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seclement's review against another edition
4.0
Interesting and informative, but far too long. While the life of Alan Turing is quite an interesting one and there's an engaging story here that is told well, it really does begin to read, after a while, as a book written by a Turing obsessive. I recommend reading it if you are interested in his life, but don't feel bad if you feel like skimming some bits in the middle. The level of detail is excessive, but I suppose this was riding a wave of Turing's popularity, and you might as well get it all out there in one go.
stevenyenzer's review against another edition
4.0
I've had this on my list ever since I saw and was very disappointed by The Imitation Game. The Enigma righted that wrong, giving Turing the complexity he deserves. Rather than an misanthropic genius who closely guarded his sexuality, Turing was sociable, witty and very comfortable with being gay. Although he certainly understood that the wider world rejected his "sexual perversion," the cloistered worlds of English public schools, Cambridge and eventually Bletchley Park all shielded him from this disapproval. He didn't proclaim the fact that he was a gay man, but he also didn't hide it, and it seems that most of his friends were aware of the fact.
I was pleased by the in-depth explanations of Turing machines, the Enigma bombes, and other technically complex subjects, although I still lack a full understanding of how exactly they worked. Hodges succeeded in communicating the genius of Turing's work even though I couldn't totally grasp the specifics.
Turing's post-war life is not as interesting, and Hodges' deep dive into Turing's research about embryonic development and other seemingly ancillary topics lost my interest a bit. Of course, that's no one's fault, except perhaps Hodges' for feeling like he had to spend equal time on these topics.
His account of Turing's death is by necessity dissatisfying, but I was pleased that he didn't speculate too wildly on the reasons behind it. Whatever it was that drove Turing to suicide, it is obviously too late to make any satisfactory discoveries.
Overall I was struck by the playfulness and freedom with which Turing explored the future of computing. It seemed easy for him to imagine a world in which computers played a central role, and although things hasn't quite turned out the way he imagined, he got plenty right. Moreover, his ideas formed the unique blend of mechanical and theoretical that is the foundation of modern computing. He saw incredible potential in what at the time was easy to dismiss as impractical.
I was pleased by the in-depth explanations of Turing machines, the Enigma bombes, and other technically complex subjects, although I still lack a full understanding of how exactly they worked. Hodges succeeded in communicating the genius of Turing's work even though I couldn't totally grasp the specifics.
Turing's post-war life is not as interesting, and Hodges' deep dive into Turing's research about embryonic development and other seemingly ancillary topics lost my interest a bit. Of course, that's no one's fault, except perhaps Hodges' for feeling like he had to spend equal time on these topics.
His account of Turing's death is by necessity dissatisfying, but I was pleased that he didn't speculate too wildly on the reasons behind it. Whatever it was that drove Turing to suicide, it is obviously too late to make any satisfactory discoveries.
Overall I was struck by the playfulness and freedom with which Turing explored the future of computing. It seemed easy for him to imagine a world in which computers played a central role, and although things hasn't quite turned out the way he imagined, he got plenty right. Moreover, his ideas formed the unique blend of mechanical and theoretical that is the foundation of modern computing. He saw incredible potential in what at the time was easy to dismiss as impractical.
professorfate's review against another edition
4.0
An extremely English biography of Alan Turing, a father of the modern-day computer. It does tend to jump around quite a bit (especially later in the book), but it was still quite informative.
alexandrarhurst's review against another edition
4.0
HORRIBLY FASCINATING. I unashamedly started reading this because I loved the movie 'Imitation Game,' and while I will admit I was kind of bummed how inaccurate the movie was, my newfound appreciation for Turing and his life's work outweighs all that.
I expected the book to give a lot of great insight into Turing's papers and inventions, but I totally wasn't prepared for the mathematical depth it went into. As a mathematician, I absolutely loved getting this added insight. It really helped to create a more complete picture and answered a lot of questions I had about Turing machines and the Enigma.
If you don't have a long attention span or mathematical training, this book not might be for you, but all in all it really is an incredible portrait of the 'Trotsky of the Computer Revolution.'
