Why read The Age of Edison?

Book cover of The Age of Edison: Electric Light and the Invention of Modern America

Book description

A sweeping history of the electric light revolution and the birth of modern America

The late nineteenth century was a period of explosive technological creativity, but more than any other invention, Thomas Edison's incandescent light bulb marked the arrival of modernity, transforming its inventor into a mythic figure and…

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Thomas Edison

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Why read it?

1 author picked The Age of Edison as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

Peter H. Spitz

Author

There are plenty of books on Edison, but what I love about Freeberg's telling is that he focuses on more than just the invention itself but its impacts. This book gives a powerful sense of how exciting Edison's incandescent light bulb was and how it transformed America—one light, one household, and one business at a time.

It's also a book that brings history to life, something I really appreciate as an author, not just an inventor. In the "age" of Edison, the late nineteenth century, the world was on the cusp of modernity. It's remarkable to consider just how far…

From Peter's list on The best books for passionate innovators.