This book can be enjoyed by a lay person. It requires no special previous knowledge. It is just plane fun as well as interesting and in some ways novel. Gardner is a good writer and will keep your interest. I have seen a number of books on math puzzles and games, this one was the best I had seen when I first saw it. (since then I read other Gardner books that surpass this in, at least, volume.) If you are curious at all you will like it.