Edwin Grosvenor, Bell's great-grandson and founding editor of the art magazine Portfolio, joins forces with Emmy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker Morgan Wesson to tell the dramatic story of the race to invent the telephone--and how Bell's patent for it would become the most valuable ever issued. 405 illustrations. 35 in color.
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Editorial Reviews
From Kirkus Reviews
Great inventors tend to become so closely identified with their most famous invention that their very lives become obscured. As this terse, admiring assessment of Bell's (18471922) life makes clear, the telephone--his greatest accomplishment and a leading invention of the 19th century--represented only one element in his long and restless career. He also devised the first practical phonograph and did important work on aviation in its infancy. This shy, amiable man also headed the National Geographic Society, was an outspoken proponent of civil rights, and worried publicly about the impact of technology on the environment. Grosvenor, Bell's great-grandson, and Wesson, a documentary filmmaker, offer a useful overview of Bell's professional achievements, succinct descriptions of his ideas, and a lively account of the telephone's impact on American society. The 405 illustrations (35 in color) offer a fascinating view of Bell's high-spirited family life and circle of friends, and of the early years of the telephone business. An effective marriage of text and photographs, and a succinct portrait of a decent man and a remarkable scientist. (Book-of-the-Month Club featured selection; History Book Club alternate selection) -- Copyright ©1997, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.
Review
[R]arely have inventor and invention been better served than in the 400 illustrations, many of them Bell family photos, assembled by Edwin S. Grosvenor and Morgan Wesson.... -- The New York Times Book Review, David Walton
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
a restless genius,
By
This review is from: Alexander Graham Bell (Hardcover)
This book is a treasure trove--put together in part by Bell's own great-grandson--of letters, notes, journal entries, sketches, and photographs which show us (better than any other book I have seen) not only the great scientist but also the human being who was Alexander Graham Bell. I was fortunate enough to speak several times with Mr. Bell's great-grandson, Edwin S. Grosvenor--as well as with archivists at the schools for the deaf where Alec taught--in writing my play Genius in the Attic: The Restless Curiosity of Alexander Graham Bell. I cannot recommend this book highly enough for the reader who wants to learn not only about Bell's amazing discoveries and accomplishments, but also about the man behind the science.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Hard to put down,
By T. Mitchell "Geographer, Author, Open Source ... (Williams Lake, British Columbia Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)
This review is from: Alexander Graham Bell (Hardcover)
I love this stuff and also appreciate the tie-ins to other inventors of the day - Gray, Edison, etc. There is good intrigue and the writing, though biographical, is also constructed nicely enough to keep you wanting to now the next "chapter". Large format and well illustrated. Intriguing like those large "pirateology" or "explorer" pop-up kind of books - with all the clippings and real life tidbits right there in front of you. Since my Dad worked for Bell (Bell Canada Inc. that is ;-) ) and I heard about Brantford lots growing up, I found it particularly interesting.
5.0 out of 5 stars
numerous excellent photos and information,
By
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Alexander Graham Bell (Hardcover)
This is a very nice oversized hardback book with numerous photos and information on a very fascinating subject. There are so many things that I didn't know about Alexander Graham Bell. I didn't know he was from Scotland or that both his mother and wife were deaf and that he taught the deaf. He also was involved in the founding of the National Geographic Society. He invented the metal detector in order to try and save the life of President Garfield, after Garfield was shot, by aiding in finding the bullet. He was really an amazing man to read about.
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