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Book - 19 and Puzzle - 11 In modern times, no one has popularised mathematics more than Martin Gardner. For many years he wrote monthly column on recreational mathematics for the Scientific American. I came to know about Martin Gardner in late the 1960's when I started subscribing Scientific American and was presented a book titled 'Mathematical Puzzle and Diversions'. I fell in love with his writing from the first day. He has written many books on puzzles and paradoxes. Some of them that I have read and recommend are:
In preface to one of his books, he explains the importance of puzzles as follows: 'In one of L. Frank Baum's funniest fantasies, The Emerald City of Oz, Dorothy (together with the Wizard and her uncle and aunt) visit the city of Fuddlecumjig in the Quadling section of Oz. Its remarkable inhabitants, the Fuddles, are made of pieces of painted wood cleverly fitted together like three dimensional jigsaw puzzles. As soon as an outsider approaches they scatter in a heap of disconnected pieces on the floor so that the visitor will have the pleasure of putting them together again. As Dorothy's party leaves the city, Aunt Em remarks: “Those are certainly strange people, but I really can't see what use they are, at all”
“Why, they amused us for several hours,”
replies the Wizard. “That is being of use to us, I am sure.” |
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