Scott, new york times one of the finest scientific biographies ever written. The official book behind the academy awardwinning film the imitation game. This page is the gateway and guide to a large website. The book that inspired the film the imitation game updated edition. The profs book, or turing s treatise on the enigma see the alan turing home page for a guide to this website in late 1940 alan turing wrote a report describing the methods he and his colleagues at bletchley park had used to break into the german enigma cipher systems. The book that inspired the film the imitation game paperback nov. Sep 16, 2014 alan s experiences were what they were because of who he was, and, in turn, these experiences made him into the man, the enigma he became. Jan 01, 2014 unlocking an enigma just as this kindle single explains how alan turing helped unlock the secrets of the enigma machine, so too does it help unlock the enigma known as alan turing. Now, the life of the ww2 codebreaker and computer science pioneer has been turned into a major hollywood f.
From his own mathematics and gayrights background, hedges reconstructs turing s discoveries and his dilemma in a kind of dynamic tensionseeing turing, with considerable subtlety, as an intellectual and sexual individualist. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that the british mathematician alan turing 19121954 saved the allies from the nazis, invented the computer and artificial intelligence, and anticipated gay liberation by decadesall before his suicide at age fortyone this classic biography of the founder of computer science, reissued on the centenary of his birth with a substantial new preface by. Some readers may be put off by the length 650 pages, but the book is one of the best histories i have ever read. Andrew hodges, and henrik olesen, the artist behind some illustrations to the life of alan turing, both depict the young alan turing as a child inquisitive, and bright beyond his. Alan turing quotes author of computing machinery and. The enigma 1983 is a biography of the british mathematician, codebreaker, and early computer scientist, alan turing 19121954 by andrew hodges. On the face of it, a richly detailed 500 page biography of a mathematical genius and. The conflicted life of an ordinary english homosexual atheist mathematician. Hodges examined available primary sources and interviewed surviving witnesses to elucidate turing s multiple dimensions. The official book behind the academy awardwinning film the imitation game, starring benedict cumberbatch and keira knightley. The whole was not as well written as i was expecting, and it did not feel very consistent in places. The book also tells how this work was directly related to turings leading role in breaking the german enigma ciphers during world war ii, a.
Alan turing was the extraordinary cambridge mathematician who masterminded the cracking of the german enigma ciphers and transformed the second world war. But his vision went far beyond this crucial achievement. The turing machine, computability, universal machine 193638. Turing s rehabilitation from over a quartercenturys embarrassed silence was largely the result of andrew hodgess superb biography, alan turing. Alan turing died in 1954, but the themes of his life epitomize the turn of the millennium. 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. I learned a great deal more about the enigma machine and why it was so difficult to crack the code, as well as the development of the codebreaking community. Joan clarke joan murray after her marriage in 1952 wrote a six page chapter of codebreakers, eds. Alan turing 19121954, of cryptanalysis and computer fame. Alan turing was such a genius, and those, like myself, who had the astonishing and unexpected opportunity, created by the strange exigencies of the second world war, to be able to count turing as colleague and friend will never forget that experience, nor can we ever lose its immense benefit to us.
This is the tragic story of a genius whose profound. Subsequently, a much better original copy was released by the british national archives, box hw 253. Alan turing will feature on the new bank of england. A new york times bestseller the official book behind the academy awardwinning film the imitation game, starring benedict cumberbatch and keira knightley it is only a slight exaggeration to say that the british mathematician alan turing 19121954 saved the allies from the nazis, invented the computer and artificial intelligence, and anticipated gay liberation by decadesall before his. A vivid picture of the late 1940 period, when turing s work on naval enigma was stymied, is documented by the operation ruthless plan of september 1940, conceived by none other than commander ian fleming, later famous as the creator of james bond.
That amt bathed naked, i know from a photograph of him taken on the rocky coast of sark. The man who cracked the unbreakable german enigma code in world war ii. Entitled hut 8 and naval enigma, part i this describes her work for hut 8, starting with her arrival on 17 june 1940. This recognition for the codebreaker and father of the modern computer is overdue and well deserved. Turing carved across the top, read down the left leg, and write down the other. Nov, 2014 the official book behind the academy awardwinning film the imitation game, starring benedict cumberbatch and keira knightley alan turing was the mathematician whose ciphercracking transformed the second world war. The enigma the book that inspired the film the imitation game english, paperback, hodges andrew. The enigma, is the indispensable guide to turings life. Without this book, the real alan turing might fade into obscurity or at least the easy caricature of an eccentric british mathematician. This recognition for the codebreaker and father of the modern computer is. There is also detailing of his being persecuted by his own government because of his homosexuality. This plan for a pinch was abandoned in october 1940, and birch reported turing and. I am so glad they did this book and he was not forgotten.
