Mysterious and mathematical at once, the magical visual world of Dutch artist M.C. Escher (1898-1972) has captivated scientists and scholars and made its mark on popular culture, inspiring book covers, album art, films, posters, and puzzles. This set puts Escher's tessellated wonders right at your fingertips with 17 easy-to-assemble paper sculptures. Folding along the score lines, you can transform the artist's richly geometric designs into three-dimensional polyhedra with forming and reforming patterns, including genius arrangements of flowers, butterflies, lizards, and seashells. The book includes a review of the geometric principles and artistic invention underlying Escher's optical marvels as well as concise instructions.

From the reviews of the hardcover edition:

... This conference ... to celebrate the centennial of the birth of Escher] resulted in an immensely interesting collection of articles ... Although Escher himself is no longer among us, M.C.Escher's Legacy, like a garden of continually blooming flowers, allows us to appreciate his heritage anew.

Notices of the AMS April 2003

... It is a handsome volume, and contains articles from 41 people, which cover a wide range of artistic and analytical endeavour. ... A quick dip into each section produces small gems. ... there is enough here to provide rich pickings for any interested party, no matter what their particular discipline is. Embedded in the various articles are even snippets which illuminate Escher's intentions, and his relationships with his mathematician friends ... Even though short, these are rewarding to read.

... the CD-ROM ... is an excellent addition to the book, and contains much more material, including "video" excerpts from some of the lectures."

Australian Math. Soc. GAZETTE May 2003