A New York Times poll, in 1922, named Thomas Edison the greatest living American, and, to this day, his genius is unquestioned. But during some of the most productive and tumultuous years of his life, his business affairs began to cast a shadow over his formidable stature. Edison: His Life and Inventions helped restore a tarnishing portrait and did much to re-establish his everlasting legacy. Through Edison and his associates’ own words, this first authorized biography gave its audience a first-hand look into the mind of a great man, during the most innovative period in world history, and for that fact alone, it is worth reading today.

Edison and his electric light were happily more fortunate than other men and inventions, in the relative cordiality of the reception given them. The merit was too obvious to remain unrecognized. Nevertheless, it was through intense hostility and opposition that the young art made its way, pushed forward by Edison's own strong personality and by his unbounded, unwavering faith in the ultimate success of his system. It may seem strange that great effort was required to introduce a light so manifestly convenient, safe, agreeable, and advantageous, but the facts are matter of record; and to-day the recollection of some of the episodes brings a fierce glitter into the eye and keen indignation into the voice of the man who has come so victoriously through it all.

 

A New York Times poll, in 1922, named Thomas Edison the greatest living American, and, to this day, his genius is unquestioned. But during some of the most productive and tumultuous years of his life, his business affairs began to cast a shadow over his formidable stature. Edison: His Life and Inventions helped restore a tarnishing portrait and did much to re-establish his everlasting legacy. Through Edison and his associates’ own words, this first authorized biography gave its audience a first-hand look into the mind of a great man, during the most innovative period in world history, and for that fact alone, it is worth reading today.

INTRODUCTION 3 CHAPTER I -- THE AGE OF ELECTRICITY 5 CHAPTER II -- EDISON'S PEDIGREE 8 CHAPTER III -- BOYHOOD AT PORT HURON, MICHIGAN 13 CHAPTER IV -- THE YOUNG TELEGRAPH OPERATOR 23 CHAPTER V -- ARDUOUS YEARS IN THE CENTRAL WEST 30 CHAPTER VI -- WORK AND INVENTION IN BOSTON 42 CHAPTER VII -- THE STOCK TICKER 49 CHAPTER VIII -- AUTOMATIC, DUPLEX, AND QUADRUPLEX TELEGRAPHY 59 CHAPTER IX -- THE TELEPHONE, MOTOGRAPH, AND MICROPHONE 71 CHAPTER X -- THE PHONOGRAPH 85 CHAPTER XI -- THE INVENTION OF THE INCANDESCENT LAMP 98 CHAPTER XII -- MEMORIES OF MENLO PARK 111 CHAPTER XIII -- A WORLD-HUNT FOR FILAMENT MATERIAL 123 CHAPTER XIV -- INVENTING A COMPLETE SYSTEM OF LIGHTING 131 CHAPTER XV -- INTRODUCTION OF THE EDISON ELECTRIC LIGHT 143 CHAPTER XVI -- THE FIRST EDISON CENTRAL STATION 157 CHAPTER XVII -- OTHER EARLY STATIONS--THE METER 169 CHAPTER XVIII -- THE ELECTRIC RAILWAY 182 CHAPTER XIX -- MAGNETIC ORE MILLING WORK 192 CHAPTER XX -- EDISON PORTLAND CEMENT 205 CHAPTER XXI -- MOTION PICTURES 214 CHAPTER XXII -- THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE EDISON STORAGE BATTERY 223 CHAPTER XXIII -- MISCELLANEOUS INVENTIONS 232 CHAPTER XXIV -- EDISON'S METHOD IN INVENTING 242 CHAPTER XXV -- THE LABORATORY AT ORANGE AND THE STAFF 255 CHAPTER XXVI -- EDISON IN COMMERCE AND MANUFACTURE 268 CHAPTER XXVII -- THE VALUE OF EDISON'S INVENTIONS TO THE WORLD 278 CHAPTER XXVIII -- THE BLACK FLAG 288 CHAPTER XXIX -- THE SOCIAL SIDE OF EDISON 303 INTRODUCTION TO THE APPENDIX 320 APPENDIX 321 I -- THE STOCK PRINTER 321 II -- THE QUADRUPLEX AND PHONOPLEX 325 III -- AUTOMATIC TELEGRAPHY 332 IV -- WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY 337 V -- THE ELECTROMOTOGRAPH 345 VI -- THE TELEPHONE 348 VII -- EDISON'S TASIMETER 351 VIII -- THE EDISON PHONOGRAPH 353 IX -- THE INCANDESCENT LAMP 357 X -- EDISON'S DYNAMO WORK 361 XI -- THE EDISON FEEDER SYSTEM 369 XII -- THE THREE-WIRE SYSTEM 373 XIII -- EDISON'S ELECTRIC RAILWAY 376 XIV -- TRAIN TELEGRAPHY 380 XV -- KINETOGRAPH AND PROJECTING KINETOSCOPE 381 XVI -- EDISON'S ORE-MILLING INVENTIONS 384 XVII -- THE LONG CEMENT KILN 389 XVIII -- EDISON'S NEW STORAGE BATTERY 392 XIX -- EDISON'S POURED CEMENT HOUSE 395 LIST OF UNITED STATES PATENTS 398 FOREIGN PATENTS 425

Frank Lewis Dyer was Edison’s General Counsel and chief patent attorney. He was not a published author, but he convinced Edison of the need for a biography and brought in a professional writer, Thomas Commerford Martin, to assist him. Martin had the credentials to handle the Edison memoirs, having published a biography of inventor and Edison rival, Nikola Tesla.

 

Edison, His Life and Inventions by Frank Lewis Dyer and Thomas Commerford Martin
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