Category: Nikola Tesla

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Nikola Tesla Book, Film, and Art Presentations

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Tesla: The Wizard of ElectricityFor those in the Philadelphia/Exton area, there is an upcoming Tesla “Book, Film and Art” event presented by members of the Tesla Science Foundation. The event is hosted by Howard Lipman, a Chester County Author, Radio Host Mark Passio. There will also be presentations by other Tesla Foundation members on “Why Nikola Tesla Matters”, and how Tesla has been an influence in Books, Film and Art.

The event is being held on Sunday, November 3rd from 1:30 to 4:30 pm at the Chester County Library, 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton, PA, 19341. Call 484-888-1582 for more information. Also check out the Tesla Club event page, which notes:

Videos related to Tesla, including Laura Todd, a local Phoenixville electronic composer’s pieces, and other Tesla related visuals will be shown. Members will display some of Tesla’s devices, and Tesla Art will be provided by Zzvezdana Scott, the proprietor of a Kennett Square Art Gallery. There will be a display of books about Tesla.

More information on upcoming Tesla events and speaking engagements.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can order a signed copy directly from me, download the ebook at barnesandnoble.com, and find hard copies exclusively at Barnes and Noble bookstores.

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Tesla is on the road again

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Tesla and the authorI’m writing this in between packing for my trip and finishing up the 103 and a 1/2 things on my “do before my trip” list. So this will be quick.

Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity continues to have steady weekly sales. We’re down to the last 1000 or so copies (out of 10,000) and they are getting harder to find in Barnes and Noble stores. They are there though, so check out BarnesandNoble.com to find a location near you that still has stock. Or order an ebook online. You can also check out Amazon.com, which has some for sale by resellers.

Better yet, order a signed and inscribed copy directly from me.

Why is the timing so important? Because the publisher is looking to make a decision on whether to order a second printing for next spring. To be comfortable doing so they want to have sold out the first printing by Christmas.

Yes, Christmas. For those who have barely started thinking beyond Labor Day, we’re only a few weeks from Halloween, which means one thing – Christmas decorations will start going up soon. It’s time to start thinking about Christmas gifts. And I’ve been told that Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity is a great Holiday gift.

Now, on to the trip (darn, this is already longer than I expected). For those in Massachusetts who are available to get together, I’ll be flying up today (Thursday) and staying through Monday night. There’s a great family event on Saturday night, so anyone who bought a book in the store or online and wants me to sign it, you know where to find me. For those still wanting books, you’re in luck. There are several on hold with my northern affiliates (aka, my parents). Let me know if you want to get together for your favorite small talk and libation.

Okay, only 102 and a 1/2 things still to do. I’m mobile!

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Update on Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (A Great Christmas Gift)

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Tesla: The Wizard of ElectricityAs we approach the holiday season it’s a good time to give a few updates on Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and related events.

First of all, the book continues to sell well in Barnes and Noble stores. That’s both good and bad. The good part is obvious – sales! The bad part is that some Barnes and Noble stores are reaching the end of their stocks. And since we emptied out the warehouse a long time ago to fill the now emptying stores that means it’s getting harder to find the book.

So how do you get a copy? Here’s how:

1) Most stores still have copies. So run on down to your local B&N and grab them while they last.

2) Go to BarnesandNoble.com (or BN.com). You will likely see something like:

Available in stores.Pick Up In Store Near You

Entering your zip code will give you a list of B&N stores near you and whether they have any in stock.

3) Download the ebook. There is no shortage of ebooks that can be downloaded on the BarnesandNoble.com website and read on your Nook or your Nook app for iPhone or Droid phones. Talk about immediate gratification. And for half the hard cover price.

4) Check out Amazon.com. Yes, my publisher has an exclusive arrangement with Barnes and Noble, but anyone can list third party books for resale on Amazon. Last I checked there were two resellers on Amazon from whom you could buy copies.

5) Buy one direct from me. I have brand new first edition copies of the book all ready to ship. Better yet, I will personally sign and inscribe the book to you or to whomever you would like to give it to as a gift.

