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It is one of the greatest compliments to the role that Martin Gardner has had in the mathematical world that people gather in his honor to create and exchange ideas even though Gardner does not attend. In his longtime role as the author of the “Mathematical Recreations” column of “Scientific American”, Gardner did more to advance mathematics by the interest generated from his columns than anyone else in history. Gardner is also well known in the magic and puzzle communities and was one of the most outspoken and articulate voices against the absurdity of pseudo-science.
The breadth of Gardner’s interests is reflected in the collection of articles in this book, all of which were written to honor him. The sections are:
The greatest skill that Martin Gardner has is his ability to write understandable mathematics. Prolific writer Isaac Asimov said it best when he noted that Gardner is so good at explaining mathematics that you think you understand it even when you don’t. While the authors of the articles in this book are not as good as Gardner, they aren’t very far behind.
Charles Ashbacher splits his time between consulting with industry in projects involving math and computers, teaching college classes and co-editing The Journal of Recreational Mathematics. In his spare time, he reads about these things and helps his daughter in her lawn care business.