简介：Bythetimehediedin1931,ThomasAlvaEdisonwasoneofthemostfamousmenintheworld.Theholderofmorepatentsthananyotherinventorinhistory,Edisonhadachievedgloryasthegeniusbehindsuchrevolutionaryinventionsassoundrecording,motionpictures,andelectriclight.BornonthethresholdofAmerica'sburgeoningindustrialempire,Edison'scuriosityledhimtoitscuttingedge.Withjustthreemonthsofformalschooling,hetookononeseeminglyimpossibletechnicalchallengeafteranother,andthroughintuition,persistence,andauniqueteamapproachtoinnovation,invariablysolvedit. Drivenandintenselycompetitive,Edisonwasoftenneglectfulinhisprivatelifeandcouldberuthlessinbusiness.Challengedbycompetitionintheindustryhe'dfounded,Edisonlaunchedanuglypropagandacampaignagainsthisrivals,andusedhiscredibilityasanelectricalexperttohelpensurethathigh-voltageelectrocutionbecameaformofcapitalpunishment.EdisonexploresthecomplexalchemythataccountsfortheenduringcelebrityofAmerica'smostfamousinventor,offeringnewperspectivesonthemanandhismilieu,andilluminatingnotonlythetruenatureofinvention,butitsroleinturn-of-the-centuryAmerica'srushintothefuture.…