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Take your understanding of Julius Caesar to a whole new level, anywhere you go: on a plane, on a mountain, in a canoe, under a tree.Or grab a flashlight and read Shmoop under the covers.Shmoop's award-winning website is now available on your Kindle. Shmoop on the Kindle is like having a trusted, fun, chatty, expert literature-tour-guide always by your side, no matter where you are (or how late it is at night).You-ll find thought-provoking character analyses, quotes, summaries, themes, symbols, trivia, and lots of insightful commentary in Shmoop's literature guides.Teachers and experts from top universities, including Stanford, Berkeley, Harvard, and Columbia, have written content designed to engage you and to get your brain bubbling. Shmoop is here to make you a better lover of literature and to help you discover connections to other works of literature, history, current events, and pop culture. These interactive study guides will help you discover and rediscover some of the greatest works of all time. For more information, check out http://www.shmoop.com/ballyhoo/kindle-ebooks.html ... Read more

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Julius Caesar offers a lively, engaging, and thoroughly up-to-date account of Caesar’s life and times. Richard Billows’ dynamic and fast paced narrative offers an imaginative recounting of actions and events, providing the ideal introduction to Julius Caesar for general readers and students of classics and ancient history.

The book is not just a biography of Caesar, but an historical account and explanation of the decline and fall of the Roman Republican governing system, in which Caesar played a crucial part. To understand Caesar’s life and role, it is necessary to grasp the political, social and economic problems Rome was grappling with, and the deep divisions within Roman society that came from them. Caesar has been seen variously as a mere opportunist, a power-hungry autocrat, an arrogant aristocrat disdaining rivals, a traditional Roman noble politician who stumbled into civil war and autocracy thanks to being misunderstood by his rivals, and even as the ideal man and pattern of all virtues. Richard A. Billows argues that such portrayals fail to consider the universal testimony of our ancient sources that Roman political life was divided in Caesar’s time into two great political tendencies, called "optimates" and "populares" in the sources, of which Caesar came to be the leader of one: the "popularis" faction.

Billows suggests that it is only when we see Caesar as the leader of a great political and social movement, that had been struggling with its rival movement for decades and had been several times violently repressed in the course of that struggle, that we can understand how and why Caesar came to fight and win a civil war, and bring the traditional governing system of Rome to an end.

Customer Reviews (1)

A Fine Biography
With the exception of the chapter on the Gallic Campaign, which was plodding to say the least, this was an enjoyable and instructive read.Having said this it is unclear why this book is so expensive (I read a borrowed copy) compared to Goldsworthy's biography with a similar title.I have only browsed Goldwsworthy's book but it appears to be well written and informative as well.Paying so much extra for Billows' book is not worth it. ... Read more

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Caesar (C. Iulius, 102–44 BCE), statesman and soldier, defied the dictator Sulla; served in the Mithridatic wars and in Spain; pushed his way in Roman politics as a 'democrat' against the senatorial government; was the real leader of the coalition with Pompey and Crassus; conquered all Gaul for Rome; attacked Britain twice; was forced into civil war; became master of the Roman world; and achieved wide-reaching reforms until his murder. We have his books of Commentarii (notes): eight on his wars in Gaul, 58–52 BC, including the two expeditions to Britain 55–54, and three on the civil war of 49–48. They are records of his own campaigns (with occasional digressions) in vigorous, direct, clear, unemotional style and in the third person, the account of the civil war being somewhat more impassioned.

The Loeb Classical Library edition of Caesar is in three volumes. Volume I is his Gallic War. The Alexandrian War, the African War and the Spanish War, commonly ascribed to Caesar by our manuscripts but of uncertain authorship, are collected in Volume III.

Customer Reviews (2)

ALEA JACTA EST
"And the die is cast!" was the proverbial statement Caesar made as he crossed the Rubicon, thus formally declaring hostilities against the Pompeiian camp and turning the Roman Republic to its final chapter. Although there are many translations of this work available on the market, there are few publications that offer Caesar's work in its original Latin as well as with its English translation in one single text. Over the last century, Loeb publishers have been unique in providing their readers with the original text and the translated version side-by-side for every reader to view. Furthermore, these works were translated by some of the best classical scholars of the day in a fluid style that has stood the test of time. I strongly recommend Loeb's publication of Caesar's Civil War over that of other publishers: there's simply no comparison.

