It's written for a layperson (he starts with counting on Sesame Street) but nonetheless touches on some very advanced topics, and describes them in simple ways. It won't give you a firm foundation in mathematics (the articles are pretty short, and there are only 15 or so), but it might serve as a guide for which subtopics in particular pique your interest, and there are numerous references and suggestions for further reading. I believe he's collecting the articles in a longer book, hoping to publish it in 2012.
Very apt that you brought up Steven Strogatz. I took Prof. Strogatz's calculus for engineers class back in college (Spring 2004). If you like the way he discusses math curiousities in his NYTimes column, you'll surely enjoy his lectures as well!
In my life at least, it's been rare to come across a math professor/educator who pushes harder for understanding (connecting the dots) rather than knowledge (disjointed lists of equations and theorems). Mathematicians' laments aside, inspired teachers are already changing the way that some students -- albeit a small minority -- view the field of mathematics.
http://topics.nytimes.com/top/opinion/series/steven_strogatz...
It's written for a layperson (he starts with counting on Sesame Street) but nonetheless touches on some very advanced topics, and describes them in simple ways. It won't give you a firm foundation in mathematics (the articles are pretty short, and there are only 15 or so), but it might serve as a guide for which subtopics in particular pique your interest, and there are numerous references and suggestions for further reading. I believe he's collecting the articles in a longer book, hoping to publish it in 2012.