The Mechanical Turk

THE TRUE STORY OF THE MYSTERIOUS CHESS-PLAYING MACHINE THAT GRIPPED THE WORLD

In 1770, in the imperial court of Vienna, one of the most extraordinary and baffling inventions in history was unveiled to the cries of shocked courtiers. The Mechanical Turk immediately became a sensation: a life-sized clockwork figure dressed in Eastern costume that, somehow, could play world-class chess. For decades this incredible automaton confounded audiences across Europe and America. It trounced grand masters, outwitted Napoleon, defeated Benjamin Franklin and was even said to have stopped Catherine the Great from cheating.

What was its secret? Could a machine really think? During its chequered career the Turk sparked frenzied speculation and often downright fabrication, but now the truth can finally be revealed ...

In this gripping account, Standage reveals the secret of the Turk. He spins out the mystery like a thriller-writer, building the tension and teasing us with red herrings ... a rattling good yarn told by a natural entertainer' Daily Mail

'Filled with delightful stories ... a subject that is not only fascinating, but which also resonates with contemporary issues' Guardian

THE TRUE STORY OF THE MYSTERIOUS CHESS-PLAYING MACHINE THAT GRIPPED THE WORLD

In 1770, in the imperial court of Vienna, one of the most extraordinary and baffling inventions in history was unveiled to the cries of shocked courtiers. The Mechanical Turk immediately became a sensation: a life-sized clockwork figure dressed in Eastern costume that, somehow, could play world-class chess. For decades this incredible automaton confounded audiences across Europe and America. It trounced grand masters, outwitted Napoleon, defeated Benjamin Franklin and was even said to have stopped Catherine the Great from cheating.

What was its secret? Could a machine really think? During its chequered career the Turk sparked frenzied speculation and often downright fabrication, but now the truth can finally be revealed ...

In this gripping account, Standage reveals the secret of the Turk. He spins out the mystery like a thriller-writer, building the tension and teasing us with red herrings ... a rattling good yarn told by a natural entertainer' Daily Mail

'Filled with delightful stories ... a subject that is not only fascinating, but which also resonates with contemporary issues' Guardian