Rating: 
Summary: Missing History
Review: I saw a book, Fermat's Enigma, many times at the store. Many times I saw it, and walked right by it - not interested. The best thing I can say about "The Code Book" (by the same author) is that before I even finished it I went back to that store and bought Fermat's Engima, not wanting to risk it being sold out.
The Code Book was that good of a read.
Why? It is because it took a subject I knew almost nothing about, and by time I was done made me feel like an expert. In the process I got a precious insight into many historical events I had read about my whole life but, in some part, I had only a superficial understanding.
For example, in College we studied the execution of Mary Queen of Scotts. Our professor told us that the conspiracy was suspect at best and probably was just the result of a vindictive Elizabeth trying to secure her throne. Really? Mr. Singh explains how the Queen's servants broke a code being sent to the Mary and how she authorized an assassination of Elizabeth. By authorizing the assassination, she justified her own execution. An execution which sounds much more rational then "vindictive." At the end, Mr. Singh describes the great dignity Mary displayed at her death and a particularly pathetic scene as her little dog was searching through Mary's effects for Mary, not realizing that she was dead. I can somehow still hear that little dog barking.
This is but one of many stories in this book from Ancient Greece to Modern Washington where Mr. Singh shows (1) the importance of ciphering (2)and its great effect on world history. I almost felt like the FreeMasons were right, there is history and "history." By reading this book, you get a first hand tour of "history" while, at the same time, learning about the incredible changes in the science of spys.
I only had one criticism, which is quite small. Towards the final chapters the author seems more negative as he discusses the tragic ends to many great minds connected to ciphering. I guess there are few nice ways to say bad things but the tone of the book does change. Still, all in all, this is an excellent book which you should read.
Rating:
Summary: Very interesting book.
Review: I was just on a 8-hour flight that turned into a 13-hour flight with delays.
I was able to read the Code Book in it entirely. This is the only time I did not mind the delays, since it is such a interesting and captivating book.
Rating:
Summary: Fun read, don't expect technicals.
Review: Read this a couple years back and I remember I could not put it down. Singh is a great writer and knows how to tell a story.
The strongest point of the book is that it is NOT meant to be a technical learning device. It's nice to see the historical background in which a particular cryptographic method evolved for a change. The Mary Queen of Scots and Enigma sections were particularly well written.
Highly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: To Make it or Break it
Review: This is the second book by Simon Singh, and he readily admits that he was surprised by the success of the first; `Fermat's Last Theorem'. If you enjoyed that, then this will delight and entertain you, as well as lead you forward in an easy manner. There are some very complex ideas and processes encountered, yet each is tackled not as a whole, but as a series of small steps, explained in simple terms. It seems that the author subscribes to the notion that there is no such thing as a hard subject - the only hard part is the number of simple steps that are used, and the order they are combined, in order to reach the complex picture.
Singh states from the beginning that the book has two aims; to chart the evolution of codes, and to show that the study of codes and cryptology is as relevant for today as ever. Information always has had a high value, and there have been divers means employed throughout history to keep matters private where appropriate. The reasons for this secrecy are not always the same, but whether it is political, military, security or commercial, organisations and governments want to know that their information is safe, and at the same time strive to read similar matter from opponents. The history of codes and code breaking has been a struggle between the code makers, and the code breakers, with sometimes one and sometimes the other having the ascendancy. Sometimes intrigue and espionage have enabled a foothold to be gained to enable code breaking to continue.
The early use of codes and ciphers are explained well, and the author uses imaginative illustrations to convey his ideas. The chapters on modern developments, with private and public keys, for example, are brought to life with the example of mixing the colours of private paint stores. A mental picture is much better than mere words to describe the one-way functions that are used in encrypting and deciphering messages using public and private keys. It is also necessary to understand some of the early developments in code making and code breaking to grasp what happened at Bletchley Park, in the breaking of the Enigma codes during World War II. Singh admits to simplifying the Enigma story, but this does not detract from a particularly absorbing part of the book. There is also good list of books and web sites, for those wishing to gain more information. This applies to many of the code stories, whether this is from archaeology (the Rosetta Stone, or Linear B), or the actual use of encryption (the Zimmermann telegram, Pretty Good Privacy).
`The Code Book' was published prior to the events of September 11th 2001, but asks some pertinent questions on the nature of security. Just as code breaking and code making have been battling for many years, now that there are `unbreakable codes' available, the debate has moved on to the need for security or the protection of individual freedoms. It is believed that the Data Encryption Standard (DES) was weakened to enable this to be broken by US government agencies. This book is not just a popular and populist history; it also raises questions that are relevant to us all. That is why the second of Singh's aims has been met. The first is achieved in a hugely entertaining read.
Incidentally, the cipher challenge is still an integral part of the book, although the prize is no longer available. It took 1 year and 1 month for the challenge to be successfully claimed, a tribute to the difficulty of the ten parts. If you have read the book, and have a few idle moments, perhaps you would like to try to crack the Beale ciphers and claim the huge cache of gold and silver that the documents describe. Oh, and when you have finished that, there is always the breakthrough that is waited for Linear A.
Peter Morgan, morganp@supanet.com
Rating:
Summary: Masterpiece!
Review: This book is truly an achievement! SimonSingh takes up a seemingly esoteric, difficult, mysterious, exhaustive subject of Cryptography (or in simple terms Coding and decoding) and backed up by exhaustive research , he has written an engrossing book; The 400page read is a fascinating journey for the reader. The journey spans a broad range and time period. The hallmark of this book apart from the wealth of information it has, is the facile style of writing of SimonSingh which doesn't smother the lay reader with verbiage or technicalities; The structure of chapters is period wise, starting with the basic codes used during the middle ages, with the advancement of monoalphabetic ciphers and then polyalphabetic ciphers (including the vignere ciphers); then the automation of ciphers which happened during WWII with the famous Enigma machine; Then comes the intresting phase of cat and mouse game between the cryptographers and cryptoanalysts, which has always happened, but took a intense phase during the WWII, primarily between the camp at BletchleyPark,London (which housed a motley crowd ranging from Mathematicians to Linguists, all in a hectic pursuit to break the German code) and the Germans. The simple explanation behind the logic of Enigma is a demonstration of SimonS's ability to express the technical in the simplest of terms. I found the description and concept of DES , the breakthrough of asymmetric ciphers , the concept of public key and Private keys, digital signatures especially illuminating. The background leading to the development of PGP by Zimmerman and its features is an highlight and very topical. Next time I buy anything from the Web, i will appreciate the technology of security which happens in the backend; The politics of encryption between the camps for free speech vs Government control is fascinating and becomes all the more urgent in the light of 9/11 and Govt attempts to curtail and control. Even if you have a passing intrest in science, you will find this book worthwhile to spend time on . Don't get intimidated by the term Cryptography. This is a not-to-be-missed books. There is history, politics(Zimmerman telegram; Navajova talkers;Hans-Schmidt; )I was mesmerised enough to read it twice in a month's span. ---
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating subject!
Review: This author did a fantastic job of taking what could be a very dry subject and making it quite interesting. As the subtitle indicates, he traces the history of cryptography and cryptanalysis from the late 1500's to the modern time. Singh gives examples throughout, and does a great job of explaining them as well. You don't have to be a math major to follow what he's talking about. The end of the book contains a "Cryptography Challenge" in which he offers $15,000 to the first person to correctly crack ten encrypted messages. Don't set your heart on the prize; it's already been won. Most of the messages can be decrypted by the average (but tenacious) reader; several of the latter require significant computer skills, however.
Rating: 
Summary: Very interesting book
Review: I'd like to put this out there first. If you dont like math and science, get a clue you wont like this book. I however do enjoy math and science, especially computers. This book captivated me from the beginning I very much enjoyed how the material was presented in the codemaking, codebreaking chronology. There was however a section on language as code that I did not care for, but in all honesty Simon Singh writes at the beginning of the chapter that it is a bit of a detour and you do not have to read it. It's a very good book if you would like get a general understanding about cryptography. Or you just love interesting scientific fact and advances.
Rating:
Summary: GREG GOEBEL WAS RIGHT!
Review: I was looking at this book based on the subject; but, Greg Goebel's review made me want to buy it. I've since read it. I could comment on all of the details of how great this book is but, Goebel said it first and correctly. If you're not sure you want to splurge the extra money, read his review and know it's the truth.
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