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Much Ado About Numbers: Shakespeare’s Mathematical Life and Times
Open a new portal into Shakespeare’s words—and his Renaissance life—with math and numbers as your key
“Highly readable. . . . Shakespeare’s surprising yet unsurprising mathematical sophistication led to some of his most creative feats.”―Bloomberg
How does division feature in Juliet’s parting scene?
Why was it hazardous to play with dice?
How did audiences get to the Globe on time?
Which of Galileo’s discoveries has a cameo in Cymbeline?
Were cryptic messages hidden in the First Folio?
“Highly readable. . . . Shakespeare’s surprising yet unsurprising mathematical sophistication led to some of his most creative feats.”―Bloomberg
Shakespeare’s era was abuzz with mathematical progress, from the new concept of “zero” to Galileo’s redraft of the heavens. Now, Rob Eastaway uncovers the many surprising ways math shaped Shakespeare’s plays—and his world—through astronomy, code-breaking, time-keeping, navigation, music, games, and more.
How does division feature in Juliet’s parting scene?
Why was it hazardous to play with dice?
How did audiences get to the Globe on time?
Which of Galileo’s discoveries has a cameo in Cymbeline?
Were cryptic messages hidden in the First Folio?
And why did Shakespeare make so much ado about “nothing”?
Full of delights for devotees of both Tudor history and the Bard, Much Ado About Numbers is proof that the arts and sciences have always danced together.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published September 10, 2024
37 people are currently reading
3641 people want to read
About the author
Rob Eastaway
47 books31 followersRobert Eastaway is an author who is active in the popularisation of mathematics. He is a former pupil of The King's School, Chester, England and has a degree in Engineering and Management Science from the University of Cambridge. He was President of the UK Mathematical Association for 2007/2008. Eastaway is a keen cricket player and was one of the originators of the International Rankings of Cricketers. He is also a former puzzle-writer for the New Scientist magazine and he has been involved in live mathematics shows on Virgin Radio (now Absolute Radio). He is the Director of Maths Inspiration, a national programme of maths lectures for teenagers which involves some of the UK’s leading maths speakers such as Simon Singh and Colin Wright.
Robert Eastaway's titles appear under the name "Rob Eastaway" in the UK and some other countries.
Robert Eastaway's titles appear under the name "Rob Eastaway" in the UK and some other countries.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
August 25, 2024
Oh, how happy am I to have found this book!!! Shakespeare + Numbers + Music + Words + language + Science + Pencils and soooooo much more! Accessible, even my 10+ grandkids will be soon possessed of Mr. Eastaway's incredible book. . . .
This book is a MUST for anyone who loves Shakespeare, numbers, shapes, colors, calendars, words we use every single day, days of the week, leap years, quarto printing on one sheet (did it myself), games - origin of games, useful appendices, Tudor academia, music, music, music (which is one of the maths) and the Seven Ages of Man. . .
For me this read was a multi-epiphany, or as Oberon says. .
And certain stars shot madly from their spheres. . . .
I'm buying this book for all my peeps. Brace yourselves, people. Do NOT miss this book. No library should be without a bunch of copies. (Note: read it with a pad and pen ready - you are going to want to work things out on paper - for fun!)
*A sincere thank you to Rob Eastaway, The Experiment, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #MuchAdoAboutNumbers #NetGalley 52:28
This book is a MUST for anyone who loves Shakespeare, numbers, shapes, colors, calendars, words we use every single day, days of the week, leap years, quarto printing on one sheet (did it myself), games - origin of games, useful appendices, Tudor academia, music, music, music (which is one of the maths) and the Seven Ages of Man. . .
For me this read was a multi-epiphany, or as Oberon says. .
And certain stars shot madly from their spheres. . . .
I'm buying this book for all my peeps. Brace yourselves, people. Do NOT miss this book. No library should be without a bunch of copies. (Note: read it with a pad and pen ready - you are going to want to work things out on paper - for fun!)
