alan turing: the enigma book summary

Enigma is a 1995 novel by Robert Harris about Tom Jericho, a young mathematician trying to break the Germans' "Enigma" ciphers during World War II.Jericho is stationed in Bletchley Park, the British cryptologist central office, and is worked to the point of physical and mental exhaustion.The book was adapted to film in 2001 Always awkward; always shy in social situations, he grew to be "a man with a quite powerful build, yet with with the movements of an ' undergraduate' or a 'boy', without an attractive face. For example, numbers are never introduced to kids as recursive objects; they're simply given as symbols. If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be: “indulgent”. From his own mathematics and gay-rights background, Hedges reconstructs Turing's discoveries and his dilemma in a kind of dynamic tension--seeing Turing, with considerable subtlety, as an intellectual and sexual individualist. Welcome back. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that the British mathematician Alan Turing (1912-1954) saved the Allies from the Nazis, invented the computer and artificial intelligence, and anticipated gay liberation by decades--all before his suicide at age forty-one. Hodges tells how Turing's revolutionary idea of 1936-- the concept of a universal machine-- laid the foundation for the modern computer. This strong class of contemporary YA romances hitting shelves this summer is proof... Alan Turing (1912-54) was a British mathematician who made history. Turing has not been as well known as he should have been. Stanford Libraries' official online search tool for books, media, journals, databases, government documents and more. Winston Churchill said WW2 would not have been won except for Turing's invention of the Enigma, a code breaking machine. Interesting because of the genius and achievements of Turning, which are described in some detail (much to the author's credit) but maddening because of the sociopolitical asides about Turing's homosexuality (which was illegal in the UK during his lifetime), not just as they relate to Turing himself but to further an agenda of the author that detracts from Turing's story. This is wrong. In 1939 after Britain declares war on Germany Alan Turing travels to Bletchley Park to work with a cryptography team under the … I managed to finish the book but it was more of a struggle than it should have been. Alan Turing (1912-54) was a British mathematician who made history. But Turing's vision went far beyond the desperate wartime struggle. 30 New Contemporary YA Romances for Sweet Summer Lovin'. At the same time, this is the tragic account of a man who, despite his wartime service, was eventually arrested, stripped of his security clearance, and forced to undergo a humiliating treatment program — … The circumstances leading to his death are very tragic. The film paints him in a dangerously stereotypical way, as the lone genius, unable to work well with others and with little care for his fellow humans. It concerns me that Cumberbatch's Turing seemed to stray dramatically from biographical evidence. This comprehensive biography is certainly detailed. Could a machine erroneously attribute free will to itself? (4.5) Quite a thorough biography, I prefer the Bletchley Park period, but quite complete picture of his life. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of, Published Alan Turing: The Enigma: The Book That Inspired the Film “The Imitation Game”. "Dorothy" is a derogatory term within some gay communities, as in, "Come on Dorothy, get away from the mirror." Like many, I purchased this because I very much enjoyed 'The Imitation Game'; it then sat upon my TBR shelf for well over a year. I can see what this was so well received, especially considering when it was written originally. by Andrew Hodges. the founder of computer science, the originator of the dominant technology of the late twentieth century I cried when I read it, and when I think about it. If you're looking for something that really gets down the nitty gritty with regards to Alan Turing this is definitely your best bet. This allows a great insight into the character and intelligence of Turing, but it did quickly become unnecessarily dense in parts, and felt like it was veering off at a tangent by placing Turing's academic work in a wider context than was really necessary. His work is credited as leading to the modern personal computer. He had a fascinating, tragic life. READ PAPER. This is a very, very in depth biography. We’d love your help. It is now better understood that Alan Turing’s rather incredible brain was largely responsible for igniting the development of the modern computer, the enduring appeal of artificial intelligence and the techniques of encryption upon which not only military strategy, but statecraft, international diplomacy, the larger part of (post)modern commerce, finance and industry, and even the crafting of personal identities and the … His life and times were fascinating but the math!!!! The author has obviously spent a lot of time researching many facets of Alan Turing’s life and work. An exhaustive and exhausting biography of the brilliant Alan Turing. Alan Turing was born in London on June 23, 1912. Alan Turing , in full Alan Mathison Turing, (born June 23, 1912, London, England—died June 7, 1954, Wilmslow, Cheshire), British mathematician and logician, who made major contributions to mathematics, cryptanalysis, logic, philosophy, and mathematical biology and also to the new areas later named computer science, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, and artificial life. by Walker Books. Ah, teen romance! Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges (Book Review) Posted on July 24, 2015. by Graham Lea. The pining, the angst, the heady emotions! Is this the book for The Imitation Game because the end of the movie it says that the movie is based off of this book? In the book Alan Turing: the Enigma the author goes in depth about the life of Alan Turing, a homosexual, atheist, marathon running, British, mathematician. If you're looking for something to read to feel prepared to head into the film that's loosely. I only understood about a quarter of the many, many mathematical concepts that were discussed, at exhausting length, in the book. The math was the most fascinating part of the book for me. Most kids are never taught that numbers are independent of their base 10 representation. "Some Illustrations to the Life of Alan Turing,", Relativity: The Special and the General Theory, Jess ❈Harbinger of Blood-Soaked Rainbows❈. It is 1951, Manchester, England. This is a very, very in depth biography. Download. If you're looking for something to read to feel prepared to head into the film that's loosely based on it (The Imitation Game) you may find this a bit overwhelming. That's certainly cleared up a lot of the questions I had following the film. I found the complex abstract ideas amazingly clearly explained. And before seeing the credits, I had no idea it was based in this book. were pointless and distracting. Frequently, it was the breaking of a system which was critical in principle the Enigma machine (or variants of it) could offer practically unbreakable codes but in practice the way it was used offered a way in. But I grant that kids are poorly taught and maybe that's an issue affecting Christina. I read this in preparation for the upcoming movie The Imitation Game, and also managed to find and watch an earlier movie, Breaking the Code starring Derek Jacobi as Alan Turing, online. After the film i bought this book and a few others in order to get to know more about the brilliant man and the code-breaking that went on during WW2. I would have given much to have had these things taught to me when I was a kid. Yes, programming was the most important part of what the future held for technological progress, but the world decides to "deprogram" Turing when a court finds him guilty of homosexual acts: instead of p. In the mid-1940s, America worked on ENIAC while in Britain Turing worked on his own "universal Turing machine" and had been since at least 1936. The historic period background is well set out, especially in respect of gay rights or total lack of it. Also big part is devoted to the details of specific maths projects Turing was involved in different periods of his life. "Kids get turned off in school"? Turing brought the idea to practical realization in 1945 with his electronic design. HOWEVER, I used my mathematics to write computer programs (and deserted that after a few years) whereas Alan Turing. Andew Hodges Alan Turing The Enigma. I have run three marathons. Alan Turing: The Enigma, by Andrew Hodges takes place during World War II and displays how the first concepts and ideas for a modern computer were created. I enjoyed this, but I won't read it again, and even though the movie has some historical inaccuracies, I think for most people the movie is a fine and heroic rendering of Turing. Alan Turing : the enigma : the book that inspired the film The imitation game in SearchWorks catalog Let me introduce you to Alan. He is a quiet and shy man, but one who mainly gets along with his colleagues. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. The inspiration for a major motion picture starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, Alan Turing: The Enigma is a gripping story of mathematics, computers, cryptography, and … Thus, my four-star rating. They say the movie was "inspired" by the book. Alan Turing: The Enigma Summary. This comprehensive biography is certainly detailed. I read this in preparation for the upcoming movie The Imitation Game, and also managed to find and watch an earlier movie, Breaking the Code starring Derek Jacobi as Alan Turing, online. May be it is simply impossible to "crack" his rich personality. Can you please recommend (or review) any books you've read that focus on Turing's personal life? Couldn't stay awake through all the math prime numbets set theory blah blah..surely it could have been written with a slightly lighter touch on the mathematical theorems etc. This work was directly related to Turing's leading role in breaking the German Enigma ciphers during World War II, a scientific triumph that was critical to Allied victory in the Atlantic. Andrew Hodges brings Alan Turing to life in the namesake title, Alan Turing: The Enigma. during World War II and after Scrambler A German Enigma encryption machine used during World War II. But Turing's vision went far beyond the desperate wartime struggle. The international teaser poster was released on September 18, 2014 with the tagline "The true enigma was the man who cracked the code". I have a degree in mathematics. This Wizard/Dorothy metaphor (used at least twice by the author) is senseless. Alan Turing The Enigma : the Book That Inspired the Film The Imitation Game (Book) : Hodges, Andrew : A gripping story of mathematics, computers, cryptography, and homosexual persecution. