Rob Eastaway is an English author and speaker. He is active in the popularisation of mathematics and was awarded the Zeeman medal in 2017 for excellence in the promotion of maths. He is best known for his books, including the bestselling Why Do Buses Come in Threes? and Maths for Mums and Dads. His first book was What is a Googly?, an explanation of cricket for Americans and other newcomers to the game.
Eastaway is a keen cricketer, and has played for the Mandarins Cricket Club for many years. In 2026 he played some matches for the Authors Cricket Club. He is the founder of The Googly Fund, a charitable fund that supports adult friendly cricket in the UK. With Ted Dexter and Gordon Vince he was one of the originators of the International Rankings of Cricketers. From 2019 to 2023 he was a puzzle setter and adviser for New Scientist magazine and he has appeared frequently on BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live.
Since 2005 he has been the director of Maths Inspiration, a national programme of theatre-based lecture shows for teenagers which involves some of the UK's leading maths speakers. He was president of the UK Mathematical Association for 2007/2008. He is a former pupil of the King's School, Chester, and has a degree in engineering and management science from the University of Cambridge.
Books 1992: What is a Googly? 1995: The Guinness Book of Mindbenders, co-author David Wells 1998: Why do Buses Come in Threes?, co-author Jeremy Wyndham, foreword by Tim Rice 1999: The Memory Kit 2002: How Long is a Piece of String?, co-author Jeremy Wyndham 2004: How to Remember 2005: How to Take a Penalty, co-author John Haigh 2007: How to Remember (Almost) Everything Ever 2007: Out of the Box 2008: How Many Socks Make a Pair? 2010: Maths for Mums and Dads, co-author Mike Askew 2011: The Hidden Mathematics of Sport (new edition of How to Take a Penalty) 2013: More Maths for Mums and Dads, co-author Mike Askew 2016: Maths on the Go, co-author Mike Askew 2017: Any ideas? Tips and Techniques to Help You Think Creatively 2018: 100 Maddening Mindbending Puzzles 2019: Maths On The Back of an Envelope 2023: Headscratchers - The New Scientist Puzzle Book 2024: Much Ado About Numbers
References
External links Rob Eastaway's Official Website Maths Inspiration Website