As for Caesar's Civil War specifically, it is one of the only texts we have whose author was a political statesman from the late republic (Cicero and Sallust being the others.) It is commonly agreed by most modern scholars that the works were dictated by Caesar and written by one or more of his subordinates during his campaigns. The style is therefore clear, succint, and unadorned. The work offers a detailed look at the final years of the Roman Republic: its politics, armies, culture, and the great conflict that would ultimately destroy it to make way for a future empire that would last over 500 years. These Commentaries cover the events that would eventually lead to the final battle of Pharsallus in which Pompey was defeated after which he fled to Egypt encountering a treacherous death as described in the 'Alexandrian Wars.'

It is also important to understand that Caesar's Commentaries were rhetorical and had a political agenda. Caesar dictated (he always liked dictating) his Commentataries on the Civil War to win political favor and secure a continuation of his political career. These bulletins won him support in the Senate and in the Forum with the people allowing him to secure his grip on Rome's politics as a benevolent dictator until the fateful Ides of March in 44 B.C.

Again, I cannot recommend this version enough as one of the best available today. As for the work itself, it is a direct account from one of the greatest military and political leaders in human history: a man whose fateful crossing of the Rubicon over 2000 years ago changed the face of the world like a collossus until this day; a man whose military startegies are still taught today in virtually every military academy. It is a priceless work that all should read at least once in their life.

J. Caesar--An Eye for Detail

Caesar's writing style may be a bit dry at times, and many translations feel stilted due to the literary conventions of the time in which the translations were made, but Caesar's eye for the significant detail always shines through; for example, his description of the immediate aftermath of Pharsalus, the battle that made him the Master of the Western World:

"LXXVIII. On entering Pompey's camp, we found tables ready-covered, sideboards loaded with plate, and tents adorned with branches of myrtle; that of L. Lentulus, with some others, was shaded with ivy. Every thing gave proofs of the highest luxury, and an assured expectation of victory; whence it was easy to see, that they little dreamed of the issue of that day, since, intent only on voluptuous refinements, they pretended, with troops immersed in luxury, to oppose Caesar's army accustomed to fatigue, and inured to the want of necessaries."

Amazing. He's just won the most important battle in the history of Republican Rome, and he takes the time to notice that some of the Pompeians (one Lentulus in particular) have decorated their tents with ivy! One can easily imagine the jokes Caesar's veterans made on discovering just how effete their opponents could be. Caesar could have bored us with a catalog listing of everything in the camp, or given us a terse "we took Pompey's camp which was loaded with luxuries" but instead gives us a specific detail to illustrate the difference between his men and Pompey's. This is why Caesar is still read and enjoyed and relied upon as a source over 2000 years later.

RstJ
Albany, Oregon. ... Read more

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"A unique and splendidly researched story, following the trials and triumphs of Julius Caesar's Legio X-arguably the most famous legion of its day-from its activation to the slogging battle of Munda and from Thapsus, Caesar's tactical masterpiece, to the grim siege of the Jewish fortress of Masada. More than a mere unit account, it incorporates the history of Rome and the Roman army at the height of their power and gory glory. Many military historians consider Caesar's legions the world's most efficient infantry before the arrival of gunpowder. This book shows why. Written in readable, popular style, Caesar's Legion is a must for military buffs and anyone interested in Roman history at a critical point in European civilization."
—T. R. Fehrenbach, author of This Kind of War, Lone Star, and Comanches

Stephen Dando-Collins paints a vivid and definitive portrait of daily life in the Tenth Legion as he follows Caesar and his men along the blood-soaked fringes of the Empire. This unprecedented regimental history reveals countless previously unknown details about Roman military practices, Caesar's conduct as a commander and his relationships with officers and legionaries, and the daily routine and discipline of the Legion. From penetrating insights into the mind of history's greatest general to a grunt's-eye view of the gruesome realities of war in the Classical Age, this unique and riveting true account sets a new standard of exellence and detail to which all authors of ancient military history will now aspire. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (56)

Unhelpful, distracting font on Kindle
I don't know why this book is different than every other Kindle book I have purchased. The font is very odd, with the "d"s and some other letters exhibiting an open loop. It makes it annoying to read. Not sure why this doesn't have the standard Kindle font, or the ability to choose (the typeface options are all grayed out). . I would not knowingly purchase a book that had this font.

