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Prof! Alan Turing Decoded
Following hot on the heels of The Imitation Game , this is the first modern biography of Alan Turing by a member of the family—Alan’s nephew, Sir Dermot Turing
Alan Turing was an extraordinary man who crammed into a life of only 42 years the careers of mathematician, codebreaker, computer scientist, and biologist. He is widely regarded as a war hero grossly mistreated by his unappreciative country and it has become hard to disentangle the real man from the story. It is easy to cast him as a misfit, the stereotypical professor. But actually Alan Turing was never a professor, and his nickname "Prof" was given by his codebreaking friends at Bletchley Park. Now, Alan Turing’s nephew, Dermot Turing, has taken a fresh look at the influences on Alan Turing’s life and creativity, and the later creation of a legend. Dermot’s vibrant and entertaining approach to the life and work of a true genius makes this a fascinating read. This unique family perspective features insights from secret documents only recently released to the UK National Archives and other sources not tapped by previous biographers, looks into the truth behind Alan’s conviction for gross indecency, and includes previously unpublished photographs from the Turing family album.
Alan Turing was an extraordinary man who crammed into a life of only 42 years the careers of mathematician, codebreaker, computer scientist, and biologist. He is widely regarded as a war hero grossly mistreated by his unappreciative country and it has become hard to disentangle the real man from the story. It is easy to cast him as a misfit, the stereotypical professor. But actually Alan Turing was never a professor, and his nickname "Prof" was given by his codebreaking friends at Bletchley Park. Now, Alan Turing’s nephew, Dermot Turing, has taken a fresh look at the influences on Alan Turing’s life and creativity, and the later creation of a legend. Dermot’s vibrant and entertaining approach to the life and work of a true genius makes this a fascinating read. This unique family perspective features insights from secret documents only recently released to the UK National Archives and other sources not tapped by previous biographers, looks into the truth behind Alan’s conviction for gross indecency, and includes previously unpublished photographs from the Turing family album.
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First published September 15, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 18, 2016
Much more accessible than the standard Hodges biography, to which Dermot Turing acknowledges his debt, this book has the advantage of being written by Alan's nephew, John's son, and access to newer documents released as time passes, from the secret files of government, and interviews with people who knew his uncle.
Attitudes towards LGBT+ people have evolved since Hodges wrote his biography, so this newer account doesn't have the occasional "ouch" that Hodges evokes.
I think it's important that we realise that the 1950s were years of repression, of largely USA-originating fear of anything unconventional, possibly liberal or left-wing, of intellectuals, possibly strengthened by the defection of Burgess and Maclean, both Cambridge graduates, like Alan, but only one gay.
It is very clear from both biographies that Alan Turing was "neurodiverse", an unusual but not abnormal person who could have been summarised in the shorthand as having Asperger syndrome, or "on the (autistic) spectrum" as defined by "neurotypicals".
Thus, his social naivety and honesty contributed to his downfall; he KNEW he'd done nothing wrong when he reported the theft from his house, but nevertheless he ended up with the most severe penalty, the two young men of robbing mind, the real villains, got off lightly.
Dermot Turing's book also has humour- Alan was invited to join the Ratio Club, "like the Apostles, without the aesthetes, spies and pretentiousness!!"
Dermot's father, John, and his grandmother, Sara, both wrote early accounts of Alan's life, but neither were able to accept his life, achievements, sexuality and death as we understand it so far, so in some ways, I see Dermot Turing's biography as a memorial for all the family
Attitudes towards LGBT+ people have evolved since Hodges wrote his biography, so this newer account doesn't have the occasional "ouch" that Hodges evokes.
I think it's important that we realise that the 1950s were years of repression, of largely USA-originating fear of anything unconventional, possibly liberal or left-wing, of intellectuals, possibly strengthened by the defection of Burgess and Maclean, both Cambridge graduates, like Alan, but only one gay.
It is very clear from both biographies that Alan Turing was "neurodiverse", an unusual but not abnormal person who could have been summarised in the shorthand as having Asperger syndrome, or "on the (autistic) spectrum" as defined by "neurotypicals".
