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Writing Bulgaria, Traveling Serbia, Mourning Brussels, Tesla, Edison and More

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It’s been a hugely busy month of writing, traveling, mourning, Tesla, and Edison. Here’s a quick catch up in case you missed anything.

Writer pyramidHot White Snow: My more “creative” writing, responses to writing prompts, some memoir-ish works, and articles “On Writing.” Featured recently:

IrelandThe Dake Page focuses on communicating science to the general populace, with a sometimes emphasis on climate change. Recent articles:

KotorScience Traveler: Here on my author website I focus on my non-fiction works (Tesla, Edison, Lincoln), plus tips and tales about traveling the world. Several recent posts:

This past month also so a draft cover for my Thomas Edison book due out in July, and I’ll share that with you all shortly. Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World is in the same style and format as my Tesla book. And while I continue with the sample chapters of my Abraham Lincoln book, another potential book offer arose. More on that later.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for thirty-five years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (now in its 5th printing) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His book on Thomas Edison is due in Barnes and Noble stores in July 2016.

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EDISON: The Inventor of the Modern World

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Thomas Edison

In July 2013 Fall River Press published my book, Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. Now in July 2016 they will publish the follow up book, EDISON: The Inventor of the Modern World.

The writing was finished last September and since then the book has been in the production phase – cover design, layout, and tons and tons of photos. I should have an image of the cover in the near future. Meanwhile the book is off to the printer for the expected July release.

There is also the back material. Most books have a summary on the back cover and the following is the draft that went to the publisher. What do you think?

Thomas Edison is well known to everyone. Or is he? We know that Edison was one of the most productive and influential inventors of all time and helped usher in the modern world. But while it makes for an impressively heroic tale, the full story of Edison the man is much more complex. He played an unsurpassed role in improving telegraphy; inventing the telephone, the phonograph, and the motion picture camera; and developing a more reliable electric lighting system and lightbulb. Edison also less famously explored iron ore mining and milling, concrete building materials, and storage batteries for electric cars, and even launched the search for a domestic source of rubber for automobile and bicycle tires. Along the way he found time for two wives and six children, although more often than not he neglected them as he worked through the night on his latest distraction. He also befriended Henry Ford and Harvey Firestone, battled Nikola Tesla in the war of the currents, and became synonymous with the art of invention.

This impressively illustrated book takes us on a complete tour of this great man’s inventions, private life, personal struggles, and enduring legacy. Through fascinating anecdotes, illuminating stories, and many photographs, cartoons, and caricatures, this book brings to life one man’s amazing career and incalculable contributions to humanity.

Tesla and Edison were two very different men of invention, so it was a great honor to be able to examine both of their lives in successive books. If you haven’t already, check out my Tesla book now and then watch for the Edison book to come out in July.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for thirty-five years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (now in its 5th printing) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate. His book on Thomas Edison is due in Barnes and Noble stores in spring 2016.

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Edison vs. Tesla: Two Very Different Men of Invention

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Thomas Edison is a world-famous inventor taught in every history book. Nikola Tesla is a worldly inventor largely forgotten from text books. Each contributed to the modern age of invention in ways that impact us still today. I’ve now written books on both and I can see how they were very different men in so many ways, and yet in other ways they were amazingly similar.

Thomas Edison's Menlo Park Lab

Differences

The Loner vs. the Invention Factory: Tesla was very much a loner. He liked to work alone, assisted only by a few trusted helpers to flip switches, build apparatuses, and keep records. Edison was into collaboration. While very much a control freak and dictatorial at times, he liked employing talented artisans and inventors to whom he would assign problems and let them work them out.

Private Financing vs. Corporate Financing: Tesla financed his work largely by soliciting money from rich investors like J.P. Morgan and others. If his investor didn’t feel they were getting a fast enough return on investment, his money would dry up. Edison had private investors as well (J.P. Morgan had a hand in every inventor’s lab) but he focused on getting corporate financing, often acting as an external invention arm of big companies like Western Union.