Great FICTION.
Very well written, enjoyable FICTION.
But leave no doubt it is fiction.
The author has done a great deal of research that, together with a fluent writing style, makes for a very good read. But, for every historical fact he describes are many pages of imaginative storytelling.
Most conspicuously, he identifies Caesar's Legio X Equestris with Legio X Fretensis of the Principiate. Legio X Equestris was actually the Imperial Legio X Gemina (X Fretensis was another Tenth Legion formed by Octavian after Caesar's death -- not the same legion at all). Dando does this simply so he can place his subject in the Holy Land in the 1st century, and include tales from the early Christian tradition.
He also takes names of individuals, mentioned by Caesar or other writers, or in inscriptions, and constructs detailed stories about them.
enough of the negatives. This is very creditable, atmospheric historical fiction. And deserves to be read as such. But to portray it as history is both inaccurate and dishonest.

In depth look at Legio X
Stephen Dando-Collins had originally intended to do a (very long) history of each of the major legions in one volume; his publisher suggested the much more sane approach of breaking them down by legion.While some of the information would be repetitive from book to book, this incremental approach makes the subject more manageable.

Accordingly, we have information common to all legions recruited from Pompey's day onwards, including size and formation, training, weaponry and how and when it was upgraded; leadership and recruitment, from incentives through land distribution and potentially reserve call-up.Appendixes list the various legions by number, recruitment dates, and where there is confusion over names and numbers - as there would be over a period of 500 years - he does his best to sort it out.Legions were raised, combined, destroyed, reconstituted; rival claimants to the purple would have similarly numbered legions fighting one another, and so on.Dando-Collins does an outstanding job in his research, and makes what seem to this reader to be reasonable assumptions where the records are unclear.

Regarding the Tenth, he follows the Legion from its raising in Spain by Caesar in 61 BC essentially through the Civil Wars and up to Titus campaign in taking Jerusalem and Masada.After that, as the remains of the Tenth become essentially limitanei on the Syrian front, the story is quickly abbreviated and wrapped up.The campaigns are clearly described, the battles carefully recorded and one feels one has understood at least the basics of what went on in this massive struggles.This is thoroughly enjoyable reading.

If there is a downside, it is where the author tries to cover conversations or what people thought.There is a lot of "he would have thought this," "he would have said that," a formulation this reviewer finds awkward, with insufficient support for their statements.But we are talking about events from hour to hour, described two thousand years after the fact.The alternative is simply to draw straight from the historical sources, and these do not often touch on the more mundane aspects of life in the Legions.

Dando-Collins has gone on to cover additional legions' careers.His approach in general is unusual and a great addition to our knowledge of these fascinating units.

Legio X
Stephen Dando-Collins's "Caesar's Legion: The Epic Saga of Julius Caesar's Elite Tenth Legion and the Armies of Rome" is an engrossing and in-depth history of the Roman Army, told mostly through the eyes of the famous Tenth Legion (Legio X).

The first half of the book gives an excellent account of Caesar's Army during the Gallic campaign and the civil war against Pompey.Dando-Collins not only describes the military movements and the battles, he personifies the legion by describing the daily life of the legionnaires and explaining why they were so effective.However, the last half of the book trails off as Dando-Collins continues to tell the story of the Tenth Legion into the Imperial era, all the way to the fall of Masada.This part lacks the detail and interest of the first part.

This is a solid and engaging book that anyone interested in military history would enjoy.

