Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
You can't always tell a book by it's cover!, June 28, 2005
I have been a puzzle addict for over 50 years ,have a collection of over 500 'puzzle books',and am continually adding to it ;particularly with the help of Sterling for the last several years.They deserve a big thanks for all their efforts.
A quick thumb through,actually usually 30 seconds or less,and I either buy it ,or pass it by.This one looked pretty good ,so now I have it.
As always, with Sterling,the construction the paper quality ,illustrations and color are supurb.
As I started going through the book,I was really enjoying it but as I reached the mid point ,I became less enchanted with it.
Here's why.
While many of the puzzles were familiar to me from other books and puzzle makers,many were simply a re-do of old classics.Even that was OK.As a matter of fact the puzzle on pge 131 was a very different take on the Tangram;At least I don't recall seeing it before. Also the maze on page 133 was also a good twist on mazes.The construction puzzle on page 119 was also different.The vanishing birds on page is just a re-do of Sam Loyd,s vasishing chinese man puzzle that has been done as Leprechauns,trees ,animals,and you name it.
So why only 3 stars?
Many of the puzzles require cutting up the book,an absolute no-no to any book lover or making copies ,even transparencies;both black and white or color.Then there is the puzzle on page 60, a takeoff on a puzzle that is often sold as a jigsaw puzzle with a mylar coated cylinder included in with it.Then we get on page 152 one that requires 3-D glasses;like everyone just happens to have a pair in their hip pocket!
I hope I've made my point.This book should have come with separate pieces in a pouch or something like that;so they would be available to do the puzzles without a bunch of construction, negating the destruction of the book.At the very least ,there should have been a warning on the front cover.This is not a new idea and has been done many times before.
I am surprised the editorial reviews didn't pick op on this.The names of the two authors were unknown to me in the puzzle book field and they appear more to be into creating classroom aids.All the more so, this book would have been a much better product with the additions I suggest.
I think both young people in a class as well as adults would enjoy this great mix of puzzles; but if either a decision to save a small amount at publishing or just a lack of thought is the reason;what would have been a first class effort is just a so-so result.
the old adage certainly applies here:
"Anything worth doing is worth doing right."
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great collection of neat colorful illusions and puzzles, June 20, 2002
This is a fun and very original and easy to read book. You should see all the ways that colors and shapes can fool you. Really astonishing! At the same time, you'll discover a huge quantity of geometric illusions, paradoxical puzzles, impossible objects, etc... If you like Sam Loyds, you should get this book! I also suggest this book for class activities to develop maths and spatial sense.
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