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tikitechie's review against another edition
3.0
This was a tough read for me. It’s clearly well-researched and the seminal reference for his life, but there is just so much detail that it’s almost harder to assemble an arc of his life. I was expecting more “greatest hits” and less “day to day journal”. Even as someone who’s very interested in his life and his accomplishments I constantly struggled to get the motivation to finish this one.
pcaron_de's review against another edition
4.0
An excellent biography of an extraordinary man. This book is equally interesting when discussing mathematical theory, cryptography, the early history of computers or the repressive laws and mores of 1950s Britain which ultimately destroyed one of the sharpest minds of the 20th century. Highly recommended reading for science, history, math or computer enthusiasts. Hodges is able to illuminate some of the dark corners of English society and politics and those, like Turing, who dared challenge convention. While he casts AlanTuring as a tragic hero who was far ahead of his time it is nevertheless clear that Turing was unapologetic, really seeing himself as a victim. Perhaps that was one of his greatest if least appreciated attributes.
A fine tribute to a great man.
A fine tribute to a great man.
shannonprewett's review
2.0
An overly long book where only the last 100 pages or so I was interested in. There were so many mathematical and scientific terms that I really struggled to understand what was happening a lot of the time. Definitely an interesting read though.
susannavs's review against another edition
3.0
A lot of this went over my head, and in some sections I would have preferred a print book (might have been easier to see the enigma decrypts vs. hearing them). Still, a fascinating look at a fascinating man. A very sad end...
nerdatronic's review
This book details the way scientific pursuit and knowledge is inextricably linked with its social political milieu (the war, England, being gay, class distinctions). It's a fascinating look at the drives of epistemology, academic competition, and the divisions between theory and practice.
But the book is ultimately what it means to be human and understand the self, to make sense of lived experiences against hypocrisy and social prescription. But we don't just live dual lives divided between public and private selves. If anything, Alan Turing shows that we live a complex assemblage of multiple lives, all simultaneous, contradictory, and fundamental. Can there ever be such a thing as a cohesive unitary life?
There is also a lot of math.
But the book is ultimately what it means to be human and understand the self, to make sense of lived experiences against hypocrisy and social prescription. But we don't just live dual lives divided between public and private selves. If anything, Alan Turing shows that we live a complex assemblage of multiple lives, all simultaneous, contradictory, and fundamental. Can there ever be such a thing as a cohesive unitary life?
There is also a lot of math.
bookherd's review against another edition
5.0
This biography of Alan Turing is one of the best biographies of any type I've read. Andrew Hodges explores the known facts of Turing's life, goes into the details of his mathematical, philosophical and scientific work, and tells a convincing story about Turing's inner life based on papers left behind and testimony from friends and associates. He also does a good job of explaining the distinct way that the time in which Turing lived shaped the story of his life. It's a weighty, substantial book, but very readable even for someone (me) who isn't particularly strong in math.
This is also the book which the movie The Imitation Game credits as its inspiration. The movie oversimplifies the story (necessarily?) in places, but also takes liberties with the facts (annoyingly). See the movie as a fairy tale, but read the book for a real, complex, and completely fascinating interpretation of Turing's story.
This is also the book which the movie The Imitation Game credits as its inspiration. The movie oversimplifies the story (necessarily?) in places, but also takes liberties with the facts (annoyingly). See the movie as a fairy tale, but read the book for a real, complex, and completely fascinating interpretation of Turing's story.
leemac027's review against another edition
4.0
I think, like many people, I was aware of Alan Turing through his involvement of cracking the Enigma codes. Little did I know how much more he achieved, but also the struggle he had with his own identity.
Andrew Hodges has crafted a very detailed history about the genius of Turing, his contradictions and his constant struggle of not fitting in. Hodges is a tutor in mathematics at Oxford University and thus has a deep insight into the theories that Turing developed, which gives the book so much of its detail but can be a little hard going at times if you are not mathematically minded, but it is worth it to get a hint of the brilliance of Turing.
Turing's upbringing was at arms length from his parents and focused on public school with the all issues that creates. However his move into cryptanalysis during World War II allowed his 'out of the box' thinking to thrive. Breaking the Enigma code was a huge achievement that also stood on the shoulders of the Polish - something I did not know prior to reading this book.
Turing's personal life was difficult due to his homosexuality which was considered a crime back then, and his gruff and slightly quirky manner meant true friends were hard to come by. The friends he did have, he kept for life.
His foresight into how computers could be developed and used were so far ahead of his time. Turing was thinking about the creation of a 'brain', a computer that could think for itself - the early workings of artificial intelligence. He spent much time researching the nature of human intelligence and how it resembled and contrasted from that of a computer. His work influenced computer science not only in the UK and Europe but also across the United States.
Turing's suicide in 1954 came as a shock and also a mystery as he left no note and possibly only a few scant clues as to why he took his own life. It is hard to think about the loss, not only to his friends and family, but also to computer science and mathematics that such a genius intellect was silenced at the age of 41.
Andrew Hodges has crafted a very detailed history about the genius of Turing, his contradictions and his constant struggle of not fitting in. Hodges is a tutor in mathematics at Oxford University and thus has a deep insight into the theories that Turing developed, which gives the book so much of its detail but can be a little hard going at times if you are not mathematically minded, but it is worth it to get a hint of the brilliance of Turing.
Turing's upbringing was at arms length from his parents and focused on public school with the all issues that creates. However his move into cryptanalysis during World War II allowed his 'out of the box' thinking to thrive. Breaking the Enigma code was a huge achievement that also stood on the shoulders of the Polish - something I did not know prior to reading this book.
Turing's personal life was difficult due to his homosexuality which was considered a crime back then, and his gruff and slightly quirky manner meant true friends were hard to come by. The friends he did have, he kept for life.
His foresight into how computers could be developed and used were so far ahead of his time. Turing was thinking about the creation of a 'brain', a computer that could think for itself - the early workings of artificial intelligence. He spent much time researching the nature of human intelligence and how it resembled and contrasted from that of a computer. His work influenced computer science not only in the UK and Europe but also across the United States.
Turing's suicide in 1954 came as a shock and also a mystery as he left no note and possibly only a few scant clues as to why he took his own life. It is hard to think about the loss, not only to his friends and family, but also to computer science and mathematics that such a genius intellect was silenced at the age of 41.
fraw's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
illustriousnewt's review against another edition
It just dragged on and on. The author didn’t need to tell us about every single thing Turing ever did for which we have a record. Also, I did not know enough about math to appreciate it.