I'm not so sure about the research behind this book.
I've seen a few reviews praising the research that was put into this book. I'd take them with a grain of salt. The legion that was with Caesar in Gaul was disbanded, to be reconstituted as Legio X Gemina. The Legion that fought at Jerusalem and Masada was Legio X Fretensis. Legio X Gemina was stationed in Germania during the Jewish revolt that was chronicled by Josephus. ... Read more

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Visually engages readers by placing the original dialogue on the left-hand side of the page, and a modern prose interpretations on the right. As a result, it is easy for readers to cross reference as they move through the play and finally "get" Shakespeare. ... Read more

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A Companion to Julius Caesar comprises 30 essays from leading scholars examining the life and after life of this great polarizing figure.

• Explores Caesar from a variety of perspectives: military genius, ruthless tyrant, brilliant politician, first class orator, sophisticated man of letters, and more
  
• Utilizes Caesar’s own extant writings
  
• Examines the viewpoints of Caesar’s contemporaries and explores Caesar’s portrayals by artists and writers through the ages

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Examines the life and violent death of the Roman general and statesman who founded a line of emperors to inherit his power and his name. ... Read more

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This is a title in an inexpensive range of classics in the "Penguin Popular Classics" series. ... Read more

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For centuries, Julius Caesar has endured in our collective imagination as a favorite among historians and scholars, playwrights and poets. In legend he lives as the great conqueror of Rome's immense empire, a remarkable diplomat and writer, an unrivaled heartbreaker, and a man of relentless determination who met a seemingly tragic end.

Caesar examines the riveting story of a complex man within the context of the crisis of the Roman republic. Meier vividly reconstructs the distinctive features of this age by emphasizing the prevalent educational practices that imposed limitations on individual development. Meier clearly shows that Caesar early on established himself as a man whose unique drive, self-confidence, and detachment would bring him into continual conflict with established institutions.

What were the political and social forces that shaped and challenged this extraordinary individual? And how did this larger-than-life leader truly affect the fate of the Roman republic and the course of history? Internationally renowned historian Christian Meier explores these questions in the most authoritative and accessible account ot Julius Caesar's life, career, and legacy. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (28)

Caesar Many Facets
Posted November 7, 2006, 9:26 PM EST: The two reviews are valid when taking this book at face value that is a biography. But this book is not, instead it is written to those who already understand the fundamentals or ¿timeline¿ of Caesar. For example he gives very limited details on Caesar¿s beautifully conceived siege of Alesia. No general before or since has ¿entombed¿ their entire army in a line of contravallation and countervallation and then decimated one army and annihilated the other, all with a personally financed and trained professional army and its materiel. This is not an oversight or a lack of historical detail since Meir¿s intentions is to provide a literary work that didn¿t regurgitate what we already know. Instead what appears to be bogging down in the daily minutiae of the Roman Senate and its vicissitudes is instead puts the reader in daily grind of how politics and government is so radically different from both the monarchs or tribal leaders of the ¿rest of the world¿ yet in no way whatsoever could be designated a democracy. It was a Republic who¿s laws were founded solely on two precepts: first all the power should remain firmly under the control of a small number of affluent citizens in the form of the Senate and second its selected leaders (there were always ¿two¿ consul of equal rank and a 12 month term), generals (praetors) and governors (proconsuls) must be subject to almost immediate turnover. Even the vaunted title of ¿dictator¿ with absolute power was immediately dissolved after 6 months or sooner. Caesar, when crossing the Rubicon was nothing pioneering or a gamble into uncharted waters. In his lifetime he had watched it happen with front row seats when Sulla returned from Greece to March on Rome and usurp the legitimate power from the Consul Cinna and his counterpart. Completely disregarding the fact that title and position of ¿dictator¿ had disappeared through attrition since the city of Rome was no longer a tenable military target by any other foe or that it must be relinquished in less than 6 months, never to be re-elected even by unanimous Senate vote, he not only declared himself ¿supreme warlord¿ but expelled or murdered those Senators that refused to acquiesce only to hand select their replacements. Then in a final insult he increased the size of the Senate, which was no doubt needed to manage their ever expanding empire, but through perfidy cloaked in sophism filled these new ranks with his unlimited line of sycophants. So what elevates Caesar to mythical proportions over Sulla or other would be traitors that execute acts of blatant ¿high treason¿. The fact is the Rubicon could have never entered our lexicon if the Senate simply allowed Caesar to run again for the post of consul. Nothing sinister as many Senators had been re-elected after the `required¿ time had passed. Only lasting a year he would find himself at the end of the term without his private legions he undoubtedly would have faded away into history as a Great Captain equal to Hannibal, Marius or Scipio. This brings us right square in the face of the crux of this literary piece: the Senatus consultum ultimum (or 'Ultimate decree of the Senate'), which had slowly replaced the requirement to appoint a dictator by authorizing special powers to the two active consuls and their praetors to eliminate the defined threat with the full weight of the Republics vast resources. This would be tantamount to General MacArthur ignoring President Truman¿s order to step down from his direct command in Korea, finishing the war through atomic strikes and then return to America with our soldiers to march on Washington effectively dissolving our democracy through a popularly voted civilian President, Assembly of Lawmakers and its Judges. Most importantly it would have shredded up the most important law document since the Magna Carter: our US Constitution. Finally, we must remember the book is purely a translation from German and so all types of nuances and idiosyncrasies