Disruptive Technology vs. Incremental Technology: Tesla wanted to change technology dramatically. His work on alternating energy revolutionized electrical distribution. He was the first to go wireless with electricity and the first into robotics. Edison was more incremental. His initial inventions were improvements on well-worn telegraphy, which led to telephony, which led to phonographs, which led to motion pictures. His technology grew on previous technology whereas Tesla’s made big jumps.

GQ vs. Farmer’s Almanac: Having learned from his time in Paris, Tesla dressed impeccably, often in beautifully tailored suits, vests, and even spats to protect his high fashion shoes. Edison would often wear the same suit for days, and it looked it. He would curl up on a laboratory bench for quick cat naps late at night, fully clothed and ready to spring back to work as soon as he awoke.

Formal Education vs. Autodidact: Tesla was sent to formal training at the best engineering schools in Graz, Austria and Prague, Czech Republic. He never got his degrees, but he learned from the most impressive teachers. Edison barely had any formal schooling. He was home-schooled by his mother at an early age and largely taught himself chemistry, electricity, and everything else.

Invention vs. Commercialization: In keeping with his loner persona, Tesla generally preferred to patent his inventions and then sell the rights to others who were better at marketing them. Without George Westinghouse, Tesla would likely not have successfully won the war of the currents. Edison was generally quick to find a commercial avenue for his inventions. He felt it important to have money coming in from previous work that would help fund ongoing work.

Colorado Springs

Similarities

Workaholics: Both Tesla and Edison were workaholics. They would each work 18+ hours a day, and both preferred to work through the night.

Social and Reclusive: Both were social sensations, although reluctantly. During his most active period, Tesla was often invited to high society parties. He hung out with the social set that included stars like Sarah Bernhardt, environmentalists like John Muir, and writers like Mark Twain (a close friend). Edison was buddies with other wealthy industrialists like Henry Ford (cars) and Harvey Firestone (tires), as well as J.P. Morgan and naturalist Robert Burroughs. Both Tesla and Edison could only handle social life in small doses, escaping back into their laboratories when tired out by recreation.

Fluid Assets: Both Tesla and Edison were free-spenders. Tesla went through the $150,000 received from J.P. Morgan (a fortune in those days) like ice on hot day. He was often begging financiers for money to do experiments. Edison also burned through money quickly, though he usually had a steady stream of it coming in. Still, it was finances more than anything that led to Edison General Electric dropping the Edison, both from the name and from participation in the company.

Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla were very different, and yet in ways very much the same. Their differences, however, were critical to Google’s founder Larry Page, who said he was inspired by the world-changing vision of Tesla, but appreciated Edison’s ability to commercialize his inventions. Both men contributed greatly to modern America. We can learn from each of them.

David J. Kent is the author of 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. His newest book is Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America.

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First Tesla…Now Edison is In!

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Tesla vs Edison cartoon First there was Nikola Tesla, and now there is Thomas Edison. Those who follow this page know that my book Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity was released by Fall River Press/Sterling Publishing in 2013. The book has been so successful (Thank you!) that Fall River Press asked me to write a similar book on Thomas Edison.

Today the manuscript for Edison! was officially submitted to my editor. Assuming he likes it, Edison! will be in Barnes and Noble stores sometime in the spring of 2016. With the Tesla book going into its 5th printing in October, you should be able to find them side-by-side in the not-too-distant future. [If the editor doesn’t like it, well, never mind.]

Want a preview of Edison!? Here is the chapter outline.

But wait, there’s more.

I’ve also have an e-book being published on Amazon in the next few weeks. Lincoln and Tesla – Connected by Fate delves into the incredible connections between these two great men. Lincoln and Tesla connected? Yes, in far more ways than you could ever have imagined. Check out the background at the link above and watch this space for the big launch coming shortly.

In the meantime, if you read Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity or my previous e-book, Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time, please take a moment to give it a rating and/or short review on Goodreads, BN.com, and Amazon. Providing ratings (and feedback if you have the time) helps spread the word to other Tesla fans around the world.

Here are the links:

Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity: Goodreads     BN.com     Amazon

Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time  Goodreads     Amazon

Thank you all for your support. I’ll post updates on Edison! and Tesla as they happen.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for over thirty years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. 

