ADA LOVELACE CRACKS THE CODE

Narrator Fiona Hardingham’s distinct accent transports listeners to the world of the British aristocracy one hundred years ago. The story features poet Lord Byron’s first wife and their daughter, Ada. Ada’s active mind exasperates her mother and challenges her tutors. She meets meets her match in adult conversations and friendships. Intrigued by the work of mathematician Charles Babbage, Ada becomes fascinated by his “analytical engine” and writes a document suggesting uses beyond computation for this first computer. Hardingham is a lively narrator. She moves briskly along and is animated throughout. She brings personality to each character—plucky Ada; her distracted and accommodating husband, William; and cranky Babbage. A.R. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine [Published: DECEMBER 2019]