Secret Messages: Concealment Codes And Other Types Of Ingenious Communication

by William S. Butler, L. Douglas Keeney

From the fall of Troy to interstellar messages by way of the Underground Railroad and Captain Midnight, Secret Messages is a collection of ninety-five of the most interesting examples of code and concealed communications throughout history.
Authors William S. Butler and L. Douglas Keeney have compiled a fascinating array of encrypted communications from a varied field. Many of these examples are from times of war, including the story of how a too simple code was the undoing of Benedict Arnold, and how Commander Jeremiah Denton blinked in Morse code to indicate that his North Vietnamese captors were torturing him. Others are more lighthearted, such as the creative use of hand signals by catchers and managers in modern baseball. And some selections offer a glimpse into how codes are used in everyday life, unbeknownst to most of us, in places like hospitals, police stations, and firehouses.
Uncovering hidden layers, Secret Messages will amaze you with its new insights into history and how it has been shaped by cryptography. It also explores the future of encryption, where technology will enable vast amounts of information to be hidden within minuscule hosts such as human DNA, or the dot of an "i." Full of stories of human creativity and ingenuity, Secret Messages is an engaging book that will inspire and delight.

Genres: Nonfiction, Espionage

192 pages, Hardcover

First published January 2, 2001

Reviews

[Aerin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I checked this book out from the library to help me crack codes at the armchair treasure hunt, but found it an enjoyable read all on its own merit. Who knew neckties were originally used as code?

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

**Top Secret**

This was a fun read on secret communications.

I have been getting into books that deal with cyber security and cryptography lately and this was a fun read on codes and message hiding.

3.9/5

[Greenegirl · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is filled with a series of fun anecdotes about various codes and secret messages. Most anecdotes are less than 2 pages long, making the book perfect bathroom reading. While it was entertaining, I was looking for more in depth coverage of the topic, so this was not the book for me!

[Jessica · Rating 2 out of 5]

No great revelations here, but reasonably interesting. To be honest, the book jacket was probably the best part.

[Pamela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great historical tidbits about secret communication and codes. I totally enjoyed it.

[Chelsea · Rating 4 out of 5]

a bunch of interesting info thrown together. really liked it. great for when you only have minute or two at a time.