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First There was Tesla, Now There is Edison – The Chapter Outline

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Tesla vs Edison cartoonFirst I wrote a book on Nikola Tesla called Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity. And now a book on Thomas Edison called Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World. Both are published Fall River Press, an imprint of Sterling Publishing.

Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World is scheduled to be in Barnes and Noble stores in 2016. The manuscript has been accepted by publisher and is now in the design stage getting ready for the printer. And that means it’s time for a preview!

The Edison book will be in the same style as Tesla, with tons of photos, stories, and graphic art. Tesla was such a success that Sterling is making Edison the next book in what they hope to be a series. I can live with that. 🙂  Also like Tesla, Edison is written such that it appeals to a wide-ranging audience.

Here’s an outline of the chapter coverage:

Prologue 

A brief story of interest providing insight into Thomas Edison’s life, along with a short overview of his career and contributions to society. 

Chapter 1: Birth of an Inventor 

The first chapter describes Edison’s birth and family life growing up in Ohio. We’ll explore how his father and mother influenced his early schooling – or lack thereof – and how he exhibited a precocious and inventive nature even at an early age. The chapter takes us through his coming of age and early work on the Grand Trunk Railroad as a “news butch,” a job that turned out to be much more adventurous for Edison than for most teenage boys. His early career as a telegraph operator gives us insight into his future. 

Chapter 2: A Better Telegraph: The Beginnings of Invention 

Tireless energy leads from telegraph operator to dozens of patents improving telegraphs, and signals the beginning of Edison’s inventive career. Resigning from Western Union to focus on becoming a full time independent inventor at the tender age of 22, Edison quickly makes a name for himself as a reliable and innovative external R&D department for the big companies of the day. Along the way he invents a stock ticker and a vote counting machine – his first patent – before stumbling upon the invention that made him a celebrity. 

Chapter 3: Inventing the Art of Invention 

One of Edison’s greatest contributions may have been the development of the state-of-the-art invention factory. First at Menlo Park, where he gained his epithet “The Wizard of Menlo Park,” and then for much longer at his lab in West Orange, New Jersey (not to mention Fort Myers, Florida and Schenectady, New York), Edison created a new way of bringing together skilled artisans and technicians focused on developing new products.  

Chapter 4: Of Phonographs and Celebrity 

While working late at night on an improved telegraph, Edison almost accidentally discovers the phonograph. This chapter takes us through the development process, the instant celebrity, and then the long decade of inaction that let others get ahead of him. It provides some insight into how he worked, and why he sometimes held himself back. One such quirk – his insistence that he alone could determine what people could see and hear despite his own profound deafness. 

Chapter 5: Not Always at Work – Edison’s Family and Friends 

Edison had a reputation of working 18 hours a day, but he was also a family man that fathered six children. This chapter examines his work/family balance (or lack thereof), his relationships with his wives and children, and some of his famous friends like Henry Ford, Harvey Firestone, and U.S. Presidents. 

Chapter 6: Building a Better Lightbulb 

This chapter examines Edison’s most iconic invention, the light bulb. Light bulbs existed already, but were insufficient for sustained indoor use. Edison and his team tested thousands of different filament materials to find the one that worked the best, then developed the entire direct current based system to put electric lighting in homes, businesses, and cities. We’ll look at his successes – and his failures – in accomplishing these goals both as stand-alone units and municipal utilities. 

Chapter 7: The War of the Currents 

Electrifying the world wasn’t accomplished overnight, and Edison had to fight many battles. First he battled the existing gas lighting system installed in virtually all edifices, then he battled the existing alternating current technology of arc lighting. He won those battles, but would go on to lose spectacularly in the final battle against the new polyphase alternating current systems of Westinghouse and Tesla. The chapter includes a look at how Edison was separated from General Electric, the company that formerly bore his name. 

Chapter 8: Edison the Movie Mogul 

While the phonograph made Edison famous despite its trials, the motion picture projector made him an icon of movie making despite Edison’s reluctance to develop it. The chapter looks at the process of developing motion pictures, the competition, and even some luck on Edison’s part, while also putting on display how Edison’s personality of control limited the success of this and other inventions.  

