Alan Turing
Unlocking The Enigma
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Alan Turing
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Narrated by:
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Barnaby Edwards
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By:
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David Boyle
About this listen
Alan Mathison Turing. Mathematician, philosopher, codebreaker, a founder of computer science, and the father of Artificial Intelligence, Turing was one of the most original thinkers of the last century - and the man whose work helped create the computer-driven world we now inhabit.
But he was also an enigmatic figure, deeply reticent yet also strikingly naive. Turing's openness about his homosexuality at a time when it was an imprisonable offense ultimately led to his untimely death at the age of only 41.
In Alan Turing: Unlocking the Enigma, David Boyle reveals the mysteries behind the man and his remarkable career. Aged just 22, Turing was elected a fellow at King's College, Cambridge on the strength of a dissertation in which he proved the central limit theorem. By the age of 33, he had been awarded the OBE by King George VI for his wartime services: Turing was instrumental in cracking the Nazi Enigma machines at the top secret code breaking establishment at Bletchley Park during the Second World War.
But his achievements were to be tragically overshadowed by the paranoia of the post-War years. Hounded for his supposedly subversive views and for his sexuality, Turing was prosecuted in 1952, and forced to accept the humiliation of hormone treatment to avoid a prison sentence. Just two years later, at the age of 41 he was dead. The verdict: cyanide poisoning.
Was Turing's death accidental as his mother always claimed? Or did persistent persecution drive him to take him own life?
Alan Turing: Unlocking the Enigma seeks to find the man behind the science, illuminating the life of a person who is still a shadowy presence behind his brilliant achievements.
©2014 David Boyle (P)2014 Audible StudiosListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"A book that is engagingly sensitive to the sentiments of what is sometimes called 'middle England'" (Dominic Lawson, Sunday Times)
What listeners say about Alan Turing
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Justin Lane
- 28-12-22
interesting take
An interesting take that tries to tell his story while straddling the facts versus the fictions that have arisen after his death.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Vicuña
- 18-12-15
Short but succinct and intriguing
Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why?
Yes, it's a fascinating taster about a complex individual and it raises philosophical questions as well as looking at code breaking and AI. It's made me want to know more about the man and his work.
Who was your favorite character and why?
It's a biopic about Turing.
What does Barnaby Edwards bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you had only read the book?
Relaxed and easy reading style made for enjoyable listening.
Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?
Yes, I did. At only 2 hours, it rattled along and packed in a lot.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Faye T.
- 07-01-22
pretty good book
Interesting review of Turing's life. Short so easy to finish. Narrator was pleasant to listen to.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Alicia
- 15-03-22
Great read
Very respectful and informative. Includes lots of detail into Turings life, career and personality. Really enjoyed this book
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- gavface
- 05-02-24
Very moving .
A very enjoyable couple of hours listening to the story of one of our most important and uncelebrated british peers. I saw the film with Benedict Cumberbatch many years ago which was mostly focussed around the code breaking story but this provided some interesting background and filled in some gaps in the story. also as we enter a world of AI and technology has advanced so far since that film was made it seems that Alan Turin was way ahead and the more of a hero than we could’ve imagined just a short time ago.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Evie
- 07-11-21
Interesting story
Interesting story about a fascinating man, somehow made a bit boring. I plan to read more about Turing.
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