Which gets us to Christmas (or Kwanzaa or Hanukkah or Halloween or Thanksgiving). Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity makes a great gift!

Other Tesla-related updates:

Serbian President unveils Nikola Tesla monument at Wardenclyffe. Check out the story here and watch the video of the event that was livestreamed.

Donations of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity continue: I’ve received much positive feedback from friends, family, and total strangers saying that they have bought an extra copy of the book expressly to donate it to their local school or public library. This has been especially gratifying because it means they want to keep their copy but enjoyed it so much they want others to experience it as well.

Donating to SETAC: I’ve already donated a copy of the book to the “Silent Auction” at the next Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (of which I am the President of my regional chapter). Proceeds from the auction go to help student members of the Society.

The resurrection of Wardenclyffe continues: Since the purchase of Nikola Tesla’s last laboratory at Wardenclyffe this spring, volunteers have been hard at work cleaning up the grounds. Soon the work will start on the inside of the building to transform it into a museum and science center. Anyone wishing to volunteer should contact the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe.

Second Printing! While it hasn’t been officially confirmed, it looks like the publisher will order a second printing of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity for release next spring. If or when that happens I’ll be sure to let you know. Until then, you can buy signed copies of the book immediately from me. Remember, Christmas will be here soon. 🙂

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How are Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla Connected?

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I’ve been a part time scholar of Abraham Lincoln for most of my life. And I’ve written a book on Nikola Tesla. Now it seems the two men are connected in many ways.

How can that be? After all, Nikola Tesla was born in 1856, so he was only 9-years-old when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. Oh, and Tesla was born of Serbian heritage in an area that is now part of Croatia. He didn’t even make it to the United States until 1884 – almost a score years after “now he belongs to the ages” was uttered. So how could they possibly be connected?

I’ve actually come across at least a half dozen connections. I’ve already mentioned one of them on this site before. Thomas Edison, Tesla’s archrival in the war of the currents, was a big fan of “the life and character of Abraham Lincoln.”

My most recent discovery happened when I was the Library of Congress (LOC) obtaining my “Readers ID,” which is required of all scholarly researchers who want to actually touch the old letters and manuscripts. In the Thomas Jefferson building, one of three massive edifices that make up the Library of Congress, is a mural by Edwin Howland Blashfield. Circling the main reading room way up in the dome, the mural depicts about a dozen countries or regions and contributions they have made to society. Gazing upward you see this:

Abraham Lincoln LOC main reading room

Zooming in to the “one o’clock” position of the above you can see someone very familiar:

Abraham Lincoln LOC close up

According to the LOC’s Lincoln and Civil War expert Michelle Krowl, and quoting from the book On These Walls: Inscriptions & Quotations in the Library of Congress:

“America is represented by the field of science. The figure, an engineer whose face was modeled on that of Abraham Lincoln, sits pondering a problem. In front of him is an electric dynamo, representing the American contribution to advances in harnessing electricity.”

Well how about that? The visage of Abraham Lincoln is used to epitomize America, and our contribution to society is science, depicted by an electric dynamo harnessing electricity, something that Nikola Tesla was in the forefront of bringing to the American public.

How cool is that?

These are just two of several connections between Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla. I’m compiling these for an article I plan to submit this fall. Keep coming back for updates and more connections.

Meanwhile, Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity continues to sell out the remainder of the stock in Barnes and Noble stores. Be sure to ask for it if you don’t see it on the shelves (some stores are down to their last copy). Of course, you can always buy a signed and inscribed copy directly from me on this website.

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Serbian President Unveils Nikola Tesla Monument at Wardenclyffe

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Tesla: The Wizard of ElectricitySerbian President Tomislav Nikolic will unveil a monument to Nikola Tesla on the grounds of Tesla’s most famous laboratory at Wardenclyffe. The ceremony takes place on Monday, September 23, 2013 and can be viewed live online at 12 noon Eastern time for those who can’t be in Shoreham, Long Island.

