
The Code Book
The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography
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Narrated by:
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Patty Nieman
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By:
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Simon Singh
About this listen
In his first book since the best-selling Fermat's Enigma, Simon Singh offers the first sweeping history of encryption, tracing its evolution and revealing the dramatic effects codes have had on wars, nations, and individual lives. From Mary, Queen of Scots, trapped by her own code, to the Navajo Code Talkers who helped the Allies win World War II, to the incredible (and incredibly simple) logistical breakthrough that made internet commerce secure, The Code Book tells the story of the most powerful intellectual weapon ever known: secrecy.
Throughout the text are clear technical and mathematical explanations and portraits of the remarkable personalities who wrote and broke the world's most difficult codes. Accessible, compelling, and remarkably far-reaching, this book will forever alter your view of history and what drives it. It will also make you wonder how private that email you just sent really is.
©1999 Simon Singh (P)2021 Random House AudioListeners also enjoyed...
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is there nothing really interesting to talk about in higher-dimensional physics?
- By Ari on 12-17-23
By: Michio Kaku
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Pegasus
- How a Spy in Your Pocket Threatens the End of Privacy, Dignity, and Democracy
- By: Laurent Richard, Sandrine Rigaud, Rachel Maddow
- Narrated by: Andrew Wehrlen, Rachel Maddow, Rachel Perry
- Length: 12 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Laurent Richard and Sandrine Rigaud's Pegasus: How a Spy in Our Pocket Threatens the End of Privacy, Dignity, and Democracy is the story of the one of the most sophisticated and invasive surveillance weapons ever created, used by governments around the world.
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Incredible!
- By Silvershopper on 01-18-23
By: Laurent Richard, and others
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Telling Lies
- Clues to Deceit in the Marketplace, Politics, and Marriage
- By: Paul Ekman
- Narrated by: Stephen Bowlby
- Length: 12 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
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In this revised edition, Paul Ekman, a renowned expert in emotions research and nonverbal communication, adds a new chapter to present his latest research on his groundbreaking inquiry into lying and the methods for uncovering lies. Telling Lies describes how lies vary in form and how they can differ from other types of misinformation that can reveal untruths.
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No PDF
- By MO on 02-19-23
By: Paul Ekman
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Ghost in the Wires
- My Adventures as the World’s Most Wanted Hacker
- By: Kevin Mitnick, William L. Simon
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 13 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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Kevin Mitnick was the most elusive computer break-in artist in history. He accessed computers and networks at the world’s biggest companies—and however fast the authorities were, Mitnick was faster, sprinting through phone switches, computer systems, and cellular networks. He spent years skipping through cyberspace, always three steps ahead and labeled unstoppable.
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For a smart guy, Mitnick was an idiot
- By Joshua on 09-17-14
By: Kevin Mitnick, and others
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Mathematics for Human Flourishing
- By: Francis Su, Christopher Jackson - contributor
- Narrated by: David Sadzin
- Length: 6 hrs and 52 mins
- Unabridged
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For mathematician Francis Su, a society without mathematical affection is like a city without concerts, parks, or museums. To miss out on mathematics is to live without experiencing some of humanity's most beautiful ideas. In this profound book, written for a wide audience but especially for those disenchanted by their past experiences, an award-winning mathematician and educator weaves parables, puzzles, and personal reflections to show how mathematics meets basic human desires - such as for play, beauty, freedom, justice, and love.
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Read this book!
- By Stephanie L Malcolm on 01-19-21
By: Francis Su, and others
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Real-World Cryptography
- By: David Wong
- Narrated by: Derek Dysart
- Length: 13 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Real-World Cryptography teaches practical techniques for day-to-day work as a developer, sysadmin, or security practitioner. There’s no complex math or jargon. You’ll learn building blocks like hash functions and signatures, and cryptographic protocols like HTTPS and secure messaging. This audiobook is a joy to listen to - and it might just save your bacon the next time you’re targeted by an adversary after your data.
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Great book, but better when read than listened
- By Markus Läll on 04-01-22
By: David Wong
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The Art of Invisibility
- The World's Most Famous Hacker Teaches You How to Be Safe in the Age of Big Brother and Big Data
- By: Kevin Mitnick, Robert Vamosi, Mikko Hypponen
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 9 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Like it or not, your every move is being watched and analyzed. Consumers' identities are being stolen, and a person's every step is being tracked and stored. What once might have been dismissed as paranoia is now a hard truth, and privacy is a luxury few can afford or understand. In this explosive yet practical book, Kevin Mitnick illustrates what is happening without your knowledge - and he teaches you "the art of invisibility".
