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Tesla: The Life and Times of an Electric Messiah (Volume 7)
Despite being incredibly popular during his time, Nikola Tesla today remains largely overlooked among lists of the greatest inventors and scientists of the modern era. Thomas Edison gets all the glory for discovering the light bulb, but it was his one-time assistant and lifelong arch nemesis, Tesla, who made the breakthrough in alternating current technology. Edison and Tesla carried on a bitter feud for years, but it was Tesla's AC generators that illuminated the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago; the first time that an event of such magnitude had ever taken place under artificial light. Today, all homes and electrical appliances run on Tesla's AC current.
Born in Croatia in 1856, Tesla spoke eight languages and almost single-handedly developed household electricity. During his life, he patented more than 700 inventions. He invented electrical generators, FM radio, remote control robots, spark plugs and fluorescent lights. He had a photographic memory and did advanced calculus and physics equations in his head.
Nikola Tesla was the ultimate mad scientist. Like many other geniuses throughout history, Tesla was wildly eccentric. He was prone to nervous breakdowns, reported receiving odd visions in the middle of the night, spoke to pigeons, and occasionally thought he was receiving electromagnetic signals from Mars. If he'd lived today, he'd likely be diagnosed with an obsessive compulsive disorder: he hated round objects and disliked numbers that weren't divisible by the three.
Born in Croatia in 1856, Tesla spoke eight languages and almost single-handedly developed household electricity. During his life, he patented more than 700 inventions. He invented electrical generators, FM radio, remote control robots, spark plugs and fluorescent lights. He had a photographic memory and did advanced calculus and physics equations in his head.
Nikola Tesla was the ultimate mad scientist. Like many other geniuses throughout history, Tesla was wildly eccentric. He was prone to nervous breakdowns, reported receiving odd visions in the middle of the night, spoke to pigeons, and occasionally thought he was receiving electromagnetic signals from Mars. If he'd lived today, he'd likely be diagnosed with an obsessive compulsive disorder: he hated round objects and disliked numbers that weren't divisible by the three.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published April 5, 2014
38 people are currently reading
342 people want to read
About the author
Nigel Cawthorne
316 books124 followersNigel Cawthorne is an Anglo-American writer of fiction and non-fiction, and an editor. He has written more than 80 books on a wide range of subjects and has contributed to The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph Daily Mail and The New York Times. He has appeared on television and BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Many of Nigel Cawthorne's books are compilations of popular history, without footnotes, references or bibliographies. His own web site refers to a description of his home as a "book-writing factory" and says, "More than half my books were commissioned by publishers and packagers for a flat fee or for a for a reduced royalty".
One of his most notable works was Taking Back My Name, an autobiography of Ike Turner, with whom he spent a number of weeks working with him on, taking up residence in Turner's house. The book caused much controversy, resulting in court cases for three years following its release.
Cawthorne currently lives in Bloomsbury, London with his girlfriend and son, Colin (born 1982).
Many of Nigel Cawthorne's books are compilations of popular history, without footnotes, references or bibliographies. His own web site refers to a description of his home as a "book-writing factory" and says, "More than half my books were commissioned by publishers and packagers for a flat fee or for a for a reduced royalty".
One of his most notable works was Taking Back My Name, an autobiography of Ike Turner, with whom he spent a number of weeks working with him on, taking up residence in Turner's house. The book caused much controversy, resulting in court cases for three years following its release.
Cawthorne currently lives in Bloomsbury, London with his girlfriend and son, Colin (born 1982).
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
April 4, 2022
Very nice history book on my favorite scientist/inventor. Great layout with tons of pictures throughout. Very recommended
July 10, 2020
I really wanted to enjoy this book and I have been fascinated with the life and mind of Nikola Tesla for a long time, so it pains me to give it such a low rating.
The format of the book (not really a sense of flow/continuity, with random paragraphs of information inserted newspaper-style) along with some of the the grammar choices and writing style made it difficult and tedious to get through.
Perhaps the author wanted to give the book a "turn of the century" look, but I feel a more minimalist aesthetic (if a book must have an aesthetic) would've suited the subject matter much more.
