Prime Obsession was published in hardback in April 2003 by Joseph Henry Press of Washington D.C. Various other editions and translations have subsequently been published.
The book is an account, both historical and mathematical, of the Riemann Hypothesis, a famous unsolved problem in mathematics.
Prime Obsession was surprisingly well received for a book of that kind. In January 2007 it was awarded the Euler Book Prize by the Mathematical Association of America. The prize is awarded for the best popular exposition in book form of a mathematical topic.
The great algebraist Jean-Pierre Serre passed some flattering remarks about the book in the course of a lecture he gave as part of the Galois bicentenary celebrations in October 2011. There is a video recording of Serre's talk online. The flattering remarks begin here: "Il y a un livre de vulgarisation récemment … il s'appelle Prime Obsession … par John Deere Bichard …" Just to see one's name written up on a blackboard by this great mathematical veteran was incomparably thrilling. Merci, Monsieur.
The excellent book-browser website shepherd.com has honored Prime Obsession with a page of its own under the general heading " The best books for mathematical inspiration". Many thanks to them for this.
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• I have responded to common reader queries
here.
• You can watch me
singing the first stanza of the Riemann Hypothesis Song here.
• My all-time favorite fan letter is
here.