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The Turk: The Life and Times of the Famous Eighteenth-Century Chess-Playing Machine
On an autumn day in 1769, a Hungarian nobleman named Wolfgang von Kempelen attended a conjuring show at the court of Maria Theresa, empress of Austria-Hungary. So unimpressed was Kempelen by the performance that he declared he could do better himself. Maria Theresa held him to his word and gave him six months to prepare a show of his own. Kempelen did not disappoint; he returned to the court the following spring with a mechanical man, fashioned from wood, powered by clockwork, dressed in a stylish Turkish costume―and capable of playing chess. The Turk, as this contraption became known, was an instant success, and Tom Standage's book chronicles its illustrious career in Europe and America over the next eighty five years. Associated over time with a host of historical figures, including Benjamin Franklin, Catherine the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Charles Babbage, and Edgar Allan Poe, Kempelen's creation unwittingly also helped to inspire the development of the power loom, the computer, and the detective story. Everywhere it went, the Turk baffled spectators and provoked frenzied speculation about whether a machine could really think. Many rival theories were published, but they served only to undermine each other. Part historical detective story, part biography, The Turk relates the saga of the machine's remarkable and checkered career against the backdrop of the industrial revolution, as mechanical technology opened up dramatic new possibilities and the relationship between people and machines was being redefined. Today, in the midst of the computer age, it has assumed a new significance, as scientists and philosophers continue to debate the possibility of machine intelligence. To modern eyes, the Turk now seems to have been a surprisingly farsighted invention, and its saga is a colorful and important part of the history of technology.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2002
14 people are currently reading
1102 people want to read
About the author
Tom Standage
18 books532 followersTom Standage is a journalist and author from England. A graduate of Oxford University, he has worked as a science and technology writer for The Guardian, as the business editor at The Economist, has been published in Wired, The New York Times, and The Daily Telegraph, and has published five books, including The Victorian Internet[1][2]. This book explores the historical development of the telegraph and the social ramifications associated with this development. Tom Standage also proposes that if Victorians from the 1800s were to be around today, they would be far from impressed with present Internet capabilities. This is because the development of the telegraph essentially mirrored the development of the Internet. Both technologies can be seen to have largely impacted the speed and transmission of information and both were widely criticised by some, due to their perceived negative consequences.
Standage has taken part in various key media events. He recently participated in ictQATAR's "Media Connected" forum for journalists in Qatar, where he discussed the concept of technology journalism around the world and how technology is expected to keep transforming the world of journalism in the Middle East and all around the world.
-Wikipedia
Standage has taken part in various key media events. He recently participated in ictQATAR's "Media Connected" forum for journalists in Qatar, where he discussed the concept of technology journalism around the world and how technology is expected to keep transforming the world of journalism in the Middle East and all around the world.
-Wikipedia
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
February 18, 2008
I was reading this book to pass the time at a boring ass job I had working for Holland America in Anchorage, AK. The book was quite enjoyable until some asshole, AARP member came up to me, saw I was reading the book and spoiled the ending for me, which is probably one of the most heinous acts you can do in the free world. So I didn't totally finish it--I was just a few pages away. Wherever this guy is, I hope he was one who was affected my Enron. Bastard.
The book is quite good though. It shows the fascination with technology and the promise people in the 18th Century saw behind it even when it completely failed them. It was interesting to see that the ideas for artificial intelligence was an idea even that far back in history.
The book is quite good though. It shows the fascination with technology and the promise people in the 18th Century saw behind it even when it completely failed them. It was interesting to see that the ideas for artificial intelligence was an idea even that far back in history.
February 10, 2009
Written like a good mystery and very readable. I found the topic to be quite interesting and I attribute this primarily to the style of writing and the way in which the story unfolds. If you're interested in the "idea" of artificial intelligence, this is a great story!
February 21, 2015
A fascinating examination of an historical oddity, a clockwork chess playing automaton, or is it a hoax? Whether you believe it or not, the Turk played against Napoleon, Benjamin Franklin and Edgar Allen Poe. It influenced Charles Babbage, Alan Turing and Deep Blue. Why does the notion of a thinking machine hold such fascination for us and why do audiences willing suspend their disbelief when faced with such conundrums? Read it and find out!
October 2, 2011
A quick read. Not as enjoyable as Standage's Victorian Internet, but still excellent. I would have liked a bit more of the actual games that were played by the Turk. I understand this could be boring to many readers.
The final chapter adds quite a bit to the story, showing the Turk's influence on modern computing and artificial intelligence.
