About Felix Klein, the famous Greek mathematician Constantin Caratheodory once said: "It is only by illuminating him from all angles that one can come to understand his significance." The author of this biography has done just this. A detailed study of original sources has made it possible to uncover new connections; to create a more precise representation of this important mathematician, scientific organizer, and educational reformer; and to identify misconceptions. Because of his edition of Julius Plucker's work on line geometry and due to his own contributions to non-Euclidean geometry, Klein was already well known abroad before he received his first full professorship at the age of 23. By exchanging ideas with his most important cooperation partner, the Norwegian Sophus Lie, Klein formulated his Erlangen Program. Various other visionary programs followed, in which Klein involved mathematicians from Germany and abroad. Klein was the most active promoter of Riemann's geometric-physical approach to function theory, but he also integrated the analytical approaches of the Weierstrass school into his arsenal of methods. Klein was a citizen of the world who repeatedly travelled to France, Great Britain, Italy, the United States, and elsewhere. Despite what has often been claimed, it must be emphasized that Klein expressly opposed national chauvinism. He promoted mathematically gifted individuals regardless of their nationality, religion, or gender. Many of his works have been translated into English, French, Italian, Russian, and other languages; more than 300 supporters from around the world made it possible for his portrait to be painted by the prominent impressionist Max Liebermann. Inspired by international developments, Klein paved the way for women to work in the field of mathematics. He was instrumental in reforming mathematical education, and he endorsed an understanding of mathematics that affirmed its cultural importance as well as its fundamental significance to scientific and technological progress.

Das Buch bietet erstmalig Einsichten in historische und aktuelle Berufsverlaufe von Frauen und Mannern in der Mathematik. Ziel des Buches ist zu zeigen, dass es sich lohnt, Mathematik zu studieren. Das Buch fasst die Ergebnisse einer von der Volkswagenstiftung geforderten interdisziplinaren Studie zusammen, an der Wissenschaftler der Mathematik, der Psychologie und der Mathematikgeschichte beteiligt waren.

Das Buch ist wichtig fur Abiturienten, Berufsberatungsstellen, Bildungspolitik, Mathematikhistoriker und Berufspsychologen."

Briefe zwischen Gelehrten sind eine aufschluAreiche Quelle, um HintergrA1/4nde, ZusammenhAnge und Motive wissenschaftlicher Arbeit aufzudecken. Der vorliegende Band enthAlt eine Auswahl aus der Korrespondenz zwischen den Mathematikern Felix Klein und Adolph Mayer. Wichtigster Gegenstand ihres gemeinsamen Interesses war die Herausgabe der "Mathematischen Annalen," die sich unter ihrer Leitung seit 1875 zu einer der bedeutendsten Fachzeitschriften entwickelten. Die Korrespondenz ermAglicht einen Einblick in wesentliche Bereiche der mathematischen Forschung jener Zeit. Diese Briefe, die hier zum ersten Male gedruckt vorliegen, werden durch eine ausfA1/4hrliche Einleitung sowie durch Fotos und zahlreiche Anmerkungen ergAnzt.