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In Code: A Mathematical Journey (2001)

by Sarah Flannery, Sarah Flannery

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517547,719 (3.69)5
In January 1999, Sarah Flannery, a sports-loving teenager from Blarney in County Cork, Ireland was awarded Ireland's Young Scientist of the Year for her extraordinary research and discoveries in Internet cryptography. The following day, her story began appearing in Irish papers and soon after was splashed across the front page of the London Times, complete with a photo of Sarah and a caption calling her "brilliant." Just 16, she was a mathematician with an international reputation. In Code is a heartwarming story that will have readers cheering Sarah on. Originally published in England and co-written with her mathematician father, David Flannery, In Code is "a wonderfully moving story . . . about the thrill of the mathematical chase" (Nature) and "a paean to intellectual adventure" (Times Educational Supplement). A memoir in mathematics, it is all about how a girl next door, nurtured by her family, moved from the simple math puzzles that were the staple of dinnertime conversation to prime numbers, the Sieve of Eratosthenes, Fermat's Little Theorem, Googols-- and finally into her breathtaking algorithm. Parallel with each step is a modest girl's own self-discovery--her values, her burning curiosity, the joy of persistence, and, above all, her love for her family.… (more)
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I have to confess that I lost interest in the math, though I did learn a little about the one-way functions that make public-key cryptography work, which had formerly puzzled me. I found Sarah's personal experiences with the science contests more interesting, and I'd highly recommend this book to any young person with an aptitude in math or science. ( )
  Charon07 | Jul 16, 2021 |
I was expecting more of a biography. This book seems to be more an explanation of various mathematical principles relating to cryptography. I stopped reading at about 20%.
  ajlewis2 | Jul 11, 2018 |
Sarah Flannery was inspired by her mathematician father to enter the local (County Cork, Ireland, home of the Blarney Stone) science fair with a project on cryptography. She got rather obsessed, segued into a internship where her task was a computer program implementing a new algorithm, and developed the project to a sophisticated level that won a national award and generated lots of buzz for its potential in the real world. The book is nicely arranged with the story, infused with humor and fun family dynamics, separated from the math, chattily conveyed; so it’s possible to read without pause, and/or to take out a pad of paper and play with number theory. I did both, though my understanding of the math remains cursory.
  qebo | Dec 21, 2014 |
I found this book to be both enjoyable and educational. I learned about some interesting existing encryption methods, the math that supports them, and ultimately how they might be compromised. She has done an excellent job and i certainly hope this is more than just a 15sec of fame for her. ( )
  uawelder | May 28, 2010 |
A brilliant first by a brilliant Irish kid who shows the stuff top mathematicians are made of. Written for the non-specialist humbly and engagingly. She went on to win prestigious awards in international competition and patent encryption methods. ( )
  sthitha_pragjna | May 21, 2006 |
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Author nameRoleType of authorWork?Status
Sarah Flanneryprimary authorall editionscalculated
Sarah Flannerymain authorall editionsconfirmed
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In January 1999, Sarah Flannery, a sports-loving teenager from Blarney in County Cork, Ireland was awarded Ireland's Young Scientist of the Year for her extraordinary research and discoveries in Internet cryptography. The following day, her story began appearing in Irish papers and soon after was splashed across the front page of the London Times, complete with a photo of Sarah and a caption calling her "brilliant." Just 16, she was a mathematician with an international reputation. In Code is a heartwarming story that will have readers cheering Sarah on. Originally published in England and co-written with her mathematician father, David Flannery, In Code is "a wonderfully moving story . . . about the thrill of the mathematical chase" (Nature) and "a paean to intellectual adventure" (Times Educational Supplement). A memoir in mathematics, it is all about how a girl next door, nurtured by her family, moved from the simple math puzzles that were the staple of dinnertime conversation to prime numbers, the Sieve of Eratosthenes, Fermat's Little Theorem, Googols-- and finally into her breathtaking algorithm. Parallel with each step is a modest girl's own self-discovery--her values, her burning curiosity, the joy of persistence, and, above all, her love for her family.

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