The Code Book
Book Review
I’m a generalist. After reading “Range - Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialized World” by David Epstein last year, I discovered the way I am wired as a person is what Epstein calls a generalist - someone who doesn’t specialize in one area, but who is involved with many different areas (his way of saying it is way better).
What does that have to do with, “The Code Book” by Simon Singh?
Everything! If you are a generalist like me.
This book obviously covers cryptography, but it also straddles language, statistics, mathematics, war, social issues, history, politics, physics, romance, futuristic uses of quantum mechanics, and more. This book was a lot of fun for me to read. I know for some folks it would be exasperating.
It is a great combination of story telling, theory, practice, and particulars. My only wish would be for Simon to do another, more recent edition of the book. This book was written in 1999, and so much has happened since then.
I am nuts about books. I read on all kinds of topics. I attempt to review each book I read for the sake of my own enrichment as well as conversation starters with others.
You never know what you will find in an attic! Usually there is a hodgepodge of things buried under dust.
Most of what is included here are notes to myself. The majority of folks will not find interest in these posts.