Infinite series in a history of analysis. Stages up to the verge of summability (Q2251491)

The author is professor emeritus of mathematics at the University of Marburg and a distinguished writer on the history of analysis. His book ``The phantastic story of analysis'' [Die phantastische Geschichte der Analysis. Ihre Probleme und Methoden seit Demokrit und Archimedes. Dazu die Grundbegriffe von heute. München: Oldenbourg Verlag (2009; Zbl 1188.26002)] appeared in 2009 and has experienced a second edition recently. Since limitation theory was the main area of expertise of the author it is quite natural that now a history of summability is published. The book is written with the wit and humour for which the author is known. The history of summability is given from first steps in Greek antiquity to Nicole Oresme, Fermat, and Leibniz. In the third chapter, sequences and series of functions are looked at as they occur in the works of Newton, Euler, Cauchy, before, in the fourth chapter, the ``Greek comet'' reappears with the new rigor of the 19th century. The works of Dirichlet, Heine, Abel, Weierstraß are discussed before divergent series appear in Chapter 5 under the modern viewpoint of summability issues. The mathematics is rigorously presented as is the history of the individual achievements in the theory of summability. This is one of the rare books on the history of an important mathematical subject written by a mathematician of reputation. The book is very well written and it is a work on the mathematics of summability as well as on its history. The reviewer's own book on the history of analysis [3000 Jahre Analysis. Geschichte, Kulturen, Menschen. Vom Zählstein zum Computer. Berlin: Springer (2011; Zbl 1225.01002)] is cited but missing in the bibliography. This, however, is a minor error and does not spoil the overall positive impression of this work. For a reader working in analysis or/and its history the book should be put in reach on one's bookshelf.