With this, we’ve lost one of the most effective popularizers of mathematics and skepticism of the late 20th century. I can’t speak to his work on skepticism, but Mr. Gardner’s writings on recreational mathematics certainly had an effect on my educational path. There are statements from James Randi and Phil Plait, with more to surely follow. Godspeed, Mr. Gardner.
His was such an amazing mind. What a loss for the world.
Loved his articles back in the day.
Sad news not just for mathematicians but for puzzle folks.
And skeptics. What a great loss.
Well damn. I have some of his books (Aha! and What Is The Name Of This Book? amongst them), enjoyed rereading them for decades (!) and I always liked his columns in Scientific American.
I used to love his column in Scientific American.
Alice in Wonderland. Mathematician on mathematician. Cage match. RIP.
As did I. It was he who, probably around 1966, introduced an eight-year-old boy to the compelling Escher prints which, now framed under glass in official Baarn reproductions, adorn the walls my study:
Relativity,
Waterfall,
Ascending and Descending,
Convex and Concave–
and in the hall between the study and the bathroom, Belvedere.
I have about five more but don’t have any place for them right now, and will eventually rotate them the way they do that at real galleries.
They all seemed to conjure up a strange dream world of aberrant spatial relationships; the generally serene expressions of the people in the prints seemed to strengthen this impression of mine.
I haven’t read much of what he wrote, but I found my mother’s copy of Fads and Fallacies in the Name of Science years ago and read that. It seems more pertinent now than it might have been in 1957. Or maybe it just seems that the Internet allows that kind of crap to spread more.
Sorry he’s gone. He, Isaac Asimov and Carl Sagan were the bright lights in my “pop science” reading. Others have done creditable work in the field, but Gardner’s way of putting dense concepts in layman’s terms was without a serious challenge.
His games efforts were also outstanding.
R I P from an admirer halfway across the world .
I just bought his Annotated Alice a couple of weeks ago. My nephew heard about it and wanted it so I gave it to him and have to buy another one. I didn’t get a chance to read it.
Sad, he was a great writer.
But 96 years is a pretty damn good run. A toast to Martin Gardner!
a great teacher.
RIP Martin Gardner. I’m sure there are many like myself who read him when we were young and, partly because of that, went on to become mathematicians. And then there are the wonderful annotated editions of Lewis Carroll! Including my favorite, The Hunting of the Snark.
Damn. I have several of his books, and avidly read both his Scientific American column, then the one in Skeptical Inquirer. I even wrote him about a mathematical games column, and got a postcard reply back from him.
I also loved his “Annotated” books. I have his Annotated Alice in both first and third editions, The Hunting of the Snark, The Ancient Mariner, and Casey at the Bat. He also did the Night Before Christmas, but I don’t have a copy of that one.
I’m not surprised – he was definitely getting on in years, but I was amazed at how he still kept writing.
If you get a chance, read his book Whys of a Philosophical Scrivener. Very unlike most of his other published stuff.
I was amazed to learn not very long ago that he was still alive. Always enjoyed his writings. RIP.