Alan Turing Decoded: The Man They Called Prof
The return of the high successful biography of a modern legend by Alan Turing's nephew

‘A cracking read. ’ —Nick Smith, Engineering and Technology

Alan Turing was an extraordinary man who crammed into his 42 years the careers of mathematician, codebreaker, computer scientist and biologist. He is widely regarded as a war hero grossly mistreated by his unappreciative country, and it has become hard to disentangle the real man from the story. It is easy to cast him as a misfit, the stereotypical professor. But actually Alan Turing was never a professor, and his nickname ‘Prof’ was given by his codebreaking friends at Bletchley Park. 

Now Dermot Turing has taken a fresh look at the influences on his uncle’s life and creativity, and the creation of a legend. He discloses the real character behind the cipher-text, answering questions that help the man emerge from his legacy: how did Alan’s childhood experiences influence him? How did his creative ideas evolve? Was he really a solitary genius? What was his wartime work after 1942, and what of the Enigma story? What is the truth about the conviction for gross indecency, and did he commit suicide? In Alan Turing Decoded, Dermot’s vibrant and entertaining approach to the life and work of a true genius makes this a fascinating and authoritative read.

1140743877
Alan Turing Decoded: The Man They Called Prof
The return of the high successful biography of a modern legend by Alan Turing's nephew

‘A cracking read. ’ —Nick Smith, Engineering and Technology

Alan Turing was an extraordinary man who crammed into his 42 years the careers of mathematician, codebreaker, computer scientist and biologist. He is widely regarded as a war hero grossly mistreated by his unappreciative country, and it has become hard to disentangle the real man from the story. It is easy to cast him as a misfit, the stereotypical professor. But actually Alan Turing was never a professor, and his nickname ‘Prof’ was given by his codebreaking friends at Bletchley Park. 

Now Dermot Turing has taken a fresh look at the influences on his uncle’s life and creativity, and the creation of a legend. He discloses the real character behind the cipher-text, answering questions that help the man emerge from his legacy: how did Alan’s childhood experiences influence him? How did his creative ideas evolve? Was he really a solitary genius? What was his wartime work after 1942, and what of the Enigma story? What is the truth about the conviction for gross indecency, and did he commit suicide? In Alan Turing Decoded, Dermot’s vibrant and entertaining approach to the life and work of a true genius makes this a fascinating and authoritative read.

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Alan Turing Decoded: The Man They Called Prof

Alan Turing Decoded: The Man They Called Prof

by Dermot Turing
Alan Turing Decoded: The Man They Called Prof

Alan Turing Decoded: The Man They Called Prof

by Dermot Turing

Hardcover

$31.99 
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Overview

The return of the high successful biography of a modern legend by Alan Turing's nephew

‘A cracking read. ’ —Nick Smith, Engineering and Technology

Alan Turing was an extraordinary man who crammed into his 42 years the careers of mathematician, codebreaker, computer scientist and biologist. He is widely regarded as a war hero grossly mistreated by his unappreciative country, and it has become hard to disentangle the real man from the story. It is easy to cast him as a misfit, the stereotypical professor. But actually Alan Turing was never a professor, and his nickname ‘Prof’ was given by his codebreaking friends at Bletchley Park. 

Now Dermot Turing has taken a fresh look at the influences on his uncle’s life and creativity, and the creation of a legend. He discloses the real character behind the cipher-text, answering questions that help the man emerge from his legacy: how did Alan’s childhood experiences influence him? How did his creative ideas evolve? Was he really a solitary genius? What was his wartime work after 1942, and what of the Enigma story? What is the truth about the conviction for gross indecency, and did he commit suicide? In Alan Turing Decoded, Dermot’s vibrant and entertaining approach to the life and work of a true genius makes this a fascinating and authoritative read.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9780750998673
Publisher: The History Press
Publication date: 09/01/2022
Pages: 336
Product dimensions: 5.43(w) x 8.50(h) x 1.20(d)

About the Author

Dermot Turing had a career in the legal profession before turning to writing narrative history, and he has written X, Y & Z and Reflections of Alan Turing. He is a former trustee of the Bletchley Park museum and is chairman of the Turing Trust charity.

Table of Contents

Introduction 7

1 Unreliable Ancestors 11

2 Dismal Childhoods 25

3 Direction of Travel 43

4 Kingsman 63

5 Machinery of Logic 83

6 Prof 113

7 Looking Glass War 149

8 Lousy Computer 187

9 Taking Shape 229

10 Machinery of Justice 249

11 Unseen Worlds 285

Epilogue: Alan Turing Decoded 305

Notes 315

Index 329

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