The final chapter adds quite a bit to the story, showing the Turk's influence on modern computing and artificial intelligence.
May 22, 2025
Ich bin wirklich positiv überrascht, wie man das Thema so unterhaltsam darstellen kann. Absolut lesenswert!
October 11, 2022
Being that my favorite game has always been chess, this book appealed to me immediately. I've often heard references and stuff to the Turk but I never really knew the history behind it. Quick fun read. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Lmk if anyone ever fancies a game.
January 27, 2018
This is a little book, slightly short with lots of space and a slightly larger font. That is not a detriment to the book - there are enough books around that continue long after their point has been made. This book comes in, tells a fascinating story with some intriguing implications and then goes away.
I was a little unlucky that I knew the end of the story before I knew much about the beginning, it’s the ‘Sweeney Todd’ or ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ effect. Good thing this story starts so interestingly. The Turk was essentially created for a bet. A Hungarian civil servant called Wolfgang von Kempelen agreed to create something far more astounding than the slightly underwhelming magician who had just performed in Maria Theresa’s court. Three months later, he returned with a chess playing machine that appeared to run on clockwork. He then spent the rest of his life trying to encourage people to move on from that achievement.
He may have created a speaking machine, steam-engines, bridges and fountains but it’s hard to live down a machine that can beat people at chess. When Joseph II (aka Jeffery Jones in ‘Amadeus’) succeeded Maria Theresa, he sent Kempelen on a two year tour of Europe to show off the Turk.
It bamboozled, intrigued and provoked people everywhere it went. Most people agreed that the Turk couldn’t be a genuinely intelligent machine, that it must have some human intervention somewhere. Could it be magnets? If it was, how could the Turk still work with a magnet places on it? It couldn’t be strings because the Turk could be moved about and set up quickly. Nor could the Turk have someone in it because the insides were opened up and shown empty before the game began. It also managed to inspire machines like the power loom and Babbage’s difference engines.
Despite being pulled out for special occasions, the Turk was placed back in its crates, especially after Kempelen died but then it came spectacularly back to life. The Turk had been Johann Nepomuk Mälzel was a creator of musical automata, which did things like genuinely play the trumpet. Mälzel was a skilled showman, and an inveterate spendthrift who had to keep moving when his debts caught up with him. The Turk was his most reliable money-spinner, which mostly kept him in funds until his death and was passed to another owner. Unfortunately it was burnt when the museum displaying it burnt down.
There’s more to the story and this book tells it with authority and brevity. It’s certainly worth a few hours to find out everything you might want to know about the Turk but will not tell you one thing more.
I was a little unlucky that I knew the end of the story before I knew much about the beginning, it’s the ‘Sweeney Todd’ or ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ effect. Good thing this story starts so interestingly. The Turk was essentially created for a bet. A Hungarian civil servant called Wolfgang von Kempelen agreed to create something far more astounding than the slightly underwhelming magician who had just performed in Maria Theresa’s court. Three months later, he returned with a chess playing machine that appeared to run on clockwork. He then spent the rest of his life trying to encourage people to move on from that achievement.
He may have created a speaking machine, steam-engines, bridges and fountains but it’s hard to live down a machine that can beat people at chess. When Joseph II (aka Jeffery Jones in ‘Amadeus’) succeeded Maria Theresa, he sent Kempelen on a two year tour of Europe to show off the Turk.
It bamboozled, intrigued and provoked people everywhere it went. Most people agreed that the Turk couldn’t be a genuinely intelligent machine, that it must have some human intervention somewhere. Could it be magnets? If it was, how could the Turk still work with a magnet places on it? It couldn’t be strings because the Turk could be moved about and set up quickly. Nor could the Turk have someone in it because the insides were opened up and shown empty before the game began. It also managed to inspire machines like the power loom and Babbage’s difference engines.
Despite being pulled out for special occasions, the Turk was placed back in its crates, especially after Kempelen died but then it came spectacularly back to life. The Turk had been Johann Nepomuk Mälzel was a creator of musical automata, which did things like genuinely play the trumpet. Mälzel was a skilled showman, and an inveterate spendthrift who had to keep moving when his debts caught up with him. The Turk was his most reliable money-spinner, which mostly kept him in funds until his death and was passed to another owner. Unfortunately it was burnt when the museum displaying it burnt down.
There’s more to the story and this book tells it with authority and brevity. It’s certainly worth a few hours to find out everything you might want to know about the Turk but will not tell you one thing more.
