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The Turk: The Life and Times of the Famous Eighteenth-Century Chess-Playing Machine
The Turk The Life and Times of the Famous EighteenthCentury ChessPlaying Machine
Author: Tom Standage
On an autumn day in 1769, a Hungarian nobleman named Wolfgang von Kempelen attended a conjuring show at the court of Maria Theresa, empress of Austria-Hungary. So unimpressed was Kempelen by the performance that he declared he could do better himself. Maria Theresa held him to his word and gave him six months to prepare a show of his own. Kempel...  more »
ISBN-13: 9780802713919
ISBN-10: 0802713912
Publication Date: 4/1/2002
Pages: 224
Rating:
  • Currently 3.8/5 Stars.
 3

3.8 stars, based on 3 ratings
Publisher: Walker Company
Book Type: Hardcover
Other Versions: Paperback
Members Wishing: 2
Reviews: Member | Amazon | Write a Review
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reviewed The Turk: The Life and Times of the Famous Eighteenth-Century Chess-Playing Machine on
The Turk is an enjoyable story of a chess playing automaton. For many years, it was uncertain if the Turk was truly an incredible machine or if it relied on human intelligence to function. This relatively short book does a good job at making the Turk seem like a living, breathing entity--regardless of its actual construction.


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