books.google.com - This compact, well-written history covers major mathematical ideas and techniques from the ancient Near East to 20th-century computer theory, surveying the works of Archimedes, Pascal, Gauss, Hilbert, and many others. "The author's ability as a first-class historian as well as an able mathematician...http://books.google.com/books/about/A_concise_history_of_mathematics.html?id=ECkXB-T2mwIC&utm_source=gb-gplus-shareA concise history of mathematics