Cakes, Custard and Category Theory/How to Bake Pi is very similar to Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: it has not much of anything to do with the subjects mentioned in the title. You will find some recipes, sort of, and you'll find some category theory, sort of. But if you're looking to learn anything about either, this is not the book for you.
As another reviewer said, this is a love letter from the author to mathematics. But, like most love letters, if you are not the sender or the receiver, it won't make a great deal of sense. There are many anecdotes from the life of a mathematician here, and many short vignettes of mathematics. But not enough details about either to make some kind of autobiography or some kind of informative math book. Unfortunately, since I'm neither the author nor Mathematics, I'm left with nothing but the feeling that I've been reading something that was not intended for me.
Here's one example of the former: "I once went to a party and decided to try an experiment: I refused to tell anyone what my job was. Telling people you're a mathematician produces all sorts of odd responses. Some people become afraid, and extract themselves very quickly, but others immediately start trying to demonstrate how 'intelligent' they are. Yet others immediately start trying to belittle me...." Unfortunately, she never tells us what happened in the experiment.
As another reviewer said, this is a love letter from the author to mathematics. But, like most love letters, if you are not the sender or the receiver, it won't make a great deal of sense. There are many anecdotes from the life of a mathematician here, and many short vignettes of mathematics. But not enough details about either to make some kind of autobiography or some kind of informative math book. Unfortunately, since I'm neither the author nor Mathematics, I'm left with nothing but the feeling that I've been reading something that was not intended for me.
Here's one example of the former: "I once went to a party and decided to try an experiment: I refused to tell anyone what my job was. Telling people you're a mathematician produces all sorts of odd responses. Some people become afraid, and extract themselves very quickly, but others immediately start trying to demonstrate how 'intelligent' they are. Yet others immediately start trying to belittle me...." Unfortunately, she never tells us what happened in the experiment.