History
Although not a mathematician, Enzensberger had always been interested in mathematics and numbers, and gave a speech on why mathematics is isolated from popular culture, called "Drawbridge Up: Mathematics—A Cultural Anathema." The Number Devil was ultimately written on suggestion from Enzensberger's eleven-year-old daughter Theresia. Because he was displeased with the way mathematics was taught to students at school, the German author decided to pen a book that teaches mathematics in an innovative way. German illustrator Rotraut Susanne Berner provided many full-page illustrations, as well as smaller drawings, for the book. The Number Devil was first published in German in 1997. The Number Devil has been noted for its unorthodox abandonment of standard notation; instead, Enzensberger created a variety of fictional terms to help describe mathematical concepts. For instance, exponentiation takes the term hopping, and the fictional term unreasonable numbers was coined for irrational numbers. The UCLA Professor of Slavic Languages Michael Henry Heim translated the book from German to English. The translation was particularly difficult in that it required special attention to the numerical aspect of the book. He was also challenged by the necessity to use simple English words appropriate for the target audience of The Number Devil—that is, children aged eleven to fourteen. The mathematics book was then published in English in 1998.
The book was a hit across Europe, becoming a best seller in at least Spain, Germany, the Netherlands, and Italy. The Number Devil also had considerable success in Japan. After the success of The Number Devil, Enzensberger wrote a follow-up, called Where Were You, Robert?, a children's book focusing on history rather than math. The German author has since stated he will not write any more young adult's books, but instead direct his effort towards poetry. Viva Media later published an educational computer game, similarly titled The Number Devil: A Mathematical Adventure, based on the book. An audiobook was also released for The Number Devil.
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