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The Turk: The Life and Times of the Famous 19th Century Chess-Playing Machine
US $102.68
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Located in: Sparks, Nevada, United States
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Estimated between Mon, Jun 3 and Fri, Jun 7 to 43230
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Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:363531865097
Item specifics
- Condition
- Publication Date
- 2002-04-01
- Pages
- 224
- ISBN
- 9780802713919
- Book Title
- Turk : the Life and Times of the Famous 19th Century Chess-Playing Machine
- Item Length
- 8.1in
- Publisher
- Walker & Company
- Publication Year
- 2002
- Format
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- Item Height
- 1in
- Genre
- Biography & Autobiography, Technology & Engineering, Games & Activities
- Topic
- Chess, Inventions, General, History, Robotics
- Item Width
- 5.7in
- Item Weight
- 15.4 Oz
- Number of Pages
- 224 Pages
About this product
Product Information
On an autumn day in 1769, a Hungarian nobleman named Wolfgang von Kempelen attended a conjuring show at the court of Maria Theresa, empress of Austria-Hungary. So unimpressed was Kempelen by the performance that he declared he could do better himself. Maria Theresa held him to his word and gave him six months to prepare a show of his own. Kempelen did not disappoint; he returned to the court the following spring with a mechanical man, fashioned from wood, powered by clockwork, dressed in a stylish Turkish costume--and capable of playing chess. The Turk, as this contraption became known, was an instant success, and Tom Standage's book chronicles its illustrious career in Europe and America over the next eighty five years. Associated over time with a host of historical figures, including Benjamin Franklin, Catherine the Great, Napoleon Bonaparte, Charles Babbage, and Edgar Allan Poe, Kempelen's creation unwittingly also helped to inspire the development of the power loom, the computer, and the detective story. Everywhere it went, the Turk baffled spectators and provoked frenzied speculation about whether a machine could really think. Many rival theories were published, but they served only to undermine each other. Part historical detective story, part biography, The Turk relates the saga of the machine's remarkable and checkered career against the backdrop of the industrial revolution, as mechanical technology opened up dramatic new possibilities and the relationship between people and machines was being redefined. Today, in the midst of the computer age, it has assumed a new significance, as scientists and philosophers continue to debate the possibility of machine intelligence. To modern eyes, the Turk now seems to have been a surprisingly farsighted invention, and its saga is a colorful and important part of the history of technology.
Product Identifiers
Publisher
Walker & Company
ISBN-10
0802713912
ISBN-13
9780802713919
eBay Product ID (ePID)
2167340
Product Key Features
Book Title
Turk : the Life and Times of the Famous 19th Century Chess-Playing Machine
Format
Hardcover
Language
English
Topic
Chess, Inventions, General, History, Robotics
Publication Year
2002
Genre
Biography & Autobiography, Technology & Engineering, Games & Activities
Number of Pages
224 Pages
Dimensions
Item Length
8.1in
Item Height
1in
Item Width
5.7in
Item Weight
15.4 Oz
Additional Product Features
Lc Classification Number
Gv1447.S74 2002
Copyright Date
2001
Target Audience
Trade
Lccn
2001-055909
Dewey Decimal
794.1/7
Dewey Edition
21
Illustrated
Yes
Item description from the seller
Seller assumes all responsibility for this listing.
eBay item number:363531865097
Shipping and handling
Item location:
Sparks, Nevada, United States
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| Shipping and handling | To | Service | Delivery*See Delivery notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free shipping | United States | Standard Shipping | Estimated between Mon, Jun 3 and Fri, Jun 7 to 43230 |
| US $5.50 | United States | Expedited Shipping | Estimated between Mon, Jun 3 and Fri, Jun 7 to 43230 |
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| After receiving the item, contact seller within | Refund will be given as | Return shipping |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days | Money Back | Buyer pays for return shipping |
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Seller feedback (460,563)
e***l (96)- Feedback left by buyer.
Past 6 months
Verified purchase
Super impressed with this seller! They had the best price by far for this book! Both the cost of the book and the shipping fee was far better than average! The book came exactly as described, it was well packaged and quite a bit earlier than expected! The seller was polite and replied quickly to my messages.
I’ll definitely make another purchase soon!
Thank you to the seller! Be safe and keep up the great work!
l***w (80)- Feedback left by buyer.
Past 6 months
Verified purchase
WONDERFUL book! Better than described, in just like new condition [not just good]. Packaged very carefully, shipped very securely. Great seller, would buy from again in a heartbeat! No communication occurred, but I imagine it would have been as good as the rest of their customer service. Very happy with purchase, thank you very much!
t***1 (88)- Feedback left by buyer.
Past month
Verified purchase
Excellent packaging, expedited shipping, great seller communication, and accurate photo representation. I'm very pleased to have received this graphic novel for a fair and competitive price. Brand new and sealed!! I would highly recommend and purchase from this reputable retailer again. Thank you 👍!