Is Michael Spivak the coolest mathematician ever?
Posted by Raznor

I mean, second to me, Raznor, that is.

I'm currently working my way through Spivak's Comprehensive Introduction to Differential Geometry Vol I (it's nearly 500 pages, and the first installment in a five-volume set, which is what we mathematicians call "pretty fucking comprehensive") and he has quite a number of humorous little lines in there, and I'm only on the first chapter. Included among these:

"For many years I have wanted to write the Great American Differential Geometry book."- pg ix

"After this hassle with point-set topology, we present the long-promised examples of manifolds."- pg 6

"There is one 2-manifold of which mostbudding mathematicians make the acquaintance when they still know more about paper and paste than about metric spaces - the famous Moebius strip."- pg 9-10

And that's as far as I've gotten. I wish I had a picture of the cover to show you, for it is too unbelievably awesome for words.

That is all.