Tesla’s eccentric personality gives his life story the quality of the strangest romance. He made his first million before he was forty, yet gave up the royalties on his profitable invention as a gesture of friendship, and died almost in poverty. In this penetrating study of the life and inventions of a scientific superman, the life of Tesla is revealed.
Prodigal Genius: The Life of Nikola Tesla
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"John O'Neil understands me better than any man alive." -- Nikola Tesla
About the Author
Tesla, pioneer of electrical engineering, was a close friend of Pulitzer Prize-winning author O'Neill, JOHN JOSEPH O'NEILL (b. 1889- d. 1955)) also wrote Engineering the New Age and You and the Universe: What Science Reveals.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
51 of 52 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
If you've never read anything by or about Tesla, or even if
you've only read his technical writings, here's the book that will
answer your questions about Tesla.
Written from the point of view of someone who knew him, Prodigal Genius
gives an amazing glimpse into the personality of this remarkable inventor.
There are lengthy passages about his childhood and early career including how
he got cheated out of $20,000 for inventing alternating current.
There are also thought-provoking stories about how some of his inventions
backfired and almost shook down a city block or two!
Even if you're not a Tesla nut, Prodigal Genius is a great read--it's exciting enough
that it's hard to put down. If you weren't a Tesla nut when you picked it up, you will be when you put it down!
you've only read his technical writings, here's the book that will
answer your questions about Tesla.
Written from the point of view of someone who knew him, Prodigal Genius
gives an amazing glimpse into the personality of this remarkable inventor.
There are lengthy passages about his childhood and early career including how
he got cheated out of $20,000 for inventing alternating current.
There are also thought-provoking stories about how some of his inventions
backfired and almost shook down a city block or two!
Even if you're not a Tesla nut, Prodigal Genius is a great read--it's exciting enough
that it's hard to put down. If you weren't a Tesla nut when you picked it up, you will be when you put it down!
54 of 63 people found the following review helpful
By Louise Cate
Format:Hardcover
This book tells the fascinating story of an amazing Serbian boy, Nikola Tesla, who was born in 1856, in the area we now call Bosnia. The author explains how Tesla's accomplishments brought forth our modern electrical power era and provide the foundation for the industrial system on which the entire world is built.
Tesla's mother could repeat, without error or omission, thousands of verses of the national poetry of her country. Tesla shared her retentive memory. He had another ability that he only revealed to his mother. If Tesla thought of an object, it would appear before him exhibiting the appearance of solidity and massiveness. He used this ability to visualize the solution to creating the first alternating current generator.
The first time Tesla's ability to visualize helped him in his quest to develop an alternating current generator, occurred when he suggested to a college professor that alternating current would solve some of the problems with a piece of electrical equipment that could be used either to generate electricity or if supplied energy could operate as a motor. As his professor demonstrated the machine, the solution to the problem came to Tesla in such a vivid, illuminating flash of understanding that he knew his visualization contained the correct and practical answer. He saw both the equipment operating without the problems and doing so efficiently, however, he could not see the essential details of how this could be accomplished.
In Feb of 1882, Tesla took a walk in the city of Budapest with a former classmate. While a glorious sunset overspread the sky, Tesla engaged in one of his favorite hobbies-reciting poetry.... Read more ›
Tesla's mother could repeat, without error or omission, thousands of verses of the national poetry of her country. Tesla shared her retentive memory. He had another ability that he only revealed to his mother. If Tesla thought of an object, it would appear before him exhibiting the appearance of solidity and massiveness. He used this ability to visualize the solution to creating the first alternating current generator.
The first time Tesla's ability to visualize helped him in his quest to develop an alternating current generator, occurred when he suggested to a college professor that alternating current would solve some of the problems with a piece of electrical equipment that could be used either to generate electricity or if supplied energy could operate as a motor. As his professor demonstrated the machine, the solution to the problem came to Tesla in such a vivid, illuminating flash of understanding that he knew his visualization contained the correct and practical answer. He saw both the equipment operating without the problems and doing so efficiently, however, he could not see the essential details of how this could be accomplished.
In Feb of 1882, Tesla took a walk in the city of Budapest with a former classmate. While a glorious sunset overspread the sky, Tesla engaged in one of his favorite hobbies-reciting poetry.... Read more ›
22 of 24 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Hardcover
Here is a story of a man born in the glorious womb of science, a man who so completely understood the laws of nature and the scientific method that he commanded total dominion over the physical universe.
Once you read this book you will find it difficult to name an aspect of modern life that hasn't been affected by the hand of Nikola Tesla.
Some of Tesla's ideas were so far ahead of his time that to the people of his day, they were considered impossible; his vision of the world of the future was mocked and laughed at even by other scientists. Over time scepticism about the possibilities of science and technology has waned. Unfortunately for us the world was not yet ready for Tesla, this man out of time, and he died with his greatest achievments alive only in his mind.