*A sincere thank you to Rob Eastaway, The Experiment, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #MuchAdoAboutNumbers #NetGalley 52:28
January 27, 2026
Shakespeare Scholar/Hobbyist who writes a fun little book about the mathematics of Shakespeare — How does it feel to live my dream?
Read
December 31, 2024Audiobook. I really have few feelings about this book
April 14, 2025
As I'm reading my way through the Shakespeare titles I've decided to take some diversions. I found this book (while striking out on finding a copy of Henry VIII), and had to jump in. I have to admit, though, that when sitting at my son's guitar lessons reading a book about both Shakespeare and math at the same time, I do believe I am the biggest nerd in the room.
Nerd on, MacDuff.
While I found all of this book fascinating, there were a few items that stood out. One stood out for practical purposes. In preparation for a book I'm writing, I have been reading a number of 17th century wills. I had been confused about a certain numbering system appearing in wills, i.e., the use of ij, iij, iiij, etc. One simple explanation - the "j" was used as a closer to prevent anybody from adding extra numbers (Roman numerals) to the ends of entries - opened up a world of understanding about the numbers of horses, cows, pigs and bushels of potatoes left behind.
I think, too, the notion of just how much Shakespeare understood math adds another dimension to our lack of understanding of who he really was. The author points out at the start of the book that the Bard used a highly poetic term - "eight score eight" - to describe the number of hours in a week. Most of us don't know how many there are. He did, and expressed it as poetry. Furthermore, his ability to dive into various themes, such as accounting, and speak proficiently about them makes us wonder how he knew so much; was he an accountant on the side?
The author also repeatedly brings our attention to the facts of the day. Everything we learn about Shakespeare and his mathematical knowledge is placed into the context of early 17th century Europe, where, for instance, they believed there were only three colors in a rainbow. We're reminded that Shakespeare was a man ahead of his time (and yes, there is a section on time).
Reading Shakespeare can become a rabbit hole adventure. Plenty of people go far too deep into conspiracy theories. My question is, why? There's so much fun to play with on the surface to keep us all interested for our entire lives!
Nerd on, MacDuff.
While I found all of this book fascinating, there were a few items that stood out. One stood out for practical purposes. In preparation for a book I'm writing, I have been reading a number of 17th century wills. I had been confused about a certain numbering system appearing in wills, i.e., the use of ij, iij, iiij, etc. One simple explanation - the "j" was used as a closer to prevent anybody from adding extra numbers (Roman numerals) to the ends of entries - opened up a world of understanding about the numbers of horses, cows, pigs and bushels of potatoes left behind.
I think, too, the notion of just how much Shakespeare understood math adds another dimension to our lack of understanding of who he really was. The author points out at the start of the book that the Bard used a highly poetic term - "eight score eight" - to describe the number of hours in a week. Most of us don't know how many there are. He did, and expressed it as poetry. Furthermore, his ability to dive into various themes, such as accounting, and speak proficiently about them makes us wonder how he knew so much; was he an accountant on the side?
The author also repeatedly brings our attention to the facts of the day. Everything we learn about Shakespeare and his mathematical knowledge is placed into the context of early 17th century Europe, where, for instance, they believed there were only three colors in a rainbow. We're reminded that Shakespeare was a man ahead of his time (and yes, there is a section on time).
Reading Shakespeare can become a rabbit hole adventure. Plenty of people go far too deep into conspiracy theories. My question is, why? There's so much fun to play with on the surface to keep us all interested for our entire lives!
January 8, 2026
A cute little book that's as much social history and etymology as it is about maths (fortunately)
May 6, 2025
A fascinating jaunt through the history of mathematical discovery in the late Elizabethan era. The author is good at explaining concepts in conversational terms, clarifying where needed without getting bogged down in overly detailed explanations, making it an engaging and accessible read even for someone with only basic mathematical knowledge. He also keeps things grounded in real-world usage and covers a wide range of topics, from astronomy to magic to the history of the pencil, which had me engrossed in topics I'd never even considered before. Definitely the sort of book that leaves you well-stocked with nerdy cocktail party factlets for quite some time.
