Join Tom Harrits ’05 as he talks about his new novel Fibonacci (release date Oct 13, 2026) in conversation with Ronnie Raviv ’95. Both Quipfire! alums, this will be a fast-paced and dynamic dialogue centered on literary historical fiction that you won’t want to miss!

Tom’s novel brings to light one of the most pivotal yet entirely forgotten figures in Western history: Leonardo "Fibonacci" Bonacci. Set in the medieval Mediterranean at the height of the Crusades, the story reveals the origin of modern math, science, technology, and business as we know it in the West. Without this story, none of our lives or Western societies could function as they do. Yet no one seems to know this story (even though we should). It has been lost to time and absent from history books for centuries.

The event will be at The Book Cellar in Lincoln Square in the format of a moderated conversation, short Q&A, and time for socializing. Limited spots available. Reserve now! Light refreshments will be provided; drinks available for purchase (support your local booksellers!).

Find out more about Tom and his novel Fibonacci: www.fibonaccinovel.com. Read advance praises, below.

ADVANCE PRAISE FOR FIBONACCI:

"The author vividly reconstructs medieval life in Pisa, Bugia, and Akka through the concrete details of sensory experience . . . [an] imaginative debut novel with biopic potential."

-Kirkus Reviews

"Tom Harrits breathes pure life into the medieval mystery that is Fibonacci. His sure hand delivers an adventure this misunderstood youth must have experienced on his way to discovering the divine secret that forever changed our Western world."

-Doug Richardson, Screenwriter(Die Hard 2; Bad Boys) and Author

"A deep dive into a mind like no other, Fibonacci whisks us into an unimaginable time before numbers as we now know them in the West came to be. I loved exploring a world I knew so little about, thanks to the novel's impeccable research. Who knew the discovery of zero could be so fascinating?"

-Janet Scott Batchler, Screenwriter (Batman Forever; Pompeii) and Professor of Cinematic Arts at USC

"I was blown away by Tom Harrits' novel. When I tried to describe it to friends, I first compared it to The Odyssey, then finally moved over to Siddhartha. But Leo — Leonardo when he gets older — does something neither of those heroes does: he returns with a boon that changes the world and echoes all the way to us. Stop reading this and start reading the book."

-Flint Dille, Screenwriter (The Transformers) and Author

"Leonardo Bonacci, the 12th-century Italian mathematician (later known as Fibonacci) who introduced Arabic numerals and the power of zero to the West, is the subject of this thought-provoking novel . . . Rich in the varying nuances of how people conceive the universe, this book will appeal to readers who not only appreciate historical details and lyrical writing, but who also relish pondering deeper philosophical questions through their reading." 

-The Historical Novel Society

“Leonardo Fibonacci was a man whose mathematical achievements have completely overshadowed his life. We have a few words of autobiography in his Book of the Abacus and very little else to go on. Even his surname was only bestowed on him long after he had died. Tom Harrits has given him a story, fictional but informed by deep research and hence plausible . . . This book is a laudable achievement."

-Dr. James Hannam, Author of

God's Philosophers: How the Medieval World Laid the Foundations of Modern Science (shortlisted for the Royal Society Prize for Science Books)