I do appreciate that the author was thorough in presenting a timeline of Tesla's life and work as well as his character traits. There does seem to be a lot of blind hero worship for Tesla, and the author points out that while no doubt being a genius and visionary, Tesla's lack of pragmatism led to many difficulties in getting recognition and compensation for his work.
I was also happy to see the photographs of Tesla in his older age, including the one that was most likely the last photo taken of him before his death. It was the first time I'd seen photos of him past his forties. Contemporary culture seems to immortalize Tesla in his younger heyday, so it was nice to see that he enjoyed inventive/creative expression and admiration until the end of his life.
The format of the book (not really a sense of flow/continuity, with random paragraphs of information inserted newspaper-style) along with some of the the grammar choices and writing style made it difficult and tedious to get through.
Perhaps the author wanted to give the book a "turn of the century" look, but I feel a more minimalist aesthetic (if a book must have an aesthetic) would've suited the subject matter much more.
I do appreciate that the author was thorough in presenting a timeline of Tesla's life and work as well as his character traits. There does seem to be a lot of blind hero worship for Tesla, and the author points out that while no doubt being a genius and visionary, Tesla's lack of pragmatism led to many difficulties in getting recognition and compensation for his work.
I was also happy to see the photographs of Tesla in his older age, including the one that was most likely the last photo taken of him before his death. It was the first time I'd seen photos of him past his forties. Contemporary culture seems to immortalize Tesla in his younger heyday, so it was nice to see that he enjoyed inventive/creative expression and admiration until the end of his life.
January 14, 2024
An overview of Tesla; presented as more of a scrapbook rather than as a narrative one could read straight through.
Those who prefer pictures, sidebars, and text boxes might enjoy this. If you are looking for something deep and detailed — look elsewhere.
Those who prefer pictures, sidebars, and text boxes might enjoy this. If you are looking for something deep and detailed — look elsewhere.
November 3, 2022
The first half was good, offering insights into Tesla's early life and his many contributions to the burgeoning fields of electric motors, AC power, and the development of radio. The second half was long and rambling. The author tried too hard to draw the older Tesla as a prescient seer who foresaw much of modern technology. In truth, he became increasingly eccentric and out of touch with science. Frankly, his later life sounded tragic.
November 24, 2019
Great for that content and history but flow was not very good. Three stars for history and content mainly.
November 26, 2014
Despite the stylized layout and interesting content, this wasn't really one of the best biographies I've read, but certainly not the worst or a waste of time. Tesla was an interesting man, he was a dreamer that correctly predicted many technological developments but flew wide on others. I think part of this may be that reading this humanized him more than what I'd previously imagined so he lost some of his glamour. Some of that could be the author's fault. He didn't place much emphasis on the unique and impressive qualities of Tesla, more on his weird quirks. The author is a physicist and not a historian and that's about how this felt much of the time. Very little effort is spent on helping us understand his work or why it was significant. The history is okay but aside from additional readings at the end, he didn't really cite his sources or refer to other works on the subject. I did get a sense of some historical analysis, but not enough. This was sufficiently enjoyable but felt like a chore halfway through.
April 10, 2020
Oscar Levant said that “There's a fine line between genius and insanity.” With Nikola Tesla that line was practically invisible.
In Tesla; The Life and Times of an Electric Messiah, Nigel Cawthorne provides a history of Tesla’s work, insight into his life, and a clear image of how precariously balanced he was on the fine edge of genius and madness. Tesla’s childhood was one of great trauma and illness so his emotional difficulties had a good start. Coupled with his genius and difficulty with interpersonal relationships, Tesla was the poster child of a mad scientist.
That said, the man was an electrical genius. As the author explains, “Few people in the general populace understand what AC is, how an induction motor works or what the principles behind the propagation of radio waves are.” Yet, every appliance in your house, every radio signal you receive, every motor that turns, every power plant that produces your electricity, and every power line you see is the direct result of the discoveries and work of Nikola Tesla.
From three years of age when Tesla “discovered” static electricity from stroking the family cat he was obsessed with learning how to harness electrical power for the benefit of humankind. Battling Edison and his near religious devotion to DC (direct current), which was distance limited, Tesla finally convinced America to go with AC (alternating current) that allowed a hydroelectric plant in Buffalo, New York to send power so that New York City, two hundred miles away, could grow and flourish.
