The Diary and Sundry Observations of Thomas Alva Edison edited by Dagobert D. Runes provides insight into the somewhat unique thinking and philosophy of the world's most prolific inventor (1093 U.S. patents). Taken from the actual speeches or writings of Edison, the reader learns the thoughts of the inventor on how his inventions have influenced society and more interestingly what Edison thinks about the future.

"With his more than one thousand inventions, Edison symbolizes the inauguration of the electro-industrial era of our time. Edison was almost Franklinian in his defiance of the doctrines of pure science. He was an experimenter and a practical man more than an ingenious theoretician. His inventions were the product of a methodical and prodding mind... The editor has endeavored, in this volume, to present to the reader a selection of Edison's social and philosophic ideas taken from the available notes, statements and observations of the inventor. The reader will find that many of Edison's casual remarks made decades ago have a definite contemporary significance. His propositions in ethics, philsosophy, music and education show a rare combination of whimsey and deep sincerity"--from preface (pages xi and xii).

Gain insight into the unique thinking and philosophy of the world’s most prolific inventor with this collection of his writings. American scientist and businessman Thomas Edison contributed much to the well-being and comfort of our modern life. He gave us the electric light, the phonograph, and the motion-picture camera, along with more than one thousand other inventions. Edison was, as fellow inventor Guglielmo Marconi put it, “one of the world’s greatest benefactors.” In this volume, editor Dagobert D. Runes presents Edison’s diary along with a selection of his social and philosophical ideas taken from available notes, statements, and observations. Readers will discover that many of Edison’s casual remarks made decades ago have a definite contemporary significance. His propositions in ethics, philosophy, music, and education show a rare combination of whimsy and deep sincerity.

AC/DC tells the little-known story of how Thomas Edison wrongly bet in the fierce war between supporters of alternating current and direct current. The savagery of this electrical battle can hardly be imagined today. The showdown between AC and DC began as a rather straightforward conflict between technical standards, a battle of competing methods to deliver essentially the same product, electricity. But the skirmish soon metastasized into something bigger and darker. In the AC/DC battle, the worst aspects of human nature somehow got caught up in the wires; a silent, deadly flow of arrogance, vanity, and cruelty. Following the path of least resistance, the war of currents soon settled around that most primal of human emotions: fear. AC/DC serves as an object lesson in bad business strategy and poor decision making. Edison's inability to see his mistake was a key factor in his loss of control over the ?operating system? for his future inventions?not to mention the company he founded, General Electric.

In September 1878, Thomas Alva Edison brashly—and prematurely—proclaimed his breakthrough invention of a workable electric light. That announcement was followed by many months of intense experimentation that led to the successful completion of his Pearl Street station four years later. Edison was not alone—nor was he first—in developing an incandescent light bulb, but his was the most successful of all competing inventions. Drawing from the documents in the Edison archives, Robert Friedel and Paul Israel explain how this came to be. They explore the process of invention through the Menlo Park notes, discussing the full range of experiments, including the testing of a host of materials, the development of such crucial tools as the world's best vacuum pump, and the construction of the first large-scale electrical generators and power distribution systems. The result is a fascinating story of excitement, risk, and competition. Revised and updated from the original 1986 edition, this definitive study of the most famous invention of America's most famous inventor is completely keyed to the printed and electronic versions of the Edison Papers, inviting the reader to explore further the remarkable original sources.