Part initiation, part subversive essay, a book of depth and humor about our capacity to construct our own intelligence.

Mathematical talent is often said to be is innate. Yet the greatest mathematicians in history have claimed the exact opposite. Like Einstein, who maintained he had "no special gift," they have told of how they invented their own methods based on intuition and imagination. David Bessis draws from such examples to guide readers toward deeper understanding of mathematical aptitude, reconciling us with its source: the mental plasticity of our childhood. With simple, concrete examples, we find mathematical experiences linked to life's great learning experiences: learning to see, speak, walk, or eat with a spoon. Mathematics is in fact deeply human, concrete, and accessible to all of us.