The Story of 1
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You are in for a treat. Terry Jones, of Monty Python’s fame, has a made a wonderful “documentary” about the number 1 for the BBC. It is a brilliant history of numbers.
I just saw it on PBS, and it is fantastic. A child can follow most of the show, but most of all, the child will be enchanted by the way things are presented. There is no talking down, and no talking over our heads.
I just got up and out of bed to write about it right away, so I don’t have all the details for you (I only just caught the program near the end.) I will try to write more later.
But a video is worth 1,000 words (in binary), so you can view the show right now, for free at on google video (if you have a fast connection) here.
Besides the gentle yet inspiring presentation by Mr. Jones, the direction, camera, scenery, costumes and presentation by mathematician Marcus du Sautoy are all wonderfully engaging. But by far the “coolest” thing about the production part of the show is the animation. Very understated, and very clever. There are plenty of double entendres in animation, so keep your eyes open. The quirkiness of the title didn’t escape me, either. Does it escape you? This is a perfect program for every family to watch together.
I guarantee that every member of the family from age seven on up will find something valuable.
If you want an excellent introduction to the history and meaning of numbers, this is for you. If you are a teacher, you owe it to your class to show this to them. You can purchase the DVD or video from PBS. Or you can access it for free at the above link.
Thank you, Terry Jones!
