fortress Monroe.—Yorktown.—Williamsburg.—Fair Oaks.—Lee in Command.—McDowell Retained at Fredericksburg.—Lee Assumes the Offensive.—Gaines's Mill.—The Seven Days' Retreat.—Malvern Hill.—Union Army at Harrison's Landing.—Discouragement.—McClellan Leaves the Peninsula.—Pope's Advance on Richmond.—Retreat.—Jackson in his Rear.—Second Battle of Bull Run.—Pope Defeated.—Chantilly.—McClellan again Commander.—Lee in Maryland.—South Mountain.—Antietam.—Lee Escapes.—McClellan Removed and Burnside in Command.—Fredericksburg.—The Battle.—Hooker General-in-Chief.—Chancellorsville.—Flank Movement by Jackson.—Battle of May 3d.—Lee in Pennsylvania.—Convergence to Gettysburg.—First Day's Battle.—Second Day.—Third.—Pickett's Charge.—Failure.—Lee Escapes.—Significance of this Battle. CHAPTER VIII. COLLAPSE OF THE CONFEDERACY Grant Comes East.—Battle of the Wilderness.—Flanking.—Spottsylvania.—The "Bloody Angle."—Butler "Bottled Up" at Bermuda.—Grant at the North Anna.—At Cold Harbor.—Change of Base to the James.—Siege of Petersburg.—The Mine.—Washington in Peril.—Operations in Shenandoah Valley.—"Sheridan's Ride."—Further Work at Petersburg.—Distress at the South.—Lee's Problem.—Battle at Five Forks.—Blue-coats in Petersburg.—Davis and his Government Leave Richmond.—Union Army Enters.—Grant Pursues Lee.—The Surrender.—Assassination of President Lincoln.—Johnston Grounds Arms.—Capture of Jefferson Davis. CHAPTER IX. THE WAR ON THE SEA Classification of Naval Deeds.—Our Navy when the War Began.—Enlargement.—Blockading.—Difficulty and Success.—Alternate Tediousness and Excitement.—Blockade-running Tactics.—Expeditions to Aid the Blockade.—To Port Royal.—To Roanoke Island.—Confederate Navy.—The Merrimac.—Sinks the Cumberland, Burns the Congress.—Monitor and Merrimac.—An Era in Naval Architecture and Warfare.—Operations before Charleston.—The Atlanta.—The Albemarle.—Blown Up by Cushing.—Farragut in Mobile Harbor.—Fort Fisher Taken.—Southern Cruisers upon the High Seas.—Destructive.—The Sumter.—The Alabama.—Her Career.—Fights the Kearsarge.—Sinks. CHAPTER X. FOREIGN RELATIONS. FINANCE. EMANCIPATION. Views of the War Abroad.—England's Hostility.—Causes.—The Trent Affair.—Seward's Reasoning.—Great Britain's Breach of Neutrality.—Louis Napoleon's Hypocrisy.—Invasion of Mexico.—Maximilian.—War Expenditure.—How Met.—Duties.—Internal Revenue.—Loans.—Bonds.—Treasury Notes.—Treasurer's Report, July 1, 1865.—Errors of War Financiering.—Confederate Finances.—High Prices at South.—Problem of the Slave in Union Lines.—"Contraband of War."—Rendition by United States Officers.—Arguments for Emancipation.—Congressional Legislation.—Abolition in District of Columbia.—Negro Soldiers.—Preliminary Proclamation.—Final Effects.—Mr. Lincoln's Difficulties.—Republican Opposition.—Abolitionist.—Democratic.—Copperhead.—Yet he is Re-elected. CHAPTER XI. RECONSTRUCTION Delicacy of the Task.—Reasons.—The Main Constitutional Question.—Different Views.—The Other Questions.—Answer.—Periods of Reconstruction.—During War.—President Lincoln.—Johnson.—His Policy.—Carried Out.—Congress Rips up his Work.—Why.—South's Attitude just after War.—Toward Negroes.—XIVth Amendment.—Rejected by Southern States.—Iron Law of 1867.—Carried through.—Antagonism between President Johnson and Congress.—Attempt to Impeach Johnson.—Fails. PERIOD V THE CEMENTED UNION 1868-1888 CHAPTER I. POLITICAL HISTORY OF THE LAST TWO DECADES Grant's First Election.—His Work During Reconstruction.—Its Difficulty.—Bayonet Rule in the South.—The Force Act.—Danger to State Independence.—"Liberal Republican" Movement.—The Greeley Campaign, 1872.—Grant again Elected.—Fresh Turmoil at the South.—Culminates in Louisiana.—Blood Shed.—The Kellogg Government Sustained in that State.—A Solid South.—The Election of 1876.—In Doubt.—The Returns.—The Electoral Commission of 1877.—Hayes Seated.—The Electoral Count Act, 1886.—Hayes's...

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Let's clear something up first: this isn't a novel. There's no protagonist named Ellie Tic. It's a math textbook from 1890. But if you think of the 'story' as the journey of a mathematical idea, it's incredibly compelling.

The Story

The core problem is the 'simple pendulum.' Its swing isn't actually simple to describe mathematically. Normal trigonometry gets you an approximation, but for the real, exact motion, you need a more sophisticated family of functions. This book guides you, step-by-step, from that basic pendulum equation to the definition, properties, and applications of these functions. It shows how they become the master key for a whole class of physical and geometric problems that simpler math can't solve.

Why You Should Read It

Baker's voice is what makes it special. You can feel the excitement of a teacher explaining a profound concept. He doesn't just present formulas; he builds them with you, showing the logical connections. Reading it feels like sitting in a quiet study with a patient, brilliant guide from another century. It's a direct line to how mathematical thinkers operated before computers—pure logic and elegance on the page.

Final Verdict

This is not for the casual reader. It's a serious, old-school math text. But if you're a student of math or physics with some calculus under your belt, or a curious amateur who loves seeing foundational ideas built from the ground up, this is a gem. It's perfect for anyone who wants to understand why certain math exists, not just how to use it. Think of it as historical mathematics, presented with clarity and passion.



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Susan Thomas
3 months ago

If you enjoy this genre, the clarity of the writing makes this accessible. Truly inspiring.

Elizabeth Wright
10 months ago

As someone who reads a lot, it challenges the reader's perspective in an intellectual way. A valuable addition to my collection.

Andrew Brown
6 months ago

I came across this while browsing and it challenges the reader's perspective in an intellectual way. A true masterpiece.

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