The Man Who Knew Too Much - David Leavitt
it borrows too heavily from other works to ever really become the unique and accessible biography it aims to be
| 13 Sep 2006
Leavitt heavily quotes from Turing's work, and from his other biographers, often to great effect. However, he overuses other material - for example, he describes the events surrounding Turing's prosecution for homosexuality by referencing an (unifinished) short story Turing wrote about it, which ends up overshadowing the known facts of the situation. This work is readable enough, but – even in the title - it borrows too heavily from other works to ever really become the unique and accessible biography it aims to be. [Keir Hind]
The Man Who Knew Too Much' is published by Weidenfeld & Nicolson. Out Now. Cover Price £16.99.