Simply outstanding !
I have read both this one and "Ceasar: Life of a Colossus" by Goldsworthy.
I prefer this biography. It is profound. Just read the very first few pages on the analysis of interplay between personal and historical forces. What is a historical force but the sum of individual memories and what is an individual memory but an instant of history ?

It is fascinating to examine how one person embodied the conflict that tore apart the fabric of Roman society.
The conflict grew and gained momentum and was basic atheart.
With one hand Roman establishment was enabling some individuals gain immense power and wealth, while at the same time,out of fear of subjugation to that power, the other hand was trying to take that power away. The situation was utterly unstable andthe solution was found in centralization of power later on.

Not a good first biography of Caesar, but the best
This is a challenging book, no doubt, and if you're unfamiliar with the late republic you probably don't want to start here.That said, no other biography of Caesar is as subtle and interesting in its interpretations.Meier's Caesar is an engaging read for those tired of jejune ancient biographies, and forces the reader to reassess his own assumptions about Caesar.

August book
The greatest book on Ceasar and late Republic. For those who want to understand history and not just be entertained.

"Caesar" -- an antidote for insomnia
If you are troubled by insomnia, by all means buy this book.Put it on your night stand and you may find that it will solve your problem.However, in the end you may prefer pills.The author may well be one of the leading experts on ancient history as the book jacket claims.He is a professor at the University of Munich.But one thing is for sure - he is never at a loss for words.A specialist may enjoy reading all of his long winded questions, his endless pros and cons, and his speculations, but I did not.I labored through the roughly 500 pages and, at the end, felt nothing so much as relief and deliverance.Unless you really relish an expert's pontificating and moralizing, I would suggest that you can easily skip the first fifty pages and maybe the first one hundred. However be forewarned, that is only the beginning.There is more of the same - lots more.

I slogged through it all, but I did not feel that I had learned very much, beyond the fact that the author is anything but a fan of Julius Caesar.He beats the reader to death with his "inside-outside" theory, his moralizing and philosophizing, but there is very little in the way ofhard facts or substantive biography.To be sure, there may be very little information on Caesar's life still extant; however, one still has to contend with some five hundred pages!And I was struck by the fact that there are no foot notes and it is necessary to wait to the first afterward before the author condescends to let the reader know about some of his sources.And in the second afterward, the author admits that he has discovered a salient piece of evidence which tends to put his view of Caesar into question, but immediately denies the importance of same.

