author
Sophie Germain
A brilliant self-taught mathematician who pushed past the barriers of her time, she made lasting contributions to number theory, elasticity, and mathematical physics. Her story is one of quiet determination, sharp intellect, and a deep love of ideas.
1 Audiobook
Considérations générales sur l'état des sciences et des lettres
by Sophie Germain
About the author
Born in Paris in 1776, Sophie Germain taught herself mathematics largely from books in her father's library at a time when women were rarely allowed into scholarly life. To be taken seriously, she sometimes worked under the male pen name "Monsieur Le Blanc," which helped her begin correspondences with leading mathematicians including Carl Friedrich Gauss.
Germain is especially remembered for her work in number theory and for important advances connected to what are now called Sophie Germain primes. She also made major contributions to the study of vibrating surfaces and elasticity, winning a prize from the Paris Academy of Sciences for her work on the theory of elastic surfaces.
She died in 1831, but her reputation has continued to grow. Today she is celebrated not only for her mathematical insight, but also for the persistence it took to build a scientific life in the face of strong social barriers.