Details: Product Description "As gripping as a good thriller." --The Washington PostUnpack 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 Review “Singh utilizes an effective narrative style and intersperses fascinating events and people.”– School Library Journal From the Inside Flap Its known as the science of secrecy. Cryptography: the encoding and decoding of private information. And it is historys most fascinating story of intrigue and cunning. From Julius Caesar and his Caesar Cipher to the code used by Mary Queen of Scots and her conspiracy to the use of the Engima machine during the Second World War, Simon Singh follows the evolution of secret writing. Accessible, compelling, and timely, this international bestseller, now adapted for young people, is sure to make readers see the pastand the futurein a whole new way. From the Hardcover edition. From the Back Cover “Singh utilizes an effective narrative style and intersperses fascinating events and people.”– School Library Journal About the Author Simon Singh is the bestselling author of Fermat’s Enigma, The Code Book, Big Bang, Trick or Treatment?: Alternative Medicine on Trial, and The Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets. He lives in London. Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved. 1 The Cipher of Mary Queen of Scots The birth of cryptography, the substitution cipher and the invention of codebreaking by frequency analysis On the morning of Saturday, October 15, 1586, Queen Mary entered the crowded courtroom at Fotheringhay Castle. Years of imprisonment and the onset of rheumatism had taken their toll, yet she remained dignified, composed and indisputably regal. Assisted by her physician, she made her way past the judges, officials and spectators, and approached the throne that stood halfway along the long, narrow chamber. Mary had assumed that the throne was a gesture of respect toward her, but she was mistaken. The throne symbolized the absent Queen Elizabeth, Mary's enemy and prosecutor. Mary was gently guided away from the throne and toward the opposite side of the room, to the defendant's seat, a crimson velvet chair. Mary Queen of Scots was on trial for treason. She had been accused of plotting to assassinate Queen Elizabeth in order to take the English crown for herself. Sir Francis Walsingham, Elizabeth's principal secretary, had already arrested the other conspirators, extracted confessions and executed them. Now he planned to prove that Mary was at the heart of the plot, and was therefore equally to blame and equally deserving of death. Walsingham knew that before he could have Mary executed, he would have to convince Queen Elizabeth of her guilt. Although Elizabeth despised Mary, she had several reasons for being reluctant to see her put to death. First, Mary was a Scottish queen, and many questioned whether an English court had the authority to execute a foreign head of state. Second, executing Mary might establish an awkward precedent--if the state is allowed to kill one queen, then perhaps rebels might have fewer reservations about killing another, namely, Elizabeth. Third, Elizabeth and Mary were cousins, and their blood tie made Elizabeth all the more squeamish about ordering her executi
Features:
- Delacorte Press
Author: Singh, Simon
Brand: Delacorte Press
Edition: 1st
Number Of Pages: 272
Publisher: Delacorte Press
EAN: 9780385730624
Release Date: 12-08-2003
Package Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 1.0 inches
Languages: English, French
Binding: Paperback