March 28, 2018
In an age when chess-playing computers are hardly a novelty, it might be hard to imagine just how remarkable people found Wolfgang von Kempelen’s automaton. Though little remembered beyond a handful of afficionados today, Kempelen’s Turk was a remarkable novelty in its day, one that delighted the Habsburg court and was taken on a triumphal tour of Europe. After Kempelen’s death, the Turk passed into the hands of a showman named Johann Maelzel, who again toured Europe with it before taking it to the United States, where it remained until its destruction in a Philadelphia fire in 1858.
Tom Standage describes all of this in an entertainingly-written account of the Turk. After a succinct account of its origins and the background of 18th century automata, he covers the Turk’s history through the decades in an enthralling tale. Perhaps his greatest success is in keeping the explanation of exactly how the machinery actually played chess until the end, thus allowing the reader to share in contemporaries’ amazement of, and speculation as to, the Turk’s secrets. In doing so, he captures some of the wonder that people felt for something so commonplace today – an achievement as remarkable in its own way as Kempelen’s device was in its day.
This sense of wonder is critical to understanding the Turk’s broader impact on history. As Standage demonstrates, the Turk inspired Edmund Cartwright’s automation of weaving, Charles Babbage’s speculations in early computing, and even Edgar Allan Poe’s invention of the detective story. Even after the Turk’s demise, it continued to inspire attempts to build a chess-playing machine, attempts that the author goes on in to summarize in a concluding chapter. Such efforts, as Standage shows, address the ongoing question of the relationship between people and machines, one that makes the history of this unusual device relevant to readers even today.
Tom Standage describes all of this in an entertainingly-written account of the Turk. After a succinct account of its origins and the background of 18th century automata, he covers the Turk’s history through the decades in an enthralling tale. Perhaps his greatest success is in keeping the explanation of exactly how the machinery actually played chess until the end, thus allowing the reader to share in contemporaries’ amazement of, and speculation as to, the Turk’s secrets. In doing so, he captures some of the wonder that people felt for something so commonplace today – an achievement as remarkable in its own way as Kempelen’s device was in its day.
This sense of wonder is critical to understanding the Turk’s broader impact on history. As Standage demonstrates, the Turk inspired Edmund Cartwright’s automation of weaving, Charles Babbage’s speculations in early computing, and even Edgar Allan Poe’s invention of the detective story. Even after the Turk’s demise, it continued to inspire attempts to build a chess-playing machine, attempts that the author goes on in to summarize in a concluding chapter. Such efforts, as Standage shows, address the ongoing question of the relationship between people and machines, one that makes the history of this unusual device relevant to readers even today.
December 16, 2017
This book was an easy read that gives the interesting and factual details of the life of this machine, while decorating it with an aura of the mystery and romanticism embodied by the machine itself. There is never any secret that there is a hidden operator inside the machine, but Standage withholds the exact details until the end, creating suspense with the different attempts to expose it, such as that of Edgar Allan Poe. Each chapter opens with a famous chess move and a relevant quote, both of which foreshadow the events of that chapter.
With a relatively simple and straightforward topic, the author is able to go off on certain tangents that are only loosely related to the Turk, but serve to give the reader a more broader view of the world in which the Turk lived. Great detail is given on the various automata that preceded the Turk, and the general state of technological progress at the time. These two concepts create a concrete worldview where you can understand why people were tricked by it. Although there is no shortage of giving credit to the showmanship of the Turk's demonstrators.
Standage ends with a chapter on the modern-day versions of the Turk - Chess-playing computers such as Deep Blue. He relates the two topics by showing that the goals that they were trying to accomplish were really not so different, although sometimes this feels a little forced and the significance of the Turk is overstated.
Overall, a fun, easy, and informative read. To truly appreciate the Turk, it needs to at least be accompanied by some online videos of the reconstructed Turk in action.
With a relatively simple and straightforward topic, the author is able to go off on certain tangents that are only loosely related to the Turk, but serve to give the reader a more broader view of the world in which the Turk lived. Great detail is given on the various automata that preceded the Turk, and the general state of technological progress at the time. These two concepts create a concrete worldview where you can understand why people were tricked by it. Although there is no shortage of giving credit to the showmanship of the Turk's demonstrators.
Standage ends with a chapter on the modern-day versions of the Turk - Chess-playing computers such as Deep Blue. He relates the two topics by showing that the goals that they were trying to accomplish were really not so different, although sometimes this feels a little forced and the significance of the Turk is overstated.
