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David J. Kent, Writer is now “The Traveling Scientist”

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The Traveling ScientistI have a new name! Well, technically my name hasn’t changed, but this web site now has an actual title instead of just my name:

The Traveling Scientist

It captures at least two of my primary passions – science and travel. I’ve been a working scientist for about 30 years and have now traveled to almost 30 countries (with hopefully at least 30 more to go). Of course, there is also my passion for Abraham Lincoln, so if you want to really stretch the metaphor you can say that I’ve traveled a long way in gaining knowledge about Lincoln.  Or even that if you travel a long way from Lincoln’s place of birth in Kentucky to England you would find Charles Darwin being born on the very same day – February 12, 1809.  And Charles Darwin is certainly someone who traveled as a scientist.

Okay, I said it was a stretch.  [Spoiler alert – check back later for a WIP on Lincoln and science that is not so much of a stretch]

Now back to the new title.  Those who frequent this site know that I write about a few sometimes overlapping topics – science (currently Nikola Tesla), travel, and Abraham Lincoln.  As it continues to develop I’ll be setting up a schedule of when I’ll post on each topic so those with specific interests in one area more than another will know when to check back.

Better yet, subscribe to the site on the top right of the home page and you’ll get a gentle reminder when new content has been added.

Oh, one more thing. I’ve changed my Twitter account to reflect the new name. Now it reads as “Traveling Scientist” – Scientist by day, writer by night, Abraham Lincoln aficionado always.

I hope you like the new name, and the new look that will be coming soon.  Feel free to leave me a comment with likes/dislikes, ideas for topics to discuss, and just general thoughts.

Back soon.

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Collecting Abraham Lincoln Books – A Never Ending Joy

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Abraham LincolnOver the years I’ve collected hundreds of books about Abraham Lincoln, though with thousands of books written about him I have a long way to go before I run out of options.  Having the money to collect more and the shelf space to store more, well, those are different questions altogether.  As of this writing (5/25/12) I have 644 titles in my collection. However, a title could be multiple volumes. For example, my 10-volume set of Nicolay and Hay’s “Abraham Lincoln: A History” published in 1890 counts only as one “title.”

Some quick numbers:

111    =     Number of books signed by the author (many directly to me)

273    =    Number of confirmed first editions

80      =    Number of first editions that are signed by the author

62      =    Number of books that have pre-1900 copyright dates

1834  =    Oldest copyright date in my collection

Of course, others have a bigger collection than I do.  Recently the Ford’s Theatre Center for Education and Leadership unveiled its 34-foot tower of Lincoln books.  While the tower repeats 205 actual titles, it holds about 6,800 books – a fraction of the estimated 15,000 books written about Lincoln.

Ford's Theatre Lincoln book tower

Clearly I need to step up the pace of my book collecting.

Check out my Abraham Lincoln page.

Don’t forget to subscribe to the feed on the top right of the home page.

 

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I Walked 77 Miles Through Italy – For This?

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I recently returned from a well-deserved (at least in my mind) trip to Italy, during which my total walking mileage was about 77 miles. In 9 days. The trip started in Rome, passed through Pisa, flourished in Florence, broke in Bologna, and mingled in Milan before coming to a close in Geneva.  And in those places there was the Sistine Chapel, the leaning tower, the naked David statue (another David, no relation), the two towers (no, not the Tolkien ones), the Last Supper, and a mostly not spurting jet d’eau. Oh, and then there was the guy who picked my pocket.

But I’m not going to talk about those now.  I’m going to talk about the weirdos.

There are weirdos in Italy.  Did you know that? To be honest I really shouldn’t be shocked given that I’ve seen this sort of thing everywhere I’ve gone in Europe (not so much in Asia for some reason).  Mostly they are the street performers, if you can call sitting or standing with no movement performing.

First there was the guy sitting on the corner of piazza that keeps Trevi Fountain from running down the street. I think he went by the name of Ronnie Raygun.

Trevi street performer

Nearby was a slightly lost Praetorian Guard.  I believe, but cannot confirm, that he was checking the GPS app on his iPhone to locate the colosseum (two miles east).

Roman praetorian guard

Not to be outdone was this finely dressed gentleman.  Something strange about him – Not quite sure I can see what it is though.  I think he’s hiding something.

invisible man

This guy isn’t really a weirdo. In fact, he played the most extraordinary guitar.  On a most extraordinary guitar.  Very talented and a real treat to hear.

guitar player

Now this guy – he was weird.  But environmentally friendly!

The Tree Man

Even the horses got into the act.  Now I know what they mean by that old expression – “tying on a feedbag.”

horse and feedbag

Too bad we can’t teach the folks here in DC how to wear a costume and stand still for hours.  They would make a lot more money begging that way.