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
By MT
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The book was originally published (or at least written) in 1944, by a friend/colleague of Tesla, who inserts himself into the storyline a bit too often. The author obviously idolized Tesla, and even in pointing out his flaws does so in a way that largley minimizes them. The story of Tesla's life, achievements, and oddities is truly remarkable, but I had hoped for a much better written account. The writing style seemed rather awkward to me, especially early in the book, and I found it to be distracting. The author engages in a good deal of speculation and moralizing, presents a very partial and stereotyped picture of Tesla.
It's certainly not all bad, and the personal insight of the author is at times appreciated. But, to sum it up, it is (and feels like) a book written by a science editor, not a biographer.
It's certainly not all bad, and the personal insight of the author is at times appreciated. But, to sum it up, it is (and feels like) a book written by a science editor, not a biographer.
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
By S. Crowley
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Once I got by the romantic flair of the first pages, I really enjoyed O'Neill's biography of Tesla. The subject of Tesla's life is certainly fascinating. He was a true visionary and a man well before his time.
Minus one star for the romance (Is this typical of biographies of the era? I don't know.), for some circular logic (punishing Marconi for not seeing the potential of wireless transmission but lauding Tesla generating the first X-rays even though he did not grasp their potential).
Over all, an informative and enjoyable read.
P.S. I recommend Googling up Tesla's patents while progressing through the book.
Minus one star for the romance (Is this typical of biographies of the era? I don't know.), for some circular logic (punishing Marconi for not seeing the potential of wireless transmission but lauding Tesla generating the first X-rays even though he did not grasp their potential).
Over all, an informative and enjoyable read.
P.S. I recommend Googling up Tesla's patents while progressing through the book.
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Prodigal Genius: The Life of Nikola Tesla is the amazing true-life biography of inventor extraordinaire Nikola Tesla (1856-1943), a friend of Mark Twain and George Westinghouse, and a rival of Thomas Edison. Tesla invented the AC electrical current; his talent for inventions and scientific advancement was enhanced by his ability to visualize three-dimensional images of his inventions, saving money and effort on prototype constructions. Though his prodigal talents brought him great wealth and recognition - he made his first million before he turned forty - he refused to accept the Nobel Prize, chose to give away his royalties as a token of friendship, and died nearly penniless. His dream was to provide the world with sources of energy and wonders of technology that were free to enrich the lives of all, rather than fuel the profit margin of corporate sponsors. Yet for his selfless ideals, he received derision and disdain. Written by John J. O'Neill, a personal friend of Tesla's, and originally published in 1944, Prodigal Genius remains the seminal biography of a staunchly ethical man of science, who deserves far more honor than history has given him.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Part of American and world history.
This is an excellent and definitive account of Tessla's life and work. While I know little about the properties of electricity I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it quite... Read more
Published 1 month ago by Thelma Rose
4.0 out of 5 stars
Buried by big business for obvious reasons, to conceal their greed as...
A very productive mega genius out to help mankind and buried in history by big business interested in only self gain. Read more
Published 1 month ago by electriczipper
1.0 out of 5 stars
Probably better alternatives
I was not impressed with the writing. I found it hard to follow. I appeared that the author was more focused on using "big," arbitrary words, rather than focusing on the... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Jake Miler
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Biography of Tesla Written
Because this was a contemporary account, there is more of the real person and his real inventions than in later, more lurid accounts.
Published 3 months ago by book collector
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant and revealing.
Some unknown facts, read in between the lines and realize some people did not want many things said about Tesla and his discoveries. People like J.P. Read more
Published 6 months ago by Mr. D.G.Holmes
2.0 out of 5 stars
Agreeing with 'MT' review
As I was about to send in this review I noted that the 3-star review by MT cover similar key points. Read more
Published 10 months ago by hawaiianmike
3.0 out of 5 stars
Tesla and O'Neill, sitting in a tree.
This book reads like a verbal masturbation of Dr. Tesla's career. I am a huge fan of Nikola Tesla's research, but O'Neill really takes it far beyond "doting fanboyism". Read more
Published 15 months ago by K. LIU
2.0 out of 5 stars
Fan fiction.
While I thought it was good to read a book written about Tesla by somebody who actually knew him, O' Neill's book reads like a piece of fan fiction. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Adam G Klein
5.0 out of 5 stars
A fascinating individual
I've wanted to add this book to my collection for a while now. I found it while reading about Tesla on Answers.com. The copy arrived before I expected and is in great shape. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Travis French
3.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating but take with salt
The account and the subject are fascinating, but the work is of very questionable veracity. Legend, mystery and unsubstantiated claims form the basis of the factual content of the... Read more
Published 22 months ago by Edopinion
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