Alan Turing: The Enigma

By: Andrew Hodges

Narrated by: Gordon Griffin

Length: 30 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

Listed as one of the essential 50 books of all time in The Guardian

Inspired the Academy Award-nominated film, The Imitation Game

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

Critic reviews

"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)

Mixed Review

This seems to me to be two stories, one technical, the other human. The human story makes my guts hurt. The technical story is in my opinion quite flawed. Perhaps the author tries to overwhelm with words what is not quite understood. The book is very long. There are endless technical discussions that more often than not poorly tied to any underlying thread or understanding of Alan Turing.

I am technical and I long suspected that subjects described in length and with which I was not so familiar were gummed up, not quite on the mark and poorly related to telling us of the genius of A. Turing. When the topic turned to one with which I am quite familiar, this indeed proved to be the case.

There are endless passages where there is no "thread". Topics are jumped back and forth through time with little coherency.

The confusion of the story is increased by the faltering delivery of the reader. The reading is quite bad in the first 1/3 or so. The reader often hesitates where he should continue and continues which he should pause. You can try this yourself by reading a few sentences with the wrong inflections, pauses, etc and simple english will be rendered into nonsense. I found myself often jolted as sentence delivery was just "off".

Thankfully, the reader got much better by the end. Of course, he had lots and lots and lots of practice.

I think what I learned in this book will help me to quickly go to other sources and get a better understanding of Turing's technical contributions.

However, it seems to me that the author misses almost completely the incredibly important point that Turing cut his way through previously unknown jungles of ideas. Many of the ideas discussed, at length, are long now, a daily reality of people's lives, so much so, that the ideas no longer seem remarkable. The book needed not just a discussion but a creative device to not just explain this but to make the innovative thought and problem solving significant to the twenty-firth century reader.

Perhaps that's the most damning thing to say about this book, with its endless pages about the work of a truly creative man, is that the book showed no creativity in it's delivery of a very very long story.

This book, with all its words, is not all bad. It just doesn't inspire - at least it did not inspire me.

Really well done

Any additional comments?

Alan Turing was the most significant scientific mind of the 20th century, so were his accomplishments. I want to know as much as possible about this great mind. To say that this is too long and too detailed is idiotic. The narration is top notch and worthy of the subject. It is a tragedy for the human race that this great mind was crushed by ignorance and arrogance. If given his full life his accomplishments and the benefits to scientific knowledge would have matched or exceeded Einstein.

Lots to Absorb

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

As a non-scientific person, this book had too much for me to understand and absorb. BUT I enjoyed the book. I listened and learned how difficult it was for individuals who differed from what was accepted as the 'norm' decades ago. Made me more appreciative that we have changed many biases. Was unhappy thinking that Alan Turing, a genius, was put through such horrible personal choices --in spite of his scientific and intellectual contributions. I can't repeat any of the scientific 'stuff'--but I listened and learned.

Would you recommend Alan Turing: The Enigma to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend the book to anyone patient enough to go through all the technical and scientific details....and bravo for the scientific mind...just perfect for these folks.

What did you like about the performance? What did you dislike?

The narrator was easy to listen to...which was good as it was a long book, of which 40% I couldn't understand.

Do you think Alan Turing: The Enigma needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

No

Subtly trenchant

Disturbing, haunting, tantalizing. Excellently read. Worthy of multiple reads. Film imitation game a tasty sample only. Consume both if you dare.

Enlightening, inspiring, terrifying

Enlightening, inspiring, terrifying. Long but enjoyable and well worth the trouble. I recommend it completely

not enough life

high quality work, but too academical. author did not fully open the character as real life person. very good narration.

An excellent biography and historical treatise.

A great insight into the mind if a genius. It is how the computer was envisioned and built.

Alan Turing is a hero

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

In some respects, I believe reading the book would be better than listening to it. The narrator paused every few words and it became quite tedious. Especially when it is describing math that is over my head to start with. Reading it would let me scan over those parts.

Would you recommend Alan Turing: The Enigma to your friends? Why or why not?

I would recommend that they research Alan Turing and find out about him.

How could the performance have been better?

Had the performer not paused every few words it would be better. It became tedious.....to listen to math.....with pauses.......every few words.

Do you think Alan Turing: The Enigma needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?

no.

An eye opening story

Andrew Hodges has written a heart wrenching story about an extremely smart and intense man whose lifestyle is not easily understood. Definitely a Hero Tribute story.

A great story with painstaking attention to detail.

This biography was obviously well researched. My only problem with it is that there was too much detailed information that did not add to my overall knowledge. I think I would've gotten just as much out of an abridged version.
Gordon Griffin's narration was outstanding!