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The Last Days of Night
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Historical Fiction (2016)New York, 1888. Gas lamps still flicker in the city streets, but the miracle of electric light is in its infancy. The person who controls the means to turn night into day will make history--and a vast fortune. A young untested lawyer named Paul Cravath, fresh out of Columbia Law School, takes a case that seems impossible to win. Paul's client, George Westinghouse, has been sued by Thomas Edison over a billion-dollar question: Who invented the light bulb and holds the right to power the country?
The case affords Paul entry to the heady world of high society--the glittering parties in Gramercy Park mansions, and the more insidious dealings done behind closed doors. The task facing him is beyond daunting. Edison is a wily, dangerous opponent with vast resources at his disposal--private spies, newspapers in his pocket, and the backing of J. P. Morgan himself. Yet this unknown lawyer shares with his famous adversary a compulsion to win at all costs. How will he do it?
In obsessive pursuit of victory, Paul crosses paths with Nikola Tesla, an eccentric, brilliant inventor who may hold the key to defeating Edison, and with Agnes Huntington, a beautiful opera singer who proves to be a flawless performer on stage and off. As Paul takes greater and greater risks, he'll find that everyone in his path is playing their own game, and no one is quite who they seem.
The case affords Paul entry to the heady world of high society--the glittering parties in Gramercy Park mansions, and the more insidious dealings done behind closed doors. The task facing him is beyond daunting. Edison is a wily, dangerous opponent with vast resources at his disposal--private spies, newspapers in his pocket, and the backing of J. P. Morgan himself. Yet this unknown lawyer shares with his famous adversary a compulsion to win at all costs. How will he do it?
In obsessive pursuit of victory, Paul crosses paths with Nikola Tesla, an eccentric, brilliant inventor who may hold the key to defeating Edison, and with Agnes Huntington, a beautiful opera singer who proves to be a flawless performer on stage and off. As Paul takes greater and greater risks, he'll find that everyone in his path is playing their own game, and no one is quite who they seem.
371 pages, Hardcover
First published August 16, 2016
About the author
Graham Moore
55 books1,248 followersGraham Moore is a New York Times bestselling novelist and Academy Award-winning screenwriter.
His screenplay for THE IMITATION GAME won the Academy Award and WGA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2015 and was nominated for a BAFTA and a Golden Globe.
His first two novels, THE LAST DAYS OF NIGHT (2016) and THE SHERLOCKIAN (2010), were published in 24 countries and translated into 19 languages. THE LAST DAYS OF NIGHT was named one of the best books of the year by the Washington Post, the Philadelphia Inquirer, and the American Library Association. THE SHERLOCKIAN was nominated for an Anthony Award. His third novel, THE HOLDOUT, will be published by Random House on February 18, 2020.
Graham lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Caitlin, and their dog, Janet.
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September 24, 2020
All stories are love stories. Paul remembered someone famous saying that. Thomas Edison’s would be no exception. All men get the things they love. The tragedy of some men is not that they are denied, but that they wish they’d loved something else.Paul Cravath, a young attorney in late 19h Century New York City, is drawn into a battle of the titans, as George Westinghouse engages him to defend his company against a lawsuit filed by his nemesis. The amount demanded is staggering, one billion dollars. The opponent is one Thomas Alva Edison. Not only is he suing Westinghouse over the light bulb GW had developed, but he has launched 312 suits against GW. Good luck, kid.
Graham Moore - from moviehole.com
What is a historical novel supposed to do? It should explain to the contemporary reader how this or that historical event occurred. What happened? What were the driving forces behind making it happen? Who were the people involved? What were their motivations? It should also offer the reader a touch and feel for the place and time. What was life like then? What was different? What was the same? If we wanted a straight up history we would pick up a history book. Historical fiction is the spoonful of sugar that makes learning history go down easier. It helps if the era is significant. One could write about the drudgery of a serf’s life in the Middle Ages, but unless the serf were in some way involved with changing that world, it would be unlikely to be very interesting. It also helps if the characters the author creates, or, if presenting actual people from history, interprets, engage our interest. That interest can be positive or negative, but interest must be generated. Also, there is the problem of us as readers knowing how things turn out. It removes an element of mystery.
So how does all this flesh out in TLDON? The history is of a significant time in American, actually world history, the electrification of modern life. Gas lamps had been doing the job of illumination for a long time, but the fire hazard they presented was significant. Providing an electric alternative had been a goal for a long time, but it was only then, in the late 19th century, that making the switch became technologically possible, with the development of an efficient light bulb. The battle on which the novel focuses is the legal contest between Edison and Westinghouse over who will secure the very lucrative right to light up the world. Edison had based his bulb on work done previously, his genius being the application of an industrial mindset to the development of new technology. He employed large numbers of lab workers and tried out thousands of different materials, searching for a workable filament. Of course this did not stop him from filing his patent before that final piece was in place. But when Westinghouse, also aware of and building on lighting tech that predated Edison, had come up with a better light bulb, Edison sued. This is the central legal battle going on here.