Thus, his social naivety and honesty contributed to his downfall; he KNEW he'd done nothing wrong when he reported the theft from his house, but nevertheless he ended up with the most severe penalty, the two young men of robbing mind, the real villains, got off lightly.
Dermot Turing's book also has humour- Alan was invited to join the Ratio Club, "like the Apostles, without the aesthetes, spies and pretentiousness!!"
Dermot's father, John, and his grandmother, Sara, both wrote early accounts of Alan's life, but neither were able to accept his life, achievements, sexuality and death as we understand it so far, so in some ways, I see Dermot Turing's biography as a memorial for all the family
June 3, 2016
I started this book and only made it a few chapters in. I understand that Dermot Turing's goal was to provide more information about his famous uncle, but I felt this was written more from a family history perspective than for the general public. That said, the book did include many great photographs and images of relevant documents and I enjoyed flipping through the pages to look at these. There were also many excerpts from letters and other writings throughout. While I have stopped reading for now, I have been meaning to read Alan Turing: The Enigma and that may help me understand this book further so I may revisit Prof after reading that. After all, in his introduction even Dermot Turing admitted to relying heavily on that book when researching this one.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
I won this book in a Goodreads giveaway.
January 1, 2022
A brilliant biography of troubled man who was a genius, and well known for his work during World War 2 as a codebreaker for the British, working at the famed Bletchley Park. Turing was a homosexual, living at a time when homosexuality was a crime and those prosecuted were often sent for 'treatment'. Thank goodness we now live in more enlightened times but it was not so for Turing and he ultimately committed suicide as he could not live with the disgrace his preferences brought him. This biography is written by Turing's nephew and contains some family information that other biographies may not have. I have to say I did skip over some of the mathematics presented in the text but enjoyed the book, while being saddened by his fate.
March 27, 2016
Very technical, but worth the read to understand the man. I've read several books on Turing and i can't help but think that he did NOT commit suicide. I think it was an accident on his part.
I've been to Bletchley Park twice, 2010 and 2015, and I recommend that anyone interested in WWII and the code breakers should visit. On my first visit I was fortunate to have one of the original code breakers conduct the tour.
There have been many books written about Alan Turing and this one, written by his nephew, and the one written by his mother Sara should be on every history buff's to read' list.
I've been to Bletchley Park twice, 2010 and 2015, and I recommend that anyone interested in WWII and the code breakers should visit. On my first visit I was fortunate to have one of the original code breakers conduct the tour.
There have been many books written about Alan Turing and this one, written by his nephew, and the one written by his mother Sara should be on every history buff's to read' list.
October 4, 2016
I’m sorely disappointed with this biography of Alan Turing, one of the 20th century’s greatest mathematicians. He was the lead cryptographer at Bletchley Park and helped break the German’s Enigma codes, significantly hastening the end of the War in Europe. To this end, his intellect led to the development of the digital computer.
Within this manuscript is a plethora of eminent persons, important places, and critical events. The failure to include an index is unforgivable. Accordingly, this dereliction negates this work as a reference book.
The author jumps about chronically, fails to complete scenes—leaving us hanging, wanders off on tangents, and stuffs the text with copies of notes, scribblings, letters, memos, and telegrams, documents (official and other). Except for a few, he could have summarized those of major import and placed others of significance in Addenda.
So much of Turing’s life could have been brought forth with this biography to make it soar and do honor to this extraordinary man. Rather, the book is unremarkable in all measures and minimizes the memory of Alan Turning to a faretheewell. There is a surfeit of information available about Turning that the author should have explored.
To this day, we do not know definitively why Alan Turing committed suicide at the young age of forty-two in 1954. Some suggest that his felo-de-se resulted from his conviction in an English court of homosexual behavior. Others postured that he was murdered—for reasons unknown.
