The result was cryptography, a field that simultaneously developed two distinct branches: transposition and substitution. He lives in London.While secret codes might seem like a relatively modern phenomenon, the earliest known form of cryptography, that is, the practice of concealing the meaning of a message, actually dates back to the fifth century BC! It was at this time that Greece, faced with the constant threat of being conquered by Persia, realized that secure communication was essential.

A former BBC producer, he directed and co-produced an award-winning documentary film on Fermats Last Theorem that aired on PBSs Nova series and formed the basis of his bestselling book, Fermats Enigma. The Economist About the Author Simon Singh received his Ph.D. book provides a timely and entertaining summary of the subject. The Wall Street Journal Brings together.the geniuses who have secured communications, saved lives, and influenced the fate of nations. Scientific American Singh spins tales of cryptic intrigue in every chapter. Seattle Weekly An absorbing tale of codemaking and codebreaking over the centuries.

Singhs an elegant writer and well-suited to the task of leading the mathematically perplexed through areas designed to be tricky. USA Today A good read that, bless it, makes the reader feel a bit smarter when its done. Offers a fascinating glimpse into the mostly secret competition between codemakers and codebreakers. The New York Times Entertaining and satisfying. Singh gives cryptography not only its historical dimension but its human one. Review Quotes It would be hard to imagine a clearer or more fascinating presentation.

It will also make you wonder how private that e-mail you just sent really is. Accessible, compelling, and remarkably far-reaching, this book will forever alter your view of history and what drives it. Throughout the text are clear technical and mathematical explanations, and portraits of the remarkable personalities who wrote and broke the worlds most difficult codes. From Mary, Queen of Scots, trapped by her own code, to the Navajo Code Talkers who helped the Allies win World War II, to the incredible (and incredibly simple) logisitical breakthrough that made Internet commerce secure, The Code Book tells the story of the most powerful intellectual weapon ever known: secrecy. Book Synopsis In his first book since the bestselling Fermats Enigma, Simon Singh offers the first sweeping history of encryption, tracing its evolution and revealing the dramatic effects codes have had on wars, nations, and individual lives. About the Book From the author of the bestselling Fermats Enigma comes a compelling tour through the cloaked world of codes and code breaking, from Greek military espionage to Navajo code talkers to the frontiers of computer science.

The code book singh