September 17, 2024
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! A mathmetician analyzes some of the many, many uses of math and numbers in Shakespeare. He also explains many aspects of the history and development of math and science in Shakespeare's time, which were almost all new to me. The book has short chapters and was a quick, fun read.
As an accountant and someone who is definitely not an expert but who certainly loves to learn about Shakespeare, this was a great book for me.
As an accountant and someone who is definitely not an expert but who certainly loves to learn about Shakespeare, this was a great book for me.
May 4, 2024
Loved it! Such an interesting book!
April 27, 2024
This is such a fun book: what did numbers mean in the time of Shakespeare, what was mathematics in 1600, and how does Shakespeare use it? And even for those of us who know a lot of this sort of thing, there are revelations:
For instance, in the time of Shakespeare's father, all numbers were Roman (I, II, III etc); by the time Shakespeare died, almost everyone used Indo-Arabic (1, 2, 3, etc). You can see the difference in the poetry at the two ends of his career: Venus and Adonis (1593) all numbered in Roman; Sonnets (1509) all Arabic.
For instance, the importance of the number seven for ALL renaissance thinkers (notes, rainbows, planets, just about everything) because the Trivium (what you learnt at school) and the Quadrivium (what you learnt at University) were all part of one knowledge continuum, all based on Pythagorean mathematics.
For instance, there is no 'Zero' in Shakespeare, because the concept was new, and was still called 'Cypher' or 'Naught' or 'Nothing' (all also meaning women's pudenda, as you do), and those words, and Shakespeare's crazy numbering systems (all of which work mathematically) are used throughout: Eastaway reckons Shakespeare's some sort of mathematical genius as well.
For instance, why does Jupiter have four ghosts circling him? Because Galileo had just discovered the four moons of Jupiter, and Shakespeare was keeping up to date.
So what bugs me about this book is the little (unnecessary) over-simplifications: Eastaway states 'all' 154 sonnets are 14 lines of iambic pentameter: a brief note could have pointed out that three of them are not (it's not relevant to his argument, but it's an incorrect statement). Copernican astronomy was NOT a heresy in the time of Shakespeare: it did not become one till Galileo annoyed the Pope so much that he banned it, thus holding astronomy back in Catholic Europe for 300 years (I blame Galileo). None of these are relevant to his argument, but all of them could have been addressed with a couple of sentences added. I know it's me being a pedant, but this book, I suspect, will be read by pedants, and they will be niggled.
Nonetheless, I can wholeheartedly recommend this book. It is a phenomenally easy read, great fun, and I learnt a lot.
For instance, in the time of Shakespeare's father, all numbers were Roman (I, II, III etc); by the time Shakespeare died, almost everyone used Indo-Arabic (1, 2, 3, etc). You can see the difference in the poetry at the two ends of his career: Venus and Adonis (1593) all numbered in Roman; Sonnets (1509) all Arabic.
For instance, the importance of the number seven for ALL renaissance thinkers (notes, rainbows, planets, just about everything) because the Trivium (what you learnt at school) and the Quadrivium (what you learnt at University) were all part of one knowledge continuum, all based on Pythagorean mathematics.
For instance, there is no 'Zero' in Shakespeare, because the concept was new, and was still called 'Cypher' or 'Naught' or 'Nothing' (all also meaning women's pudenda, as you do), and those words, and Shakespeare's crazy numbering systems (all of which work mathematically) are used throughout: Eastaway reckons Shakespeare's some sort of mathematical genius as well.
For instance, why does Jupiter have four ghosts circling him? Because Galileo had just discovered the four moons of Jupiter, and Shakespeare was keeping up to date.
