The Code Book The Secrets Behind Codebreaking [Paperback]

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 Bookis 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“Singh utilizes an effective narrative style and intersperses fascinating events and people.”–School Library JournalSimon Singhis the bestselling author ofFermat’s Enigma,The Code Book,Big Bang,Trick or Treatment?: Alternative Medicine on Trial,andThe Simpsons and Their Mathematical Secrets. He lives in London.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 syl3Ä