Nikola Tesla is the inventor and scientist who made it possible for us all to use the electricity in our homes and buildings. After emigrating from Europe and becoming a naturalized American citizen in 1891, Tesla lived mostly in New York City. He had several laboratories in the city, plus worked in Pittsburgh and had a laboratory in Colorado Springs. But his final lab was Wardenclyffe. It was here that he attempted to bring wireless communication and power to the world. And thanks to an amazing crowdfunding campaign in 2012 by The Oatmeal (Matthew Inman) and Jane Alcorn at the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe, Tesla’s old laboratory is being turned into a museum and educational center.

To view the livestreaming of the event, go to RememberTesla.com. After registering for the event you get a chance to see a series of videos of the monument and other Tesla Science Center activities. [Thanks to Kevin Wood for donating his time to document this amazing endeavor. That’s him below filming the placement of the statue.]

Kevin Wood Wardenclyffe Statue

Photo from Kevin Wood

See more photos by going to Kevin’s website and scrolling down.

Find out more about the project at the Tesla Science Center at Wardenclyffe website.

I’ve been honored to play my small part in helping to bring Nikola Tesla to the people with my book, Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. Please continue to support the Tesla Wardenclyffe project. The property is purchased and volunteers have been actively working on the grounds, but there is so much more to be done to turn the site into a world class Museum and Science Center.

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Bestselling Statistics for Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity

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Barnes and Noble DC 23July2013Now that Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity has been in Barnes and Noble stores for a few weeks, I thought it would be interesting to take a quick look at some of the pertinent statistics.

Keep in mind that Sterling Publishing is a subsidiary of Barnes and Noble, so the book has not yet been released to Amazon. Which, of course, is where most people go to shop for books online (sorry B&N). Even without being released to Amazon I do see two resellers listing the book. Also, while you can shop online at barnesandnoble.com, the warehouse was emptied because bookstores kept reordering. Though here again there is a reseller listing the book and you can always download an ebook (I read mine with a Nook app on my iPhone). [Of course, you can still buy a book directly from me]

So how is the book doing so far? Rather well, thank you. We’ve sold over 80% of the first, larger than normal, printing, and the publisher is looking at releasing a second printing in the spring. While I don’t check every day so may have missed a higher peak, the book reached at least #20 on the Barnes and Noble Bestsellers list for Scientist-Biography and #18 for the History & Philosophy of Science Category. It also reached at least #28 in the Scientists, Inventors & Naturalists category. Not bad for a book that had a grand total of $0.00 marketing budget. Not bad at all.

Another metric to gauge how well the book is doing is Goodreads, where “100% of people liked it.” As of this morning there were 17 ratings. The average rating was a tremendous 4.71, with 12 of the ratings being “5”s and the other 5 ratings being “4”s. Where getting an average over “4” and not seeing any individual rating less than that is a rarity, my average of 4.71 is extremely gratifying. [If you’ve read the book, please leave a rating on Goodreads and bn.com]

Bottom line – the book is doing fantastic by any metric.

The success of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity coincides with a personal and professional transition. A week from now my day job and night job will flip. I’ll be writing full time and consulting part time. I’ll also be traveling as much as I can squeeze into my schedule and finances. Expect to see more frequent updates on this website, and more attention to the other topics in my header pages. While transitions can often be traumatic, I’m looking forward to this one. Big time. I hope you’ll join me.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can order a signed copy directly from me, download the ebook at barnesandnoble.com, and find hard copies exclusively at Barnes and Noble bookstores. Stores are starting to sell out their stock, and restock, so get them while they are available.

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Kyle Driebeek Donates Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity to Bear Path School

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Tesla: The Wizard of ElectricityOne of the things I treasure the most about the experience of publishing Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity is the chance to meet some great people. While I’ve met off-Broadway actors and writers (TESLA), authors and museum directors, and even Nikola Tesla’s grandnephew, one of the most inspiring has been 12-year-old Kyle Driebeek and his family.

