Edison

Description

This biography of Thomas Edison (1847-1931) studies and evaluates his career as an inventor and explores in detail how he created inventions that shaped the 20th century, including the electric light, photography, and over 1000 other items.

Reviews

"Paul Israel, in this latest biography, has done a remarkable job. Not only has he given us fresh insights into a complex personality, but he has set this against the backdrop of a dramatically changing American society driven on remorselessly by the second Industrial Revolution in which Edison was a pivotal players." (Nature, 9th November 2000)

Author description

PAUL ISREAL is the managing editor of the multivolume documentary edition of the Thomas Edison Papers at Rutgers University and the coauthor of Edison's Electric Light. He lives in Highland Park, New Jersey.

Table of contents

Childhood and Education; Itinerant Telegrapher; From Operator to Inventor; A Leading Electromechanician; Competing Interests; From Shop to Laboratory; New Directions; The Invention Factory; The Wizard of Menlo Park; Inventing a System; From Research to Development; Inventing an Industry; Family Matters; A New Laboratory; Inventing Entertainment; Industrial Research; Competition and Consolidation; Innovation and Enthusiasm; A Modern Legend; Fame in the Family; The Business of Innovation; Edison Incorporated; Inventor - Philosopher; Epilogue; Notes; Index.