I am not an expert on the subject at hand or the period, but for my money the author asks too much.He seems to expect that the reader will simply accept his view of Caesar.Rather than admit that he simply doesn't know something, he continually speculates, guesstimates, and assumes that the reader will be convinced of his conclusions, vague though the latter are.I suspect that the author has lived too much in the shadow ofHitler to render an impartial estimate of Caesar.Even if Meier is 100% correct, there is the little matter of Caesar's legacy.Little things like the fact that the French and the Spanish speak a romance language today (and the Germans do not).Or the fact that all of his successors used the title of Caesar and that it continued on into the German and Russian Empires of the Kaisers and Tsars.Or even the fact that our calendar today is his revision and known as the Julian calendar. The author does, at one point, grudgingly concede that Caesar was brilliant and may have been the greatest military commander in history, but he committed the supreme sin in Meier's eyes of failing to embrace the values of the Republic.(This while conceding that the Roman Republic was past saving.)While condemning Caesar for his brutality, and in spite of his many acts of clemency, he passes over Sulla's slaughter of thousands lightly, explaining that after all Sulla did it to help the Republic!According to Meier, Caesar, had no idea of how to solve the problem of a failing government other than autocracy - ironically, precisely the solution reached after his death and some fifteen years of civil war, by Octavius (Augustus). At least no known idea.In brief, I was not persuaded by the author's thesis.I would infinitely prefer a biography of Caesar if it could be written by Anthony Everitt whose "Cicero" and "Augustus" biographies are at least readable.Everitt is reader friendly.Meier is not. ... Read more

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(Aris and Phillips 1991) ... Read more

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A biography of the Roman general and statesman whose brilliant military leadership helped make Rome the center of a vast empire. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A brief, yet thorough description of the first man to be called Caesar
Rome in the early years of Julius Caesar was a time of turmoil and growth. While the Roman state continued to expand, it did so at a great cost of blood and lives. Territory was brought under Roman control only by killing millions of people in those territories. Furthermore, the increasing size and wealth meant that the central government controlled by the Senate grew weaker and more easily toppled.
Very early in his life, Julius Caesar was identified as a man that would rise high in Roman political circles. Using largely political means, by the age of thirty, he had an important role in the government. However, it was as a military commander that Caesar excelled. Through a combination of military genius and brutality, he was able to defeat the Gauls and the Germanic tribes of northern Europe. When he crossed the Rubicon River with his army and entered Roman territory proper, it was clear to all that he intended to seize absolute power and become permanent Emperor of Rome. However, a band of Senators who wanted to preserve what democracy remained in the Roman government conspired to assassinate him and they were successful. While they were able to kill the man, it was impossible to kill the position and shortly after, Rome became an Empire, ruled by a succession of Caesars until the Empire was no more.
In the modern world, the news often covers mass killings, most recently the genocidal actions in Bosnia, Rwanda and Darfur. Less well known are the genocidal actions of Julius Caesar as he used his armies to conquer and enslave vast territories for the Roman state. This book is an excellent, brief yet thorough presentation of the short and very historically significant life of the first man to become Caesar. Although he was killed for his goal, it turned out to be an inevitable consequence of the historical forces present at the time.
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Get a behind-the-scenes look at some of history's most famous and infamous figures in these classic DK guides. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Interesting book, a good read
I bought this book for my 15 year old son, who has been learning about julius caeser in history class and is impressed by his strategic and logistic mind. He liked the book very much, says it was informative and very interesting . He has recommended it.

Julius Caesar Lite
Julius Caesar is one of the great characters of world history and his life has fascinated people for two thousand years.This is a typical DK book.Great on the graphics and a lot weaker on the substance.All of the highlights of Caesar's interesting life are touched upon in a cursory way.Do not purchase this book if you are intersted in a serious biography.However, what this book really has going for it are the wonderful illustrations.These are the types of fantastically complex illustrations that can grab a child's imagination and help him develop an interest in ancient history. ... Read more

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This book explores traditional approaches to the play, which includes an examination of the play in light of current history, in the context of Renaissance England, and in relation to Shakespeare's other Roman plays as well as structural examination of plot, language, character, and source material. Julius Caesar: Critical Essays also examines the current debates concerning the play in Marxist, psychoanalytic, deconstructive, queer, and gender contexts. ... Read more

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The most famous of Shakespeare's Roman tragedies, Julius Caesar was written and first performed in 1599, and was apparently one the plays his contemporaries enjoyed most.Recounting the death of Caesar on the steps of the Senate house, the play offers some of Shakespeare's finest scenes: Antony's skillful speech at Caesar's funeral, and the quarrel and reconciliation between Brutus and Cassius with the news of Portia's death.This edition includes a fresh consideration of the play's date and its place in the Shakespeare canon and examines how Shakespeare reshaped his sources (primarily North's translation of Plutarch's Lives). ... Read more

