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The Code Book: How to Make It, Break It, Hack It, Crack It

by Simon Singh

The history and mechanics of keeping messages secret

Regular price $12.76 USD
Regular price $21.27 USD Sale price $12.76 USD
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AlbakiReads Editorial

The history and mechanics of keeping messages secret

Simon Singh’s young-adult adaptation introduces cryptography through both its methods and its history. It covers the encoding and decoding of information, with examples ranging from Julius Caesar’s cipher to the Allies’ use of the Enigma machine during World War II. The book connects these episodes of secrecy and codebreaking with questions about how securely information can be protected in a technology-dependent world. Its subject sits at the intersection of mathematics, history, and information security, giving the topic both practical and historical dimensions.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Young readers interested in codes, puzzles, and how information is protected.
  • Teens and young adults curious about the history of cryptography and codebreaking.
  • Readers seeking an accessible introduction to mathematical ideas through historical examples.

Themes

Cryptography and information securityCodes and codebreakingHistory of secrecyMathematics in practice

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

"As gripping as a good thriller." --The Washington Post

Unpack the science of secrecy and discover the methods behind cryptography--the encoding and decoding of information--in this clear and easy-to-understand young adult adaptation of the national bestseller that's perfect for this age of WikiLeaks, the Sony hack, and other events that reveal the extent to which our technology is never quite as secure as we want to believe.


Coders and codebreakers alike will be fascinated by history's most mesmerizing stories of intrigue and cunning--from Julius Caesar and his Caeser cipher to the Allies' use of the Enigma machine to decode German messages during World War II.

Accessible, compelling, and timely, The Code Book is sure to make readers see the past--and the future--in a whole new way.

"Singh's power of explaining complex ideas is as dazzling as ever." --The Guardian
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