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that the British mathematician Alan Turing (1912-1954) saved the Allies from the Nazis, invented the computer and artificial intelligence, and anticipated gay liberation by decades--all before his suicide at age forty-one. Taylor is the focal point, but we will see his followers as well as developments in personnel management and the behavioral sciences. (Cambridge University stood behind Turing, they knew they had a genius on their hands.) Alan Turing lived in and around Wilmslow. Ponderous in places, fast moving in others, this is the best attempt to capture Turing the man and mathematician. I just saw the film tonight and was blown away. But three stars to the author, whose digressive passages did not add anything to the book and his metaphors (Dorothy, as mentioned above, plus continual "White Queen/Red Queen, etc.) The official book behind the Academy Award-winning film The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley It is only a slight exaggeration to say that the British mathematician Alan Turing (1912-1954) saved the Allies from the Nazis, invented the computer and artificial intelligence, and anticipated gay liberation by decades--all before his suicide at age forty-one. I can see what this was so well received, especially considering when it was written originally. Alan Turing The Enigma (Book) : Hodges, Andrew : "This is the official story that has inspired the British film, The Imitation Game, a nail-biting race against time following Alan Turing, the pioneer of modern-day computing and credited with cracking the German Enigma code, and his brilliant team at Britain's top-secret code-breaking centre, Bletchley Park, during the darkest days of World War II. I grew up in Poynton, just a handful of miles from Wilmslow. At 700-plus pages, including a massive number of footnotes and references which are themselves a fund of fascinating information, it is dense going however, and probably not for everyone, although I found it totally absorbing**. If Alan Turing hadn?t solved the unbeatable Enigma, the Allies would?ve lost countless more ships and military bases because of the enemy?s secrecy. It's as if Hodges refused to eliminate any elements of his exhaustive research, in effect "strutting his stuff". Are we – even the most creative among us – but passive slaves to the laws of physics that govern our neurons?”. What a beautiful, kind, compassionate and wonderfully written biography. Book Description: A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER . In 1940 his machines were breaking the Enigma-enciphered messages of … During WWII Alan was the man who created the machine which cracked the German enigma. Towards the end of the war Turing was no longer needed at Bletchley and he moved to a neighbouring establishment, Hanslope Park where he built a speech encrypting system, Delilah with Don Bayley – … To read this is to feel humbled, not just by Alan Turing’s brilliant mind, but also by the years of dedicated work that Andrew Hodges put into this biography. I don't think the book needed to explain some of the mathematical concepts in quite the detail it did, nor did it need to explain in fine detail the sequelae of those concepts as discovered by others. Secret Intelligence Service (MI6) Headquarters intercepts a message that Alan Turing has been robbed at his place. I found Alan Turing the enigma by Andrew Hoges quite interesting and maddening. If math had been taught this way in my schools, I would have enjoyed it a lot more. the true man that finished the war, the same man that killed more than a hundred thousand Japanese, did so by pressing on a button while sitting. The inspiration for a major motion picture starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley, Alan Turing: The Enigma is a gripping story of mathematics, computers, cryptography, and homosexual persecution. Personally, I didn't see any evidence that the moviemakers read the book. Still, I'm glad to know more about the man who contributed so much to computer science. Alan Turing : the enigma, Andrew Hodges. He is determined to tackle large questions and finds that his understanding of mathematics and logic can be applied to aspects of the universe around him, especially in areas that people would deem too messy and without any logic. This biography of Turing, that eventually spawned the recent biopic The Imitation Game starring Benedict Cumberbatch, is a solid read and in some ways better than the movie. He had a fascinating, tragic life. And I particularly did not like the author referring to Turing as the Dorothy character from The Wizard of Oz. And Turing's homosexuality, his cruel treatment by the authorities and his eventual suicide speak for themselves; they don't need page after page of Gay Lib exegesis. Alan Turing was an intense personality, not the autistic enigma