![Alan Turing: The Enigma | [Andrew Hodges]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51tmm9MeBbL._SL175_.jpg "Alan Turing: The Enigma | [Andrew Hodges]")
Alan Turing: The Enigma
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- Regular Price :£29.99Special Offer: Learn how to get this for £3.99 !
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Average Customer Rating
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LENGTH30 hrs and 44 mins
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RELEASE DATE23/06/2012
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AUDIO FORMATS
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Program TypeAudiobook
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PUBLISHER
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Publisher's Summary
Listed as one of the essential 50 books of all time in The Guardian
It's 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. This classic biography of the founder of computer science, reissued on the centenary of his birth with a substantial new preface by the author, is the definitive account of an extraordinary mind and life.
A gripping story of mathematics, computers, cryptography, and homosexual persecution, Andrew Hodges's acclaimed book captures both the inner and outer drama of Turing's life.Hodges tells how Turing's revolutionary idea of 1936--the concept of a universal machine--laid the foundation for the modern computer and how Turing brought the idea to practical realization in 1945 with his electronic design. The book also tells how 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. At the same time, this is the tragic story of a man who, despite his wartime service, was eventually arrested, stripped of his security clearance, and forced to undergo a humiliating treatment program--all for trying to live honestly in a society that defined homosexuality as a crime.
©2012 Andrew Hodges (P)2012 Audible Ltd
What the Critics Say
"A first-rate presentation of the life of a first-rate scientific mind...it is hard to imagine a more thoughtful and warm biography than this one." (NYT Book Review)
"A superb biography. . . . 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. The subtle depiction of class rivalries, personal relationships, and Turing's tragic end are worthy of a novel. But this was a real person. Hodges describes the man, and the science that fascinated him--which once saved, and still influences, our lives." (Margaret Boden, New Scientist)
"One of the finest scientific biographies I've ever read: authoritative, superbly researched, deeply sympathetic and beautifully told." (Sylvia Nasar, author of A Beautiful Mind.)
"One of the finest scientific biographies ever written." (Jim Holt, New Yorker)
"A first-class contribution to history and an exemplary work of biography." (I. J. Good, Nature)
"An almost perfect match of biographer and subject. . . . [A] great book." (Ray Monk, Guardian)
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What Members Say
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"Insight into a genius and a man"
I enjoyed this book because it made me understand as Alan Turing's interests in various branches of science led him to start the era of the computer, to figure out a machine could be developed to have an intelligence which is a wonderful tool for human intelligence and can even challenge it. And also this book portrays Alan's personal life, explains his love for freedom, truth and integrity, how he stood up to prejudices of society until he died. The listening was wonderful and involving, I loved it.
6 of 7 people found this review helpful -
"Postumous recognition of a troubled genius"
This is a monumental biography of one of the great minds of the 20th century who, sadly, didn't get the recognition he deserved until well after his death. Despite some very complex descriptions of mathematical theorems, I was captivated by the mixture of Turing's personal life with his contributions to code-breaking and computing. Interwoven into the story one is reminded of how very different social norms were in the 1950s and how tragically Turing was cruelly treated by the system for being a homosexual.
The narrator deserves a medal for his excellent rendition of over 30 hours of recording and mastering the mathematical notations.1 of 1 people found this review helpful -
"How the singular mind works"
Alan Turing was not your normal chap, but then normal chaps don't step so far out of the box to re-invent and drastically improve that box either. The cloistered academic community does have a place in this world if you think about it which is exactly what they were doing! Cool.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful -
"Interesting yet technical at times"
Apparently the life of Alan Turing wasn't so special after all. Nevertheless, this is an interesting listen even though it gets very technical a couple of times. The reader was enjoyable to listen to most of the time, but his young Alan Turing voice sounds annoyingly innocent.
0 of 0 people found this review helpful -
"Needs abridging!"
I'm four hours in and I'm still listening to Alan Turing's school days which, as far as I can tell, were no more interesting or dramatic than the average. Somehow, Andrew Hodges has contrived to make the biography of one of the most interesting and influential figures of the 20th Century boring. Congratulations.
2 of 5 people found this review helpful -
"Laborious"
Too long, overly complicated. Only a first in Maths from Cambridge would make it more palitable.
0 of 2 people found this review helpful -
"Very Nice book"
very good and wonderful to hear. narration and journey through out the book was very cool and good.
0 of 23 people found this review helpful