This book is about Serge's life from childhood until he dies. He lives an idyllic life in the age of the industrial revolution where new machines and science abound and he is fascinated by both in general and by math in particular.
Serge has a very close relationship with his sister Sophie growing up and they spend a lot of their time playing at science experiments and literally blowing things up. They have one of those science kits that were given to kids back then that wouldn't be given to kids today!
Their parents, despite being woefully unaware of their danger seem to be loving and caring parents. The father, Mr. Carrefax, in particular, seems ahead of the times. He is the director of a school for the deaf where he is attempting to teach them to speak and read lips. Serge and Sophie grow up amongst the deaf children at the school and learn to sign even though this is against their father's wishes.
As Serge grows older he goes to war and eventually comes back a morphine addict. He spends quite a bit of time sleazing around wherever he can get a hit, or money for one, but eventually get cleaned up and finds himself on an archeological dig in Egypt via a close family friend.
This book was interesting in a lot of places, but where the author talked about math I just couldn't get into it. I'm not a math person though - and I couldn't follow the discussions, so maybe it was just me. I particularly enjoyed the time he spent in Egypt - but then I've always had a hankering for archeology.
Rating: 7 / 10
ISBN: 9780307593337
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Edition: 1st American Edition
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