author: David Boyle
name: Wayne
average rating: 3.67
book published:
rating: 4
read at: 2016/01/06
date added: 2016/01/06
shelves: non-fiction
review:
'Before Enigma' by David Boyle tells the story of British codebreaking that led to Enigma and Bletchley Park. It's a short read, but still highly fascinating.
Room 40 during World War I was the precursor to the codebreakers of Bletchley Park and the larger than life personality of the group was Admiral Sir Reginald 'Blinker' Hall. He assembled an odd assortment of academics who could assist in breaking the codes coming out of Germany. The problem was that there was a disconnect between the front lines and knowledge of this secret group. This played havoc at Jutland where knowledge was known but not to the right people at the right time. Lessons learned during the first conflict would be remembered.
The problem is that a lot of the historical records of Room 40 have been purged, so what we are left with is a lot of secondhand stories, some of which might or might not be fully true. This makes it tough to recommend as a straight historical record, but I can highly recommend it as similar to the type of evening you might have at a pub listening to old soldiers relate stories. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
I received a review copy of this ebook from Endeavour Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you for allowing me to review this ebook.
via Wayne's bookshelf: read http://ift.tt/1SBiGCa
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