The codebreakers
by David Kahn · first published 1967
65% recommend31% neutral4% critical
Why HN recommends it
Authoritative, wide-ranging history of cryptography and secret communication, with strong WWII coverage and stories with op-sec lessons. Suits hackers and crypto fans wanting history rather than technical depth.
Summarised by Claude from recommending comments
David Kahn's book is probably the best known and most thorough history of codes and ciphers, cryptography, and cryptanalysis ever written. It covers the development and use of secret writing from ancient times up to the present day. A must read for anyone who is interested in this fascinating field.
Affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mentions per year
What Hacker News says
Related books
2013–2026Introduction to modern cryptography
Jonathan Katz, Yehuda Lindell
Recommended by 13 · mentioned by 1713 recommend · 17 mention13 recommend · 1713 recommend
2014–2022Seizing the enigma
David Kahn
Recommended by 5 · mentioned by 65 recommend · 6 mention5 recommend · 65 recommend
2007–2026The Code Book
Simon Singh
Recommended by 98 · mentioned by 12198 recommend · 121 mention98 recommend · 12198 recommend
2010–2022Foundations of Cryptography
Oded Goldreich
Recommended by 7 · mentioned by 97 recommend · 9 mention7 recommend · 97 recommend
2009–2025Computing in the Middle Ages
Severo M. Ornstein
Recommended by 8 · mentioned by 108 recommend · 10 mention8 recommend · 108 recommend
2009–2026Between Silk and Cyanide
Leo Marks
Recommended by 18 · mentioned by 2018 recommend · 20 mention18 recommend · 2018 recommend
2008–2024Crypto
Steven Levy
Recommended by 26 · mentioned by 3426 recommend · 34 mention26 recommend · 3426 recommend
2007–2025The New Hacker's Dictionary
Eric S. Raymond, E RAYMOND, Raymond, Eric Raymond
Recommended by 8 · mentioned by 348 recommend · 34 mention8 recommend · 348 recommend
Really a better list is by tom his own self: http://www.amazon.com/lm/R2EN4JTQOCHNBA/ref=cm_lm_pthnk_view... My recommendations would add: http://www.amazon.com/The-Codebreakers-Comprehensive-Communi... by David Kahn. Many stories of the whole history of secret communications, with lessons in op-sec, not changing the codes frequently enough, they can't possibly break this. The…
on “Recommended Security Reading” ↗The Codebreakers: The Comprehensive History of Secret Communication[0] by David Kahn is probably the best book in this area. Be warned it sits on many bookshelves but due to its length few are the number that have finished…
on “The NSA and Me” ↗http://www.amazon.com/The-Codebreakers-Comprehensive-Communi... A good read about the crypto behind the Enigmia and other encryption approaches. A fun read.
on “Quiet naval hero who rescued Enigma machine dies aged 95” ↗…site: https://www.nand2tetris.org. It's well-written, and a motivated high schooler could work through it. The Code Book by Singh (https://www.amazon.com/Code-Book-Science-Secrecy-Cryptograph...) The Codebreakers by Kahn (https://www.amazon.com/Codebreakers-Comprehensive-History-Co...) I was always interested in ciphers and such as a kid so those two books got my attention when I found them in high school/college.…
on “Ask HN: What are some books to fuel your ambition towards computer science?” ↗…Anything by Martin Gardner. I happen to have picked up Mathematical Magic Show and Mathematical Circus, but I'm sure there are many other collections. I also recommend cryptography stuff. David Kahn's The Codebreakers is not really a math book, but it is awesome and it stars mathematicians, as does Simon Singh's The Code Book. You could read Schneier's Applied Cryptography. This is HN, so I would be remiss if I didn't…
on “Ask HN: Good books on mathematics for somebody who's only taken high school math?” ↗…This saved the lives of many Allied solders and, perhaps, tipped the balance of the war. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_(cryptography) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultra David Kahn's book, the Codebreakers, is a good introduction to cryptography and has a lot of this history in it. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Codebreakers
on “How the CIA used Crypto AG encryption devices to spy on countries for decades” ↗…Computer Age - Paul Graham (O'Reilly, 2004) The Design of Everyday Things - Donald A. Norman (Basic Books, 1988; paperback reprint, 2002) The Soul of a New Machine - Tracy Kidder (Little, Brown, 1981) The Codebreakers: The Story of Secret Writing - David Kahn (Macmillan, 1967; revised edition, Scribner, 1996) Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time - Dava Sobel…
on “10 Great Tech Books” ↗If you are into this sort of thing, I highly recommend The Codebreakers by David Kahn. Fascinating history of cryptography with good coverage of the WWII era.
on “Code-Breakers: Bletchley Park's Lost Heroes” ↗…yourself needing a good cryptography reference. Some other good references are Introduction to Modern Cryptography by Katz and Lindell, Foundations of Cryptography by Goldreich (both volumes), and The Codebreakers by Kahn (for history of cryptography). There are other good references, of course, but I find myself referring to the ones above the most. However, I am naturally biased towards texts that take a theory-based…
on “Handbook of Applied Cryptography (2001)” ↗What was the name of the book you were reading? One of the better books I read was by David Kahn "The Codebreakers: The Story of Secret Writing" I love cryptography and am always looking for good books on the subject.
on “RIP Captain Jerry Roberts – Bletchley Park Codebreaker” ↗Hit the nostalgia note on that one! I read that just after it came out ... maybe 25[ish] years ago? In the same field, you should read David Kahn's The Codebreakers
on “Ask HN: The Code Book by Simon Singh but for Other Fields?” ↗…(Rijndael is perhaps better known as "AES" today, modulo some minor differences; Rijmen and Daemen are the creators of Rijndael). For a treatment of the history of cryptology, the seminal work is Kahn's The Codebreakers. It is a massive text, but covers cryptologic history relatively well - up until recent times, anyway. For a shorter but still good text, see Singh's The Code Book. Then, there are areas of mathematics…
on “Mathematical Cryptology [pdf]” ↗…on the must-read list. Another on I highly recommend is "The New Hacker's Dictionary" by Eric S. Raymond. Finally, although it is a bit far afield, probably every hacker should read David Kahn's "The Codebreakers".
on “Ask HN: Books on Computer History” ↗The story mentions David Kahn's "monumental history of cryptology". The book is The Codebreakers,[1] and IMO is definitely worth reading. It's quite long, perhaps too detailed for most people. But it's filled with little gems. E.g. did you know that Thomas Jefferson invented the "wheel cypher",[2]…
on “The NSA and Me” ↗David Kahn's books "Codebreakers" and "Seizing the Enigma" are both very good and detailed reads.
on “Cryptanalysis of Enigma” ↗