Chapter 9: A Man of Many Talents 

Edison was always looking at new avenues of invention, which often distracted him from fully maximizing the value of existing inventions. He threw himself (figuratively) into developing new ways to mine low-grade iron ore where others had failed, then when that didn’t work out, jumped to concrete building materials, then storage batteries for electric cars. He even experimented with X-rays until he almost blinded himself. Prior to and during World War I he took charge of a Naval Consulting Board for the government, evaluating and researching technological options for the war effort. Eventually he even tried to develop a domestic source of rubber for automobile and bicycle tires. 

Chapter 10: A Legacy Like No Other 

Despite many failed endeavors, Thomas A. Edison, Inc. became a brand that is still ubiquitous in our culture today. He received over 1000 patents, but most importantly changed how businesses viewed research and development. His methods of focused teamwork have become the standard today. And his name lives on. Hundreds of schools bear his name. He received awards, and medals are named after him. This chapter will sum up his amazing life, take a look at Edison in pop culture, and examine the work of organizations dedicated to carrying on his memory. 

Appendix: Timeline of key events in Edison’s life 

A summary of dates and events important in Edison’s life, including marriages, children, inventions, and critical conflicts with others that helped shaped his drive to compete.

If you liked Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity, you’ll also like Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World. Stay tuned.

David J. Kent has been a scientist for over thirty years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and the e-book Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time. He is currently writing a book on Thomas Edison.

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Skeletons, Hard Drives, and Galileo – Oh My Edison

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GoodreadsWhile Thomas Edison slowly comes to life on the pages of my book in progress for Sterling Publishing, we’ve seen a “whole lotta writin’ goin on” (with apologies to Jerry Lee Lewis). There has also been a lot a reading, with 21 books logged into Goodreads for the first quarter of the year.

Skeleton Road near Blackwater National Wildlife RefugeWe’ve seen skeletons here on Science Traveler since the last update. Skeleton Road explored a wrong turn near Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge that led to the remains of a deer massacre (unrelated, but somehow reminiscent of the Alice’s Restaurant Massacree of infamy). We also looked at how A Booth Saved a Lincoln (including an interesting connection to Nikola Tesla). There was also a review of the Jonathan W. White book Emancipation, the Union Army, and the Reelection of Abraham Lincoln.

hard driveOver on Hot White Snow were two creative writing pieces. Lights Out took a microfiction look at the end of the world as we know it. It turns out it’s hard to end the world in less than 100 words. And in a lighthearted look at what would happen if someone dug into my old computer, check out Dear New Owner of My Old Hard Drive. Watch out for erotica.

GalileoOn the serious side, The Dake Page offered a review of the Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Beak of the Finch by Jonathan Weiner. Not only does the book put Darwin’s finches in context with recent understanding, it does it in a darn good storytelling format. Also on The Dake Page is The Galileo Delusion – How Climate Deniers Create Alternate “Realities.” The article focuses on the Ted Cruz’s of the world who deny all climate science, then delusionally claim the role of Galileo (the exact opposite of reality).

Young Thomas EdisonNow back to Thomas Edison. Did you know that as a child he was actually called “Little Al?” Or that he was a teenage “news butch” on a train (not quite a teenage werewolf in Paris)? Or that his deafness started at an early age? Stay tuned as Little Al grows up into “The Wizard of Menlo Park” (even though he wasn’t in Menlo Park very long).

David J. Kent has been a scientist for over thirty years, is an avid science traveler, and an independent Abraham Lincoln historian. He is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and the e-book Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time. He is currently writing a book on Thomas Edison.

Follow me by subscribing by email on the home page.  And feel free to “Like” my Facebook author’s page and connect on LinkedIn.  Share with your friends using the buttons below.

 

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Climate Collusion, Lincoln Language, Selma Sadness, Edison Elation – Catching Up On the Blogs

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Write! Write! Write! That’s the mantra, and the last couple of weeks have certainly demonstrated how to do it. Well, except for the writing most important at the moment – Thomas Edison. Otherwise there was big news on collusion by climate deniers, Abraham Lincoln’s commencement address (of sorts), sadness over the Selma 50th anniversary, and much more.

Abraham LincolnHere on Science Traveler the focus was on Abraham Lincoln, with several events commemorating his 2nd Inauguration and one of the finest speeches ever delivered. A Busy Week for Abraham Lincoln sums up the biggest events, and His Greatest Speech looks specifically at the “With malice toward none; with charity for all” elocution that is one of his best. Additional background on the events can be read here.

DSC_0099That wasn’t all Science Traveler was about. I also posted a photo retrospective of the Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach, one of the most haunting, and powerful, memorials I’ve ever seen. To balance the heaviness of that piece, check out the lighter side of things by exploring how two events in my writing world – Tesla and Edison – helped Barnes and Noble stock skyrocket in one day!

selma-dogsOn Hot White Snow I took a look at how we’ve moved Forward to the Past on the 150th anniversary of the 13th Amendment and the 50th anniversary on the fateful march on Selma that led to the Voting Rights Act. How far we’ve regressed on our previous gains is saddening – and should be maddening – to us all. Also on HWS I tried my hand at microfiction, the art of writing a story in 100 words or less, with a piece I called The Case of the Hated Haberdasher.

Climate Skeptic Graphic Paint2The Dake Page posted a series of climate change-related pieces since the last update. Part 4 of the series on peer-review examined how some people have tried to get around peer-review using the internet, with sometimes nefarious results. You can read Parts 1 though 3 by following the links in Part 4. The most recent post takes a look at collusion among climate deniers, where lobbyists, “skeptic” scientists, and media have worked together to intentionally misrepresent the science and misinform the public. The collusion became evident as climate deniers try to block release of the new documentary based on the Oreskes and Conway book, Merchants of Doubt. Here’s the trailer for the movie:

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) (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. His next book is on Abraham Lincoln, due out in 2017.

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Barnes & Noble Stock Skyrockets on Big Tesla and Edison News

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Wow. I knew Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison were good for business (in their own ways), but who would have expected that my big Tesla and Edison news would cause Barnes & Noble stock to skyrocket yesterday (February 26, 2015). Here’s the proof:

Barnes & Noble stock rise

Since you might not see the immediate connection, let me explain. As most people know I wrote a book called Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (plus another Tesla ebook on his interest in renewable energy). The book is published by Fall River Press, an imprint of Sterling Publishing, and Sterling is a wholly-owned subsidiary of none other than Barnes & Noble!

This week the third printing of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity finally made it back on the shelves at Barnes & Noble stores (and also available online). As the graph above shows, Barnes & Noble stock value instantly shot up. 🙂

But there was an Edison connection too. Yesterday I signed the contract with Sterling Publishing to write a book on Thomas Edison (tentatively called EDISON!). And before the ink was dry Barnes & Noble stock value had soared to a new 52-week high!

See, a direct correlation between my big Tesla and Edison news and the skyrocketing stock price for Barnes & Noble! It couldn’t be any clearer.

Okay, the sudden rise in stock might have also been influenced by a little announcement that Barnes & Noble is spinning off its college bookstore business and holding tight to its Nook business unit. Yeah, those might have had a teeny influence on the stock price, but I prefer to think that my Tesla and Edison news was the driving factor in the big stock gain.

Hey, let’s just say I see the glass half full. 🙂

Meanwhile, Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity has been a great success and I’m diligently typing away on my next big book – EDISON! Tesla is in Barnes & Noble now (make sure to get one soon because they sell out quick); Edison will be in Barnes & Noble stores in 2016.

It’s a good life.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and the e-book Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time.

“Like” me on my Facebook author’s page and share the news with your friends using the buttons below. Also check me out on Goodreads.

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Little Tommy Edison and All the Rest

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Young Thomas EdisonTwo weeks have passed since my last recap, and it’s been a busy fortnight. Tops on the list is finding out all about little Tommy Edison. Yes, Thomas Alva Edison. And he wasn’t really called Tommy; in fact he was called Al (not to be confused with the Paul Simon song, “You Can Call Me Al”).