Unfortunately, the author bogged the text in incoherence and squandered far too much of the manuscript on irrelevance. For example, the first seventy pages discuss Turing’s early life in agonizing detail. Three pages would do. Alternately, he gives little mention of Turing’s accomplishments at Bletchley Park. Here was a golden opportunity to highlight the details of Alan’s endeavor and discoveries in this super-secret, code-breaking operation.
Within this manuscript is a plethora of eminent persons, important places, and critical events. The failure to include an index is unforgivable. Accordingly, this dereliction negates this work as a reference book.
The author jumps about chronically, fails to complete scenes—leaving us hanging, wanders off on tangents, and stuffs the text with copies of notes, scribblings, letters, memos, and telegrams, documents (official and other). Except for a few, he could have summarized those of major import and placed others of significance in Addenda.
So much of Turing’s life could have been brought forth with this biography to make it soar and do honor to this extraordinary man. Rather, the book is unremarkable in all measures and minimizes the memory of Alan Turning to a faretheewell. There is a surfeit of information available about Turning that the author should have explored.
To this day, we do not know definitively why Alan Turing committed suicide at the young age of forty-two in 1954. Some suggest that his felo-de-se resulted from his conviction in an English court of homosexual behavior. Others postured that he was murdered—for reasons unknown.
Unfortunately, the author bogged the text in incoherence and squandered far too much of the manuscript on irrelevance. For example, the first seventy pages discuss Turing’s early life in agonizing detail. Three pages would do. Alternately, he gives little mention of Turing’s accomplishments at Bletchley Park. Here was a golden opportunity to highlight the details of Alan’s endeavor and discoveries in this super-secret, code-breaking operation.
April 3, 2016
A bit long winded, but more intimate biography of Alan Turing. Lots of references and quotes from family, friends and coworkers about Turing and his work pre , during and post-Bletchley Park.
March 5, 2021
Ever since the movie 'The Imitation Game' came out in 2014 there was a surge of people who became aware of and wanted to know about the life and work of Alan Turing. The standard work for this topic is of course 'Alan Turing: The Enigma' by Andrew Hodges. Hodges' biography stands unchallenged for almost 40 years now and nearly all other biographies stand on its shoulders. Hodges' book can feel a bit overwhelming though - it is so very rich in detail. So, if you felt a little discouraged by the sheer mass of information and mathematics in 'Alan Turing: The Enigma', this here might be the right book for you. 'Prof: Alan Turing Decoded' was written by Alan Turing's nephew, Dermot Turing. It gives a good overview, is engagingly written and manages the balance between detail and simplification. I would recommend it as an introduction to the topic as well as a recap for 'Turing-fans' (I include myself in this latter group). But don't set your hopes up too high to find some completely new insights here, if you already know a thing or two about Alan Turing. True, there are some chapters that contain information that was classified when Hodges' wrote his book. But they're no big revelations. Still: This is a good read.
October 31, 2021
"This is not the place to debate the relative merits of apologies and pardons. Perhaps we should remember that Alan Turing's life was not, except per haps towards the end, governed by his sexuality. The dominant passion in his life was his ideas; it is those for which he should be remembered, and for them no apology is needed." (p. 300)
A powerful and honest biography of one of the greatest mathematical minds ever to grace humanity. Well-written and sentimental, it summarises Dr Turing's life, struggles, and contributions to our society beautifully.
The book utilises images frequently that help break up blocks of text and provide context, explanation, and more detail to the narrative. Famous photos of Alan Turing are interspersed with photocopies of notes, quotes from family and acquaintances, and his papers.
The author being related to Alan Turing helps provide a human touch that someone from outside the family may not be able to fully express.
Overall, I strongly recommend this book! Definitely worth a read.
A powerful and honest biography of one of the greatest mathematical minds ever to grace humanity. Well-written and sentimental, it summarises Dr Turing's life, struggles, and contributions to our society beautifully.
The book utilises images frequently that help break up blocks of text and provide context, explanation, and more detail to the narrative. Famous photos of Alan Turing are interspersed with photocopies of notes, quotes from family and acquaintances, and his papers.