So what bugs me about this book is the little (unnecessary) over-simplifications: Eastaway states 'all' 154 sonnets are 14 lines of iambic pentameter: a brief note could have pointed out that three of them are not (it's not relevant to his argument, but it's an incorrect statement). Copernican astronomy was NOT a heresy in the time of Shakespeare: it did not become one till Galileo annoyed the Pope so much that he banned it, thus holding astronomy back in Catholic Europe for 300 years (I blame Galileo). None of these are relevant to his argument, but all of them could have been addressed with a couple of sentences added. I know it's me being a pedant, but this book, I suspect, will be read by pedants, and they will be niggled.
Nonetheless, I can wholeheartedly recommend this book. It is a phenomenally easy read, great fun, and I learnt a lot.
March 12, 2026
Fun, if eclectic, book about Shakespeare and all the ways numbers and math figure into his plays. To make it into a true book, the author certainly needed to do some digging into the broad historical era because there’s really just not quite enough in his plays and poems to support the whole book, but it was still quite interesting for all that.
Some interesting tidbits include:
Roman numerals were still used, with difficulty in terms of any figuring of sums, in Shakespeare’s day though they were quite close to turning to Arabic numerals.
During Shakespeare’s life, the seven known planets included the sun and moon (along with actual planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.)
Aristotle’s model of rainbows included only three colors: red, green, and violet—somehow the other colors were illusions??—and the West hadn’t landed on the 7 that Newton established until a bit later.
The book is light, fun, and full of such fun facts.
Some interesting tidbits include:
Roman numerals were still used, with difficulty in terms of any figuring of sums, in Shakespeare’s day though they were quite close to turning to Arabic numerals.
During Shakespeare’s life, the seven known planets included the sun and moon (along with actual planets, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn.)
Aristotle’s model of rainbows included only three colors: red, green, and violet—somehow the other colors were illusions??—and the West hadn’t landed on the 7 that Newton established until a bit later.
The book is light, fun, and full of such fun facts.
January 20, 2026
Much Ado About Numbers is a book I wanted to like more than I actually did.
For me, it works best in small doses: reading a chapter now and then rather than straight through. The examples are often fun and sometimes genuinely clever, and Eastaway is clearly good at finding everyday situations where numbers and maths become interesting. But after a while, the approach starts to feel repetitive. The structure and tone don’t vary much, and the “surprise” of each new chapter begins to wear off.
Because of that, it took real effort to keep picking the book up again, even though the individual examples are perfectly enjoyable. It’s a light, accessible book with nice ideas, but not one that kept me engaged for long stretches.
For me, it works best in small doses: reading a chapter now and then rather than straight through. The examples are often fun and sometimes genuinely clever, and Eastaway is clearly good at finding everyday situations where numbers and maths become interesting. But after a while, the approach starts to feel repetitive. The structure and tone don’t vary much, and the “surprise” of each new chapter begins to wear off.
Because of that, it took real effort to keep picking the book up again, even though the individual examples are perfectly enjoyable. It’s a light, accessible book with nice ideas, but not one that kept me engaged for long stretches.
June 4, 2025
I recently finished reading Much Ado About Numbers by Rob Eastaway, and I can't recommend it enough! This book beautifully explores the fascinating world of numbers and their relevance in our daily lives.
Eastaway’s engaging writing style makes complex mathematical concepts accessible and enjoyable. Whether you’re a math enthusiast or someone who typically shies away from numbers, this book is a delightful read that sparks curiosity and appreciation for the beauty of mathematics.
It's a fantastic resource for educators, students, and anyone interested in the power of numbers. Thank you, Rob Eastaway, for shedding light on this often-overlooked subject!
Eastaway’s engaging writing style makes complex mathematical concepts accessible and enjoyable. Whether you’re a math enthusiast or someone who typically shies away from numbers, this book is a delightful read that sparks curiosity and appreciation for the beauty of mathematics.
It's a fantastic resource for educators, students, and anyone interested in the power of numbers. Thank you, Rob Eastaway, for shedding light on this often-overlooked subject!
