"[An] exceptionally well-crafted book.Illuminating and richly detailed." -- Paul Starr, The New Republic "An important volume.This thoughtful, original, and felicitous book deserves a broad audience." -- Michael Kammen, Journal of American History "A classic study.This elegant cultural history of how numbers became America's most powerful signs, both for reasoning and persuasion, is crucial for understanding the transformation of 19th-century America." -- Richard D. Brown, University of Connecticut.