The author being related to Alan Turing helps provide a human touch that someone from outside the family may not be able to fully express.
Overall, I strongly recommend this book! Definitely worth a read.
August 5, 2021
I don’t know whether this is a testament to the genius of the people involved in breaking the Enigma codes or to my own lacklustre brainpower but I really struggled to follow the more technical descriptions in this book.
This was an account of such a fascinating and ultimately misunderstood genius. I appreciated that it also gave dues to the other people who were instrumental in cracking Enigma; perhaps out of guilt for how Turing was treated towards the end of his life and owing to the secrecy that surrounded Bletchley Park for many years afterwards, history has pushed his role, important though it undoubtedly was, to the forefront and somewhat abandoned the others who also worked tirelessly on the project.
With it being written by his nephew I would have expected more information on the family side of things but I suppose as he was born many years after his uncle’s death there was probably only so much information he’d be able to provide for that.
This was an account of such a fascinating and ultimately misunderstood genius. I appreciated that it also gave dues to the other people who were instrumental in cracking Enigma; perhaps out of guilt for how Turing was treated towards the end of his life and owing to the secrecy that surrounded Bletchley Park for many years afterwards, history has pushed his role, important though it undoubtedly was, to the forefront and somewhat abandoned the others who also worked tirelessly on the project.
With it being written by his nephew I would have expected more information on the family side of things but I suppose as he was born many years after his uncle’s death there was probably only so much information he’d be able to provide for that.
December 27, 2024
After visiting Bletchley Park this year and exploring the exhibition about Alan Turing and Hut 8, where he worked, I wanted to learn more about Turing as a person, beyond the media's portrayal of him as an eccentric, detached, mathematical genius. This book is written by his nephew, Dermot Turing, who is the son of Turing's elder brother, John. Dermot, a Trustee of Bletchley Park, had access to firsthand family recollections, photographs, letters and personal memories from those who worked with Alan Turing, as well as an insight into his father's relationship with his brother. The book provides family perspective to the hard-fact biographies about Turing's life and work.
April 5, 2019
A very good short biography of Turing. The author tries his best to explain complicated scientific concepts, which this French major still had trouble understanding. Also, he only discusses Turing's personal life in the last chapter; I don't know if this is a British thing or a family thing. But I liked it and found it very enlightening.
June 15, 2019
Alan Turing is often called the father of modern computing. He was a brilliant mathematician and logician. He developed the idea of the modern computer and artificial intelligence. During the Second World War he worked for the government breaking the enemies codes and Churchill said he shortened the war by two years...
February 11, 2022
I appreciated this biographies attempt to bring attention to Turing's early life and the after affects of his death without pushing personal judgments at us. I've been looking for a biography on Alan Turing that doesn't reduce him to his sexuality and this was just what I wanted.
May 30, 2017
A good historical and academic read from Turing's nephew. Very well cited. I would consider it more of a "Cliff" or "Sparks" version of Hodge's piece, which the author credits and references. I did appreciate a family members incite into Turing and the family as well.
February 9, 2018
This is my favorite of the Alan Turing books i have read, and who better to have written it than Alan's nephew?
The book is concise, often comical, at times heart-rending.
The book is concise, often comical, at times heart-rending.
August 11, 2023
Informative. Respectfully done. Reveals a lot about Turing, some details unnecessarily included.
November 11, 2023
Great read, and obviously author has inside knowledge! We should learnd the lesson that great people should not be treated badly...
July 20, 2024
I feel like understand who Alan Turing was a bit better now
April 25, 2022
I enjoyed this book immensely, although like too many biographies, too much time and too many words are spent on “the formulation years.” I really didn’t need to know about Alan Turing’s rooms at Sherborne School and King’s College. Despite this common error, Dermot Turing, has penned a splendid bio of his uncle Alan.