Tesla felt that electricity could solve all of the world’s problems. He had ideas for world wide communication a century before the World Wide Web. He proposed methods for providing electricity, coast to coast, for no or low cost. He had a goal of using electricity to cure illness. He hoped to end the loss of human life in warfare by using robots rather than soldiers and even ending all wars by inventing an ultimate weapon. Going beyond our planet Tesla hoped to open communications with life forms on other planets. Tesla spent his life blurring the line between science and science fiction.
Tesla died in 1943 broken and ignored. Over the years scientists and historians have sought to fix this oversight. He has now been honored by a stamp, a Moon crater, a street corner in NYC, a unit of magnetic flux density, an asteroid, two monuments, an airport, and, of course, an electric car.
I enjoyed reading this book. While I knew a bit about Tesla’s inventions and discoveries, I knew little about the man and his life. Unfortunately, when you read a book about important people you find that you already knew most of the good stuff and only add negatives to the narrative. Reading this book you will definitely learn of Tesla’s eccentricities but you will learn more about his genius as well. As I said in the beginning, “There's a fine line between genius and insanity” and in this book you will learn that Nikola Tesla had more than his share of both.
In Tesla; The Life and Times of an Electric Messiah, Nigel Cawthorne provides a history of Tesla’s work, insight into his life, and a clear image of how precariously balanced he was on the fine edge of genius and madness. Tesla’s childhood was one of great trauma and illness so his emotional difficulties had a good start. Coupled with his genius and difficulty with interpersonal relationships, Tesla was the poster child of a mad scientist.
That said, the man was an electrical genius. As the author explains, “Few people in the general populace understand what AC is, how an induction motor works or what the principles behind the propagation of radio waves are.” Yet, every appliance in your house, every radio signal you receive, every motor that turns, every power plant that produces your electricity, and every power line you see is the direct result of the discoveries and work of Nikola Tesla.
From three years of age when Tesla “discovered” static electricity from stroking the family cat he was obsessed with learning how to harness electrical power for the benefit of humankind. Battling Edison and his near religious devotion to DC (direct current), which was distance limited, Tesla finally convinced America to go with AC (alternating current) that allowed a hydroelectric plant in Buffalo, New York to send power so that New York City, two hundred miles away, could grow and flourish.
Tesla felt that electricity could solve all of the world’s problems. He had ideas for world wide communication a century before the World Wide Web. He proposed methods for providing electricity, coast to coast, for no or low cost. He had a goal of using electricity to cure illness. He hoped to end the loss of human life in warfare by using robots rather than soldiers and even ending all wars by inventing an ultimate weapon. Going beyond our planet Tesla hoped to open communications with life forms on other planets. Tesla spent his life blurring the line between science and science fiction.
Tesla died in 1943 broken and ignored. Over the years scientists and historians have sought to fix this oversight. He has now been honored by a stamp, a Moon crater, a street corner in NYC, a unit of magnetic flux density, an asteroid, two monuments, an airport, and, of course, an electric car.
I enjoyed reading this book. While I knew a bit about Tesla’s inventions and discoveries, I knew little about the man and his life. Unfortunately, when you read a book about important people you find that you already knew most of the good stuff and only add negatives to the narrative. Reading this book you will definitely learn of Tesla’s eccentricities but you will learn more about his genius as well. As I said in the beginning, “There's a fine line between genius and insanity” and in this book you will learn that Nikola Tesla had more than his share of both.
November 11, 2018
For all his brilliance, Edison did not see the importance of alternating current, choosing to direct his research and even public relations efforts on direct current. It was his onetime employee Nicola Tesla who pioneered alternating current, developed AC generators, and convinced the general public and investors like Westinghouse that AC was the future. Tesla was also a pioneer in wireless communication, battling Marconi for credit and patents in the development of radio. X-rays, robotics, and many other fields of scientific and engineering endeavor were included in his accomplishments.
