The Secret World of Flexagons

“COMPREHENSIVE AND ACCESSIBLE...A MUST HAVE for anyone interested in flexagons. The authors combine scholarly analysis with infectious enthusiasm. Instructions are included for dozens of examples that are easy to make and fun to explore.”

—Paul Jackson, award-winning origami artist, paper engineer, teacher, and author

“HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! A lucid and comprehensive treatment of every aspect of flexagons. Beginners will find a gentle way into a fascinating subject, and experienced flexers will find themselves learning something new on nearly every page of this beautifully illustrated book.”

—Jason Rosenhouse, professor of mathematics, James Madison University, author of "Games for Your Mind: The History and Future of Logic Puzzles”

“Wow! The possibilities just keep going and going. I had no idea there was so much variety in flexagons! Quite an impressive book. This book goes into amazing depth in the incredible variety of flexagons. There’s something for everyone: if you just want to make cool gadgets, there’s clear instructions (and downloadable templates) for a wide variety of shapes, but for those who want to go deep, the mathematics of flexagons are also presented, rich and rewarding. Be forewarned, though: they’re addictive.”

—Robert J. Lang, physicist, virtuoso origami artist, and master of origami mathematics, theory, and real-world applications

“A great book for the right audience […] If you find the concepts here get you excited, you absolutely need this book.”

—Brian Clegg, PopularScience

“This book is one hundred percent hands-on, with templates for every flexagon for readers to print out and fold. Starting with the simplest flexagons and flexes, it then progresses to more complex new ones. Step-by-step instructions for folding and flexing are always provided. Color illustrations and color photos make everything as clear as possible. The idea is to make learning about these wonderful puzzles fun. Different parts of the book can be applied to grade school, high school, and college classes. Perhaps even post-graduate mathematics programs. Flexagons show how math can be fun, and the authors hope elementary teachers will use them to teach their students just that.”

—Mathematics Matters, Newsletter for Nova Scotia Mathematics Teachers

"Very few books feature the flexagon family in such detail, even though these objects have fascinated mathematicians since their original discovery by Arthur Stone in 1939 and the general public since they were popularized by Martin Gardner in a 1956 Scientific American column. This fun and detailed book is sure to delight all who appreciate mathematical curiosities with deep mathematical underpinnings."

—Notices of the American Mathematical Society