Customer Reviews

Hexaflexagons, Probability Paradoxes, and the Tower of Hanoi: Martin Gardner's First Book of Mathematical Puzzles and Games (The New Martin Gardner Mathematical Library)

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I ran across the first incarnation of this book, "The Scientific American Book of Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions," in 1971. (Originally published in 1959.) Up until then I'd assumed that mathematics was just the excruciatingly dull pile of dusty numbers and theorems I slogged through every afternoon in algebra class. Suddenly I was exposed to an exciting new world of rubber coffee cups and folded strips of paper exhibiting very bizarre properties indeed.

I'm a highly-skilled computer programmer and consultant now. I owe my career to the logic skills I honed on Martin Gardner's books. I cannot recommend them highly enough. If you enjoy having a brain, read these books.

Even though I have read so much of Martin Gardner's writing as well as many books in recreational mathematics by other authors, I never get tired of the work of the master. His ability to express mathematical concepts in simple, understandable form has done more to promote mathematics than millions of dollars in educational appropriations.
In this book 16 of his "Scientific American" columns are reprinted with postscript material that describes what has happened since the initial publication. The column titles are:

*) Hexaflexagons
*) Magic with a matrix
*) Nine problems
*) Ticktacktoe
*) Probability paradoxes
*) The Icosian game and the tower of Hanoi
*) Curious topological models
*) The game of hex
*) Sam Loyd: America's greatest puzzlist
*) Mathematical card tricks
*) Memorizing numbers
*) Nine more problems
*) Polyominoes
*) Fallacies
*) Nim and Tax Tix
*) Left or right?

Gardner himself downplays his mathematical ability, arguing that he is "strictly a journalist." Which is about the only piece of unintentional nonsense he has ever written. Gardner will go down in history as one of the most significant mathematicians of all time and the combination of the gems in this collection is an airtight proof of that fact.

Published in Journal of Recreational Mathematics, reprinted with permission.

I first read this and other Martin Gardner's book way too many years back. It's very good reading them again, like meeting an old friend again -- and finding out he's learned some new tricks. I'm left wanting for the fourth book (should have appeared in October 2010?!) and all the rest of the series!

Martin Gardner is brilliant! This book has something for everyone - even those not so mathematically inclined :)

I really like this book. Recreational mathematics is a lot more fun than most people realize! Every book by Martin Gardner is good!