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The design of code and cipher systems has undergone major changes in modern times. Powerful personal computers have resulted in an explosion of e-banking, e-commerce and e-mail, and as a consequence the encryption of communications to ensure security has become a matter of public interest and importance. This book describes and analyzes many cipher systems ranging from the earliest and elementary to the most recent and sophisticated, such as RSA and DES, as well as wartime machines such as the ENIGMA and Hagelin, and ciphers used by spies. Security issues and possible methods of attack are discussed and illustrated by examples. The design of many systems involves advanced mathematical concepts and this is explained in detail in a major appendix. This book will appeal to anyone interested in codes and ciphers as used by private individuals, spies, governments and industry throughout history and right up to the present day. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Survey of Ciphers
It's a good book if you have an interest in ciphers and haven't read much on the subject. It's not a book on modern cryptography and covers very little in the way of recent breakthrough technology. Based on your level of interest and experience it might or might not be the right book for you. It gets four stars from me because the author presents clear, well researched information.

well written and for all
This is not a schoolbook, yet it takes from the format some usefull features for such a book : you have some worked out examples and a few exercises to practice. After all, math is not something you read like a novel, but rather something you DO! The author understands that.

But the book also has an easy going feel to it and is very clear. Mixed in with the math, you have tidbits of history and general culture mixed in. If you compare it to a very good book out there (the code book by Singh), you find out more about the codes and the mechanics of them in this book.

good read!

You learn how some key encryption machines were made
The ability to convert data into a form that is readable only by a selected group has been a matter of utmost importance for thousands of years. The fate of entire nations has rested on the ability of a nation to keep their messages secure or accurately unravel the messages of opponents. The most celebrated cases involve instances of war, where the messages sent by the Germans and Japanese were intercepted and decrypted by the allies. While not decisive in the outcome of the war, the knowledge gained was of enormous value and did a great deal to assist in the victory. By far, the most well known case is that of the Enigma machine used by the Germans in world war two. The British were able to break the code and the knowledge they obtained made a significant difference in the early years of the war.
Encryption is now a foundation pillar of modern society. Trillions of dollars are now electronically exchanged over the course of a year, and the entire world economy is now dependent on the ability of computers to exchange data in a manner that is accurate and secure from fraud. While security over the Internet is the most widely cited example, most of the data is exchanged over private lines.
The first documented case of encryption being used in war is when Julius Caesar used a simple substitution cipher to send orders to his troops. That and all similar codes is where the book begins. After that, there is a very detailed examination of the Enigma and Hagelin machines, right down to how the wheels interact. This part of the book was by far the most interesting, as well as the descriptions of how it was possible for the allied cryptographers to break the Enigma code. It turns out that the breaking of the codes was not due to a flaw in the machine, but in the way it was used. The remaining part of the book is filled with a description of public key cryptography and the applications for the Internet.
The sections on the substitution ciphers and public key cryptography are good but fairly standard. Problems are given at the end of each chapter and solutions are in the back of the book. What makes this book unique is the mechanical descriptions of the Enigma and Hagelin cipher machines. If you are interested only in the mathematics of encryption, then you will most likely not find them interesting. However, if you are like me and are interested in the mechanical aspects of the machines, then you will like it. ... Read more

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General Books publication date: 2009Original publication date: 1898Original Publisher: Allyn and BaconSubjects: RomeGaulBiography ... Read more

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The "Actors on Shakespeare" series draws on the contemporary relevance of, and enjoyment to be found in, Shakespeare. Each book provides an introduction to a particular play from an individual actor's perspective; here Corin Redgrave offers his view of "Julius Caesar". ... Read more

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Insightful Book
A highly readable and insightful book about one of Shakespeare's greatest plays.As I am planning to direct this play in the near future, I have found the book extremely useful. Mr. Redgrave has played in three different productions of "Julius Caesar" so he writes with great wisdom on the subject from an actor's viewpoint.I loved this book.
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