Charles and Ada – A Review
History of maths was one of my favourite elements when I studied mathematics. I had no hesitation therefore in taking the opportunity to review Charles and Ada – The Computer’s Most Passionate Partnership. Part of a blog tour managed by Rachel at Rachel’s Random Resources, the book is written by James Essinger.
Summary
The partnership of Charles Babbage and Ada Lovelace was one that would change science forever.
They were an unlikely pair – one the professor son of a banker, the other the only child of an acclaimed poet and a social-reforming mathematician – but perhaps that is why their work is so revolutionary.
They were the pioneers of computer science, creating plans for what could have been the first computer. They each saw things the other did not; it may have been Charles who designed the machines, but it was Ada who could see their potential.
But what were they like? And how did they work together? Using previously unpublished correspondence between them, Charles and Ada explores the relationship between two remarkable people who shared dreams far ahead of their time.
Review
James Essinger draws on extensive resources in this fascinating account of the lives and times of two of the early pioneers of computer science. The result is a comprehensive narrative of the life of Charles Babbage, and the contribution Ada Lovelace made to his journey. The shared passion for maths and science, and the vision and understanding they had of their work was years in advance of others.
Where some parts of history might record Charles as unemotional and aloof, James uses source material to present a different profile. That of a man who suffered great personal loss during his life, and whose genius was not appreciated fully. Partly because he was unable to explain his ideas in language which others could comprehend. It is clear, however, that Ada understood Charles, as a human, in ways that others didn’t. She also grasped how important Charles’s mechanical designs were in the advancement of science and engineering, and beyond.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It’s an immersive read, fusing source material from the Babbage Archive in the British Library with background information about life in general at the time Charles and Ada lived. James considers how differently certain parts of history might have played out had people with influence granted Charles the resources to continue his work. He makes some suppositions about how Charles and Ada interacted together, but is clear in stating what information is based on records, and where he has allowed himself some artistic imagination. I particularly appreciated the positive perspective of Ada Lovelace, who has been treated harshly in some historical writings. Perhaps because, as a woman, her mathematical and scientific genius felt threatening to the men who sought to disparage her. If you enjoy maths, history, and character driven accounts, I commend this book to you most highly.
Disclosure notice: I was gifted a copy of this book in return for a review. All views expressed are my own.
Purchase Links
UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Charles-Ada-Computers-Passionate-Partnership/dp/0750990953
US – https://www.amazon.com/Charles-Ada-Computers-Passionate-Partnership/dp/0750990953
About the author
James Essinger was born in Leicester in 1957 and has lived in Canterbury in Kent since 1986. He was educated at Wyggeston Grammar School for Boys, Leicester, and at Lincoln College, Oxford, where he read English Language and Literature. He spent much of his time between 1981 and 1983 teaching English in Finland before working in public relations in London and then in Canterbury. Since 1988, James has been a professional writer.
His non-fiction books include Jacquard’s Web (2004), Ada’s Algorithm (2013), which is to be filmed by Monumental Pictures, and Charles and Ada: the computer’s most passionate partnership (2019) His novels include The Mating Game (2016) with Jovanka Houska, the film rights of which have been optioned, Rollercoaster (2019) and The Ada Lovelace Project (forthcoming in 2020).
Social Media Links:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/james.essinger
Twitter: @JamesEssinger
I do love historical books, especially those that are well researched and bring fresh information to a new audience!
Very good point about the new audience. I agree – this certainly is one of the well researched books which brings fresh information!
Since hearing about Ada Lovelace, I have been very impressed by her intelligence and tenacity, her encouragement of Charles Babbage, and her obviously clear grasp of this new and complex science. No wonder a programming language was named after her! And I’m glad that any sidelining of Ada is now being redressed in books and drama – I seem to remember seeing Charles and Ada’s names in a Doctor Who cast list recently! Among the many books I’m reading in parallel is “Ada Lovelace – Bride of Science” by Benjamin Woolley. Hmmm, what if science and history had gone differently, and instead of Charles and Ada struggling with engineering materials which were barely capable of implementing their great vision, the government had granted their needed funding – and since that time science had progressed to give us fast molecule-sized nano-machines implementing and going beyond Babbage’s original designs? How different computing and industry would be today!
I do wonder the same about the government funding. As always, it seems that grants are based on the ability of an individual to use language which those in power appreciate. Or individuals who have the ‘right’ connections, often made through education or business. Plus ca change!