kurtwombat's review against another edition
4.0
This is not a traditional autobiography. Much of it is culled from separate articles that Tesla wrote more to feed the publicity machine of the time than as considered self assessments. There is not much historical context, plotting a life in the usual ABC fashion or weighing of fact vs. fiction that gives traditional biographies their heft. What is left in this slim volume is more of a mold than a statue—the assumed perception of his own greatness vs. building a case brick by brick of proving it. Instead he concentrates more on the process of how he approached his work. How his strict religious upbringing instilled a love of learning and the discipline to pursue it even though that learning did not lead to a life in the clergy that his parents had hoped for. This love and discipline plus feeling the need to succeed on behalf of a brother who died young, created the drive to work through the problems that challenged him. The one thing he wanted said of himself in the end was that he worked harder than anyone else.
While the most pivotal inventor of the 20th century, Tesla lacked Edison’s business acumen and knack for self promotion. So despite surpassing Edison in genius, he lost the race for fame, financing and fortune. While his name remains cool and does have some cachet, his business impact can be felt mostly through a little company called Westinghouse. A young company when Tesla was in his prime, they recognized his genius and gave a home to his most valuable patents. He countered Edison’s volatile Direct Current with his safer Alternating Current (AC). (For interesting reading, look for anything about the battle between AC & DC to decide which would be lighting the homes of the world—and the lengths Edison was willing to go to win that battle. I will just say that his afterlife will not be lit by electricity but rather by the fires of some very southern location.)
Ultimately Tesla’s genius would be squandered on projects that would either lead nowhere or were as in the case of his grandest effort, wirelessly transmitting electricity—still ahead of their time. (What company is going to support research on a method to provide free energy to the world?) MY INVENTIONS is a very interesting look at the mindset and process of inventing but shirks much discussion of his shortcomings or discussing what might have been. Even though you feel the electricity without seeing the light here, it is a very tasty teaser for checking out a longer biographical work.
Some other area impacted by Tesla:
--> Created the first flourescent lights
--> Greatly influenced how X-Rays were used
--> His Tesla Coil drew electricity from the earth's magnetism
--> Invented the radio years before Marconi
--> Invented radio remote control
--> Invented the electric motor (does not require ignition)
--> Invented the Ruby Laser.
And more...
While the most pivotal inventor of the 20th century, Tesla lacked Edison’s business acumen and knack for self promotion. So despite surpassing Edison in genius, he lost the race for fame, financing and fortune. While his name remains cool and does have some cachet, his business impact can be felt mostly through a little company called Westinghouse. A young company when Tesla was in his prime, they recognized his genius and gave a home to his most valuable patents. He countered Edison’s volatile Direct Current with his safer Alternating Current (AC). (For interesting reading, look for anything about the battle between AC & DC to decide which would be lighting the homes of the world—and the lengths Edison was willing to go to win that battle. I will just say that his afterlife will not be lit by electricity but rather by the fires of some very southern location.)
Ultimately Tesla’s genius would be squandered on projects that would either lead nowhere or were as in the case of his grandest effort, wirelessly transmitting electricity—still ahead of their time. (What company is going to support research on a method to provide free energy to the world?) MY INVENTIONS is a very interesting look at the mindset and process of inventing but shirks much discussion of his shortcomings or discussing what might have been. Even though you feel the electricity without seeing the light here, it is a very tasty teaser for checking out a longer biographical work.
Some other area impacted by Tesla:
--> Created the first flourescent lights
--> Greatly influenced how X-Rays were used
--> His Tesla Coil drew electricity from the earth's magnetism
--> Invented the radio years before Marconi
--> Invented radio remote control
--> Invented the electric motor (does not require ignition)
--> Invented the Ruby Laser.
