Grace Hopper: Admiral of the Cyber Sea

Library of Naval Biography

by Kathleen Broome Williams

When grace Hopper retired as a rear admiral from the U.S. Navy in 1986, she was the first woman restricted line officer to reach flag rank and, at the age of seventy-nine, the oldest serving officer in the Navy. A mathematician by training who became a computer scientist, the eccentric and outspoken Hopper helped propel the Navy into the computer age. She also was a superb publicist for the Navy, appearing frequently on radio and television and quoted regularly in newspapers and magazines. Yet in spite of all the attention she received, until now "Amazing Grace," as she was called, has never been the subject of a full biography. Kathleen Broome Williams looks at Hopper's entire naval career, from the time she joined the Waves and was sent in 1943 to work on the Mark 1 computer at Harvard, where she became one of the country's first computer programmers. Thanks to this early Navy introduction to computing, the author explains, Hopper had a distinguished civilian career in commercial computing after the war, gaining fame for her part in the creation of COBOL. The admiral's Navy days were far from over, however, and Williams tells how Hopper--already past retirement age--was recalled to active duty at the Pentagon in 1967 to standardize computer-programming languages for Navy computers. Her temporary appointment lasted for nineteen years while she standardized COBOL for the entire department of defense. Based on extensive interviews with colleague and family and on archival material never before examined, this biography not only illuminates Hopper's pioneering accomplishments in a field that came to be dominated by men, but provides a fascinating overview of computing from its beginnings in World War II to the late 1980s.

Genres: Biography, Nonfiction, Technology, Womens, History, Military Fiction, Feminism

258 pages, Hardcover

First published October 25, 2004

Reviews

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was tempted to doc this one a star for a few typos (generally missing words) and some readability issues in several sections (the book greatly needs acronym and important persons glossaries). However, the subject matter is so interesting that I'm willing to overlook those problems.

I figured by about the 35% mark that Hopper must have possessed a time turner. The woman was so prodigiously busy that it was often difficult to keep track of all the projects she was involved in at any given time. I was excited to see that she was a member of SWE, among several other organizations. Williams has clearly thoroughly researched Hopper's life and manages to transmit the incredible energy of Hopper herself into the descriptions of her work. I especially appreciated Williams' occasional comments on the general state of women in computer-related fields; she never overextends but backs up her comparison of Hopper's statements versus the larger picture with factual evidence. Hopper's life was an incredible one; her skills, personality, background, and circumstances all come together in a coherent narrative that was illuminating and inspiring. Hopper's systematic outlook, leadership methods, breadth of technical knowledge, and drive to educate succeeding generations are skills that are still relevant in the tech and business world today.

Highly recommended for readers of military history, computer development history, biographies, leadership, and general real life inspiration.

[Phrodrick slowed his growing backlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Grace Hopper, Admiral of the Cyber Sea is just barely a four star read. Author Ms Kathleeh Williams tells a story of a woman who was part of and a leader in great things, but the writer lacks the style of her subject.

It may be that when you write at the request of the Naval Institute and take up the mission of focusing on a very Navy orientation, one can feel constrained to play down the personal and the assume a more professional style. The result approaches the bloodless. The person gets lost in the technology and the challenges are not so much glossed over as championed in generalities.

Admiral Hooper came into the world of computing with doctorate in mathematics, and a commission as a Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) Lieutenant (Junior Grade). All that making her a very rare woman of the 1940’s. She was assigned to a very obscure Navy activity located on the Harvard campus; working for another of the lessor known founding people in the world of computing, Cdr. Howard Aiken. Their primary mission was to perform large numbers of calculations. Their (Aiken’s) Mark I computer was among the world’s first computers and for all of its tonnage was limited to high speed processing of numbers. In some ways it was a mechanical realization of the machine Charles Babbage had never quite made in the Victorian Era.

In the years after WWII Mrs. Hooper maintained a active Navy Reserve commission and continued to work in the early world of non-militarized computers. Years later her reputation, and the respect of her Navy superiors would earn for her positions of increasing importance and eventually senior rank as a full time Navy Officer. A rare woman indeed.

Ms. Williams is careful to clarify Adm. Hooper’s roles in promoting the use of higher languages in computers. Hooper determined that it is more efficient to have the computer learn English rather than the person to learn code. The Admiral did not invent COBOL, she promoted it and aided in its development. She did invent the compiler-that part of a computer that translates from computer code to higher languages like COBOL.

In the long road to become Admiral ( At her retirement in 1986 she was the longest serving officer in the U S Navy), Hooper had to be a forceful and clever speaker to get the respect and attention of her always male, usually senior and rarely as computer savvy Navy decision makers. She proved to be a tireless educator and public speaker. All of which made her more valuable to the Navy.

A rare woman and then some.

[Jay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Admiral Hopper sometimes gets lost in the arcania of the early days of computing and the bureaucratic fights that went on. Perhaps her career only became became "significant" when the rest of the world "discovered" it? The narrative was plodding, at least for me.

[Cathy Salvato · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this was challenge to read because of all the computer terminology and technical lingo, it was very interesting to learn more about the life of an incredibly bright and influential pioneering woman.

[Katherine Rupley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read. More of a Computing history than a biography but it seems that you can't talk about Grace Hopper without talking about computing.

[Deb]

DNF

[John C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a life

She was certainly amazing from her early years to her older one
Never realized the number of awards she received

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story of Grace Murray Hopper, mathematician and pioneer in computer science. Hopper propelled the Navy into the computer age, retired from the US Navy as a rear admiral and the oldest active duty officer in 1986 at the age of 79. This book is a story of one remarkable woman, but more than that it's the story of computing and of our changing times. A woman I would have loved to have met!

[Doreen Chancellor · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Enjoyed reading about Grace Hopper and her contributions to computer science. The story bogged down with details of Navy bureaucracy when dealing with standardization and was a bit repetitive about certain details. Overall, I enjoyed the insight to Grace's intelligence, perseverance, and no nonsense approach (common sense). She certainly was "Amazing Grace".

[William Anger · Rating 4 out of 5]

Admiral of the cyber-seas

Book was enjoyable, with many references. Adm. Hopper was an outstanding mathematician, programmer, navy officer, and teacher. She led her people to be their best. Fair winds and following seas.

[Rick Slade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome" Person" - Amazing Grace

Loved the book! Enthralled with Grace Hopper, her intellect but mostly with her desire to teach and to lead. The book is well put together, flows well and reads easily.

[Mills College Library]

Biog H7985w 2004