High Jinks!

              When we were told to make a review about Ian Stewart’s: Cabinet of Mathematical Curiosities, I was quite hesitant for I believe that this book would contain intense discussion about mathematics and I already had enough of it. But when I opened and read the first two pages or so of the book, I quickly changed my mind.

          The book opened with the author’s belief that the most interesting topics of mathematics are not taught in school but are usually experienced by the person in the least expected places and that inspired him to make this book. He filled the book with different types of mathematical games, puzzles, trick and even stories that would surely stir the readers mind and interest. I have recognized some of the tricks mentioned for our instructor gave us some of those. The answer to the games and puzzles were given at the latter part of book which makes it very convenient to the reader for they would be able to know if they got the problem right or not. This book unveiled the true beauty of logic, geometry and probability which is associated to different sorts of problem.

          All in all, I found the book quite interesting for the puzzles had truly stirred my interest. The books contained no moral or any of that sort but only delight and amazement. In his quiet way, Stewart has done more than his colleagues have done in the past fast years. The way he wrote the problem was truly amazing and the curiosities were well explained but still remained the problems real tough. This book will certainly challenge both non mathematicians and mathematicians.