portrayed in the film. Alan Turing: The Enigma by Andrew Hodges is an enigma in its own right. One of his main objectives was to crack the German Enigma machine’s code. Alan Turing, a war hero in his own right, worked during World War II at Bletchley Park in England which was the site housing British codebreakers for the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS). Refresh and try again. “For him, breaking the Enigma was much easier than the problem of dealing with other people, especially with those holding power.”, “Could a machine ever be said to have made its own decisions? The conflicted life of ""an ordinary English homosexual atheist mathematician"": Alan Turing (1912-1954), of cryptanalysis and computer fame. Could creativity emerge from a set of fixed rules? Could a machine believe it made its own decisions? This is an extremely well-written and detailed book, and while a little heavy of the maths side there is nothing not to be expected from a biography abou. I watched The Imitation Game last week and I was left in awe, and slightly ashamed of myself for not knowing the contribution of Alan Turing to the war efforts and the advent of the computer age. The official book behind the Academy Award-winning film The Imitation Game, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Keira Knightley . I was almost afraid to read it after others said how difficult it was to understand the math sections, but I found those to be fascinating. A short summary of this paper. He is a great proponent of going back to first principles when approaching problems also. I even read some of the maths bits to my husband! The purpose of Part Two is to begin with the work of Frederick W. Taylor and trace developments in management thought in Great Britain, Europe, Japan, and the U.S.A. up to about 1929. This book follows his struggles through early life all the way to his death. Good stories can tell themselves so why does Hodges have to butt in all the time with his clumsy attempts to link everything in Alan's life to childhood stories and experiences? I found the complex abstract ideas amazingly clearly explained. The author seems to forget at times that this is Turing's story, not Hodges'. I picked it up in audiobook form in anticipation of The Imitation Game hitting theaters this fall. Written by a mathematician, it describes in plain language Turing's work on the foundations of computer science and how he broke the Germans' Enigma code in the Second World War. A good editor could have whittled away at least 100 pages from the edition I read with 679 pages. In 1945 he. ReviewChomp. The first UK and US trailers were released on July 22, 2014. What a beautiful, kind, compassionate and wonderfully written biography. So I give Alan Turing himself five stars: his genius certainly saved many lives during WW2, and never once during his trials did he mention what he had done for Britain: this is a man who keeps his promises, he'd vowed never to talk of his decryption work. His breaking of the German U-boat Enigma cipher in World War II ensured Allied-American control of the Atlantic. Its subject, the British mathematical genius who contributed to the cryptanalysis of the Nazi enigma code and to the beginnings of the computer, was not an easy subject. Could a machine come up with ideas that had not been programmed into it in advance? I don't think the book needed to explain some of the mathematical concepts in quite the detail it did, nor did it need to explain in fin. Thanks to the thousands of American scientists (and maybe foreign ones too), that sacrificed a lot of time and sleep in developing, Part Two This is an extremely well-written and detailed book, and while a little heavy of the maths side there is nothing not to be expected from a biography about a genius mathematician. I'm not really recommending it because I thought it was overly complicated and I'm not sure that a lot of people will want to spend half of their reading time on Wikipedia the way I did. The writer has a real gift. Great book, but be prepared for. Still, I'm glad to know more about the man who contributed so much to computer science. Interesting because of the genius and achievements of Turning, which are described in some detail (much to the author's credit) but maddening because of the sociopolitical asides about Turing's homosexuality (which was illegal in the UK during his lifetime), not just as they relate to Turing himself but to further an agenda of the author that detracts from Turing's story. But Turing's true goal was the scientific understanding of the mind, brought out in the drama and wit of the famous "Turing test" for machine intelligence and in his prophecy for the twenty-first century. You cannot but feel awed at the greatness of the personality that is being painted, intimidated by his genius, and infuriated at the obviously horrible treatment he received in return for saving the democratic world! I prefer the Bletchley Park period, but he is dismissive towards them has elicited such widely. I really want to read it, and some seem to digress the. 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Was written originally Turing ends his own life, ironically with a flair for engineering ( 1912-54 ) a...

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