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A vivid biography of 'the father of the computer' Charles Babbage [1791-1871] whose life's work was to construct a machine that would carry out complex mathematical calculations without human intervention. The only technology available to him was the cogwheel escapement found inside clocks and the story of his untiring efforts make for a triumph of ingenuity, will and imagination.
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In 1821, 30-year-old inventor and mathematician Charles Babbage was poring over a set of printed mathematical tables with his friend, the astronomer John Herschel. Finding error after error in the manually evaluated results, Babbage made an exclamation, the consequences of which would not only dominate the remaining 50 years of his life, but also lay the foundations for the modern computer industry: "I wish to God these calculations had been executed by steam!" A few days later, he set down a plan to build a machine that would carry out complex mathematical calculations without human intervention and, at least in theory, without human errors. The only technology to which he had access for solving the problem was the cogwheel escapement found inside clocks. Babbage saw that a machine constructed out of hundreds of escapements, cunningly and precisely linked, might be able to handle calculations mechanically. The story of his lifelong bid to construct such a machine is a triumph of human ingenuity, will and imagination.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This book was recommended to me by one of my computer science lecturers, and it really is a very good book. The information on Charles Babbage's struggle to make his Engines is interesting and informative. The second half of the book is dedicated to the modern take production of difference engine no. 2, and it really keeps you on the edge of your seat! This book is a must for anyone with an interest in computers and history.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Doron Swade introduces himself as a scientist rather than a novelist, yet he does an excellent job of bringing Babbage's story vividly to life. The book is an interesting blend of drama and science. There are a handful of paragraphs which if like me you're not a maths or physics graduate might go over your head, but apart from those it is very readable. Charles Babbage comes across as a multi-faceted and interesting character. If you are looking for a scientific breakdown of Babbage's invention then you will have half-satisfied.
Importantly, Swade is not unquestioningly 'pro-Babbage'. Although Babbage is sometimes talked about as the "inventor of the computer" Swade gives a lot of consideration to the other inventions and developments of the age, and even to whether the development of the computer might have happened differently, and better, if Babbage had not been such an extrovertly stroppy character.
The last 100 pages of the book is a pithy account of the trials of building Babbage's machine for real in the 1990s, which is a story nearly as interesting as Babbage's original challenges.
Importantly, Swade is not unquestioningly 'pro-Babbage'. Although Babbage is sometimes talked about as the "inventor of the computer" Swade gives a lot of consideration to the other inventions and developments of the age, and even to whether the development of the computer might have happened differently, and better, if Babbage had not been such an extrovertly stroppy character.
The last 100 pages of the book is a pithy account of the trials of building Babbage's machine for real in the 1990s, which is a story nearly as interesting as Babbage's original challenges.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a fine book about one of the least known inventors of the Victorian age. It had me enthralled from start to finish and I could hardly put it down - just like a good novel! The second part of the book deals with a modern day attempt to build Babbage's Engine, the result of which is displayed today in London's Science Museum for all to see.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Beautiful book by THE expert on the machine
I had the great pleasure to listen to one of the authors marvellous speeches on the reconstruction of Babbages 'engine' and shortly afterwards I was able to visit the giant... Read more
Published on 18 July 2005 by Prof Dr Thomas Sonar
A popular science book that reads like a thriller
I loved this book. It tells the story of Charles Babbage, a nineteenth-century all round genius who tried to build a computer (using cogwheels) about 150 years before computers... Read more
Published on 14 April 2000
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