RIP Martin Gardner (1914-2010)

[beamjockey]

Martin Gardner, master of mathematical games, prince among skeptics, and author of a heck of a lot of books, has died at the age of 95.

He wrote the "Mathematical Games" column for Scientific American from 1956 to 1981, a period which might also be called "my entire youth." A lot of us have him to thank for bringing us news of polyominoes,

Comments

[von_krag]

He was a mensch.

[kip_w]

Yes. Hexaflexagons too, and he annotated Alice.

[bibliofile]

Hexaflexagons! And even Go, for me.

[kip_w]

I knew something about Go before I read Gardner. On a paper drive for the Boy Scouts, I picked up some lovely books from the tourist board of Japan, issued (poor timing) on the eve of WW2. There was a whole stack of them, but I limited myself to Japanese Theater, Kabuki Theater, and Japanese Game of "Go." I eventually gave the Kabuki book to a beloved director, and don't know where the other theater book is, but the Go book is still at home with me.

My favorite fact: Many large Go boards have a hollow carved out in the underside. The purpose of the hollow is so that when the pieces are placed on the board, they make a pleasing sound.

[apostle_of_eris]

Up there with Bill Gaines in shaping the cultures of our generations.
I think I read every single one of his columns, most in real-time.

[kip_w]

Ah, Barnaby. Big fan. Great icon.

[peteralway]

Oh, damn. He was one amazingly cool guy.