Super Short Summary

Measuring the World by Daniel Kehlmann offers a fictionalized account of the lives of the German mathematician Carl Friedrich Gauss and the German geographer Alexander von Humboldt. Set in the 19th century, the novel alternates between their stories, highlighting Gauss's mathematical discoveries and Humboldt's explorations in the Americas. The book contrasts their distinct approaches to understanding the world—Gauss using equations and Humboldt through physical exploration. The novel includes instances of sexual behavior and attempted suicide.