Martin Gardner, who teased brains with math puzzles in Scientific American for a quarter-century and who indulged his own restless curiosity by writing more than 70 books on topics as diverse as magic, philosophy and the nuances of Alice in Wonderland, died Saturday in Norman, Okla. He was 95.
From Scientific American:
The 81-year-old Gardner seems more comfortable talking about others than about himself. Perhaps part of the reason is that he has no formal training in mathematics. In discussing his youth, he muses on religion and philosophy, topics to which we keep veering back. “When I grew up in Tulsa, it was called the oil capital of the word,” he says. “Now it’s known as the home of Oral Roberts. That’s how far Tulsa has gone down the hill.”
I used to read his column in Scientific American because it was so much fun.
Here is a taste: 3 Martin Gardner puzzles.
Thanks, Martin.