Martin Gardner Collection

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The Nature of Things featured an entire piece on Gardner, from his math buddies to the sleight-of-hand circles he frequented. Martin Gardner (born October 21, 1914 in Tulsa, Oklahoma) is in American Mathematics and a Science Writer, but with interests encompassing micromagic, stage magic, pseudoscience, literature (especially the writings of Lewis Carroll), philosophy, scientific skepticism and religion. He wrote the Mathematical Games column in Scientific American from 1956 to 1981 and he has published over 70 books.

Note: I downloaded this 5 part video from Youtube and it was low quality, so I cut, trimmed and pieced it together into one video and it's watchable.

I recommend you watch the video 1st and see what Martin is all about and then check out his books.

Time Travel and Other Mathematical Bewilderments
Author: Martin Gardner
Publisher: W.H. Freeman & Company, 1987
ISBN: 071671924X, 295 pages, True PDF

This book is another great collection of problems, discussions, and mathematical curiosities from Martin Gardner - and one of his best.

In this book, Martin Gardner has assembled an absorbing discussion on the theoretical aspects and possibility of time travel, including the many paradoxes that may arise; two problem collections to give to try out yourself and give to your friends; two chapters on tangrams and tiling each; along with 15 more chapters on interesting topics such as the melody-making machines, anamorphic art, block packing and more.

Particularly interesting are the chapters "Six Sensational Discoveries" and "Dodgem and Other Simple Games." The former is a collection of six April Fool's jokes he published in April of 1975. The latter is an extensive and occupying discussion of simple games that one can play with friends, along with winning strategies for some and just mathematical theories for others.

Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic
The most comprehensive collection of close-up magic tricks using ordinary objects calling for no special apparatus, gimmicks or advanced preparation. From tricks with apples and bottle caps to tooth picks and whisk brooms, this collection offers concise and practical instructions for a wide range of fascinating magic.

Encyclopedia of Impromptu Magic was written by Martin Gardner in Hugard's Magic Monthly from Vol. 8, no. 10, march 1951, to Vol. 15, no. 11, april 1958. It contains many effects which may be performed at any time with commonly available objects. Published as a book in 1978.

Excerpts from Mr. Gardner's introduction to the book:

* "I wrote my "Encyclopedia" mainly for the fun of it, and to get into some sort of shape the thousands of notes I had scribbled over the years on three-by-five cards.
* "It was written quickly and carelessly, in an annoying telegraphic style intended to compress as much as possible into the allotted space, and with almost no attempt to research the magic literature.
* "Even the word 'impromptu' was used loosely. By and large the material was limited to tricks with ordinary objects calling for no special apparatus, gimmicks or advanced preparation.
* "Card tricks were left out, as well as rope tricks, nor was it possible to cover the vast fields of sleights involving such objects as coins, cigarettes and thimbles, although tricks with those objects were included.
* "I hoped that someday I might find time for extensive revisions and additions ... [and that] I would attempt a comprehensive cross index.
* "The work remains patchy and slovenly. It makes no pretense at completeness. Excellent impromptu tricks are missing because I happened not to come across them."

Codes, ciphers, and secret writing by Martin Gardner
Courier Dover Publications, 1984 - Computers - 96 pages
Experiment with cryptography — the science of secret writing. Cipher and decipher codes: transposition and polyalphabetical ciphers, famous codes, typewriter and telephone codes, codes that use playing cards, knots, and swizzle sticks...even invisible writing and sending messages through outer space. Hours of intrigue and challenge. 45 diagrams.

Fads and fallacies in the name of science by Martín Gardner
Courier Dover Publications, 1957 - 363 pages
Fair, witty appraisal of cranks, quacks, and quackeries of science and pseudoscience: hollow earth, Velikovsky, orgone energy, Dianetics, flying saucers, Bridey Murphy, food and medical fads, more. "A very able and even-tempered presentation." — The New Yorker.

Martin Gardner - Mathematical Games

This is a collection of the books containing the columns that Martin Gardner published in his Mathematical Games column for the magazine Scientific American. The titles of the books are:

* Hexaflexagons and Other Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions
* Martin Gardner's 6th book of Mathematical Diversions from Sceintific American
* The Magic Numbers of Dr. Matrix
* Penrose Tiles to Trapdoor Ciphers. . . and the Return of Dr. Matrix
* The Scientific American Book of Mathematical Puzzles and Diversions
* Mathematical Carnival
* Wheels, Life and Other Mathematical Amusements
* Fractal Music, Hypercards and More
* New Mathematical Diversions
* Mathematical Magic Show
* Knotted Doughnuts and Other Mathematical Entertainments
* The Last Recreations: Hydras, Eggs and Other Mathematical Mystifications
* The Unexpected Hanging and Other Mathematical Diversions
* Mathematical Circus
* Time Travel and Other Mathematical Bewilderments

It also contains an interview with Martin Gardner.

Mami wrote:

Martin died recently and will be missed.

I grew up reading his stuff in Scientific American and I liked how he kept his puzzles simple so you didn't have to be a math pro to understand it.

He mixed math and magic with art and philosophy in a down to earth way, and inspired countless mathematicians,magicians and artist around the world

Check his stuff out but beware, it's highly addictive!

Cheers.

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