Dear Philomaths,
Welcome to the Quanta Books blog/newsletter. If your first reaction was, What did you just call me?, “philomath” comes from the ancient Greek prefix philo- (lover of or loving) and the root word math or manthanein (learning or to learn). Reassembled, it means “lover of learning” or “loving to learn.” That pretty well sums up my thinking behind Quanta Magazine—and why I moved on in 2024 to launch Quanta Books. It very much describes the spirit of our enterprise—and this blog-letter.
Today I’m excited to tell you about our first three books, titles that embody the curiosity and ambition that animate this imprint, and which I can’t wait for you to read:
Math Innovators
Katie English Kevin Hartnett
Kevin Hartnett’s THE PROOF IN THE CODE is a mind-expanding narrative about breakthrough developments in the role of computers in verifying truth—in mathematical proofs and machine learning outputs. Having covered this transformational technology since 2020, Kevin is the perfect author to write this propulsive story of serendipitous innovation, grassroots zeal, colorfulcharacters, and the biggest names in mathematics and technology. As Steven Strogatz, the Cornell mathematician and bestselling author of INFINITE POWERS, says: “Kevin Hartnett is one of today’s finest chroniclers of math. With marvelous clarity and narrative flair, he introduces us to computer-verified proof, the drama behind it, and the people reimagining what math can be.”
Kevin’s book is available for preorder now and will hit bookstores on June 9, 2026.
Math for Everyone
Penny Jennings / UCLA Terence Tao
Next, I’m thrilled to share that in October 2026 we will be publishing none other than Fields medalist Terence Tao, a.k.a. Terry Tao, the “Mozart of mathematics,” or, as the starstruck number theorist Kevin Buzzard affectionately calls him in THE PROOF IN THE CODE, Terry “f—ing” Tao. Yes, Terry appears in Kevin Hartnett’s book. And yes, Terry is writing his own math book—his first for popular audiences. Both books are extraordinary, essential reads about very different aspects of the mathematical enterprise.
In SIX MATH ESSENTIALS, Terry invites us into six core areas of the discipline: “numbers as the gateway to quantitative thinking, algebra as the gateway to abstraction, geometry as a way to go beyond what we can see, probability as a tool to navigate uncertainty with rigorous thinking, analysis as a means to tame the very large or very small, and dynamics as the mathematics of change.” It’s a friendly introduction to the world of math by one of the greatest mathematicians living today. This slim, elegant book is filled with Terry’s singular insights about the surprising and ineffable connections that make up what he describes as the “modern symphony that is mathematics.”
Terry’s book is available for preorder now and will be available on October 27, 2026.
Fields All the Way Down
DeShaun Craddock David Tong
Then, in early 2027 we’ll publish EVERYTHING IS FIELDS by the one and only David Tong of Cambridge University. It’s an effervescent tour of quantum field theory, the language of the deepest description we have of the universe. In David’s words, his book “reveals the hidden unity that ties together particles and forces. Everything—matter, light, even you—are just waves on a restless sea known as a quantum field.” As he and I discussed early on, many books have been written about quantum mechanics, black holes, and string theory, but few have been written about quantum fields—what he called “the basic ingredients of our best current laws of physics”—for a general audience. “I wanted to tell the story of these fields—what they are, what they do, and why there’s still so much to learn about them.”
If you’re only ever going to read one book about quantum field theory, this is it. David is a brilliant theoretical physicist and a peerless communicator, whose talks have been watched by millions around the world. His writing is sharp, witty, intellectually enriching, provocative, and just plain fun to read.
Staying Connected
To learn more about our upcoming titles, and to stay up to date on Quanta Books news, you can sign up for the Philomath newsletter at the bottom of the homepage. The newsletter is a great way to receive book announcements, event previews, author interviews, and helpful tips on how to write your first science book, all by email. To spare your inboxes, we’ll only send newsletters when we have something newsworthy to share. If you’d like more frequent updates, you can follow us at LinkedIn, Bluesky, Instagram, and X.
If you’re here because you’re writing the next great (trade) science or math book, we welcome queries and submissions from scientists, mathematicians, and science writers, whether you have an agent or not.
Our beat is curiosity-driven, fundamental science—covering physics, mathematics, biology, chemistry, theoretical computer science, and everything in between. We’re open to rigorously reported narrative nonfiction, explainers of fundamental ideas, and biographies of scientists or mathematicians, as well as history of science and natural history. Send your queries to info[at]quantabooks.org.