Tall, ascetic, and a highly disciplined workaholic (to bed at 5:30 a.m., back up 5 hours later to begin another demanding day in the laboratory), Tesla was also an eccentric and an imaginative self-promoter. He foresaw remote control warfare (think drones), and claimed to have developed a working "death ray" which would be the answer to atomic weaponry. Tesla rejected relativity and quantum mechanics while achieving remarkable and ground-breaking work in electricity. His will power was legendary, allowing him to quit smoking and coffee consumption "cold turkey." Tesla's diet was unique and frugal, his sleep meager, his long walks demanding. He could be generous to a fault, giving money to anyone he thought needy. In the latter part of his life he took an interest in pigeons which was selfless and sometimes offensive to the other residents of his hotel.
Cawthorne gives us a readable account of Tesla's life from birth to death; with sidebars on the relevant science and major personalities of Tesla's era. A brilliant and dedicated scientist, Tesla has too long been in the shadow of contemporaries like Edison and Marconi, and this volume helps correct that error.
Tall, ascetic, and a highly disciplined workaholic (to bed at 5:30 a.m., back up 5 hours later to begin another demanding day in the laboratory), Tesla was also an eccentric and an imaginative self-promoter. He foresaw remote control warfare (think drones), and claimed to have developed a working "death ray" which would be the answer to atomic weaponry. Tesla rejected relativity and quantum mechanics while achieving remarkable and ground-breaking work in electricity. His will power was legendary, allowing him to quit smoking and coffee consumption "cold turkey." Tesla's diet was unique and frugal, his sleep meager, his long walks demanding. He could be generous to a fault, giving money to anyone he thought needy. In the latter part of his life he took an interest in pigeons which was selfless and sometimes offensive to the other residents of his hotel.
Cawthorne gives us a readable account of Tesla's life from birth to death; with sidebars on the relevant science and major personalities of Tesla's era. A brilliant and dedicated scientist, Tesla has too long been in the shadow of contemporaries like Edison and Marconi, and this volume helps correct that error.
June 14, 2018
I've always been a Tesla fan and thought he was underrated, but I had never really read about the details of his life. This book gives a great overview of his life from his immigrant beginnings as a teen in the US until his death and beyond. Tesla was the epitome of a "mad scientist" inventor and is responsible for a lot of what we use today, the most notable being alternating current. It was interesting to see the competition that existed around the turn of the century. Tesla was also way ahead of his time for some of his ideas - he conceived of wireless communication in the late 1800s. He was also an eccentric who, in his later years, made outlandish promises of technology that he could never back up. But overall, he was much more of a genius than a crackpot.
May 7, 2021
I finally finished this book ... GEEZ it took me forever hahaha...
It was really worth it, I gotta admit I took my time to understood everything I was reading...
His life kinda remind me of Victor Frankenstein, and I was wondering if Mary Shelley saw him in his dreams or something like that because they definitely invented the "mad scientist" trope and I love it.
His life was very interesting and stressing, no wonders haaa... I learned so much about history with this beautiful book that comes with pictures, letters, and good stuff about the biggest confrontation/gossip in science history. haaa #somuchdrama in here... Highly recommended it!
It was really worth it, I gotta admit I took my time to understood everything I was reading...
His life kinda remind me of Victor Frankenstein, and I was wondering if Mary Shelley saw him in his dreams or something like that because they definitely invented the "mad scientist" trope and I love it.
His life was very interesting and stressing, no wonders haaa... I learned so much about history with this beautiful book that comes with pictures, letters, and good stuff about the biggest confrontation/gossip in science history. haaa #somuchdrama in here... Highly recommended it!
September 24, 2021
This is a 3.5 rating but I guess 4 will suffice given the information and story are both proficient. The flow is horrible. Random facts or segments tossed in at poor locations. Reiterated information only adds to the word count and takes away from quality.
Overall this is a solid read to learn about Nikola Tesla who was certainly ahead of his time in terms of his investigations, yet egregiously ignorant in his lack of understanding the necessity of monetary gain to support his research. He spent too much time indebted and inquiring for financial backing when he had countless opportunities to make fortune and reinvest. He would have given me quite the headache if I was an investor.
Overall this is a solid read to learn about Nikola Tesla who was certainly ahead of his time in terms of his investigations, yet egregiously ignorant in his lack of understanding the necessity of monetary gain to support his research. He spent too much time indebted and inquiring for financial backing when he had countless opportunities to make fortune and reinvest. He would have given me quite the headache if I was an investor.