I first heard of Alan Turing in the mid 1980s as I completed a Masters in Computer Engineering. Even then, there was no discussion of Turing’s role in breaking the Enigma Code at Bletchley Park. Still too secret, even then, although Gordon Welshman, Turing’s collaborator at Bletchley, had been published in 1982. This bio gives Bletchley its due, but also respectfully presents Alan Turing’s accomplishments in establishing the foundations for modern computing. Especially interesting is the description of Turing’s treatises on thinking machines - a radical idea in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
A very worthwhile read, even if not up to par with his treatise of the breaking of the ENIGMA code in his later work XYZ.
I first heard of Alan Turing in the mid 1980s as I completed a Masters in Computer Engineering. Even then, there was no discussion of Turing’s role in breaking the Enigma Code at Bletchley Park. Still too secret, even then, although Gordon Welshman, Turing’s collaborator at Bletchley, had been published in 1982. This bio gives Bletchley its due, but also respectfully presents Alan Turing’s accomplishments in establishing the foundations for modern computing. Especially interesting is the description of Turing’s treatises on thinking machines - a radical idea in the late 1940s and early 1950s.
A very worthwhile read, even if not up to par with his treatise of the breaking of the ENIGMA code in his later work XYZ.
January 3, 2021
I have always been fascinated by the stories of code breaking and Bletchley Park and have been fortunate enough to visit the estate twice in recent years. I picked up a copy of the book (Bletchley Park special edition) whilst on my last visit about two years ago but have only just come to read it! Once started I struggled to put it down as it was a great insight into Alans early years leading up to Enigma and his unfortunate demise in 1954. I found that the author filled in alot of the gaps in my knowledge of Alans various professional positions held in many organisations around the world, his relationships with his family,extended family, friends and his learned colleagues.
April 9, 2016
Excellent, Mr. Turing account was both informative and chilling, this man's personal journey into greatness, always challenged by his piers and society, succumbed to the radicalism of the era. A true patriot of his time, should never be forgotten.
August 23, 2016
Very interesting biography of Dr. Turing, written by his nephew. Written in an easy to read style. It contained a lot of facts I did not know about Turing yet (for instance, he almost qualified for the marathon of the 1948 London Olympics). Highly recommended.
August 27, 2016
Disclaimer: I received this book free via Goodreads.
This biography of Turing by his nephew is good little introduction to Turing and his impressive work.
This biography of Turing by his nephew is good little introduction to Turing and his impressive work.
April 12, 2016
Great book
October 3, 2016
I won this book on Goodreads!
A very well-written look at the man. I read this after seeing the film, "The Imitation Game".
I learned so much more about Mr. Turing reading this.
Very good.
A very well-written look at the man. I read this after seeing the film, "The Imitation Game".
I learned so much more about Mr. Turing reading this.
Very good.
November 10, 2016
A very informative book about Alan Turing.
I did find some of the technical details went over my head, but this didn't affect my overall enjoyment and interest in this book.
I did find some of the technical details went over my head, but this didn't affect my overall enjoyment and interest in this book.
May 3, 2017
I enjoyed the beginning of this book about the early life of Alan Turing quite a bit; the middle was fine...then post-war it really started to drag for me. It was rather hard to follow, years jumped around a bit (definitely more topical than chronological when speaking about his papers, theses, and research); and the end was a bit of a muddle--which was to be expected, because there are unanswered questions about the end of Alan Turing's life and this is a close relative, so there was a bit of an apologist tone in the epilogue (in my opinion). I cannot foresee ever rereading this book in its entirety, but there are chapters I might refer to at some point in future.
Disclaimer: I received this book from a GoodReads Giveaway. Thank you to the publisher or whomever arranged the giveaway. Receiving this book for free is probably the only reason I finished it, because I certainly wouldn't have made it through the entire thing before it came due if I'd borrowed it from a library :-)
Disclaimer: I received this book from a GoodReads Giveaway. Thank you to the publisher or whomever arranged the giveaway. Receiving this book for free is probably the only reason I finished it, because I certainly wouldn't have made it through the entire thing before it came due if I'd borrowed it from a library :-)
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews