Turing's Cathedral by George Dyson offers a fascinating look back at the early years of computing, recounting how personal computers, the iPod, the smartphone, and almost every aspect of modern life were created. In 1945, a small group of extraordinary engineers and mathematicians gathered at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton with the goal of building a computer that would make Alan Turing's theory of the 'universal machine' a reality. Led by the polymath immigrant John von Neumann, they created the numerical framework that supports almost all modern computing, forever changing the world.

George Dyson is a historian of technology whose interests include the development of the Aleutian kayak. He is the author of books such as Baidarka, Project Orion, and Darwin Among the Machines.

Summary of reviews: 'Unusual, wonderful, visionary' - Francis Spufford, Guardian. 'Compelling . . . the story Dyson tells is intensely human . . . an immersive narrative of ideas and inventions' - Jenny Uglow. 'Glorious . . . it is as much a story of the personalities involved as the discoveries they made, and you need no knowledge of computers or mathematics to enjoy the adventure . . . a stunning story' - John Gribbin, Literary Review.

Pages: 432, Dimensions: 13x13cm.