# Fermat's Last Theorem by Simon Singh

Hacker Approved page: https://hackerapproved.com/p/fermat-s-last-theorem/

11 people recommended Fermat's Last Theorem by Simon Singh in Hacker News comments and none criticized it, November 2025 to October 2026. It was recommended in 3 of 12 months, in 4 threads. It does not meet the Hacker Approved badge rule.

**Verdict:** People recommend it as an engaging, accessible account of the long hunt to prove Fermat's Last Theorem, with a clear introduction to the underlying math for general readers.

Summary written by Claude from 9 comments.

## Why people recommend it

- Engaging, dramatic story of the proof (4 comments in the sample): "It’s quite fascinating, and paved with really, _really_ weird characters each chipping in on the final solution." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49569067)) "it's a documentary for everyone. It captures the effort, struggle, highs and lows" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49569653)) "at least purports to be a sober account with some momentum" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48988913))
- Accessible introduction to the mathematics (2 comments in the sample): "I really enjoyed it and left with a basic understanding of the underlying math" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49236829)) "This was an excellent introduction to this topic" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49084688))
- Excellent, insightful book overall (2 comments in the sample): "One of the best books I’ve ever read." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49085020)) "It is a very insightful book" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49569174))

## Other mathematics books people recommend

- [Elements by Euclid by Oliver Byrne](https://hackerapproved.com/p/elements-of-euclid/): 14 recommend, 2 mixed, 9 criticize
- [Gödel's Proof by Nagel and Newman](https://hackerapproved.com/p/g-del-s-proof/): 9 recommend, 0 mixed, 1 criticize
- [Mathematica: A Secret World of Intuition and Curiosity by David Bessis](https://hackerapproved.com/p/mathematica-a-secret-world-of-intuition-and-curiosity/): 8 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize
- [Exploring Mathematics with Python by Arthur Engel](https://hackerapproved.com/p/exploring-mathematics-with-python/): 8 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize

## The badge

A product earns the Hacker Approved badge when at least 10 people recommend it, recommenders outnumber critics at least 2 to 1 (mixed feelings count toward neither side), it was recommended in at least 4 of the 12 months and in at least 5 different threads, and no single thread supplies more than half of the people who recommend it. Health and money products are never badged.

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Fermat's Last Theorem by Simon Singh", https://hackerapproved.com/p/fermat-s-last-theorem/ (11 recommend, 0 mixed, 0 criticize; Hacker News comments, November 2025 to October 2026).

Counts updated 2 Nov 2026, with data through October 31, 2026.