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Limited value for the average person
- By James C on 10-14-17
By: Kevin Mitnick, and others
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Cult of the Dead Cow
- How the Original Hacking Supergroup Might Just Save the World
- By: Joseph Menn
- Narrated by: Jonathan Davis
- Length: 8 hrs and 11 mins
- Unabridged
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Cult of the Dead Cow is the tale of the oldest, most respected, and most famous American hacking group of all time. Though until now it has remained mostly anonymous, its members invented the concept of hacktivism. Today, the group and its followers are battling electoral misinformation, making personal data safer, and battling to keep technology a force for good instead of for surveillance and oppression. Cult of the Dead Cow shows how governments, corporations, and criminals came to hold immense power over individuals and how we can fight back against them.
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Liberal Bias Rife and Unchecked
- By Sam Kopp on 12-18-19
By: Joseph Menn
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The Perfect Weapon
- War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age
- By: David E. Sanger
- Narrated by: Robertson Dean
- Length: 12 hrs and 53 mins
- Unabridged
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The Perfect Weapon is the startling inside story of how the rise of cyberweapons transformed geopolitics like nothing since the invention of the atomic bomb. Cheap to acquire, easy to deny, and usable for a variety of malicious purposes, cyber is now the weapon of choice for democracies, dictators, and terrorists. Two presidents - Bush and Obama - drew first blood with Operation Olympic Games, which used malicious code to blow up Iran’s nuclear centrifuges, and yet America proved remarkably unprepared when its own weapons were stolen from its arsenal.
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mix of information and propaganda
- By Inthego on 06-14-19
By: David E. Sanger
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Permanent Record
- By: Edward Snowden
- Narrated by: Holter Graham
- Length: 11 hrs and 31 mins
- Unabridged
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Edward Snowden, the man who risked everything to expose the US government’s system of mass surveillance, reveals for the first time the story of his life, including how he helped to build that system and what motivated him to try to bring it down.
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Great (if incomplete) account
- By Ryan L on 09-22-19
By: Edward Snowden
What listeners say about The Code Book
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Mari
- 02-01-25
huge concepts explained accessibly to any enthusiast
I really really loved this book and how it explained the innerworkings of the developments in cryptography without going overboard in details of math. The narrator did a good job in tone and I just appreciated every chapter.
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- Robert
- 01-12-24
An Intriguing History Lesson on the Field of Cryptography!
This book is a fascinating exploration of the history and practice of cryptography, the art and science of securing information. I chose to read it because I wanted to learn more about how cryptography has evolved over time and how it is used in various fields and applications.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the book is how it shows the dynamic relationship between cryptographers and cryptoanalysts, who are both experts in breaking codes but have different perspectives and goals. The book describes how they often communicate with each other through puzzles, challenges, and games, creating a fascinating dialogue that reveals their personalities and motivations.
The book helped me understand how secrecy is essential for protecting national security, diplomatic relations, and personal privacy. It also showed me how cryptography can be used for both good and evil purposes, depending on who is using it and why. The book made me appreciate the complexity and diversity of cryptography as a discipline that has many implications for our society.
In conclusion, this book was a great introduction to cryptography for beginners as well as an enjoyable read for anyone interested in history, culture, or mystery. I learned a lot from reading this book and I would recommend it to anyone who wants to discover more about this fascinating topic.
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- Gudmundur Hardarson
- 10-09-24
D jrrg errn rq frghv << you can break this
A very informative read about the history of codes and cryptography through the ages. It delivers on exactly what it promises in a well explained and organized manner. It is part history and part explanations of techniques, I'd say 3/4 vs. 1/4 respectively.
Published in 1999 this book is getting a bit old but it is still remarkably current with a surprisingly good section devoted to quantum cryptography. (I hadn’t realized how far it had been developed back in 1999)
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- Oliver J. Siodmak
- 02-15-24
Great overview of the history of cryptography and code breaking
The book handles this complex topic well and I thoroughly enjoyed learning how methods for protecting communications has evolved over time.
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- Chase
- 02-04-25
Interesting from start to finish
Very good entry point for those unfamiliar with cryptography and its history. Very fascinating subject and very well written book!
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