The art of cryptography has fascinated researchers, mathematicians, historians, politicians, students, and others for thousands of years. Emperors have used it to win wars, and in modern times, every e-commerce transaction is encrypted to make sure credit card information is known only to the sender and the recipient.

This book divides cryptography into two eras: classical and modern cryptology. The book starts with a fascinating history, illustrated with old photographs, diagrams, and charts. There are several mathematical equations, but they are easily understood thanks to the accompanying lucid explanations. Each chapter has its own excellent bibliography, a real highlight of the book. Some chapters read almost like a thriller. For example, the chapter on unbreakable ciphers is excellent. Many of the photos are from the National Cryptologic Museum in Fort Meade, Maryland, which helps to convey a real sense of history. Pictures of pages from the diaries of historical inventors provide fascinating views of mechanical machines and telegraph equipment.

Part 2 delves into the post-World War II era and the inventions of Claude Shannon, who ushered in the transition from the mechanical era to the electronics era. Modern cryptography involves the heavy use of mathematics. Several popular cryptographic algorithms originated in this time period, such as the data encryption standard (DES), RSA, elliptic curve algorithms, and public-key cryptography. The book also presents an extensive discussion of prime numbers, which form the foundation of modern-day cryptography. The many photos of crypto-analysts give the content a personal touch.

The book concludes with an exploration of quantum cryptography, which may disrupt or nullify existing algorithms. Fascinating times are ahead for this field, and this book is an excellent compendium of cryptology up to the present day.

The book is sure to excite mathematicians, researchers, and students in the field, and definitely deserves a spot on their bookshelves.

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