This is the second copy of the book I purchase. The first one was for me and my son. This one is a gift for a friend of my son, a high school student, with a hope that it will remain her companion for many years. This clearly indicates how I rate the book. In my currency (rupee) the price is at the higher side. But I do not complain much. It is worth buying this magnum opus. It has wide coverage in a mostly understandable form. I really enjoy reading. I cannot compare it with  Timothy Gowers earlier text, Mathematics: a short Introduction. I do not have a copy. But then I believe that they cannot be compared simply because of difference in sizes. I do not have anything similar to PMC in my collection. It is just great.