Overall, a fun, easy, and informative read. To truly appreciate the Turk, it needs to at least be accompanied by some online videos of the reconstructed Turk in action.
June 11, 2008
A great book about a fascinating time in history...the intersection of the Enlightenment and Industrial Revolution, and the marriage of science/technology with magic/illusion. The star of the story is the titular Turk, a chess playing automaton that fascinate and confounded audiences on two continents in the late 18th and 19th century...a thoroughly enjoyable and interesting read...highly recommended!
February 4, 2008
The tale of a chess playing machine that turned out to be anything but. Highly amusing in many ways due to its having fooled so many notables for so long. Very famous in its time, and revived in this fine account of its history. Very much recommended as a historical curio.
January 26, 2019
Imagine someone two hundred and thirty-four years ago constructing a mechanical man that plays chess and wins most of the games. Today, we know it would take more than springs, gears, magnets, and candlelight to make such a machine. Two centuries ago, Wolfgang von Kempelen captivated audiences with a chess playing machine, so impressive, that people nicknamed the machine "the Turk." Kempelen built a mechanical, moving man, seated at a desk, his raised arm poised over a chess board. Within the desk, Kempelen constructed an intricate actuating mechanism, which he always displayed to his awestruck audience. The "Turk" played Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, Catherine the Great of Russia, and many other famous opponents.
As long as Kempelen lived (he built the Turk thirty-five years before his death) no one could fathom the mystery of how the Turk worked. Kempelen's heirs sold the Turk to Johann Maelzel in 1806, and the Turk began a second career taking on Benjamin Franklin, Napoleon, Edgar Allan Poe (in 1836) and many others. Maelzel died in 1838. The Turk was purchased by Edgar Allan Poe's doctor, John Mitchell, whose son dismantled it and made public its inner workings. Mitchell had the Turk play a few more games, then donated it to a museum. Unfortunately, the museum caught fire in 1854, destroying the Turk. In 1971, John Gaughan started an eighteen-year project of constructing a replica of the Turk, relying on Mitchell's explanation and numerous paintings of the Turk.
Standage's book narrates an interesting history of a marvelous machine built during the Industrial Revolution, before the advent of electricity. He takes his readers to the 1990's when chess-playing computers were developed and to the triumph of IBM's "Big Blue" beating the world chess champion Gary Kasparov. Standage displays considerable skill portraying a fascinating true story.
As long as Kempelen lived (he built the Turk thirty-five years before his death) no one could fathom the mystery of how the Turk worked. Kempelen's heirs sold the Turk to Johann Maelzel in 1806, and the Turk began a second career taking on Benjamin Franklin, Napoleon, Edgar Allan Poe (in 1836) and many others. Maelzel died in 1838. The Turk was purchased by Edgar Allan Poe's doctor, John Mitchell, whose son dismantled it and made public its inner workings. Mitchell had the Turk play a few more games, then donated it to a museum. Unfortunately, the museum caught fire in 1854, destroying the Turk. In 1971, John Gaughan started an eighteen-year project of constructing a replica of the Turk, relying on Mitchell's explanation and numerous paintings of the Turk.
Standage's book narrates an interesting history of a marvelous machine built during the Industrial Revolution, before the advent of electricity. He takes his readers to the 1990's when chess-playing computers were developed and to the triumph of IBM's "Big Blue" beating the world chess champion Gary Kasparov. Standage displays considerable skill portraying a fascinating true story.
June 21, 2014
The Turk was a machinated human who played chess and won almost every single game he played. The mystery that followed him (and his creator, Wolfgang von Kempelen) was just how were these victories accomplished? The reader doesn't find out until towards the end of the book. I finished it. So, I know how it was done.
Probably won't read another on this subject - but feel it's good to have this one under my belt so should anyone ever bring up the eighteenth century chess playing machine called the Turk - I'll know exactly who they're talking about!
Probably won't read another on this subject - but feel it's good to have this one under my belt so should anyone ever bring up the eighteenth century chess playing machine called the Turk - I'll know exactly who they're talking about!
November 12, 2007
The Turk was invented during an age when people flocked to pay and see automatons, machine constructed from wood and metals with gears that did a repetitive task. One famous creation was The Turk...a chess playing invention. The only problem was...this one had a person inside. Good view of history....a little longer than I wanted.
December 11, 2008
I found the whole thing fun and intriguing in the beginning... but I think this may be a story better-suited to an article rather than a full book. I soon became bored with the repetitive detail and abandoned the book.
May 9, 2022
Really well written and great historical context especially at the end relating the story to Turing and modern computers.
April 5, 2024
read this when it was released. more Tom being Tom; charming, informative, never condescending to his readership.
August 12, 2021
The world's first chess-playing machine. The name of this chess automaton, which first appeared before Queen Maria Theresa in Austria in the spring of 1770, is The Turk. Yes, there was a great interest in Turkish culture in Europe at that time, and this chess-playing vending machine is also depicted as a player wearing Turkish clothes, wearing a fez and holding a long pipe in his hand. its creator is Wolfgang Von Kempelen, a true genius. Before the performance, the doors of the cupboard under Türk are opened, it is shown that there is no one in it, the audience is allowed to look at the mechanisms, and then the game of chess begins. The Turk often beats chess players, among whom are strong players. Of course, you can guess that it got a lot of attention. He tours in Europe, the shows often gather crowds in a stampede. Who is not among those who play with him? Even Napoleon played with the Turk and was defeated. Although it is forgotten for a while after the death of its creator, it is revived by the automaton maker named Maelzel. This time, America is on its way. He gets a lot of attention there, too, and travels around the cities. Of course, there are many theories about how this machine plays chess and how powerful it is. The press is always relevant. There are even books written on the subject. Even the famous Edgar Allan Poe wrote articles about it. The Turk changes hands again and his 85-year life unfortunately ends in a fire. American magician equipment manufacturer John Gaughan, who was very impressed by the story of this magnificent machine, produced a copy of the Turk with nearly twenty years of work and put it on the show in 1989.
The Turk should not be seen as a vending machine for entertainment or show purposes only. He is actually a product of genius who started the pioneering discussions of both computer science and artificial intelligence. In fact, the book contains very important information not only about automatons, but also about computers and especially the development of chess computers. It was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and thought I would read again and again.
The Turk should not be seen as a vending machine for entertainment or show purposes only. He is actually a product of genius who started the pioneering discussions of both computer science and artificial intelligence. In fact, the book contains very important information not only about automatons, but also about computers and especially the development of chess computers. It was a book that I thoroughly enjoyed and thought I would read again and again.
March 14, 2022
Most experienced chess players have heard of the Turk, but few know the full story. This meticulously researched book gives you the entire, amazing story of this 18th-century, mechanical, chess-playing man. In addition to learning about the Turk's 85-year lifespan, travelling the globe, meeting and inspiring such historical figures as Charles Babbage, Alexander Graham Bell, and Benjamin Franklin, you'll also learn about the strange fascination the 18th and 19th century world had with automata: mechanical musicians capable of playing clarinets and trumpets; clockwork ducks able to eat out of your hand and digest the snack; moving dioramas depicting important historical events. This was all a form of entertainment, and the public would pay admission fees to see it. The Turk was one of the most successful and baffling such exhibits. It inspired people to publish theories about how it worked. It was an engineering marvel that had people guessing for decades. But more than that, it inspired people to change their entire worldview concerning the capabilities of machines.
Machines could obviously perform physical tasks, but could they perform mental tasks as well? Some thought so. Some didn't. In the late 19th-century, one man wrote an argument that no machine would ever be capable of playing a game of chess on its own. He calculated how many punch cards it would take to encode every possible chess position and what move to play in each. The number was too staggering to fathom. Charles Babbage, whom we meet briefly in the book, disagreed and imagined the possibility of thinking machines capable of performing mathematical and logical tasks. Later, we're told about Alan Turing's chess-playing algorithms that he wanted to implement in actual computers. Finally, the author gives us a scintillating final chapter about the ultimate human intelligence vs. machine intelligence contest: the chess matches between the World Champion, Garry Kasparov, and IBM's specially-designed, chess-playing computer, Deep Blue.
All the secrets of the Turk are revealed in the end, and they're not as simple as you might guess.
March 14, 2022
Most experienced chess players have heard of the Turk, but few know the full story. This meticulously researched book gives you the entire, amazing story of this 18th-century, mechanical, chess-playing man. In addition to learning about the Turk's 85-year lifespan, travelling the globe, meeting and inspiring such historical figures as Charles Babbage, Alexander Graham Bell, and Benjamin Franklin, you'll also learn about the strange fascination the 18th and 19th century world had with automata: mechanical musicians capable of playing clarinets and trumpets; clockwork ducks able to eat out of your hand and digest the snack; moving dioramas depicting important historical events. This was all a form of entertainment, and the public would pay admission fees to see it. The Turk was one of the most successful and baffling such exhibits. It inspired people to publish theories about how it worked. It was an engineering marvel that had people guessing for decades. But more than that, it inspired people to change their entire worldview concerning the capabilities of machines.
Machines could obviously perform physical tasks, but could they perform mental tasks as well? Some thought so. Some didn't. In the late 19th-century, one man wrote an argument that no machine would ever be capable of playing a game of chess on its own. He calculated how many punch cards it would take to encode every possible chess position and what move to play in each. The number was too staggering to fathom. Charles Babbage, whom we meet briefly in the book, disagreed and imagined the possibility of thinking machines capable of performing mathematical and logical tasks. Later, we're told about Alan Turing's chess-playing algorithms that he wanted to implement in actual computers. Finally, the author gives us a scintillating final chapter about the ultimate human intelligence vs. machine intelligence contest: the chess matches between the World Champion, Garry Kasparov, and IBM's specially-designed, chess-playing computer, Deep Blue.
All the secrets of the Turk are revealed in the end, and they're not as simple as you might guess.
May 9, 2020
This was a clearly-written and organized book that delved into the relative mysteries surrounding the mechanical Turk, a chess-playing automata from the 18th century that was invented by a Hungarian nobleman.
Although I had heard of the automata in passing, I was unaware of its complex and rich history, and the author does an excellent job of keeping the narrative moving in a largely-chronological fashion. The writing is vivid and the explanations and context given for the time periods during the Turk's displays are appropriate. The only part I wished that the author would have spent more time on was the showmanship of the spectacle. He touches on this only at the very end of the book, and it is very interesting. He saves the points about how the automata would respond to questions at the end of a performance as a dead giveaway to a modern reader that the automata was not purely a machine, though given the current (pathetic) level of basic scientific knowledge in the lay public, I'm not convinced.
I would also not have minded a bit more digressions into the other automata and technology of the times. At the beginning, the author gives quite a bit of detail about other automata, such as the duck that could actually "digest" grain fed to it, but as we progress through the history, such rich asides become fewer and more superficial. As the automata was displayed for more than half a century (1770-1854), it would have been quite interesting to spend a bit more time setting the historical context for what other inventions and similar demonstrations were being done across Europe and the US at these times.
Overall, a quick (~2.5hrs), entertaining, and educational read about a fascinating historical curiosity.
Although I had heard of the automata in passing, I was unaware of its complex and rich history, and the author does an excellent job of keeping the narrative moving in a largely-chronological fashion. The writing is vivid and the explanations and context given for the time periods during the Turk's displays are appropriate. The only part I wished that the author would have spent more time on was the showmanship of the spectacle. He touches on this only at the very end of the book, and it is very interesting. He saves the points about how the automata would respond to questions at the end of a performance as a dead giveaway to a modern reader that the automata was not purely a machine, though given the current (pathetic) level of basic scientific knowledge in the lay public, I'm not convinced.
I would also not have minded a bit more digressions into the other automata and technology of the times. At the beginning, the author gives quite a bit of detail about other automata, such as the duck that could actually "digest" grain fed to it, but as we progress through the history, such rich asides become fewer and more superficial. As the automata was displayed for more than half a century (1770-1854), it would have been quite interesting to spend a bit more time setting the historical context for what other inventions and similar demonstrations were being done across Europe and the US at these times.
Overall, a quick (~2.5hrs), entertaining, and educational read about a fascinating historical curiosity.
January 11, 2021
This is the most authoritative account of a remarkable 18th century contraption which stunned the world with its ability to play chess. The title of the book - "The Turk" - comes from the sobriquet the device became widely known by, thanks to the oriental garb worn by the lifelike replica "player" which formed part of the apparatus.
Throughout its 85 years in operation, the automaton traveled throughout Europe and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to America, wowing audiences wherever it went. It performed in front of royalty, for large crowds, and faced some of the world's top chess masters. Still, no-one could definitively deduce how it worked. Was it magnetism? Was the inventor controlling it through strings? Was there an operator hiding inside? Was it a genuine machine? No-one could figure it out until decades after the death of the original inventor.
Part of the reason that this book makes for such compelling reading is the answer is not revealed right away. Instead, the reader gets to consider the various theories that were advanced about The Turk, while simultaneously following the events of its career. It reads somehow like a detective novel, and I won't spoil the ending in this review.
It may seem like a highly esoteric subject, but I think anyone with an interest in history would enjoy this book. It is relevent to modern-day notions of artificial intelligence, and the cast of characters the Turk encounters includes such notables as Benjamin Franklin, Napoleon Bonaparte, Charles Babbage, and Edgar Allan Poe.
