A biography of the electrical engineer whose inventions included an amplifier, an arc light, transformers, Tesla coils, rotating magnetic field motors for alternating current, and others.

In 1899, Nikola Tesla, a brilliant man who was instrumental in developing the electrical empire that shapes our world of today, lived and conducted research in Colorado Springs. Tesla came to the Pikes Peak region to conduct different experiments, primarily to fi nd a way to transmit electrical power without the use of wires. The high, dry climate was ideal for his work. The tale of this exceptional scientist and unusual man comes to life in Inez Hunt and Wanetta Draper¿s book Lightning In His Hand: The Life Story of Nikola Tesla. The story by Hunt and Draper will appeal not only to readers interested in the growth of electrical power in the 19th and early 20th century, but for the study of an eccentric, visionary scientist who found Colorado Springs a perfect lab for his experiments.- Richard MaroldColorado Springs public speaker, writer,and portrayer of Winfi eld Scott Stratton,Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and Nikola Tesla

The progressive development of man is vitally dependent on invention. It is the most important product of his creative brain. Its ultimate purpose is the complete mastery of mind over the material world, the harnessing of the forces of nature to human needs. This is the difficult task of the inventor who is often misunderstood and unrewarded. But he finds ample compensation in the pleasing exercises of his powers and in the knowledge of being one of that exceptionally privileged class without whom the race would have long ago perished in the bitter struggle against pitiless elements. Speaking for myself, I have already had more than my full measure of this exquisite enjoyment; so much, that for many years my life was little short of continuous rapture. I am credited with being one of the hardest workers and perhaps I am, if thought is the equivalent of labor, for I have devoted to it almost all of my waking hours. But if work is interpreted to be a definite performance in a specified time according to a rigid rule, then I may be the worst of idlers. Every effort under compulsion demands a sacrifice of life-energy. I never paid such a price. On the contrary, I have thrived on my thoughts. In attempting to give a connected and faithful account of my activities in this story of my life, I must dwell, however reluctantly, on the impressions of my youth and the circumstances and events which have been instrumental in determining my career. Our first endeavors are purely instinctive promptings of an imagination vivid and undisciplined. As we grow older, reason asserts itself and we become more and more systematic and designing. But those early impulses, though not immediately productive, are of the greatest moment and may shape our very destinies. Indeed, I feel now that had I understood and cultivated instead of suppressing them, I would have added substantial value to my bequest to the world. But not until I had attained manhood did I realize that I was an inventor. This was due to a number of causes. In the first place I had a brother who was gifted to an extraordinary degree; one of those rare phenomena of mentality which biological investigation has failed to explain. His premature death left my earth parents disconsolate. (I will explain my remark about my “earth parents” later.) We owned a horse which had been presented to us by a dear friend. It was a magnificent animal of Arabian breed, possessed of almost human intelligence, and was cared for and petted by the whole family, having on one occasion saved my dear father’s life under remarkable circumstances. My father had been called one winter night to perform an urgent duty and while crossing the mountains, infested by wolves, the horse became frightened and ran away, throwing him violently to the ground. It arrived home bleeding and exhausted, but after the alarm was sounded, immediately dashed off again, returning to the spot, and before the searching party were far on the way they were met by my father, who had recovered consciousness and remounted, not realizing that he had been lying in the snow for several hours. This horse was responsible for my brother’s injuries from which he died. I witnessed the tragic scene and although so many years have elapsed since, my visual impression of it has lost none of its force. The recollection of his attainments made every effort of mine seem dull in comparison. Anything I did that was creditable merely caused my parents to feel their loss more keenly. So I grew up with little confidence in myself.

Reprint. Originally published: New York: Ives Washburn, 1944.

Lightning strikes examines Nikola Tesla's unusual life and mind, along with his many visions and innovations, which have helped shape our past, our present, and our future. It also explores why the government hoped to shut down his bold experiments and how his groundbreaking ideas and inventions are being implemented in the global technologies of clean power, robotics, and wireless transmission of power and information. But most of all, Lightning Strikes offers lessons on creativity from his life and work that can be applied in today's world.