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I grew up with Martin Gardner's books (of which there are many!) of puzzles, math and magic. From them I learned so many simple and elegant tricks and techniqu
by RiderOfGiraffes 16y ago
I grew up with Martin Gardner's books (of which there are many!) of puzzles, math and magic. From them I learned so many simple and elegant tricks and techniques that I use to this day.
It's largely due to Gardner's writings that I do what I do today, and I love what I do. I had an afternoon with him in March and it was one of the truly special events in my life. I haven't the words to express how I felt then.
Or how I feel now. My world has grown a little darker knowing he's no longer in it.
- waterlesscloud 16y agoI certainly wouldn't be visiting this site if not for coming across his books in my childhood.
- raganwald 16y agoMartin's books changed my life. In one particularly introverted and dark period of my adolescence I poured through them at the library. Thinking through hexaflexagons, the game of life, multiple dimensions, and many more ideas kept me from brooding over my troubles. Good-bye, Martin. Thank you.
- zavulon 16y agoYep, same here. He was one of the few Western authors translated and widely published in USSR, so his books were very popular.. I destroyed a few reading cover-to-cover, making notes, etc. There's nobody out there who could convey the enthusiasm for science like him. He could take the most difficult topics and talk about them in a very accessible ways, so even a 13 year old like me would understand it and become interested. He will be missed :(
- GFischer 16y agoI mainly remember him from his puzzle columns in Asimov's Science Fiction magazine. I see now that I was missing out on a lot - sad to realize it because he died.