I expected the book to give a lot of great insight into Turing's papers and inventions, but I totally wasn't prepared for the mathematical depth it went into. As a mathematician, I absolutely loved getting this added insight. It really helped to create a more complete picture and answered a lot of questions I had about Turing machines and the Enigma.
If you don't have a long attention span or mathematical training, this book not might be for you, but all in all it really is an incredible portrait of the 'Trotsky of the Computer Revolution.'
vll295's review against another edition
4.0
This is the story of Alan Turing, British mathematician. The book starts with his early life, and continues on through his development of a universal machine and solving of ciphers during the War. Meanwhile all of the other while all of the other personal aspects of his life are scrutinized. An interesting book, worth the read.
carmiendo's review against another edition
3.0
this book took forever for me to read!! first of all, it's 50% math textbook and i haven't read one of those since college. math nostalgia~~
unfortunately alan turing was a fascinating genius and individual and so i kept wanting to know what else he did in his life, juuuust enough to keep going.
IT TURNS OUT: he only gets credit for about ten percent of the cool shit that he did! he invented generated text with his friend and they used it to write randomly generated love letters. his hobby was basically apocalypse prepping by recreating modern technology using things found in nature. he was basically out to everyone he worked with because he just decided not to respect people who didn't accept him. what a bad ass.
do i wish i could have known all of this information without having to read this book? DEFINITELY. was it worth it? MAYBE. am i glad to be done? ALSO DEFINITELY
unfortunately alan turing was a fascinating genius and individual and so i kept wanting to know what else he did in his life, juuuust enough to keep going.
IT TURNS OUT: he only gets credit for about ten percent of the cool shit that he did! he invented generated text with his friend and they used it to write randomly generated love letters. his hobby was basically apocalypse prepping by recreating modern technology using things found in nature. he was basically out to everyone he worked with because he just decided not to respect people who didn't accept him. what a bad ass.
do i wish i could have known all of this information without having to read this book? DEFINITELY. was it worth it? MAYBE. am i glad to be done? ALSO DEFINITELY
minn3h's review against another edition
3.0
This biography is only half or less biography, the rest bogs down in a deep and detailed lesson on Alan Turing's most significant works.
marielaine's review against another edition
3.0
J'ai aimé lire et découvrir l'histoire de se scientifique méconnu. Il a apporté beaucoup à la science ainsi qu'à la guerre. Par contre, j'ai trouvé difficile la lecture, par moment, car l'auteur mettait beaucoup l'emphase sur des concepts scientifiques et des références d'époque. J'ai pris plus de temps à le lire et je n'avais pas toujours la motivation pour le faire.
Malgré que ces concepts et références étaient intéressants, j'ai trouvé que cela apportait une lourdeur au texte et me faisait décrocher. Je ne crois pas qu'un lecteur lambda aimerait lire le livre car il serait tenté de décrocher, surtout s'il n'a pas des notions de base en mathématique. Je pense qu'un lecteur non féru en mathématique, physique, informatique ou science voudrait lire le livre puisqu'il y a eu un engouement à la suite du film The Imitation Game.
Malgré cet irritant, je trouve que l'auteur apporte bien les choses et que nous en apprenons d'avantage sur la vie et le destin de ce génie. Je ne recommande pas le livre nécessairement à tout le monde car il faut avoir une certaine base scientifique afin de ne pas décrocher et se décourager.
Malgré que ces concepts et références étaient intéressants, j'ai trouvé que cela apportait une lourdeur au texte et me faisait décrocher. Je ne crois pas qu'un lecteur lambda aimerait lire le livre car il serait tenté de décrocher, surtout s'il n'a pas des notions de base en mathématique. Je pense qu'un lecteur non féru en mathématique, physique, informatique ou science voudrait lire le livre puisqu'il y a eu un engouement à la suite du film The Imitation Game.
Malgré cet irritant, je trouve que l'auteur apporte bien les choses et que nous en apprenons d'avantage sur la vie et le destin de ce génie. Je ne recommande pas le livre nécessairement à tout le monde car il faut avoir une certaine base scientifique afin de ne pas décrocher et se décourager.