An exploration into the various thought patterns of creative minds, encompassing visual, verbal, emotional, and scientific modes. Since many great scientific advancements have been the result of creative inspiration, and the act of programming or engineering is a fundamentally creative act, this may serve to teach us something about ourselves as computer scientists--and help us relate to those who aren't.
A collection of absolutely hilarious anecdotes from one of the most brilliant and mischievous characters the world has ever known. Yes, Feynman was a physicist, not a computer scientist, but what does that matter? We all could learn a lot from his example, learn how to have a rich, fun, full life while pushing the envelope of scientific practice and discovery.
Spins Alan Turing, modern public-key cryptography, the German Enigma encryption engine, and a massive data haven in Southeast Asia into a fictional story full of action and intrigue. Stephenson isn't just a writer trying to make things sound technical, he clearly has a grasp on every concept he uses to tell his story--which is especially evident when he has Alan Turing explain Gödel's Incompleteness Theorem to another character, sketching symbols in the dirt with a stick.