Not only the book is action packed, funny, extremely geeky (equations!) and fun, but also features an incredible level of historical accuracy. I decided to reread the book, but not after doing my own research on these subjects.
If you are planning to read Cryptonomicon, or have more of a passing interested in World War II, I suggest that you study some of the following. I have included only some of the highlights, hoping that it will help you to have a fuller experience with the novel. Go ahead, bookmark this post and consult it later.
Required studying before reading Cryptonomicon:
Battle of Wits – This history book is the real life counterpart to Cryptonomicon. Quite technical, but at the same time, action packed (the one and only Ian Fleming is in it), it describes the cryptographic efforts during the war and how they redefined what we now think of Intelligence. It is a must read. I’m pretty sure that Stephenson read this book and that is how he came up with the idea for Cryptonomicon.
The Second World War – This book does a really good job of making sense out of the overwhelmingly complex War. It serves as an excellent overview of the subject.
This page has a funny as hell summary of WW2, as if it was a chat room in an internet game.
Alan Turing: The Enigma – This biography is so detailed that it is creepy and somewhat tedious. But, since Al is one of the most important characters in Cryptonomicon, it is a must read. Also, the analysis of Turing’s most important papers make this one a winner if you have some interest in the history of computation. Just skip through the boring parts of his life at the end.
Tora! Tora! Tora! – It is a historical reenactment of the events that lead to the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor. The script is merely expository (read: dumbed down), but it is an accurate and simple way to understand what happened. Also, pay attention to the attack on Nevada, you can almost see Lawrence Waterhouse playing in the band.
Other references that are pretty good too:
Hammond Atlas of World History – I have reviewed this book before, and again is the reference I turn to over and over. At least make yourself the favor of checking it out at your library and studying the maps related to WW2. Everything will make more sense after you do that.
The Ultimate National Geographic WWII Collection – This documentary used a lot of real footage from the war, and is an easy way to understand many of the most important battles.
Das Boot – It is the best submarine movie ever. Although it is very long, it kept me on the edge of my seat the whole time. It will help you understand what the marine Bobby Shatoe encountered in some of his adventures; a must see if you are interested in war movies or naval adventures. Even Stephenson says that he studied this movie before writing the book.
Band of Brothers – The critically acclaimed HBO mini-series directed created by Spieldberg is a reenactment of the adventures of the 101st Airborne during the American offensive starting in Normandy all the way to the Eagle’s Nest. Excellent!
References for the hardcore only:
This website features some vintage educational posters on the American technology during the war.
Patton – This fun movie is a character study on the eccentric American general of the same name. Not so useful for understanding Cryptonomicon, but a good movie overall.
The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich – This is a historical volume on the history of Germany that lead to the beginning and end of the War. Obviously very biased, but at the same time, extremely detailed. If you are into political intrigue, or want to really understand what the hell was that dude with the Chaplin mustage all about, this is the book. Warning: It is very long and dense.
The Rising Sun : The Decline and Fall of the Japanese Empire, 1936-1945 – It is the pacific side counter part of The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich. Less on the political intrigue, and more into the warfare, it is an excellent book. Long, but easy to read. Oh, and it even talks about the warnings given to the marines about huge lizards in the pacific, just like the one encountered by Bobby Shaftoe.
Check out this link to hear the mp3 of Roosevelt’s speech after the Pearl Harbor Attack.
Grave of the Fireflies – This anime portrays the Nipponese suffering during the American firebombing campaign on Tokyo. Depressing.
Edo-Tokyo Museum – If you happen to be in Tokyo, try to visit this museum. It might help you understand the Japanese perspective on the War.
Enigma: The Battle for the Code – It is an extensive study focusing on the anglo efforts trying to break the german Enigma cryptographic engine. Read it if you really want to understand the machine.
This website has a cool java applet modeling Enigma that might help too.
Why should you care about this long list? Well, first of all, I feel that I have tapped into many of the resources that Stephenson himself studied. Second, you will understand many of the subtler aspects of Cryptonomicon after studying these. Finally, because WW2 is a very interesting period in history, not only politically, but technologically.
No comments:
Post a Comment