Tesla: A Biographical Novel of the World's Greatest Inventor [Paperback]

Tad Wise (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1995

The true father of radio, and the inventor of fluorescent lighting, remote control, and robotics, Nikola Tesla (1856-1942) opened the door to the modern world. Now, in the tradition of Ragtime, a vibrant and compelling historical novel about the bizarre and tragic life of one of the great scientific minds of all time.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Wise's engrossing and moving biographical novel of Croatian-born American inventor Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) restores the luster to a visionary genius considered by many to be the true father of the electrical age. The son of a Serbian Orthodox priest who saw the dandified prodigy as a nihilistic blasphemer, Tesla went to work in 1884 in Thomas Edison's Manhattan factory, entrusting his brainchildren to his employer. But eventually he struck out on his own and, with George Westinghouse's backing, proved his alternating-current dynamo (upon which modern electricity is based) superior to Edison's direct-current system. Radio, X-rays, arc lighting, robotics, a particle-beam "death ray" and other inventions and blueprints poured from the fertile brain of this driven, grandiose, difficult eccentric who gave himself electrical "infusions" to boost energy and induce euphoria. In his first novel, Wise limns a marvelously evocative picture of trolley car-era New York City and of the dawn of the modern age as he charts Tesla's friendship with Mark Twain and his dealings with J. P. Morgan. When Tesla died, a penurious hermit in a seedy NYC hotel, the federal government--in Wise's telling--confiscated his personal effects. In an epilogue, the author calls on the FBI, CIA, KGB and other agencies to open their files so the world can determine the true extent of Tesla's scientific contributions. 25,000 first printing.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

Nikola Tesla walked into Edison's laboratory in 1884 with the dream of changing the world from Edison's DC power to his own, yet-to-be-invented AC. The men hated each other, especially after Tesla's AC, with the help of George Westinghouse, won the Niagra Falls competition to generate hydroelectric power. Destined to succeed wildly and fail spectacularly throughout his life, Tesla nonetheless could rightly claim the title of "one of the world's greatest inventors." Radio, robotics, solar cells, X-ray generators, and sonar and fluorescent lighting all were products of his genius. Such genius, however, cannot explain his bizarre personal habits, anti-Semitism, misogyny, and harsh treatment of employees. This complex man receives fawning treatment and scant analysis in this first novel. More appropriate in tone and scope for a YA audience, it lacks the creativity and vitality of its subject and will disappoint readers of serious biography or historical fiction.
Paul E. Hutchison, Bellefonte, Pa.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 381 pages
• Publisher: Turner Pub (March 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1570361630
• ISBN-13: 978-1570361630
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #914,165 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Sparks intrigue, February 25, 2004

By 

James T. Glavin "person" (Denver) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tesla: A Biographical Novel of the World's Greatest Inventor (Paperback)

This book, while it does leave out most of the technical explanations behind Tesla's work, fulfills its purpose as a novel. I found it quite entertaining. I found myself wanting to pick it back up each time I put it down. Once it's over, you're left wanting more, though. It does the man justice, for the most part.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a biographical novel, not a biography, May 29, 2009

By 

Daniel Brady (Minneapolis, MN USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Tesla: A Biographical Novel of the World's Greatest Inventor (Paperback)

I've been studying Tesla's life lately, and this came across my reading stack, so I was fairly fresh from other, more scholarly biographies.

With an engaging voice, the arrogant brilliance of Nikola Tesla is brought to life here. Some well-documented incidents are given important depth by the author's attention to detail; other sections bring forth important information I've not seen in other biographies - citations would have been greatly appreciated.

Still, it's not a biography, it's a biographical novel, and as such, it's quite enjoyable. This would make a fine companion to a more scholarly (but necessarily less engaging) work, such as Wizard: The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla : Biography of a Genius (Citadel Press Book).

All in all, a fascinating and revealing read; I recommend it.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed in Boston, November 27, 1999

By 

Winfield Hill (Boston, MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tesla: A Biographical Novel of the World's Greatest Inventor (Paperback)

Lots of poor writing, and imaginary dialog by the author, but very little to satisfy curiosity about Tesla, to my mind. What are we to learn about how his noted accomplishments, such as the ac polyphase power system, came about? Very little indeed. ZERO STARS from me. Not recommended.