An established university professor writes a series of letter to "Meg" giving her the inside scoop on the typical life of a mathematician. The story begins in high school (so you want to study math!), continues through college (undergraduate and graduate), getting a job in a university, working up the job ladder, and finally the T-word (tenure). Although Meg doesn't actually exist, the advice is solid and fun to read.

You may have heard of (and maybe even studied about) mathematically modeling. Chances are you have not studied in any detail the actual models used. Take an inside look at the use of modeling in nuclear waste disposal, predicting fish populations, beach erosion and sea levels, and the spread of invasive plants. See what works and (more importantly) what doesn't and why (hint: real world politics makes more than one guest appearance).