Martin Gardner's Mathematical Games columns in Scientific American inspired and entertained several generations of mathematicians and scientists. Gardner in his crystal-clear prose illuminated corners of mathematics, especially recreational mathematics, that most people had no idea existed. His playful spirit and inquisitive nature invite the reader into an exploration of beautiful mathematical ideas along with him. These columns were both a revelation and a gift when he wrote them; no one--before Gardner--had written about mathematics like this. They continue to be a marvel. This volume, first published in 1979, contains columns published in the magazine from 1968-1971. This 1992 MAA edition contains a foreword by Donald Knuth and a postscript and extended bibliography added by Gardner for this edition.

The twenty chapters of this book are nicely balanced between all sorts of stimulating ideas, suggested by down-to-earth objects like match sticks and dollar bills as well as by faraway objects like planets and infinite random walks. We learn about ancient devices for arithmetic and about modern explanations of artificial intelligence. There are feasts here for the eyes and hands as well as for the brain.

Dealing With Vision Loss offers information all in one place for people who are experiencing vision loss, family members whose parent, friend or sibling is experiencing vision loss and for parents of children who were born with a significant vision loss. Dealing With Vision Loss will help family members understand how the person who is losing his or her sight is feeling and perhaps explain some of their own uneasiness with regard to vision loss. Dealing With Vision Loss will provide you, the person who is experiencing vision loss with hope and answers and a path through this sometimes overwhelming challenge of vision loss. Dealing With Vision Loss offers information on: using computers, how to make use of large print or talking software and why; whether to use large print or Braille; and making a decision as to whether to use a cane or to get a dog guide Dealing With Vision Loss offers an extensive resource list which covers everything from where to find: large print address books and playing cards, magnifiers; large print and talking watches and brailled greeting cards. Dealing With Vision Loss will explain to parents what are the most important skills for their children who are blind to acquire before beginning school. Dealing With Vision Loss offers a short course on being a guide for a blind person and can also serve as a training tool for volunteers and individuals who find themselves working with blind people for the first time as a guide or just assisting an individual with reading, shopping or signing papers and is an excellent resource for social workers, nurses, and other professionals who come in contact with those of us who are blind from time to time.

Everyday activities such as sharing a meal, sorting socks, and getting ready for school can be part of learning math. In the MathStart series, everyday life is the basis for each entertaining story. Simple math concepts are embedded in each story so that young children intuitively understand them. Adults can use the creative suggestions for activities in the back of each book to extend learning opportunities with children. Developmentally appropriate and correlated to school grade levels and the curriculum standards of the National Council of Teachers Of Mathematics, MathStart can give children a head start!

Martin Gardner's Mathematical Games columns in Scientific American inspired and entertained several generations of mathematicians and scientists. Gardner in his crystal-clear prose illuminated corners of mathematics, especially recreational mathematics, that most people had no idea existed. His playful spirit and inquisitive nature invite the reader into an exploration of beautiful mathematical ideas along with him. These columns were both a revelation and a gift when he wrote them; no one--before Gardner--had written about mathematics like this. They continue to be a marvel. This volume, first published in 1975, contains columns published in the magazine from 1965-1967. This 1989 MAA edition contains a foreword by John H. Conway and a postscript and extended bibliography added by Gardner for this edition.