And more...
dorothy_gale's review against another edition
4.0
I NEED TO KNOW MORE! I want to know more about his mental state and less about his inventions! I'm guessing he had OCD. If a book doesn't already exist about how he succeeded despite his mental challenges and industry discrimination, somebody should write one! And, he identified his inspirational mother as an inventor in the 1860s! Even GR's author description says "...in the United States, Tesla's fame rivaled that of any other inventor or scientist in history or popular culture, but due to his eccentric personality and his seemingly unbelievable and sometimes bizarre claims about possible scientific and technological developments, Tesla was ultimately ostracized and regarded as a mad scientist." He wrote very clearly and confidently. I'm glad Time Magazine honored him for his 75th birthday (in 1931) -- I will have to see if I can get a copy of it.
hstapp's review
3.0
I could not decide whether to give this book 2 or 4 stars so I am giving it 3. Tesla is weird, I am pretty weird, but Tesla is really weird. He is not that great of a writer. His tales jump back and forth in time and we jump in and out of his mind. He presents most things as real, but there are a few imagined instances that can easily be seen as him believing they are real. The book does not go much into his inventions, despite the title. There are many anecdotes from his youth, and a couple from when he is old. The writing does get better as he goes on. There are a few blaring typos, and the publishers seem to have arbitrarily mad paragraphs at points by choosing a point in the middle of the sentence and indenting it.
kraftymama's review against another edition
5.0
Tesla fascinates me. So far ahead of his time. Bookmarked several sections and want to listen to again sometime. Cool to hear his own account of his inventions. I wish he had been more business savvy because he was such a genius otherwise. He trusted people too much. Didn’t realize just how much he struggled with OCD. Brilliant, brilliant, man.
dajna's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting? Yes. Modest? Not so much. Now I see where his rock-star-aurea comes from. Obviously I didn't get all the description of the machines and engineering projects, but sure Tesla was ambitious.
encounterswiththemoon's review against another edition
4.0
An autobiographical telling of his early life, Tesla published chapters which follow his creativity & project. Given the method of publication was originally done via magazine, this book is very short & concise.
My greatest takeaway from having read about Tesla through his own words is how wonderful it must have been to have known him while also recognizing that many would have failed to appreciate it at the time.
Tesla is very pensive, self-reflective & self-critical. He spends a great deal of time in thought & expresses himself in such a way as to lead the reader to glimpse the behemoth of effort that goes into creating the masterpieces we have come to rely on as a species.
Finishing this book did leave me with feelings of sadness. Being someone who worked so diligently against the clock to achieve the unachievable, we see someone who struggled in many aspects of their life. In some ways I suppose that might be of comfort; the greatest of our species are also human too.
I am so glad to have read this book. Being as Tesla was something of a shadow figure throughout much of my life, I am glad to have gotten to know more about him & read about his interpretation of his efforts & achievements.
My greatest takeaway from having read about Tesla through his own words is how wonderful it must have been to have known him while also recognizing that many would have failed to appreciate it at the time.
Tesla is very pensive, self-reflective & self-critical. He spends a great deal of time in thought & expresses himself in such a way as to lead the reader to glimpse the behemoth of effort that goes into creating the masterpieces we have come to rely on as a species.
Finishing this book did leave me with feelings of sadness. Being someone who worked so diligently against the clock to achieve the unachievable, we see someone who struggled in many aspects of their life. In some ways I suppose that might be of comfort; the greatest of our species are also human too.
I am so glad to have read this book. Being as Tesla was something of a shadow figure throughout much of my life, I am glad to have gotten to know more about him & read about his interpretation of his efforts & achievements.
chirag605's review against another edition
5.0
There are few people who change the course of the future in such a way that we can't imagine the future without their contributions. Tesla is one of them. The man pretty much defined the century. Definitely a psychopath of his times, but just because no one could understand his potential. A true genius who didn't care about his name, fame, financials but all he cared about was driving the world to the next level. Shortest biography on the legendary works.
arshdhawan's review against another edition
2.0
a great engineer but sadly couldn't rationalize his mind and fell to spiritual and dogmatic bullshit