Edison by Edmund Morris is a biography of one of America's most famous inventors, Thomas Edison. Morris' biography of Edison covers the inventor's entire life, from his early childhood to his financial success as an entrepreneur and his final years as an elderly statesman. Morris firmly established himself as an expert on the brilliant inventor with his Pulitzer Prize-winning biography published in 1979.
Morris begins the biography by outlining Edison's family background— his mother's side of the family being descended from Puritans and the father's side, the Dutch stock. He tells of how a young Edison, not having the benefit of a formal education and attending school for only a few years, chose to educate himself instead, studying the encyclopedia and devouring books of knowledge.
Edison's early experiments eventually culminated in him getting his first patent in 1871 and going on to open a workshop with some partners in Newark. He soon became famous and then renowned after his invention of the lightbulb in 1879. As Morris writes, "The simplest and most daring of all his inventions, it made him an overnight celebrity."
From then on, Edison was unstoppable and his inventions kept flowing, from the stock printer to the phonograph, the electric locomotive and then on to the even greater achievement of the motion picture camera. As Morris narrates Edison's rise, Morris reveals how Edison came to see himself in the role of an innovator and how he changed the nature of invention itself, transforming the concept from a solitary individual's pursuit to one requiring the organisation of laboratories and manufacturing plants, working together as a team.
Morris then moves on to Edison's downfall, when his lab and manufacturing plants were brought to trial by the US Government in 1910 after decade's of monopolistic practices in the industry. This coupled with his final abandoned attempts at making a rechargeable battery made him recede into the shadows of history.
As his fame gradually diminished, Morris talks about the laments and tragedy of Edison's last years, which included his wife and children not wanting anything to do with him, accusations of faulty business practices, and finally the death of his first wife in the 1930's.
This biography of legendary American inventor Thomas Edison wraps itself up nicely as it offers an in-depth perspective of the tumultuous life of the inventor. Morris does an amazing job of offering a vivid description of Edison's ascent to fame, his incredible inventions, and finally his downfall from grace. Not only does the book shed light on Edison's contribution to today's technology, but it also reveals the human side of his ingenuity, showing the very person behind the modern technological marvels. Edison byEdmund Morris is an excellent source of information on the life and importance of the amazing Thomas Edison.