I wrote about Kyle after meeting him several months ago at the annual Tesla conference in the New Yorker Hotel. His mother Betsy has kept me up-to-date on his activities since then, and we met again at Tesla Days in Philadelphia. Both Kyle and his brother Julian gave presentations about their first experiences trying to research Tesla for school projects. Kyle surprised me by mentioning he would be buying an extra copy of my book and donating it to the school library. He encouraged others to do the same.

On August 30th, Kyle presented the book to Mrs. Margo Nabors, librarian at the Bear Path School in Hamden, CT.

Kyle delvering book to Margo

Photo courtesy of Betsy Driebeek

The idea all began in 2010 when a third grade project required students to research a famous person. Kyle chose Nikola Tesla. Other students chose people like Einstein, Disney, Hershey, Edison, Michelle Obama, Orville Wright, and Helen Keller. They had no trouble finding sufficient material for their projects. Tesla? Not so easy. After searching through the library’s database Kyle couldn’t find anything on Tesla. Nothing. The librarian, like Kyle’s parents and most other people, had never heard of Nikola Tesla.

Flash forward three years. My book, Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity, is released and, as Betsy Driebeek puts it, “reaches many ages and intellects.”  Seeing an opportunity to give something back to his elementary school, Kyle decided to donate the book to the school library so that new students would have a chance to learn about this important, but often overlooked, scientist and inventor. Even better, Kyle has volunteered his own extensive and ever-increasing knowledge to assist the next student who comes inquiring about Tesla.

I am honored that Kyle and his family chose to donate my book to further education. Two of my relatives, both long-time teachers, have also told me that they will donate a copy of the book to the local school and public town libraries, respectively. Others have suggested they will do the same. I am very happy that Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity is playing a role in bringing the work and life of Nikola Tesla to a wider audience.

As another Tesla friend said to me recently “Tesla awareness is growing rapidly!!!” It’s nice to be a small part of building that awareness.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. You can order a signed copy directly from me, download the ebook at barnesandnoble.com, and find hard copies exclusively at Barnes and Noble bookstores. Stores are starting to sell out their stock, and restock, so get them while they are available.

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Tesla (and I) Visit a Book Club

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I recently had the honor of attending a book club and book signing at the home of a long-time colleague and friend. In our best Lennon-McCartney fashion we followed a long and winding road to get there. Set back in a secluded forest enclave, a beautiful country house rose up to meet our arrival. My host was Betsy Grim, now retired after many years at some federal agency that I can’t name (but it has something to do with protecting the environment). And now Betsy leads a book club. The club I was about to meet.

As her guests arrived we were served prosecco, an Italian sparkling wine (sort of like champagne, but don’t repeat that to anyone French). Some great conversation with the early arrivals eventually led to their gruesome realization that they would all have to listen to me talk about my book. Or more accurately, about Nikola Tesla himself.

Tesla and the author

I don’t actually recall how long I talked. I do admit that only one person seemed to sleep through it all, but in all fairness it was one of Betsy’s grandchildren, a six-week old infant who graciously dozed from start to finish. Everyone else seemed to enjoy themselves, and I know I had a great time. Of course, everyone wanted a photo with the star of the event.

Nikola Tesla and friend

Afterwards (and even beforewards), I signed books to various attendees and the many loved ones for whom they were bought as gifts. Betsy duly supplied her suite of grandchildren with their own signed copies. Over two dozen books left with book club members, which made carrying the nearly empty box out much easier than lugging the full one in.

Book signing

In addition to the book event I’ve been getting weekly updates from my editor on the status of book sales in Barnes and Noble stores. He was ecstatic after the first week’s sales, but warned me the numbers would drop off eventually. Enthusiasm grew as the second week was even better; in fact, nearly twice as many flew off the shelves. Similar numbers for the third and fourth weeks in the store brought out the exclamation points! The Barnes and Noble closest to me was down to a single book yesterday after selling out their order…and reorder.

In short, we’ve sold out nearly two-thirds the print run, and it was a larger than normal print run. Sterling Publishers are looking at ordering a second printing, but if you haven’t gotten yours yet you better head out to the stores now because that second printing probably wouldn’t happen until next year. So go to Barnes and Noble stores, hit the barnesandnoble.com website, or order signed copies directly from me.

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Ipswich author tells an electrifying story

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Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and David J. KentThat is the headline of the online version of the article profiling me and Tesla in the Ipswich Chronicle this past week. The hard copy headline is even better – Tesla: An Electrifying Story. The article is available online at Wicked Local – Ipswich.

First of all, only in New England could you find a local paper described as “Wicked.”

Second, the article ran on Page 1 of the hard copy newspaper that came out August 15th, and then continued onto Page 3. For the online version be sure to follow the link to the second page.

I’m very happy with the profile. I was interviewed by Beverly Perna, a long-time freelance contributor to the paper who had been asked by the editor to write a story on me. It turns out Beverly was a perfect choice as she worked at the famous Museum of Science in Boston for ten years so she knows how to communicate science to non-scientists. Even better, she is a big fan of Abraham Lincoln and grew up in Illinois and Indiana, the “lands of Lincoln.”

Oddly enough, I’ve actually been profiled in the Ipswich papers before, though long long ago. Once for a matchbook collection I had in a past life and again for my time studying marine biology in Bermuda. I even have copies of the articles, which I had duly cut out at the time and stashed in my high school yearbook.

Just a few weeks ago I was at another Ipswich-related event here in DC – the play “Within These Walls” about the Ipswich House that resides in the Smithsonian. It was great to meet the playwright and actors after the show. As Beverly notes in her article, even though I’ve lived overseas a few times and have been in the Washington DC area for over one score years, Ipswich will always be my home.

If you haven’t already, you can read the Ipswich Chronicle article online.

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, now available. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (both Fall River Press). He has also written two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

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Two Historic Events Regarding Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity

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Tesla: The Wizard of ElectricityTalk about having to wait a long time for delivery of a book. How about 9 months? Yep, that’s the time elapsed between being the first person to pay for Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and actually receiving delivery. It was one of two big events on August 15th, 2013.

As I wrote last November, I had donated a copy of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity to the silent auction at the annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC). The ink on the manuscript was still wet, at least figuratively, and the cover design and title were still not finalized. So the “book” took the form of a short brochure on a padded backing. That facsimile received five bids, with the final bidder paying that amount to SETAC for its fund to help students building their scientific careers. I get a donation, the winner gets a book, and students get some much needed funding. Everyone wins.

Ah, but the book hadn’t actually been physically produced at that point. So the winning bidder, Diana Eignor, waited patiently for nine full months to receive her book. She even attended my book launch party in July this year, only to find that a delay in shipment meant I still didn’t have any books. Yesterday we remedied that by meeting for lunch on the plaza near her office, which given that the SETAC meeting had been in Long Beach, California, fortuitously turned out to be only a short walk from my own office in Washington DC. After some great food and delightful conversation I signed and inscribed the book over to her. The longest waiting book delivery ever (at least for my book).

The second big event yesterday was even more astonishing. I made the front page of my hometown newspaper, the Ipswich Chronicle. Growing up in a relatively small town in New England was something I probably didn’t appreciate enough when I lived there but I definitely appreciate every time I go back to where my parents and much of my extended family still resides. It’s my detox place. A way to shed the high stress craziness of the Washington DC area and remind myself what is really important in life.

I did know that a profile article on me was in the works. A freelance writer named Beverly Perna had been contracted by the paper’s editor to interview me and write up a piece about a “local boy done good.” We’ve actually been waiting a month for a slot to open up so it could be printed. Yesterday (August 15) was that slot. What was surprising is that the article made the front page! With a photo of me holding my Tesla book. The very nice article continues from page 1 onto page 3.

I can’t wait to see it. Yes, as exciting as this event is I have yet to actually see it in print. I received a call from my parents and Facebook notes from friends, but since I’m several hundred miles away I haven’t seen the paper yet. They will post the article in a few days on the website version of their paper (Wicked Local Ipswich), and when it’s up I’ll be sure to post a link on my Facebook author’s page. After all, now I’m a celebrity. 🙂

All in all a nicely exciting week.