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ENIAC: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the World’s First Computer Audiobook
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(3.03) - 128 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
The true father of the modern computer was not John von Neumann, as he is generally credited. That honor belongs to the two men, John Mauchly and Presper Eckert, who built the world's first programmable computer: the legendary ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator and Computer).Their three-year race to create the ENIAC is a compelling tale of brilliance and misfortune that has never been told before.
Mauchly and Eckert developed a revolutionary vision: to make electricity "think." Funded by the US Army, the team they led constructed a behemoth the size of a three-bedroom apartment. It weighed thirty tons, cost nearly half a million dollars—plus $650 an hour to run—and had eighteen thousand vacuum tubes with miles of wiring. But in 1945, the ENIAC was the cutting edge in technology and a herald of the digital age to come,blazing a trail to the next generation of computers that quickly followed.
Based on original interviews with surviving participants and the first study of Mauchly and Eckert's personal papers,ENIACis a dramatic human story and a vital contribution to the history of technology that restores to the two inventors the legacy they deserve.
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"It is interesting to see who does the work and who gets the credit. This is a good underdog story. Well the underdog does not really win but hey you win some you loose some. The story of how the computer came to be and the people involved and who stood in the way is really entertaining. "
— Chris (4 out of 5 stars)
Quotes
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“[ENIAC] tells an absorbing story and sheds light on a moment when our world was transformed.”
— New York Times -
“This lively account of the computer pioneers of another era not only fills a black hole in the history of technology, but demonstrates that the same chaotic and unpredictable creative processes that gave birth to the PC led, decades earlier, to the creation of the first mainframes. Without ENIAC, there could have been no Apple II, no IBMPC, no Macintosh.”
— Wall Street Journal -
“McCartney has performed an important service by rescuing this tale from obscurity.”
— Philadelphia Inquirer -
“Engagingly written…this book an absorbing read for anyone who savors the human stories that always underlie great events.”
— Wired -
“[A] great story…McCartney offers excellent documentation, interesting asides, and real drama.”
— Publishers Weekly -
“A lively account…focuses on the human interest. Adams Morgan gives a crisp, brisk, documentary-style reading that keeps us involved throughout.”
— AudioFile -
“McCartney writes in a clean, smooth, journalistic style, as free as possible of jargon, which makes the story of ENIAC’s development a fascinating, yet easy read.”
— School Library Journal
ENIAC Listener Reviews
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" A bit "pop" and non-techy in its review of the history of the ENIAC. It skips over contributions from the programmers, mainly women. "
— Tim, 12/5/2012 -
" Well done, great read. Unsung heros... "
— Judy, 10/16/2012 -
" Presper Eckert and John Mauchly invented the computer at the University of Pennsylvania during World War II. Due to secrecy restrictions, they were not able to publish their work, so they have never received the recognition they deserved. This book attempts to correct that omission. "
— Michael, 9/21/2012 -
" Rereading this -- first read it in Coronado in the mid 1990s I think. The first computer (depending on how you want to define that), ENIAC, was created by Eckert & Mauchly in Philadelphia. Jon von Neumann weaseled in and stole credit for their ideas. "
— Kmfurr, 7/18/2012 -
" Decent for a quick scan of the computer history. "
— Russ, 7/15/2012 -
" Took what should have been a compelling narrative and made it disjointed and uninteresting. I think the material is there for a better story teller to capitalize on. "
— Pete, 9/30/2011 -
" It is interesting to see who does the work and who gets the credit. This is a good underdog story. Well the underdog does not really win but hey you win some you loose some. The story of how the computer came to be and the people involved and who stood in the way is really entertaining. "
— Chris, 9/12/2011 -
" Rereading this -- first read it in Coronado in the mid 1990s I think. The first computer (depending on how you want to define that), ENIAC, was created by Eckert & Mauchly in Philadelphia. Jon von Neumann weaseled in and stole credit for their ideas. "
— Kmfurr, 5/23/2009 -
" A bit "pop" and non-techy in its review of the history of the ENIAC. It skips over contributions from the programmers, mainly women. "
— Tim, 12/20/2008
About Scott McCartney
Scott McCartney is an award-winning staff writer for the Wall Street Journal. He is also the author of Defying the Gods: Inside the New Frontiers of Organ Transplants and coauthor of Trinity’s Children: Living along America’s Nuclear Highway. He lives in Dallas, Texas.
About Adams Morgan
Adams Morgan is a theater-trained actor who has appeared in venues around the United States. He has also narrated for National Public Radio and performed radio dramas and historical reenactments. He lives in New York City.