Number 1 is Isaac Asimov. I read a lot of science fiction when I was younger, but I also read a lot of science (and math ...) non-fiction, and there was nobody better than Asimov. Used to have a monthly column in Fantasy and Science Fiction on science, and he was a great popularizer of science. It has always been my goal to be as clear and focused in writing as he was. I've (sadly) never come close!
Probably on the list should be Martin Gardner for his monthly column in Scientific American (which he would eventually re-publish in books). His column was just plain interesting, and exposed a youngster to the wide variety of thinking that was possible. And it was fun stuff too! But he didn't claim to cover everything - and Asmiov pretty much did ....
And then everyone else on my list is British.
G H Hardy - A Mathematician's Apology is still a classic (and recommended), though he wrote several other really good introductions to mathematics.
Bertrand Russell (along with Alfred North Whitehead) - philosophers AND mathematicians. I think I read entirely too much philosophy when I was younger! The Principles of Mathematics was an important work, but the most important thing I did in high school might have been working through volume I of Principia Mathematica (a set theory approach to ALL of mathematics which for some reason the Poughkeepsie public library had in their collection). It was going to be a Magnum Opus until Kurt Goedel came along .... But I remember working through a lot of the other stuff that Russell wrote - I remember for example that his autobiography was important ...
C P Snow was NOT a mathematician, but another ... philospher I suppose. He wrote some important things whose titles I forget that dealt with the "conflicts" between the humanities and the sciences. Many of his books formed the basis of my senior English paper for Ms. Susan Lehman - one of my top 3 teachers of all time. One of the stupidest things I've ever done was throw that paper away (sigh). I now remember that The Two Cultures was a very important book at the time.
Another important (non-British) teacher was Mr. Nunn in 6th grade at Vassar Road Elementary School. He bought me a set theory introduction New Math sort of thing that I devoured. I've been lucky to have some fantastic teachers in my life ....
I'm sure I'm leaving a lot of people out. The most lamentable thing about remembering the authors that significantly influenced me is that you can't find many of these books anymore. Libraries tend to eliminate books that aren't checked out anymore which is a tragedy .....
Do yourself a favor and read a classic this summer (at least so that when I am retired and have time to read they'll still be in the library collection!)
First published July 13, 2008 on Myspace