|
|
| Plot Summary of The Turk |
|---|
"Tom Standage has written the history of a mechanical chess player that was so successful that people referred to it as "The Turk." Two hundred and thirty-five years ago, Wolfgang von Kempelen put together this machine that looked like a Turkish man seated at a desk with an arm raised over a chessboard. Von Kempelen had his machine play chess with Empress Maria Theresa of Austria, Catherine the Great of Russia, and other famous opponents.
For thirty-five years (until his death), no one could guess the secret of how von Kempelen's machine worked. After von Kempelen's death, The Turk was purchased by Johann Maelzel and played Benjamin Franklin, Napoleon, and Edgar Allen Poe, among others, and still nobody discovered the secret of how it worked.
After Maelzel's death in 1838, Edgar Allen Poe's doctor purchased The Turk. His son finally revealed how it worked. The Turk was destroyed in a fire in 1854. Almost one hundred and twenty years later, someone started an eighteen-year project to build a replica of The Turk. This fascinating story will keep you guessing as you read about The Turk beating opponent after opponent.
"
Maurice A. Williams, Resident Scholar
|
|
| Review Analysis of The Turk |
|---|
|
Our unique search engine provides a wealth of detail about books by breaking them down into many different literary elements, all of which are searchable (click here).
|
|
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot
job/profession:
- scientist/inventor
Job/profession/poverty story
Yes
Period of greatest activity?
- 1800's
Subject of Biography
Gender
- Male
Profession/status:
- actor/actress/producer
Age:
- 40's-50's
Ethnicity
- White
Nationality
- German
How sensitive is this person?
- sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor
- Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence
- Very much smarter than other people
Physique
- average physique
Setting
How much descriptions of surroundings?
- 5 ()
United States
Yes
The US:
- Northeast
Europe
Yes
European country:
- Germany
Misc setting
- Fancy Mansion
Century:
- 17th century
Style
Person
- mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death?
- no torture/death
Book makes you feel?
- challenged
Writer's slant towards subject:
- very favorable
Story of entire life, or part?
- story of set of events during life
If this is a kid's book:
- Age 16-Adult
Pictures/Illustrations?
- Some in color 1-5
How much dialogue in bio?
- little dialog
How much of bio focuses on most famous period of life?
- 26-50% of book
|
|
|
Click here for more information about this book
Note: the views expressed here are only those of the reviewer(s). | |
Use our site!
17 FREE Sci-Fi Ebooks!
FREE "How to be happy" Ebook!
Feedback
Most recent discussions:
General Book Talk
Book writing discussion
Off-topic message board
Norah Lofts
12:50:53 AM
Suzanne Weyn
4:47:34 PM
Wilma Counts
1:23:32 PM
George W. Bush
5:33:46 PM
Kin Platt
12:58:29 AM
Anonymous
12:47:34 PM
Lilian Jackson Braun
10:05:52 PM
Jane Rubino
10:04:38 PM
LaVyrle Spencer
10:04:00 PM
G.A. McKevett
10:03:31 PM
David Williams
10:03:01 PM
Steven Pressfield
10:02:30 PM
Jeanette Walls
10:00:19 PM
Darryl Ponicsan
9:59:27 PM
Ann Rinaldi
9:58:30 PM
R.L. Stine
9:57:34 PM
Geoffrey Huntington
9:57:14 PM
Betty Mahmoody
9:56:38 PM
Deric Longden
9:56:11 PM
Mary Downing Hahn
9:55:48 PM
More message boards
|
