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A review by wictory
The Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bell's Secret by Seth Shulman
4.0
Seth Shulman's exposition of the shady tactics behind the invention of the telephone is an engaging read for anyone who has heard the one-sided tale of Alexander Graham Bell and his assistant toiling away at their workbenches.
Bell's background as a teacher of the deaf, the professional and personal pressure he faced to produce a working telephone and the underhanded actions of his business contacts to ensure that the most valuable U.S. patent ever granted was granted to Bell keep the story moving at an interesting pace. Shulman includes his discovery and research process as part of the story, so the book has a modern tone and isn't weighed down by too much discussion of 19th century technology.
I ended the book feeling bad for Elisha Gray, the forgotten pioneer of telephone technology and almost feeling worse for Bell, whose entire reputation is based on his lowest moment. A very interesting examination of a story few people ever question.
Bell's background as a teacher of the deaf, the professional and personal pressure he faced to produce a working telephone and the underhanded actions of his business contacts to ensure that the most valuable U.S. patent ever granted was granted to Bell keep the story moving at an interesting pace. Shulman includes his discovery and research process as part of the story, so the book has a modern tone and isn't weighed down by too much discussion of 19th century technology.
I ended the book feeling bad for Elisha Gray, the forgotten pioneer of telephone technology and almost feeling worse for Bell, whose entire reputation is based on his lowest moment. A very interesting examination of a story few people ever question.