While researching Alexander Graham Bell at MIT's Dibner Institute, Seth Shulman scrutinised Bell's journals and within them he found a smoking gun, a hint of deeply buried historical intrigue. Delving further, Shulman unearthed the surprising story behind the invention of the telephone: a tale of romance, corruption and unchecked ambition. Bell furtively - and illegally - copied part of Elisha Gray's invention in the race to secure what would become the most valuable US patent ever issued. And afterwards, as Bell's device led to the world's largest monopoly, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, he hid his invention's illicit beginnings. In "The Telephone Gambit" Shulman challenges the reputation of an icon of invention, rocks the foundation of a corporate behemoth and offers a probing meditation on how little we know about the history of one of the world's most important inventions.
The Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bell's Secret
and over 1.5 million other books are available for Amazon Kindle . Learn more
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||
Did you know you can trade in your old books for an Amazon.co.uk Gift Card to spend on the things you want? Visit the Books Trade-In Store for more details. Special Offer until June 30, 2013: Receive an additional £5 promotional Gift Certificate, when you trade-in at least £10 worth of books. Learn more. |
Book Description
Product details
Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
|
More About the Author
Discover books, learn about writers, and more.
Product Description
Review
"...a tale of intrigue and deception, where Shulman builds the case that Alexander Graham Bell plagiarized Gray's idea... and passed it off as his own." Saswat R. Das, The Times Literary Supplement "Read the book and decide-it's a great tale of historic detection." Jeff Hecht, New Scientist "A page-turner... as much fun to read as an Agatha Christie whodunit..." Wall Street Journal"
About the Author
SETH SHULMAN is an author, editor and journalist specialising in issues in science, technology and the environment. His most recent books include Unlocking the Sky and Owning the Future.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
What Other Items Do Customers Buy After Viewing This Item?
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
An absolutely brilliant book that reads like a whodunnit. It never flags as it gathers evidence to show who really 'discovered' the telephone, said to be the most lucrative patent in history and one of the all time great discoveries. [I rate Sir J. Swann's invention of the light bulb as at least equal - he predated Edison by about 20 years!]. Of course I will give no clues here but anyone interested in the history of science and technology cannot fail to be fascinated and surprised by this book.
The evidence is carefully collected and annotated although I question one or two statements by the author on which I do not agree. The only other comment I will make is can we really trust the re-examination of 'evidence' from sources over 100 years ago?
The evidence is carefully collected and annotated although I question one or two statements by the author on which I do not agree. The only other comment I will make is can we really trust the re-examination of 'evidence' from sources over 100 years ago?
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a drama filled book, and if I did not have some background knowledge on the subject I might have believed more and as a consequence enjoyed the read. The author has come up with a catchy title and I'm afraid that's probably the best thing there is about the book, really it belongs on the shelf along with Dan Brown' s The Da Vinci Code or `The Bourne Conspiracy'. The plot is unconvincing, the characters unbelievable and the prose sensational; I found expressions like "incriminating sketch" quite irritating.
On the plus side, if you are interested in the history of the telephone and late nineteenth century patenting there is information aplenty, however the fascinating story of the birth of one of the truly great modern inventions is not to be found in this book.
The electrical engineer Elisha Gray is presented as the victim of a conspiracy True there were several telephone pioneers and he was in the top group, but Bell and Edison were head and shoulders above Gray and the rest of them. Their endeavours resulted in the modern telephone, whereas Gray's offering was never a realistic contender and most certainly not something that Professor Bell would wish to pass off as his own.
Bell is presented as a sneak, and his modesty and other positive qualities are interpreted as evidence of guilt. Despite the vast amount of available data that shows Bell to be a brilliant and dedicated scientist our author in his effort to come up with his `sensational scoop' has produced something which is neither a credible historical work nor a gripping novel, and fails for that reason.
On the plus side, if you are interested in the history of the telephone and late nineteenth century patenting there is information aplenty, however the fascinating story of the birth of one of the truly great modern inventions is not to be found in this book.
The electrical engineer Elisha Gray is presented as the victim of a conspiracy True there were several telephone pioneers and he was in the top group, but Bell and Edison were head and shoulders above Gray and the rest of them. Their endeavours resulted in the modern telephone, whereas Gray's offering was never a realistic contender and most certainly not something that Professor Bell would wish to pass off as his own.
Bell is presented as a sneak, and his modesty and other positive qualities are interpreted as evidence of guilt. Despite the vast amount of available data that shows Bell to be a brilliant and dedicated scientist our author in his effort to come up with his `sensational scoop' has produced something which is neither a credible historical work nor a gripping novel, and fails for that reason.
0 of 1 people found the following review helpful
By shagnasty
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Many have known of the perfidious Scot who laid claim to the invention of the telephone. But at last here is a truthfull account of one of the greatest crimes in history. This is not another psychophantic account of nationalist or parochial interests or of big buisness. Seth Shulman goe's a long way in putting the record straight in this very readable and engrossing book. In this Herculean task of reasearching and unearthing the truth he has dispelled many of the lies and myths of over a hundred years.
Hopefully it will help towards redeeming the true inventor of the telephone, Mr Elisha Gray, a true gentleman of history.
Hopefully it will help towards redeeming the true inventor of the telephone, Mr Elisha Gray, a true gentleman of history.
Would you like to see more reviews about this item?
›
Go to Amazon.com to see all 41 reviews
4.2 out of 5 stars
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
- Books > Business, Finance & Law > Law
- Books > History > Other Historical Subjects > History of Engineering & Technology
- Books > History > Social & Economic History > Inventions
- Books > Science & Nature > Chemistry > Laboratory Techniques & Experiments
- Books > Science & Nature > Engineering & Technology > Electronics & Communications Engineering > Telecommunications
- Books > Science & Nature > Engineering & Technology > Electronics & Communications Engineering > Telephone & Wireless Technology
- Books > Science & Nature > Mathematics > Popular Maths
- Books > Scientific, Technical & Medical
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