January 21, 2025
The scholarship and research involved in creating this book are astounding. The author explores not only actual numbers in Shakespeare’s plays, but how and how much math Shakespeare (or whoever wrote this body of work) was exposed to in school. The author explains what scientific knowledge may have been woven into the plays as well. There is so much factual information presented in an entertaining way. This is a book that I would love to revisit and to internalize some of the non-random collection of interesting information.
August 27, 2024
This book explores the surprising ways math influenced Shakespeare’s plays and the lives of his contemporaries. From astronomy and code-breaking to navigation and music, this book reveals the fascinating intersection of science and art in Tudor England. It’s surprisingly interesting and fun, bringing the sixteenth century to life in unexpected ways.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.
May 18, 2025
A brilliant marriage of two languages, Math and English. The author wittily weaves mathematics into the Shakespearean galaxy, and finds English in the musical mathematics of the spheres. Using contemporary references from the time, meanings of words which have evolved into similar and different inferences, we learn the history of these times; from astronomy to optics, plays to puns, sonnets to sundials we experience the era and the relationships common to those living then.
January 1, 2025
A delightful and varied exploration of mathematics in Shakespeare day and in Shakespeare works. Eastaway covers the new mathematical principle of zero ("cipher" to Shakespeare), how money worked in Shakespeare's day, what Elizabethans and Jacobeans thought about the stars and planets, and how many colors were in a rainbow back then. Intriguing and engaging. Recommended.
July 31, 2025
Maths and Shakespeare. Some kid's nightmare. Some adults too!
But this was actually more about science and customs in Elizabethan England.
Eastaway is a master at writing about maths and science is a funny and engaging way. And of course you learn without even realising! Does any of it stick? We'll see. I've already forgotten how much a groat is...
But this was actually more about science and customs in Elizabethan England.
Eastaway is a master at writing about maths and science is a funny and engaging way. And of course you learn without even realising! Does any of it stick? We'll see. I've already forgotten how much a groat is...
February 1, 2026
There wasn't really a book in this!
A set of very interesting little meanderings through late Tudor/early Stuart mathematics that touches on Shakespeare in passing.
However it is on the short side and I can understand why...
A set of very interesting little meanderings through late Tudor/early Stuart mathematics that touches on Shakespeare in passing.
However it is on the short side and I can understand why...
July 23, 2024
An easy Read but not what I thought it was about in that it was not the connections with Maths I'd hoped for.
Want to read
October 14, 2024I never received the book.
February 6, 2025
This was kinda overwhelming for someone who hasnt read Shakespeare ever, almost DNF but pushed through it, definitely a good read.
June 6, 2025
I love everything Shakespeare and there were some interesting bits but rare math trivia best describes the book.
February 1, 2026
i don’t care i had a good time
February 9, 2026
3.5
To be fair, pop math is a hard genre to write.
To be fair, pop math is a hard genre to write.
March 6, 2026
This was a fun little read! I learned a few things - I did, admittedly, know a fair amount of what they mentioned due to previous mathematics or Shakespearean nonfiction books, and YouTube videos (I consume a fair bit of nonfiction content) but even if this isn't brand new for you, like me, I still think this is a fun read and maybe even a refresher!
Listening to it as an audiobook was OK, *but* there were references to items only available for visual review on the physical or digital book soooo...if you have a choice, you'd probably want to read this one as a physical/digital book.
If you like Shakespeare, Numbers, or quick reads where you learn something, you may like this book.
Triggers: N/A
Listening to it as an audiobook was OK, *but* there were references to items only available for visual review on the physical or digital book soooo...if you have a choice, you'd probably want to read this one as a physical/digital book.
If you like Shakespeare, Numbers, or quick reads where you learn something, you may like this book.
Triggers: N/A
Read
March 6, 2026I love Shakespeare and I love maths. Of course I loved this book!
February 18, 2026
Fascinating and concise!
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews