Overview

'In a short life he accomplished much, and to the roll of great names in the history of his particular studies added his own.' So is described one of the greatest figures of the twentieth century, yet Alan Turing's name was not widely recognised until his contribution to the breaking of the German Enigma code became public in the 1970s. The story of Turing's life fascinates and in the years since his suicide, Turing's reputation has only grown, as his contributions to logic, mathematics, computing, artificial intelligence and computational biology have become better appreciated. To commemorate the centenary of Turing's birth, this republication of his mother's biography is enriched by a new foreword by Martin Davis and a never-before-published memoir by Alan's older brother. The contrast between this memoir and the original biography reveals tensions and sheds new light on Turing's relationship with his family, and on the man himself.

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9781107524224

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'The book is full of brilliant treasures, anecdotal accounts of Turing's eccentricity and genius, and insights into his science ... This little book, with its kaleidoscopic picture of Alan Turing's short life, goes some way towards de-coding his mind, and his family.' The Guardian 'Well-written and tackles some of Turing's mathematical work.' Engineering and Technology '... the readers of the new edition can benefit from a previously unpublished memoir by Alan's older brother John, as well as a new foreword by Martin Davis; both texts provide a different view of Alan Turing, and represent a nice complement to the main part of the book.' Antonin Slavik, Zentralblatt MATH

'The book is full of brilliant treasures, anecdotal accounts of Turing's eccentricity and genius, and insights into his science … This little book, with its kaleidoscopic picture of Alan Turing's short life, goes some way towards de-coding his mind, and his family.' The Guardian 'Well-written and tackles some of Turing's mathematical work.' Engineering and Technology '… the readers of the new edition can benefit from a previously unpublished memoir by Alan's older brother John, as well as a new foreword by Martin Davis; both texts provide a different view of Alan Turing, and represent a nice complement to the main part of the book.' Antonin Slavik, Zentralblatt MATH

'The book is full of brilliant treasures, anecdotal accounts of Turing's eccentricity and genius, and insights into his science ... This little book, with its kaleidoscopic picture of Alan Turing's short life, goes some way towards de-coding his mind, and his family.' The Guardian 'Well-written and tackles some of Turing's mathematical work.' Engineering and Technology '... the readers of the new edition can benefit from a previously unpublished memoir by Alan's older brother John, as well as a new foreword by Martin Davis; both texts provide a different view of Alan Turing, and represent a nice complement to the main part of the book.' Antonin Slavik, Zentralblatt MATH The world needed Alan Turing in the early years of computer science, and it still does. Anthony L. Clapes, Computing Reviews The book does effectively portray both Alan Turing's life and work. I recommend this book not only to people interested in Alan's scientific achievements, but to anyone who woiuld like to meet a genius of the modern era. Rita Puzmanova, Computing Reviews Turing appeals to many audiences. The book explains Turing's proof of the existence of a universal computing machine in a way that is understandable to readers with little background in mathematics or computer science, but it also includes a more mathematically sophisticated explanation that would satisfy readers with more background. Well written and engaging, Turing tells more than the tale of one man's life; it also explores the origins of modern computer science. Turing is a book worth reading. Jessica Cohen, Western Washington University for Mathematics Teacher

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