Martin Gardner: The Magic and Mystery of Numbers
About this audiobook
How many people achieve a cult following because of their writing in mathematics? Only a handful, and Martin Gardner is among the most well known and well loved. Not only did he present a notoriously difficult subject in an engaging and accessible way, but in doing so, he attracted an incredibly broad readership. His correspondents ranged from academics like Roger Penrose and John Horton Conway to artists MC Escher and Salvador Dali to writer Isaac Asimov. His “Mathematical Games” column in Scientific American ran nearly every month for twenty-six years and was one of the most popular in the magazine’s history.
In this anthology, we strove to create a new “slice” through his wealth of material. Here, we focus on all flavors of numbers, from common integers and negative numbers to figurate numbers and the exotic random number Omega, which can be described but not computed.
Some of these columns are less well known, but they are no less fun. In true Gardner fashion, they leap from magic and games—as well as art, music, and literature—to flashes of deep mathematical insight. We hope that they will prove as inspirational now as they did to earlier audiences.
About the author
Scientific American is the longest continuously published magazine in the US and the home of the most exciting authors presenting the most dynamic ideas in science today. As the leading popular source and authority on science, technology, and innovation, Scientific American’s award-winning scientist-authored content engages, educates, and inspires current and future generations of curious citizens and public and private sector leaders.
Kate Mulligan has acted with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival for more than ten seasons in productions including Hairspray, Alice in Wonderland, and Sense and Sensibility. Her film and television work includes Being John Malkovich and It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia.
