★★★ New edition commemorating the 35th anniversary of publication, surpassing 300,000 copies sold
★★★ The book that led Professor Heo Jun, winner of the 2022 Fields Medal, to become a mathematician.
★★★ Hironaka Heisuke's only published work in Korea

“Learning is fun.
Thinking is more fun.
“A creative life is the best life!” _From the author’s words

I gained enlightenment from the headache of mathematics,
The story of an ordinary and extraordinary mathematician who enjoyed studying and found success in life.

The seventh son of a village merchant's fifteen siblings.
A boy with many twists and turns who failed the entrance exam for elementary school and once dreamed of becoming a pianist.
A late bloomer mathematician who carried manure buckets in the fields until a week before the college entrance exam, and finally chose the path of mathematics in his third year of college.
A person who received a doctorate from Harvard University in the United States with only perseverance as his sole asset, and eventually won the Fields Medal, which is called the 'Nobel Prize of Mathematics'.

This book is a true confession of an ordinary mathematician who gained life's enlightenment from the headache of mathematics and reached the true meaning of life through enjoyable study.
His journey, which achieved a miracle of scholarship even amidst a field of outstanding geniuses, goes beyond mere academic achievement; it demonstrates the perseverance to see things through to the end and the joy of creation that comes from forging one's own path.
The reason why "The Joy of Learning" has been loved for so long is because it makes us view learning not as a tool for exams or a career, but as "discovering myself."
His words, “A creative life is the best life,” still resonate deeply with readers today.

I believe in 'persistence' when studying mathematics.
Even though it may take me longer than others to solve a problem, I believe that my tenacity to see it through to the end is second to none.
Even if it takes two hours to solve a problem that others solve in one hour, or two years to do what others finish in one year, you will still end up doing it.
For me, it's more important to see it through to the end than how long it takes.
Perhaps because this belief is ingrained in me, whenever I choose a problem, I start from the beginning with the determination to spend two or three times more time than others.

--- p.59

Nothing gives people as much satisfaction as creation.
There is nothing more precious than the joy of creation.
When I look back on my life of half a century, this thought becomes even more urgent.
Creation involves more pain than learning, but it also brings greater joy.
So what is creation? When we think of creation, we often think of it as a special activity, something far removed from our daily lives, like art or scholarship. But that's not necessarily the case.
Creativity is an essential part of our daily lives, and in fact, people are constantly creating small and trivial things in their daily lives.

--- p.77

When studying math, there are often times when you solve 90 percent of the problems but still get stuck on the remaining 10 percent.
This is a frustrating situation that could drive a mathematician to a nervous breakdown, but it is not something that can be given up on because of 10 percent.
In times like these, you need to be persistent and not back down.
Whenever I encounter such situations, I sometimes say that child's famous quote out loud.
“Because I’m an idiot.” Then my head feels much lighter.
Your eyes will brighten and your mind will feel at ease.
Anyway, I'm stupid, so it's natural that I can't do it, and I think it's fortunate if I can.
If you console yourself by saying, 'I am an idiot', you will be freed from the rigid state.

--- pp.108~109

I think that in situations like this, it is important to think from the other person's perspective, that is, to have a humble attitude and a humble mind that thinks as one with the other person.
This is because when you think as one with the other person, you sometimes discover the cause of a problem that you were not aware of, either within yourself or within the other person.
Once you find the cause, most of the rest can be solved through your own efforts.
Timidity is the most basic condition not only in daily life but also in the process of pursuing academic studies.
Even in the process of solving a math problem, you must think from the perspective of the 'problem', and ultimately, only when you reach a point where you cannot tell whether the problem is you or you are the problem, do you come up with an idea or find a law that provides a clue to the solution.

--- p.148

It was the middle of the night.
The official title of the completed paper was “Resolution of singularities of algebraic varieties over fields with number 0.”
The manuscript was so long that it could have filled two Massachusetts telephone books.
That was also the reason why this paper was later called 'Hironaka's Phone Book'.
It is said to be the longest paper in the history of mathematics proving a single theorem.
This paper was published in two parts in the American mathematics journal Annals of Mathematics.
It was not long after this paper was published that Professor Zarysky, in a commemorative lecture he gave as he was retiring from his post as president of the American Mathematical Society, said this:
“Hironaka won.”
--- pp.183~184

I believe that what will be most required of us in the future is our own judgment (the wisdom to make choices in living various lives) and the power of thought.
Blind adherence to principles or rules cannot cope with diversity or change.
There is no textbook for dealing with change and diversity.
I think the only way left for us is to return to our own timidity, think deeply, and then make the wisest choice.
Saying this makes it sound like we're living in difficult times, but I actually think we're living in good times.
This is because a changing and diversifying era is a good time for individuals to realize their potential.

--- p.244