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The History of the Computer

Book Synopsis

Explore the fascinating history of the computer, and the people who made them, in this beautifully illustrated guide for children by bestselling author and illustrator Rachel Ignotofsky.

Computers make our lives easier in so many ways – they help us do our work, get directions, check the weather, exercise, shop and understand what’s happening around the world. But who created them, and why? How have they transformed the way we interact with our surroundings and each other?

Packed with accessible information, fun facts and discussion starters, this charmingly illustrated book takes you from the ancient world to the modern day, focusing on important inventions from the earliest known counting systems (such as the Incan quipu) to the sophisticated algorithms behind AI, space travel and wearable tech. The History of the Computer also profiles a global and diverse range of key players and creators – from An Wang and Margaret Hamilton to Steve Jobs and Tim Berners-Lee – and illuminates their goals, their intentions and the impact of their inventions on our everyday lives.

This entertaining and educational journey from the bestselling author of Women in Science will help you understand our most important machines and how we can use them to enhance the way we live. You’ll never look at your phone the same way again!

Our Review Panel says...

This book is full of intertwining facts and illustrations and is a dip-in book that will keep readers entertained for hours. The author summarises the long and complex history of computing, not starting with the obvious first machines of the twentieth century, but with ancient civilisations when maths and symbols were developed to enable people to calculate. Important inventions and influential people on the journey to modern computers are explained – the impact of WW2 and the race to develop technology, such as the radar or Turing’s code-breaking machine, brings us to computing in its more modern guise. The internet, social media, gaming, retailing and AI are all described and then predictions for the future are explored. The book is divided into clear chapters, each with timelines, inventions, people and computing stories but for those who are not sure of the basic terms and functions, the introduction covers that also. Overall, this will keep older children and adults busy while thinking, ‘I didn’t know that!’ or, ‘I remember that!’ as they flick through an extremely well-researched and appealing book.

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The History of the Computer

the history of the computer

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