The Codebreakers: The Comprehensive History of Secret Communication from Ancient Times to the Internet

To gain a better understanding of the present, this book is key. While not a book about information theory per se, this book follows the historical developments which formed the foundation and character of the present day information economy. When it waxes philosophical, it shines.One reviewer complains that it stops short at the 1950s, which makes sense because the book was written in the 1960s. If the expectation is knowledge about more recent developments, this book is probably not the best choice.The book may also be too technical for more casual readers, and not technical enough for more ambitious ones. To those readers, remember, the Codebreakers is first and foremost a historical survey about a technical domain, not a textbook.For fans of history, it adds more color and depth. I read companion tomes about the history of oil and of strategy just a month before reading this book ("The Prize" by Yergin and and "Strategy" by Lawrence), and I was deeply rewarded in my understanding for doing so.

A must-have book for anyone interested in cryptography. From Egyptian scribes to modern computer codes, and all in between, this book flows from one great section to another.

This is the best book I've ever read on cryptography and I've read many. It isn't a modern how-to, it's a very comprehensive history of the development, use, misuse, and importance of cryptography. The book shows how crypto had shaped the world we live in in major ways, including national borders, lives saved and lost, battles and wars lost and won. Great illumination of personas involved in this science, the tensions between people and nations, and unlikely heroes and collaborations. This is the first book I recommend to others that work in cryptography or have a substantial interest. Bravo!

Loaded with Information. This is a revised edition with much added.

As someone who has worked in the COMINT field, I can attest to the accuracy of Kahn's statement that "this kind of work is perhaps the most excruciating, exasperating, agonizing mental process known. . ." I can also attest to the incompleteness of his book, but to describe what went on in the Cold War and Bletchley Park would require another book. The first chapter, "One Day of Magic" is among the most riveting, a vivid, suspenseful description of U.S. cryptanalytic operations in late 1941. In some respects, nothing has changed. The Japanese military strategy in the days leading up to Pearl Harbor - total radio silence on the part of Yamamoto's strike force - was brilliant enough. It is forever impossible to extract intelligence from silence. Kahn also gives the reader step-by-step accounts of the thought processes of brilliant cryptanalysts such as the Frenchman Georges Painvin as he single-handedly solves the diabolical German ADFGX system in the First World War.His efforts arguably shortened the war on the Western Front as by the same token the Russian Army lost the crucial Battle of Tannenberg in the East through poor communications security. Kahn's book is an indispensable account of the role cryptanalysis has played and still plays in world history.

This book is like a brick in the wall. I mean; can you write anything thicker than this. My gosh, am I ever gonna finish it(?)Well, I have read the bible, so it should be doable, and I am excited after reading the reviews and recommendations of this book.I am going to assume that this is gonna be one to keep in my personal library. If cryptologi and its history and development cannot be explained in detail by a 1200 pages book, then the subject will seem to be beyond your average John Doe. I am a little above average so the odds are on my side.The book was shipped in this small carton box without any damage to the paper cover which I am very pleased with.Shipping was quick also.

Note - The version I am reviewing is the 1996 revised and updated version. There is a 1967 edition and an abridged paperback version.This book is the bible for those interested in the history of codebreaking. It is comprehensive going back 3000 years. The book is comprised of essays covering the subject of codes and codebreaking in chronological order, with an emphasis on WWI and WWII. It also contains sections on “The Pathology of Cryptology” (the search for ciphers that do not exist), hunting for messages from outer space and a little about public cryptology, although having been written over 20 years ago makes this section quite out of date.I heartily recommend this book to anyone interested in history as well as codes and codebreaking.

An incredible amount of detail into the history of code breaking and the stories of the people involved. A very wide look at the subject, ranging from keeping government secrets secret, to bookmakers recording bets, to unlocking the system of ancient writings.One could have a lot of fun learning and experimenting with these old methods of encryption, or just read the book for the stories. The book stops with IBM and the DES encryption, and there are many stories that could be written from that time to the present; probably for someone else to write.Finally, I found some of these past stories have a striking parallel to current events such as Snowden exposing the NSA data collection and the resulting public reactions of politicians and the public. All-in-all a very enjoyable book.

Este libro es una referencia obigada para la historia de la criptografía. Es una obra muy completa. La parte técnica y matemática no se trabaja mucho.

If you're new to cryptography this book is an excellent start, very informative and interesting in addition to being well researched.

You will constantly need a paper and pencil to enjoy this book. Reading it without breaks may also give you headaches. This author has documented the history of cryptanalysis like no one else. He also refers to Artha-śāstra by Kautilya as "the first reference in history to cryptanalysis for political purposes" and about the secret writings in the 45th yoga (Mlecchita-vikalpa) in the Kāma-sūtra - Letter substitutions based on phonetic relations and reciprocal substitution of alphabets...Very few would probably even look for Cryptanalysis in the Kāma-sūtra :D :D ...One more example of the Occident constantly rummaging through our ancient literature for insights!

This is not fiction. It is fact and covers secret codes through the ages. It is fascinating to read and covers the full history of codes.I am concerned about internet security and read all the methods of secret codes and code breaking to ensure that I retain secure transactions.There are a lot of pages to read (over 1,000) so it will take a while to digest it all.Excellent value for money.

The book arrived with a broken spine (binding)