Want to know what books Dana Mackenzie recommends on their reading list? We've researched interviews, social media posts, podcasts, and articles to build a comprehensive list of Dana Mackenzie's favorite book recommendations of all time.
1
Once upon a time there was a sensible straight line who was hopelessly in love with a beautiful dot. But the dot, though perfect in every way, only had eyes for a wild and unkempt squiggle. All of the line's romantic dreams were in vain, until he discovered...angles! Now, with newfound self-expression, he can be anything he wants to be--a square, a triangle, a parallelogram....And that's just the beginning!First published in 1963 and made into an Academy Award-winning animated short film, here is a supremely witty love story with a twist that reveals profound truths about relationships--both... more Once upon a time there was a sensible straight line who was hopelessly in love with a beautiful dot. But the dot, though perfect in every way, only had eyes for a wild and unkempt squiggle. All of the line's romantic dreams were in vain, until he discovered...angles! Now, with newfound self-expression, he can be anything he wants to be--a square, a triangle, a parallelogram....And that's just the beginning!First published in 1963 and made into an Academy Award-winning animated short film, here is a supremely witty love story with a twist that reveals profound truths about relationships--both human and mathematical--sure to tickle lovers of all ages. less 
Dana MackenzieIt’s a simple story about a romance between a dot and a line, and a way of teaching mathematical concepts to kids without them even realising it. (Source)
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2
Here is another collection drawn from Martin Gardner's 'Mathematical Games' column in Scientific American. Each chapter explores a different theme, for example fractals, surreal numbers, the sculptures of Berrocal, tiling the plane, Ramsey theory and code breaking, all combining to create a rich diet of recreational mathematics. Most chapters can be readily understood by the uninitiated: at each turn there are challenges for the reader and a wealth of references for further reading. Gardner's clarity of style and ability systematically to simplify the complex make this an excellent vehicle in... more Here is another collection drawn from Martin Gardner's 'Mathematical Games' column in Scientific American. Each chapter explores a different theme, for example fractals, surreal numbers, the sculptures of Berrocal, tiling the plane, Ramsey theory and code breaking, all combining to create a rich diet of recreational mathematics. Most chapters can be readily understood by the uninitiated: at each turn there are challenges for the reader and a wealth of references for further reading. Gardner's clarity of style and ability systematically to simplify the complex make this an excellent vehicle in which to start or continue an interest in recreational mathematics. less Dana MackenzieThis book contains the columns that introduced the world to two of the most fascinating mathematical discoveries of the 1970s. (Source)
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3
Felix Klein, a great geometer of the nineteenth century, rediscovered an idea from Hindu mythology in mathematics: the heaven of Indra in which the whole Universe was mirrored in each pearl in a net of pearls. Practically impossible to represent by hand, this idea barely existed outside the imagination, until the 1980s when the authors embarked on the first computer investigation of Klein's vision. In this extraordinary book they explore the path from some basic mathematical ideas to the simple algorithms that create delicate fractal filigrees, most appearing in print for the first time.... more Felix Klein, a great geometer of the nineteenth century, rediscovered an idea from Hindu mythology in mathematics: the heaven of Indra in which the whole Universe was mirrored in each pearl in a net of pearls. Practically impossible to represent by hand, this idea barely existed outside the imagination, until the 1980s when the authors embarked on the first computer investigation of Klein's vision. In this extraordinary book they explore the path from some basic mathematical ideas to the simple algorithms that create delicate fractal filigrees, most appearing in print for the first time. Step-by-step instructions for writing computer programs allow beginners to generate the images. less Dana MackenzieIt is the most beautifully visual mathematics book I have ever seen. The book is full of astonishing pictures. (Source)
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4
Magical Mathematics reveals the secrets of fun-to-perform card tricks--and the profound mathematical ideas behind them--that will astound even the most accomplished magician. Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham provide easy, step-by-step instructions for each trick, explaining how to set up the effect and offering tips on what to say and do while performing it. Each card trick introduces a new mathematical idea, and varying the tricks in turn takes readers to the very threshold of today's mathematical knowledge.
Diaconis and Graham tell the stories--and reveal the best tricks--of... more Magical Mathematics reveals the secrets of fun-to-perform card tricks--and the profound mathematical ideas behind them--that will astound even the most accomplished magician. Persi Diaconis and Ron Graham provide easy, step-by-step instructions for each trick, explaining how to set up the effect and offering tips on what to say and do while performing it. Each card trick introduces a new mathematical idea, and varying the tricks in turn takes readers to the very threshold of today's mathematical knowledge.
Diaconis and Graham tell the stories--and reveal the best tricks--of the eccentric and brilliant inventors of mathematical magic. The book exposes old gambling secrets through the mathematics of shuffling cards, explains the classic street-gambling scam of three-card Monte, traces the history of mathematical magic back to the oldest mathematical trick--and much more.
-- "Library Journal" less Dana MackenzieDiaconis and Graham are two of the most fascinating and fun mathematicians you will ever meet. They both exemplify maths as entertainment, even though they also do very serious maths. (Source)
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