January 18, 2025
What an interesting life. It's a shame he wasn't very well appreciated in his time and even currently in the US isn't well known besides the car brand. As an electrical engineer, I needed to read about his life and the dramas did not let me down.
There were points in the book that felt slow. It took some effort to keep going but no effort at all reading about how he impressed crowds during the late 1880s up to the late 1890s. Was a shame he didn't get to live most of the inventions he would've loved to have made. Nonetheless, an amazing inventor. I would be curious to see what he thinks of the current world now and of Elon Musk.
There were points in the book that felt slow. It took some effort to keep going but no effort at all reading about how he impressed crowds during the late 1880s up to the late 1890s. Was a shame he didn't get to live most of the inventions he would've loved to have made. Nonetheless, an amazing inventor. I would be curious to see what he thinks of the current world now and of Elon Musk.
January 7, 2018
This book was beautifully designed and very informative. It kind of went a little over my head at times, though this is hardly surprising since I have never been of an engineering mind. Still, the concepts were made very approachable and the story of Tesla's life was presented in a very organized manner. I learned a few things about Tesla that I hadn't previously known and I was thrilled to learn more about him. I had no idea he was obsessive compulsive, for example. I don't feel like the book went above and beyond, so I'm giving it 3.5 stars but rounding it up to 4 on Goodreads.
February 1, 2018
Nicola Tesla was a pioneer in electrical topics. He was a prolific inventor and visionary. His contributions to early electrical system development were very significant. This book is a history of his life and those contributions. It also shows that he was rather eccentric especially later in his life. The book is filled with numerous pictures and sketches of his many devices. There are numerous quotes from Nicola. Overall the book is based on much research. I found the book an easy read. I recommend it to anyone, but especially those who appreciate history of scientific subjects.
February 12, 2018
This is not only an education on Tesla, you will also learn much regarding the development of electrical power. It isn't as in depth as some biographies, but it is a great over view of Tesla. Check it out, it is worth the time to read.
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December 17, 2019This was very readable, especially after Tesla's actual lectures. It gave all the basics, and some good technical details I was seeking. Plenty of sidebars on the other figures relating to him. This is where you should start if you are curious about Tesla.
November 5, 2021
Very interesting biography of the inventor.
I was fascinated by his contributions to science with electricity and magnets.
The AC v DC wars was a fascinating part of the book.
I also enjoyed learning about the Tesla Coils, Tesla Tower, and the infamous Death Ray.
I was fascinated by his contributions to science with electricity and magnets.
The AC v DC wars was a fascinating part of the book.
I also enjoyed learning about the Tesla Coils, Tesla Tower, and the infamous Death Ray.
August 22, 2017
Great short informative read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 21, 2017
this is the best book on tesla that i have ever read. i love the lay out, the background information, the details, and the pictures and diagrams ; i love everything about it.
June 13, 2018
Illustrated and good for all ages.
January 5, 2019
Good book about the life of Tesla and interesting to see what different people thought of him and how he got treated by certain people.
March 9, 2020
I wasn't a big fan of the format, but it was okay for what it was.
June 6, 2020
I'll level with you: I gave up. I never stop reading a book, it's some sort of weird guilt thing. But this one was really not worth finishing.
July 9, 2021
It was amazing to learn about the brilliance of Tesla and the things he predicted would become a reality.
March 19, 2022
Slightly clinical in it's approach but full of information that I never knew! A short but good read.
April 19, 2022
Great review of the life of Tesla. Learned the good and bad as well as his underrated contributions to the future.
January 5, 2023
Very detailed book about this genius who unfortunately, was not taken seriously or respected until it was too late.
The photographs of Tesla are incredible.
⚡️💡🔋
The photographs of Tesla are incredible.
⚡️💡🔋
March 20, 2023
Very interesting, tons of technical details. I especially enjoyed the illustrations.
September 26, 2025
Good overview of Tesla's life and achievements. writing is often technical and detailed.
June 30, 2020
Format was not helpful. Seemed like short paragraphs, i.e. Newspaper facts compiled in chronological order with little insight from Tesla or those who knew him.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews