Book Review: Codebreaker by Stephen Pincock

I have always loved puzzles, mysteries and history. My step father was involved in cryptology during WWII with the Japanese. He would intercept messages and interrogate Japanese. The analysis methods in "Codebreaker" were intriguing.

This book not only gave the history of Cryptology but taught how different cryptological systems worked and provided problems to solve. Cesear shifts, frequency analysis [I loved this part because we use the same analysis method in Linguistics], enhanced monoalphabetic cyphers, Bazeries Cylindrical Device for Encryption, Morse Code, Vegenere Cypher, Babbage Analytical Engine, Kasiski Examination, Digigraph Substitution, Civil War: Stager's Cipher: uses transposition, Kerkhoff's Law, DFGX Cyphers; The World War II German Enigma Machine, Lorenz SZ40 (40 rotors) Digital Switches (on/off): Colosus; Navajo Code Talkers; The Digital Age: Double Encryption; Public Key Encription: Diffie-Hellman Encryption' RSA Security Encription; 340 Cipher; in order to use the computer assisted approach you need a good sample size. Quantum Mechanics Theory: photons can be in two places at once: quantum bytes can be zero and one at the same time: polarized light. Chaos Theory: Appear to be random but show patterns and elements behave interdependently.

Disclaimer: I am not associated with Stephen Pincock or Walker and Company New York. This is an independent book review with no financial remuneration.

Centre County and the Big Valley or "Kish" Valley, Kishacoquillas Valley

This place intrigues me. It is in the "Ridge and Valley Appalachains".."lying between Stone Mountain ridge to the north and Jacks Mountain ridge to the south"[1]. It is the current home of many Amish and Mennonite Families. My Sankey ancestors settled here around 1730 or 1750. It is a guess that they stayed in the valley about 50 years. North of Mifflin County is Centre County.
The Sankey family lived in Centre county from 1800 to 1860. My great grandfather was raised in Centre Hall with his cousin Laura Runkle.



1. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kishacoquillas_Valley