Thomas Edison: Inspiration and Hard Work

Heroes of History #17

by Janet Benge, Geoff Benge

With only three months of formal education, Thomas Edison grew up to be one of the most successful inventors of all time. Applying scientific principles to practical use, he made scores of inventions and held over thirteen hundred patents, from improvements on the telegraph and phonograph to the development of the incandescent lamp and a whole system for distributing electricity.

Edison's rise from humble beginnings and his unceasing struggle to overcome obstacles illustrate the spirit of America. His genius and investigative methods shaped the future and continue to influence new generations (1847-1931).

Genres: Biography, History, Nonfiction, Science

203 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2007

About the author

Janet and Geoff Benge are a husband and wife writing team with twenty years of writing experience. They are best known for the books in the two series Christian Heroes: Then & Now series and Heroes of History. Janet is a former elementary school teacher. Geoff holds a degree in history. Together they have a passion to make history come alive for a new generation. Originally from New Zealand, the Benges make their home in the Orlando, Florida, area.

Reviews

[JD' · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thomas Edison, the Wizard who never got paid overtime, working 16 hour days, changing the world with inventions of sound, movies and lightbulbs.
He did have a problem with burning down a barn and his Labratory on my birthday in December 9th and optimistically decided to start over.

[Daniel Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Edison was born with a natural curiosity about almost everything and he had the tenacity to finish what he started. He claimed he had 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. We all know he invented the light bulb. But he had his hand in many other inventions and improvements to other’s inventions. He looked for things the public needed or wanted. And he had a knack for business. He worked 18 hours a day. Yet he married twice and had 5 children. He didn’t know how to balance family with work. He also had an inflexible side that sometimes hurt his business. I enjoyed that the author had a simple way of explaining how his inventions worked and the process it took to get there.

[Kathryn Egly · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this book was a good overview of Thomas Edison's life. He was an interesting character and it makes me to grateful for the things I take for granted. I switch on lights in my house and don't even think about it, but I loved hearing about how the 'lightbulb' was invented. There was SO MUCH time and work went into making this happen! (As well as the telephone and so many other things)

What I love about Janet Benge's "Heroes of History" books is that she writes biographies that are entertaining and don't get overly detailed with too much information.

Someone on amazon said it so much better, but it's EXACTLY how I felt:

"I learned just enough about Edison’s life to be both enlightened and entertained—without having to endure the insufferable sludge of detail that weighs down most biographies."

If you are going to pick up ONE of Janet Benge's books, I'd recommend Harriet Tubman OR George Washington.

[Stacy · Rating 3 out of 5]

My rating had nothing to do with the authors. I just didn't like Mr. Edison. I would have liked him more if he'd remained single, but his family paid the price for his single-minded focus on his many [valuable] inventions.

[Erin Cartwright · Rating 4 out of 5]

A well-written story of Edison's life. Especially enjoyable for kids ages 10 to 15.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

The personal life of Thomas Edison was interesting & sad at times. Good read

[Allyson Jamison]

I had a harder time getting into this one but then I really loved it!

[Lindsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

5* Audio - Edison invented a lot more than I realized.

[Cris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best book I've read about Thomas Edison. It's like reading a novel rather than a biography. Full of information yet does not bore. Would recommend most to reluctant, young readers.