This is the portuguese translation of The Mathematical Experience. An interesting attempt to convey the nature and importance of Mathematics to the lay reader, the text digresses through a variety of topics in a clear and, at times, inspired prose. It is not a mathematical text though, and apart from Chapter 5 and some examples spread through Chapters 4 and 6, not much mathematical culture is required from the reader, although someone lacking a mathematical education at the level of the first two years at the University will probably miss the better parts of the arguments and is likely not to make much sense of the rest. In spite of some odd choices (such as the emphasis in the example of Non-standard Analysis, a clearly marginal subject in present day mathematics) this is a book worth reading that tries to portrait the mathematical activity as part of the large human effort to understand and make sense of ourselves and the world. ( )