Science Fiction Puzzle Tales [Hardcover]

Martin Gardner (Author), Isaac Asimov (Foreword)

Product Details

• Hardcover: 148 pages
• Publisher: Random House Value Publishing; 1st edition (May 6, 1981)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 051754380X
• ISBN-13: 978-0517543801
• Product Dimensions: 12.2 x 7 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,378,895 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

For 25 of his 95 years, Martin Gardner wrote 'Mathematical Games and Recreations', a monthly column for Scientific American magazine. These columns have inspired hundreds of thousands of readers to delve more deeply into the large world of mathematics. He has also made significant contributions to magic, philosophy, debunking pseudoscience, and children's literature. He has produced more than 60 books, including many best sellers, most of which are still in print. His Annotated Alice has sold more than a million copies. He continues to write a regular column for the Skeptical Inquirer magazine.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic & unique collection of puzzles, March 8, 2006

By 

Bluesman (Longmont, CO United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Science Fiction Puzzle Tales (Paperback)

I can't find my copy right now, but I'm sure this is the same book. There are about 32 puzzles. Each begins with a one or two paragraph "story" which is "kind-of" Sci-Fi. The story describes a situation or event. And then one or more questions are posed. In the answer section for many of them, an additional question is posed on the same "story." So each initial puzzle has up to three variations with solutions.

An example: one mathematical type puzzle involves being on a space ship traveling between two Earth and the Moon and takes their respective radii into account.