Description
From the Dust Jacket Fly Leaf
The mathematical princess, King Cole’s daughter, was such a whiz at numbers that in no time she knew more about mathematics than all her tutors times six. When she was old enough to marry, her father had hard work finding a man smart enough for her. Finally he made a contest: anyone who could stay awake all night listening to the princess lecture on Euclid should have her hand —anyone who fell asleep would lose his head. By the time Walt the shepherd came to try, the heads of many fortune-seekers had already fallen. Walt did not have the wit to follow theorems — but unlike the other would-be suitors he never pretended he could. This lad was more interested in the princess than in the rewards for listening to her talk. Besides, he had talking of his own to do — to tell the princess some of the things she didn’t know: how to catch fish, for instance, and where to look for sloeberries. Before he finished it was already morning, and Walt, though he had yawned a few times at first, had more often smiled and certainly never slept. So by having a heart he kept his head. This and the other stories in the book (“Poor Pumpkin,” “Tung the Master Mason,”‘ “The Witches Who Stole Eyes,” “The Wooden Baby,” and “Hung-wu and the Witch’s Daughter”) have all the qualities that distinguish Robert Nye’s writing: free invention, boisterous humor, a style that is at once extravagant and compressed.
Publishing Info
The Mathematical Princess & Other Stories – with stories by Robert Nye and illustrated by Paul Bruner. From the First American Printing by Hill & Wang in 1972. The ISBN is 0-8090-6806-0. This hardcover book measures 8-3/8″ x 5-5/8″ and has 125 pages with a few b/w illustrations.
Condition
See image above. Former library book with the usual markings. Dust jacket was protected inside plastic sleeve. The boards and pages are in very good condition. No personal names or other markings noted. From clean, smoke-free home.
Shipping
Generally sent the same day payment arrives. Unless you request otherwise, I will wrap the book in plastic wrap to help protect it from the elements, create a custom-made cardboard box to ship it in, and send via Media Mail with Delivery Confirmation tracking. See the shipping page for the cost to send a two-pound Media Mail package. Insurance is an additional cost as described. I am delighted to combine postage and insurance costs if you purchase more than one item. The second item may travel for free or just a few cents more — so it’s worth taking a look at my other items before you complete your order.
Not sure?
If you’d like more information about or photos of The Mathematical Princess & Other Stories, please feel free to contact me. If you don’t think the price is fair, make an offer that is!
See my other children’s books — and ask about the combined-postage discount!
