Brian Jackson

Associate Professor of Physics at Boise State University

  • About
  • Research
    • CV
    • Joining the Boise State Planetary Science Research Group
    • Research Experiences for Undergrads
    • Ultra-short-period planet database
    • The Short Period Planets Group — S(u)PerP(i)G
    • Google Scholar Page
    • Code
  • Teaching
  • Press
  • Extracurricular Activities
    • Field Trips
      • Bruneau Sand Dunes – 2022 Jun 29
  • Public Outreach
    • Boise State’s Astronomical Observatory
    • Central Idaho Dark Sky Reserve STEM Network

Edison and The Electric Chair

Posted by admin on May 16, 2015
Posted in: Books. Tagged: edison, history.
From http://amzn.to/1B4bBhV.

From http://amzn.to/1B4bBhV.

Just finished Mark Essig‘s Edison and The Electric Chair. I received the book as a surprise gift, not having heard of it before. Very glad I did.

The book covers a period in American history that I knew next to nothing about — the Gilded Age and the War of the Currents. It traces Thomas Edison‘s work developing and marketing many of the key elements of the US’s electrical landscape, from the light bulb to the distribution system. Along the way, Essig weaves in elements and anecdotes from Edison’s life to paint a fascinating and nuanced picture.

Essig also describes the political landscape of Edison’s time and how social movements to reduce human and animal suffering at the turn of the last century drove the search for more humane execution methods — the most common method at the time was hanging.

Although I couldn’t put it down, I was a little disappointed by how light the book was on the scientific and technical aspects of the story. For instance, Essig spends many chapters on the public debate that raged during the War of the Currents over whether direct or alternating current was more dangerous (seems it’s AC). But he never really resolves the debate or explains our current understanding.

So it’s really more a history of science and technology than a popular science book but still a very engaging read.

 

 

Posts navigation

← The Challenge of Motion Capturing a Toddler
Disintegrating planets →
  • Twitter: decaelus

    Brian Jackson
    • Come join us at @BoiseState for an exoplanets and outreach postdoc - https://t.co/LgQkDfkVJd. Apps due by end of Ap… https://t.co/37IiiVvl6D 08:41:55 2023 Mar 8
    • Records show powerful, wealthy funders outside Idaho back school choice campaign https://t.co/tzrZgyYk4U via @idahocapitalsun 11:03:33 2023 Feb 3
    • Learn how to save the dark (https://t.co/CqYzD5o2Xh at @BroncoPhysics First Friday Astronomy event this Fri (Feb 3… https://t.co/8B3Set3tW0 11:49:28 2023 Jan 30
    @decaelus
  • Recent Posts

    • LPSC 2023
    • Taking the Universe’s Measure
    • Research Group Meeting – 2023 Mar 2
    • Resources for the Jupiter-Venus Conjunction
    • PHYS305 – 2023 Mar 1
  • Archives

    • March 2023
    • February 2023
    • January 2023
    • December 2022
    • November 2022
    • October 2022
    • September 2022
    • August 2022
    • July 2022
    • June 2022
    • May 2022
    • April 2022
    • March 2022
    • February 2022
    • January 2022
    • December 2021
    • November 2021
    • October 2021
    • September 2021
    • August 2021
    • July 2021
    • June 2021
    • May 2021
    • April 2021
    • March 2021
    • February 2021
    • January 2021
    • December 2020
    • November 2020
    • October 2020
    • September 2020
    • August 2020
    • July 2020
    • June 2020
    • May 2020
    • April 2020
    • March 2020
    • February 2020
    • January 2020
    • December 2019
    • November 2019
    • October 2019
    • September 2019
    • August 2019
    • July 2019
    • June 2019
    • May 2019
    • April 2019
    • March 2019
    • February 2019
    • January 2019
    • December 2018
    • November 2018
    • October 2018
    • September 2018
    • August 2018
    • July 2018
    • June 2018
    • May 2018
    • April 2018
    • March 2018
    • February 2018
    • January 2018
    • December 2017
    • November 2017
    • October 2017
    • September 2017
    • August 2017
    • July 2017
    • June 2017
    • May 2017
    • April 2017
    • March 2017
    • February 2017
    • January 2017
    • December 2016
    • November 2016
    • October 2016
    • September 2016
    • August 2016
    • July 2016
    • June 2016
    • May 2016
    • April 2016
    • March 2016
    • February 2016
    • January 2016
    • December 2015
    • November 2015
    • October 2015
    • September 2015
    • August 2015
    • July 2015
    • June 2015
    • May 2015
    • April 2015
    • March 2015
    • February 2015
    • January 2015
    • December 2014
    • November 2014
    • October 2014
    • September 2014
    • August 2014
    • July 2014
    • June 2014
    • May 2014
    • April 2014
    • March 2014
    • February 2014
    • January 2014
    • December 2013
    • November 2013
    • October 2013
    • September 2013
    • August 2013
    • July 2013
Proudly powered by WordPress Theme: Parament by Automattic.