It turns out Little Al was a precocious child. After dismissed as “addled” by a teacher, Edison was home-schooled, ran off to be a news butch, then telegraph operator, and at 22-years-old quit work to become a full-time independent inventor. No wonder he got more than a thousand patents in a life filled with both excitement and disappointment, where his inventions flourished after they were made better by others, and where his loss of hearing left him biting the local piano to enjoy the music.

Intrigued? Good. As my new book develops I’m confident that you’ll discover the many sides of Thomas Edison that most people don’t know…and much of which people do know may actually not be true. Stayed tuned for more updates.

Lincoln Quote BustAlso seen lately here on Science Traveler was a review of a book on Lincoln’s sometimes rocky relationship with the press, and a birthday tribute to the the man himself.

The AwakeningOn Hot White Snow I relived The Trauma of First Grade. Having missed any opportunities for pre-school or kindergarten, there is nothing like having to stand in the hallway half of the first day of first grade to stigmatize a child’s vision of the educational system.

Peer reviewThe Dake Page continued its series on how peer-review of scientific papers works…and sometimes doesn’t work. Part 2 looked at what happens when peer-review goes wrong, while Part 3 looked at the rare, but important, cases of intentional abuse of the peer-review system.

Meanwhile, plans continue for a late May trip to the lands of Vikings (not the Minnesota ones), Fjords (not the Detroit ones), and blondes (yes, those ones). Unfortunately, I won’t be able to take advantage of an invite to see two great friends from Brussels get married in Bulgaria as it falls on the same week I already have travel plans. I actually already visited Sofia (the capital) and Plovdiv as part of a rapid response trip several years ago, but it would have been great to see them again. Next trip!

More science travel posts soon (I promise).

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) (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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Tesla vs Edison – Round Two (The Big Announcement)

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Tesla vs Edison cartoonThose following this page know that I wrote a biography of famed Serbian-American inventor Nikola Tesla in 2013. Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity has gone on to become a great success. In fact, the third printing is due in Barnes and Noble stores this month (February 2015), which will help reach even more tens of thousands of people.

Every Tesla fan knows that he and Thomas Edison had a love/hate relationship. Initially colleagues and friends, they became rivals as Tesla hooked up with George Westinghouse to advance alternating current (AC) while Edison was deeply invested in direct current (DC). The chapter “A Man Always at War” in my Tesla book is filled with stories about the war of the currents.

Now it’s time for the another perspective.

I am happy to announce that Fall River Press, the imprint of Sterling Publishing that published Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity, has asked me to write a similarly styled book on none other than Thomas Edison!

Yes, that Thomas Edison.

Current wars

Edison, of course, was well established as an inventor before Tesla arrived in New York. The new book will examine Edison’s life, his successful inventions, his failures, and his perspective on the war of the currents. The book will also delve into Edison’s invention factories in Menlo Park and West Orange, New Jersey, as well as his friendships – and rivalries – with some of the great personages of the time. The intent is to show Edison’s trials and tribulations as well as his triumphs.

Previous biographies of Edison have given Nikola Tesla very little mention. My book on Edison will bring Tesla into the picture where appropriate.

I’ll be working on the book this year and Fall River Press is planning to release it some time in 2016. I’ll update as soon as I have a more concrete schedule.

As I work on the book I can’t help but envision actor Tom Cappadona as Thomas Edison. Cappadona played Edison in the 2013 off-Broadway play TESLA, the cast of which I had the privilege of visiting about a month before the play’s opening. As a guest of the director I got to see TESLA on opening night, where an overflow house gave a sustained and enthusiastic standing ovation at the end of the show. Tom Cappadona was superlative in the role of Thomas Edison, so it’s his face that inspires my writing of the great inventor. [He’s also my first choice to cover the title role in the highly unlikely event that the book becomes a Steven Spielberg film (hey, I can dream, right?).]

I’ll have more information as the book develops, but expect the same style as my Tesla book – snappy writing, great photos, and an interesting look at a complicated man.

David J. Kent is the author of Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity and the e-book Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time.

“Like” me on my Facebook author’s page and share the news with your friends using the buttons below. Also check me out on Goodreads.