The Last Recreations: Hydras, Eggs, and Other Mathematical Mystifications

Of all of Martin Gardners writings, none gained him a wider audience or was more central to his reputation than his Mathematical Recreations column in Scientific American - which virtually defined the genre of popular mathematics writing for a generation. Flatland, Hydras and Eggs: Mathematical Mystifications is the final collection of these columns, covering the period roughly from 1979 to Gardners retirement in 1986. As always in his published collections, Gardner includes letters commenting on the ideas presented in his articles. These columns show him at the top of his form and should not be missed by anyone with an interest in mathematics.