The one downside is that the book does tend to go off on overlong tangents at times. However, this is also part of the appeal. Bravo to Tom Standage for this thoroughly enjoyable little book.
Throughout its 85 years in operation, the automaton traveled throughout Europe and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to America, wowing audiences wherever it went. It performed in front of royalty, for large crowds, and faced some of the world's top chess masters. Still, no-one could definitively deduce how it worked. Was it magnetism? Was the inventor controlling it through strings? Was there an operator hiding inside? Was it a genuine machine? No-one could figure it out until decades after the death of the original inventor.
Part of the reason that this book makes for such compelling reading is the answer is not revealed right away. Instead, the reader gets to consider the various theories that were advanced about The Turk, while simultaneously following the events of its career. It reads somehow like a detective novel, and I won't spoil the ending in this review.
It may seem like a highly esoteric subject, but I think anyone with an interest in history would enjoy this book. It is relevent to modern-day notions of artificial intelligence, and the cast of characters the Turk encounters includes such notables as Benjamin Franklin, Napoleon Bonaparte, Charles Babbage, and Edgar Allan Poe.
The one downside is that the book does tend to go off on overlong tangents at times. However, this is also part of the appeal. Bravo to Tom Standage for this thoroughly enjoyable little book.
December 20, 2020
So, first off, I love Tom Standage's work - I liken a lot of it to Malcolm Gladwell in the way he incorporates such interesting information and history while setting it in the time period/culture so effectively and yet doing so in a highly readable way - my favorites so far are The Victorian Internet (who knew the telegraph could be so fascinating!) and A History of the World in 6 Glasses which I love gifting as it appeals to so many people. That being said, this was not my favorite of his works. This could in fact be because I do not play chess, but I think it was just a harder read as it felt a bit too drawn out overall.
The Turk was a chess playing automaton created by Wolfgang von Kempelen in 1770 that was presented at court to Empress Maria Theresa. Kempelen was a true Renaissance man interested in many different areas, but automatons in particular were of fascination to him. The Turk became an instant sensation and though passing through multiple hands over the years, no one but the owners seemed to know how it worked. In Standage's The Turk, he explores the history of The Turk and his owners before divulging the inner workings as finally discovered. The parts about Kempelen and his reign with the Turk and Maelzel and his showmanship of the Turk and other automatons along with Vaucanson and even the incorporation of historical figures that came into contact with The Turk were incredibly interesting, the story just lost a little steam at the end until it came to the solution. Overall though an interesting read about an impressive creation given the time period and its influence going forward.
The Turk was a chess playing automaton created by Wolfgang von Kempelen in 1770 that was presented at court to Empress Maria Theresa. Kempelen was a true Renaissance man interested in many different areas, but automatons in particular were of fascination to him. The Turk became an instant sensation and though passing through multiple hands over the years, no one but the owners seemed to know how it worked. In Standage's The Turk, he explores the history of The Turk and his owners before divulging the inner workings as finally discovered. The parts about Kempelen and his reign with the Turk and Maelzel and his showmanship of the Turk and other automatons along with Vaucanson and even the incorporation of historical figures that came into contact with The Turk were incredibly interesting, the story just lost a little steam at the end until it came to the solution. Overall though an interesting read about an impressive creation given the time period and its influence going forward.
January 6, 2025
The Turk is a must-read for any chess player or even for someone who enjoyed the “The Queen’s Gambit” TV show. Knowing how to play chess is not a requirement. The book covers much more than a chess-playing machine. It connects the incredible machines built for entertainment in the 19th century to today’s computers that can play chess. It is amazing to think that today, we have real machines that can move the pieces and defeat all but the best players.
Other than the history of The Turk, the human side of the book is the most interesting. For example, how did so many people keep quiet about The Turk’s operation once they understood how it worked? We are talking about hundreds of people keeping the secret of the machine over several decades. Also, why did so many top chess players agree to be part of the deception for so long? While there were guesses as to how it worked, there was never a major breaking news story covering the exact details. Yes, some did guess and even write about the mechanism, but even then people still largely believed the machine was somehow controlled externally through wires, cat gut, or magnetism.
Other than the history of The Turk, the human side of the book is the most interesting. For example, how did so many people keep quiet about The Turk’s operation once they understood how it worked? We are talking about hundreds of people keeping the secret of the machine over several decades. Also, why did so many top chess players agree to be part of the deception for so long? While there were guesses as to how it worked, there was never a major breaking news story covering the exact details. Yes, some did guess and even write about the mechanism, but even then people still largely believed the machine was somehow controlled externally through wires, cat gut, or magnetism.
May 23, 2024
Genuinely loved this! I picked this up a while ago, half on a whim the last time I was re-listening to The Magnus Archives, because there's a story that involves the Turk, and I had been curious to learn more about it
Tom Standage has written a very readable and thorough account of the Mechanical Turk's history. I especially loved the last two chapters where he parallels the Deep Blue chess computer to the Turk and discusses more modern advances in machine/computer intelligence. It's strangely apt for recent conversations that have been happening about AI. This book was published in 2002, and I would be so curious to read an updated version of this book with more recent advancements in mind
Anyway, this was such an interesting and fun read, I understand the mystery and allure of the Mechanical Turk and I think what astonishes me the most is how well kept its secret was kept for such a long period of time. What I would give for earlier accounts from the people who knew how it worked, particularly when Kempelen was exhibiting it
Tom Standage has written a very readable and thorough account of the Mechanical Turk's history. I especially loved the last two chapters where he parallels the Deep Blue chess computer to the Turk and discusses more modern advances in machine/computer intelligence. It's strangely apt for recent conversations that have been happening about AI. This book was published in 2002, and I would be so curious to read an updated version of this book with more recent advancements in mind
Anyway, this was such an interesting and fun read, I understand the mystery and allure of the Mechanical Turk and I think what astonishes me the most is how well kept its secret was kept for such a long period of time. What I would give for earlier accounts from the people who knew how it worked, particularly when Kempelen was exhibiting it
January 1, 2018
This was an alright read. The book tells the story of the chess-playing automaton built in the late 18th century and its journeys across Europe and America from the late 18th century to the early 19th century. The automaton itself I didn't find too interesting but the characters it meets in its lifetime – from the analysts trying to crack its mystery to the engineers it would inspire – I found captivating. The author doesn't divulge the secret of how the automaton works until the penultimate chapter but I'll confess I jumped straight to the back after reading a few chapters because the suspense was killing me!
November 27, 2018
In the 18th Century, during a time when automatons were toys to amuse the rich and entertain the public, a mechanical chess player called the Turk was crafted in Austria and became the wonder of its time. Standage unwraps the history and myth of the machine over its 80 years of existence, during which it intrigued Benjamin Franklin, Charles Babbage and Edgar Allen Poe, all of whom the machine had some influence over. Despite much speculation it wasn't until much later in the machine's existence that all its secrets were discovered.
Very well-written, with illustrations. Definitely an excellent book to read even if you're not really interested in automatons.
Very well-written, with illustrations. Definitely an excellent book to read even if you're not really interested in automatons.
August 22, 2023
Extremely fascinating. I was so interested throughout, trying to think of my own ideas for how the thing worked. Ended up reading the book in less than a day- I couldn’t put it down. The two guys who owned and handled the machine were true showmen, and the way they handled themselves makes me wish I could have seen this automaton operating at the height of its glory. Whatever kind of showcase it was in reality, it can’t be denied that it would have been a hell of a spectacle.
面白い魔法的な本当の話だ。この2人のショーマンと言うのマシンのオーナーがすごく面白かった。このマシン見えたら良かったねー
面白い魔法的な本当の話だ。この2人のショーマンと言うのマシンのオーナーがすごく面白かった。このマシン見えたら良かったねー
February 28, 2020
an entertaining book and very easy to read--kudos to the author for writing so accessibly. I like that the book takes a particular piece of history, analyzes it with depth but without excessive detail, and ties it in with some larger trends in history and science without casting the net too far afield. makes for a perfect balance of fun and learning that can be easily polished off within a week.
March 24, 2020
Interesting non-fiction history and exposé of the Mechanical Turk, the first chess playing automaton.
Originally built in the 1760s it was a wonder in an age prior to widespread technology and an inspiration to many engineers. It's encounters with a wide range of famous people from Napoleon to Edgar Allan Poe make an interesting story even better.
Showing it's involvement with Babbage and the birth of computers, and how it could have partly inspired Turing was especially clever of the author, making this historic marvel just as pertinent today.
Originally built in the 1760s it was a wonder in an age prior to widespread technology and an inspiration to many engineers. It's encounters with a wide range of famous people from Napoleon to Edgar Allan Poe make an interesting story even better.
Showing it's involvement with Babbage and the birth of computers, and how it could have partly inspired Turing was especially clever of the author, making this historic marvel just as pertinent today.
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