So this was my weirdo, er, street performer post for Italy.  I assure you that there were a lot of incredible sites along the way and I’ll definitely come back to share them with you all soon.  Here’s some art to whet your appetite. Anyone know who this is (who they are)?

David and Goliath

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Nikola Tesla and the Ugly Aunts

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Nikola TeslaAs my book on Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity  continues to grow in volume and excitement I’ve had a chance to explore Tesla’s early life and family.  He adored his mother’s intellectual abilities, at one point declaring that she was “an inventor of the first order.”  And as might be expected from the son of a clergyman, his feelings for his father were a mixture of admiration, awe, and fear.  But overall, Tesla had an immense respect and esteem for his family.

Tesla’s memories of other relatives are not so admiring.  In fact, he tells a story of his two aunts that is downright irreverent. These two aunts were, well, not exactly the local beauty queens.  They were old, at least in young Nikola’s eyes, and quite wrinkled in their faces.  One of them had “two teeth protruding like the tusks of an elephant.”  That vision must have been ghastly enough, but she had a habit of burying these tusks in Tesla’s cheek every time she kissed him.  Which in traditional Serbian culture is a lot.  Certainly too often for Nikola’s liking.  Being quite affectionate and adoring of their young nephew the aunts kissed and hugged to their heart’s content.  To Tesla this was a fate worse than death.  “Nothing could scare me more,” Tesla later said, “than the prospect of being hugged by these as affectionate as unattractive relatives.”

One day an occasion arrived that likely brought Tesla’s family more than a modicum of embarrassment.  Tesla’s mother Duka was carrying Tesla in her arms, and perhaps not anticipating the lack of political correctness of the young lad, unfortunately decided to ask Tesla which of the two aunts he thought was prettier.  Already the diligent observer that would later became the famous inventor, Tesla studied the faces of the two aunts intently.  After careful thought he pointed to one of them and proudly declared, “This here is not as ugly as the other.”

While we don’t know their reactions, we can assume young Nikola was not so warmly hugged after that.

David J. Kent is the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Cinco de Mayo – What to do in Cancun and Chichen Itza

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Hola! Feliz Cinco de Mayo!  Wondering what to do on Mexico’s traditional day of celebration?  Well, head on down to Cancun on the Yucatán peninsula.  And don’t forget to take a day trip to Chichen Itza.  Just make sure you do it before the end of 2012 (it’s Mayan, you know).

5 Things to do in Cancun

1. Relax at an all-inclusive resort hotel on the beach.  Once you arrive everything is already included – all meals, all drinks, all goofy pool games, and all 15 or so miles of the beach along the hotel zone.

Cancun Chichen Itza

2. Be Active at the various hotels, marinas, and yes, even a sinkhole.  Take a smiling parasail ride, or if you’re really daring, dive into one of the many Yucatan sinkholes.

Cancun parasailing

Yucatan sinkhole cinco de mayo

3. Shop in Cancun, or work your way down to the Mayan Riviera.  Or head inland to check out the Mayan artwork.

cancun maya cinco de mayo

Mayan art cinco de mayo

4. Visit Chichen Itza.  If Cancun is like being in Miami (English and dollars are more prevalent than Spanish and pesos), then Chichen Itza is like going back in time.  This center of Mayan civilization is a marvel to see.

Chichen Itza Maya cinco de mayo

5. Watch the sunrise.  Come on, it’s the beach.  Of course you’re going to watch the sunrise.

Cancun sunrise

I’ll have much more on Cancun and Chichen Itza in the future (this was just to whet your appetite).  I’ll have some videos and many more photos and ideas for what to do. But before then, let’s take a quick look at…

What not to do in Cancun

Note the cell phone, an iPad, and even a laptop at his feet. Okay, Mr. Workaholic.  Step away from the electronic devices and put on some sun block.

What not to do in Cancun

David J. Kent is an avid science traveler and the author of Lincoln: The Man Who Saved America, in Barnes and Noble stores now. His previous books include Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity (2013) and Edison: The Inventor of the Modern World (2016) and two e-books: Nikola Tesla: Renewable Energy Ahead of Its Time and Abraham Lincoln and Nikola Tesla: Connected by Fate.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

 

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Nikola Tesla chapter outline is now in the publisher’s hands!

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Nikola TeslaMy book chapter outline is contractually due May 1st and so I’m diligently adding the finishing touches so I can send it to the editor.  Meanwhile, the contract is finally finished and the first installment of the advance should arrive within 30 days. (Yay!)

