G. Arnell Williams - Algebra the Beautiful: An Ode to Maths Least-Loved Subject

Writing a book on elementary algebra presented unique and different challenges from writing my first book on arithmetic. The place of arithmetic in the curriculum is rarely questioned even by those who may have struggled with it in school. The same cannot be said of algebra. Algebra in education holds a much more fragile position in the collective psyche of most Americans.

Attempting to improve the perception of the subject in the minds of my students is where I first confronted this challenge head on many years ago. And it is to that large, diverse body of individuals that I owe the greatest thanks for the existence of this book. Their skepticism, intelligence, emotional and conceptual struggles, curiosity, insights, humor, suggestions, and enthusiasm are what have helped to inform and sharpen the techniques and strategies that I have employed over the years.

It is my hope that this book conveys and extends to the printed word some of the excitement and energy from those classroom interactions.

As with any project of this size, the support of others at some point during the process through the reading of drafts, encouragement, advice, and so on has been of the greatest assistance.

Firstly, I would like to warmly thank those who enthusiastically offered their time to read nearly the entire manuscript as it stood at various times. The individuals who gave the full measure were Terri Butler, Mark Pfetzer, Jim Phillips, Brandi Bushman, and Callie Vanderbilt. Their comments from the vantage point of a complete overview of the project were invaluable.

Individuals who read portions of the book and provided valuable commentary include Carl Bickford, John Burris, Carrie Elledge, Mary Fischer, Traci Hales-Vass, Sumant Krishnaswamy, Vonda Rabuck, Jenia Walter, and Jeff Wood.

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Other friends and family who offered advice, support, and encouragement include Shelley Amator, Jim Barnes, Eric Bateman, Angela Bishop, Rachel Black, Amy Jo Bramlett, Sherri Cummins, Anne Cunningham, Mabel Gonzalez, Jane Green, Susan Grimes, Ken Heil, Vicki Holmsten, Ewa Krakowska, Kris Kraly, Karen Kramer, Lynn Lane, Michelle Meeks, Eric Miller, Jon Oberlander, Alicia OBrien, Liam OBrien, Elizabeth Phelps, Gabriela Rivero, Alicia Skipper, Danielle Sullivan, Vernon Willie, and my sister Jennifer Fagbemi.

Much appreciation goes to my coffee shop compatriots: Charlie Travis, Guy Dykes, Louis Eberharter, Susan Girton, David Griffin, Bernard Bro, Cindy Dunnahoo, Lorenzo Brown, Brian Williams, Ed Marquez, Trish Marquez, and the young, energetic, friendly baristas. Their conversation and humor always provided well-needed relief throughout the hours of writing, and I learned a lot from them as well.

Special thanks to Karen Badcock, Carol Jonas-Morrison, Laurie Gruel, and Allan Nass for their friendship, support through my efforts at finding a publisher, spot-on editing of my various communications, and overall wisdom. I cant thank them enough.

A note of particular thanks to David Mumford, who, in addition to taking the time to skim through several of the chapters in the earlier phase of this project (making some helpful suggestions along the way), was also supportive and forthright in his communications with me starting from the time he received a complimentary copy of my first book on up through the present.

Thanks to Michael Schrage for his kind correspondence and words of encouragement on the idea of the book. And to Ian Stewart as well for encouraging me to push forward in my efforts to get this second project published.

Much appreciation to the Textbook and Academic Authors Association for their incredibly informative and friendly conferences that put me in contact with some truly remarkable people. Particular thanks to John Bond for his amazing support and enthusiasm throughout the final years of this project. In addition to his knowledge, his generosity still stands out the most to me. A debt of gratitude is owed to Stephen Gillen for looking over my contract and helping me to understand it down to the last detail.

Great recognition and thanks to my editor T. J. Kelleher, who showed tremendous confidence in this project and me from my initial query right on through the production process. I appreciate it more than I can express. Special thanks to Marissa Koors for her collaborative spirit, enthusiasm, and extremely productive line-edits. It was an enjoyable and challenging intellectual exercise considering and incorporating many of her ideas on how to improve the book. Much gratitude to Charlotte Byrnes for her extremely thorough and detailed copy-editing of the many faces of the book and the comfort this attention to the particulars gave me moving into the final stages of producing the book. Sincerest appreciation to my production editor, Melissa Veronesi, for her creativity, responsiveness, and attention to detail in overseeing the entire production process. Other marvelous staff at Basic Books owed thanks include Amy Boggs, Madeline Lee, Melissa Raymond, Rebecca Lown, Ivan Lett, Jessica Breen, and other production and marketing staff.