Reviews
A spiky, observant writer, with a lethal wit'
Scotland on Sunday
McCabe is a delightful poet with a serious sense of play'
Sunday Herald
About the Book
Brian McCabe's fourth poetry collection is an inventive exploration of the world of numbers. With playfulness and poise, McCabe brings mathematics to life through a range of voices: a newsreader reports on the government's introduction of the new number through, a mafia boss invents Roman numerals, a fisherman gives his sardonic take on Pythagorus, and a monkey sheds light on the Golden Mean. Re-imaginings of the lives of mathematicians such as Riemann, Moebius and Napier sit alongside witty and thought-provoking interpretations of numbers: eleven is a pre-teen sulking in his room, while twin primes are portrayed as detained refugees under interrogation. Appealing to readers of poetry and number-lovers alike, "Zero" is a compelling and bravura performance from a poet at the height of his powers.