Taken on by british intelligence in 1938, as a shy young cambridge don, he combined brilliant logic with a flair for engineering. On the face of it, a richly detailed 500page biography of a mathematical genius and. Until recently, that was about the sum of my knowledge of this brilliant man, but. A copy of this handbook was at last released from secrecy by the american national security agency in april 1996, under the title turing s. Alan turing was the mathematician whose ciphercracking transformed the. At 700plus pages, including a massive number of footnotes and references which.
The enigma by andrew hodges, 9780691164724, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Site maintained by publisher princeton university press. Is this the book for the imitation game because the end of the movie it says that the. The enigma the book that inspired the film the imitation game 2014. Jim holt, new yorker andrew hodges 1983 book alan turing. On the face of it, a richly detailed 500page biography of a mathematical g. Carnegie mellon university has a granite bench, situated in the hornbostel mall, with the name a.
It is a bit ironic that a book whose title implies that alan turing himself is the biggest enigma manages to leave him still an enigma in many ways, but that is the case. The book that inspired the film the imitation game updated. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Alan had a tough life but played an important part in wwii. Alan had proved that there was no miraculous machine that could solve all mathematical problems, but in the process he had discovered something. He was highly influential in the development of computer science, providing a formalisation of the concepts of algorithm and computation with the turing machine, which can be considered a model of a general purpose computer. The enigma by hodges, andrew and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. This limited biography explores his role in advancing the computer sciences and development of a i.
On the face of it, a richly detailed 500 page biography of a mathematical genius. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. And to the relief of many, because turing was a difficult person. Hodges tells how turing s revolutionary idea of 1936the concept of a universal machinelaid the foundation for the modern computer and how turing brought the idea to. We consider the informal concept of computability or effective calculability and two of the formalisms commonly used to define it. The book that inspired the film the imitation game. Tracing his life and exploring the questions surrounding his death at age 41, this short book is well worth reading as an introduction to turing s life and his work. The book went on to be inspiration for the 2014 academy awardnominated film the imitation game. Publication date 1983 topics turing, alan mathison, 19121954, turing, alan mathison, 19121954, mathematicians. Alan turing project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. The enigma, is the indispensable guide to turing s life and work and one of the finest biographies of a scientific genius ever written.
Paul hoffman, author of the man who loved only numbers. Breaking of uboat enigma, saving battle of the atlantic. A copy of this handbook was at last released from secrecy by the american national security agency in april 1996, under the title turing s treatise on the enigma. A pure mathematician from a tradition that prided itself on its impracticality, turing laid the foundations for modern computer science, writes andrew hodges. In late 1940 alan turing wrote a report describing the methods he and his colleagues at bletchley park had used to break into the german enigma cipher systems. Turing is most famous for his cryptanalysis work at bletchley park during the second world war. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that the british mathematician alan turing 19121954 saved the allies from the nazis, invented the computer and artificial intelligence, and anticipated gay liberation by decadesall before his suicide. The enigma 1983 is a biography of the british mathematician, codebreaker, and early computer scientist, alan turing. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Includes a new foreword by the author and a preface by douglas hofstadter. Sometimes it is the people no one can imagine anything of who do the things no one can imagine. In 1977 he decided only a full length biography of turing could do justice to. What we have here is the definitive biography of alan turing, and its the book that the movie the imitation game. You will see it on this page of my alan turing internet scrapbook page 67.
The classic biography of the founder of computer science. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that the british mathematician alan turing 19121954 saved the allies from the nazis, invented the computer and artificial intelligence, and anticipated gay liberation by decadesall. The only thing that i knew about alan turing before this book was a few things about his role in cracking the enigma code in ww2. The enigma, burnett books 1983 by a hodges add to metacart. At 100 pages its also an extremely short book i find it hard to even call it a book, and it makes for an unsatisfying and confusing read. The new american edition of the book is now available. She also spoke in december 1991 about her friendship with alan turing on the bbc television film the strange life and death of dr turing. This is a comprehensive biography which attempts to document the private and professional life of a truly complex individual. I found it to be a page turner in spite of the occasionally esoteric explanations of. A gay man convicted of homosexuality in the dark days when it was a crime, but posthumously pardoned by her majesty the queen in 20. In railfence cipher the message is written from top to down and diagonally on an imaginary fence. Many times i wanted to put the book away, but i finished it in spite of myself.
Before the war he had formulated the concept of the universal machine, and in 1945 he turned this into the. This one is about alan turing who broke the enigma code during wwii. The 2014 film the imitation game is loosely based on the book, with dramatization. If you prefer to read reference material, which is how i believe this book should be classified, then knock yourself out. Alan turing a new york times bestseller the official book behind the academy awardwinning film the imitation game, starring benedict cumberbatch and keira knightley it is only a slight exaggeration to say that the british mathematician alan turing 19121954 saved the allies from the nazis, invented the computer and artificial intelligence, and anticipated gay liberation by decadesall. Alan turing was an intense personality, not the autistic enigma portrayed in the film.
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