Seiler@MIT-XX@sri-unix.UUCP (08/26/83)
From: Larry Seiler <Seiler@MIT-XX> My books are still packed from my last move, so I can't give you the author's name, but the story you describe is anthologized in "The Mathematical Magpie", which your library ought to have. This book contains a variety of stories, poetry, etc. that relates to mathematics. In one story, a man makes a pact with the devil, wagering his soul against wealth and power if the devil can perform a task he specifies. After the devil agrees, he reveals the task: prove Fermat's Last Theorem or find a counterexample. Read the story if you want to know how good a mathematician the devil turned out to be... Anyway, "Star, Bright" (the title has a comma) is one of the best stories in the book. Enjoy, Larry -------