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The Story of Magic, Memoirs of an American Cryptologic Pioneer (Cryptography)

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This book goes into considerable detail regarding what was done but provides almost no information on how it was accomplished. Rowlett was one of a small group of mathematicians who were introduced to cryptography by the legendary William Friedman. As recounted in the book, the group had remarkable success in breaking both Red and Purple,the Japanese diplomatic codes in use prior to WW II. Rowlett describes how the group was trained under Friedman's direction but supplies no information what so ever regarding the nature of the training. This is the case throughout the book as it relates to how every issue of importance was analyzed. The section of the book which describes the construction of the device to decode Purple is excellent in recreating the intensity of the event. One can almost smell the odor of burning electrial equipment when the contacts on the first version of the device melt and then fuse. Rowlett was obviously acutely aware of the importance of protecting the technical information related to the activities he was engaged in ; however, in doing so he produced a document which although descriptive is not at all informative. It is highly unlikely, because of antiquated security considerations, that the full story of this remarkable accomplishment will ever be presented at a level of granularity it deserves.

This book by a pioneer cryptanalyst gives a fascinating insight into how Army cryptanalysts developed the skills and techniques that lead to the breaking of the high level Japanese Diplomatic code "Purple". It describes how the team lead by Rowlett duplicated the complex Japanese Purple cipher machine from manually broken intercepted messages - a feat that astonished Navy cryptanalysts. It describes how Rowlett developed the concepts for a code machine used by the United States during World War II that was never broken by enemy cryptanalysts. The overall account is exciting. It gives the reader a behind the scene look at the numerous obstacles American cryptanalysts faced both internally and externally - and how they overcame them. It is written by a man who for security reasons remained in the shadows for years but in the world of secret communications stood as a giant. After reading The Story of Magic one should read Hitler's Japanese Confidant by Carl Boyd. The reader can then begin to fully appreciate how reading Japanese diplomatic messages contributed to the United States diplomatic and military successes.

Frank Rowlett's story is an intense day-by-day account of life as a cryptanalyst in the Signal Intelligence Service during the years leading up to WW II. This story puts together important pieces of the historical puzzle. As a story, it is exciting, and brings history alive.

This book was published as a well bound, hardback, dust jacketed book by Aegean Park Press, a publishing house well known for re-printing (keeping available and alive) important Cryptanalytical, Cryptological, Cryptograhic publications in softcover 8-1/2" x 11" format. Just the way this particular publishing house, who specializes in crypto works is treating this book "screams" the high regard they have for it.

If you're looking for crypto course work, the how-to-do-it, Aegean Park Press has it, (though not in this book). If you are looking for the taste and feel, the heart and soul of real cryptanalysts enjoying their work, that IS the form & substance of this book; as well as being an important historical work.

I thought the book was very interesting and hard to put down.The detail was amazing until I realized the subject had kept notes of his early career. It left me wishing for more information about his war and post-war career. While the intricisies of the cryptanalytic processes described were hard to follow sometimes,enough information was given to keep the reader's interest. A real tribute to a genius and a national treasure. The book aroused my patriotic emotions.

Truly a great American hero -- Rowlett provides an abundance of detailed history and information regarding U.S. cryptography during WWII.

His book demonstrates how he applied his genius in extremely high stakes military situations involving the development and application of code breaking and encryption technology.

The author is able to keep the reader's interest in dealing with a complex subject.

An intriguing disclosure of highly secret activities that moves one from the days of the "Little Orphan Annie Secret Decoder Pin" to the ultimate in the use of electronic machines in the 1940's.