Here’s a preview:

Chapter 1:           A Scientific Rock Star is Born

Chapter 2:           Coming of Age in Europe

Chapter 3:           The Odd Mr. Tesla

Chapter 4:           Of Edison and Westinghouse

Chapter 5:           A Man Always at War

Chapter 6:           Wireless and Wardenclyffe

Chapter 7:           Taking on Einstein

Chapter 8:           Beyond the Grave – Conspiracies and Pop Culture

Chapter 9:           A Lasting Legacy

It’s in!!  I sent the Chapter Outline in to my editor at Sterling Press tonight.  The signed contract gets put into snail mail tomorrow (yeah, snail mail, go figure).

Now back to the writing…

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Nikola Tesla – A Life Lived and Died

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Nikola TeslaAs the Nikola Tesla: The Wizard of Electricity book slowly springs to life (and sometimes to a life of its own), it became necessary to put together a rolling timeline of major events from birth to death.  Tesla’s life, of course, is interwoven with other key players in the development of alternating current, radio, wireless transmission, remote control guided weapons, and a few other exciting inventions to be named later.  As the timeline develops I’ll add some of the peculiar oddities that Tesla engaged in, as well as non-inventor folks like Mark Twain and Robert Underwood Johnson, but for now the following hints at some of the key scientific events.

1856    Born

1861    Brother killed

1862    Family moves to Gospic

1870s   Cholera

1875    Enters Graz for electrical engineering

1878    Leaves Graz w/o degree; breaks off relations with family

1881    Employed as assistant engineer in Marburg for 1 year; has nervous breakdown

1880    Attends University in Prague for summer term; father dies so leaves University

1880-1881   Moves to Budapest to work for Puskas in a telegraph company

1882    Moves to Paris to work for Continental Edison with Batchelor; conceived of induction motor and rotating magnetic fields patents

1884    Arrives in US w/letter of introduction from Batchelor to Edison

1885    Quits Edison feeling like cheated by him

1885    Digs ditches; works on polyphase system design; gets first patent

1886    Forms Tesla Electric Light & Manufacturing company

1887    Constructed initial AC induction motor; began investigating what would later be called x-rays

1888    Demonstrates to IEEE; develops principles for Tesla coil; begins work with G. Westinghouse

1891    Early demonstration of wireless energy transmission

1891    Becomes naturalized American citizen

1891    Invents Tesla coil

1893    First wireless transmission; Columbian Exhibition (Chicago)

1895    Lab burns down

1896    Electrical generation from Niagara Falls using his AC system

1898    Moves into Waldorf-Astoria hotel

1899    Moves to Colorado Springs

1900    Returns to NYC

1901    Signs contract with J.P. Morgan; construction on Wardenclyffe begins

1906    Invents bladeless turbine

1917    Wardenclyffe demolished; awarded Edison Medal

1931    On cover of Time magazine for seventy-fifth birthday

1943    Dies on January 8 in Hotel New Yorker; government seizes estate

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.

Check out my Goodreads author page. While you’re at it, “Like” my Facebook author page for more updates!

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Need some inspiration? This inspired me…

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A was looking at random videos on YouTube and came across this one.  It feeds my desire to travel to all those places I haven’t traveled yet – though I probably will take more than 10 days to do it.  As the video says – Make It Count!

It’s time to go…

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A Whale of a Tale – Woods Hole, Cape Cod, Massachusetts

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In one of my past lives I was a marine biologist.  Yep, Jacques Cousteau was my idol. I loved the beach not so much for the sand but for the psammon (pronounced like the fish, but really the microscopic flora and fauna of the interstitial spaces between sand grains of sea-shore and lake-shore areas).  Okay, too technical, I get it.

In any case, I did a lot of scrounging on the rocky shores of New England, snorkeling in the pristine clear waters of Bermuda, and scuba diving in the murky muck of the Jersey coast (long story).  I even worked at the National Marine Fisheries Laboratories on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Sandy Hook, New Jersey.  I studied jellyfish in the first and fish behavior in the second. The only problem with marine biology as a career was that there was basically one high-paying job in the business – and Jacques had it.  So, alas, despite my all too brief discussion with Jean-Michel Cousteau about growing algae in Iowa (another long story), my marine biology days are behind me.  At least professionally (yet another long story).

I did recently make my way back to Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where I strolled past the Fishmonger Cafe and The Captain Kidd, passed along the moored boats, and said hello to a new old friend – the whale in front of the NMFS aquarium (more on aquariums later).  So here are a couple of photos reminiscent of days long gone but never forgotten.

A Whale of a Tale

Something about the reflection in this photo brings back fond memories.