Edison- from The Atlantic
There is a second, very much related, bit of technology that is illuminated. Edison’s lightbulbs, and sundry devices, were all built to use direct current. Think your flashlight. But that tech came with significant limitations. Because, with direct current, DC, a way had yet to be found to sustain a power level beyond a minimal distance, the source would always have to be near the destination. What that would require, infrastructure-wise, was the installation of small power plants everywhere. Not a big deal if one were powering, say, lighting in a mansion, but quite another if one aspired to lighting a city. Thankfully, there was another way. Alternating Current, or AC, was a technology that had been thought to be unusable for large scale power, but a way was found, by one of the great inventive geniuses of all time, a Serbian émigré named Nikola Tesla. Tesla had worked for Edison, but had issues with the boss. When he left, GW snapped him up. Of course, Tesla would fit very nicely into at least one of our notions of a mad scientist. Not that he had evil designs on anyone, or imagined ruling the world. It was more along the lines of him being actually barking. I have not read a biography of Tesla, so have no basis for comparison, but I thought the gibbering Tesla depicted here might be a bit over the line. Of course maybe he was really that strange. In any case, Tesla as depicted is a pretty over-the-top (Sasha Baron Cohen pops to mind) character.
The book has the feel of a screenplay, where most of the storytelling is external. There are some internal looks, but it is clear that the author’s talent lies in the visible. I had the feeling that this book was intended to be a film, and was not at all surprised to see, not only that it had already been optioned for film, but that the lead had already been cast. I wondered if the author, the academy-award-winning screenwriter of The Imitation Game, actually began with a screenplay, then expanded it into a book, as opposed to the usual sequence. Turns out not so much. According to Moore, it was intended to be a novel all the while. He was writing it while filling down time on the set of The Imitation Game, and only after it was more or less finished (on final edits) did some folks close to him (and given his primary line of work we presume them to be cinema sorts) suggest that it would make a wonderful film. I am not sure I actually believe this, but you can read the tale in his blog.
Young Paul Cravath, of the Tennessee Cravaths, and late of law school, is the link that binds all the parts together, Edison’s bullying, Westinghouse’s manipulations, and Tesla’s genius. In addition to the marquis names, Paul Cravath was a real person, and the telling of this tale reflects broad truth about the events that transpired. Cravath was extremely young to have been put in charge of such a monumental challenge. He is portrayed as a charming young man, with an interesting family history (Dad having been instrumental in setting up Fisk University, a school for Negroes) and a short fuse when the venal rich proclaim their bigotry in his company. It is his spirit that presumably appeals to GW. He is clever and decent, and you can go right ahead and imagine Paul with the face of Eddie Redmayne, as the Academy Award winning actor has already been signed to play the role.
Cravath (well after the events depicted in this book) and Redmayne
Ya can’t have a modern American novel without some sort of love interest, and Moore checks that box, in the form of toast-of-the-town opera singer, Agnes Huntington, another person pulled from the pages of history.
So we have a Goliath vs Goliath battle going on, mostly (although not entirely) being waged in courtrooms and in the arena of public opinion. I suppose one could see Paul as a David, but he had resources behind him that would fill quite a few slings. Neither of the primary combatants comes off too well. There is a bit of mortal peril to spice up the moral equivalent.
George Westinghouse - from the Old Post-Gazette
One of the spiffy things about the novel is that Moore looks at the sausage making of how public opinion was manipulated. Given how the media covers elections, I would guess that not much has changed. And he looks at how power was held and connections were made. This definitely enriches the read. His portrayal of the social scene in NYC is fun. Calling in large personalities like Stamford White and Alexander Graham Bell for a bit of sideshow work adds spark as well. And JP Morgan plays a crucial role in the final chapters. Details of the era inform the sometimes carnival-like atmosphere. For instance, that there was no bar-exam requirement for practitioners of the law. The demonstrations by Edison’s people trying to show the dangers of A/C are chilling, and very much reality based.
Moore also notes events and changes that were afoot, if not yet realized. Bell, for example, mentions in passing some guys in Ohio who are working on a flying machine.
Last Days of Night tells a story of a time, the people who were involved, the challenges they faced, and the events that took place. It does it quite well. Using Cravath as the link to all was an excellent, workable approach. Events take place that you can see and hear. Which is what one would expect from a writer who makes his living writing screenplays. Nothing wrong with that. But while the fast-moving battles and intrigues keep the current flowing, there is another element to the book.
Moore looks not only at what his characters do (what the historical characters did) but at what motivates them. While it may be that one’s driving forces cannot always be reduced to a phrase, Moore gives it a go. I have no idea if his analysis of the actors is accurate, but it is certainly interesting, and prompts one to consider what motivates contemporary figures in the public eye. It is this as much as anything that raises the book a notch. He uses quotes from contemporary tech all-stars, which highlights the permanence of some of these concerns.
Nikola Tesla
I have a few gripes about the book, of course. Whenever Moore wanted to introduce some historical exposition, he uses the “Paul was thinking…” or “Paul was remembering…” mechanism too often, which seemed a bit heavy-handed. Definitely takes one out of the story. Characters appear to travel considerable distances with relentless ease. Scene One here, fade to black, Scene two there. One might be forgiven for wondering if they were flying before the Wright Brothers had had their way with Kitty Hawk, or maybe they had a spare TARDIS on hand. God knows, Tesla could probably have invented one. Also, I was a bit tepid about Paul. He was appealing, but maybe not appealing enough. Casting Redmayne should take care of that nicely for the film version. Dates have been changed to streamline story-telling, but the gist appears to be generally true. Moore included in his site a wonderful side-by-side look at where his time sequence diverges from the historical timeline.
But aside from that, Moore delivers. This is a fun, inventive read, one that casts considerable light on a process that was a lot more complicated than connect plug A to socket B, one that is little known to modern readers. You are likely to get a charge out of this one, whether you read it using the direct current of an electronic device, or the lumens cast by A/C–powered light bulbs. The Last Days of Night shines brightly indeed.
Publication Date – August 16, 2016
Review posted – September 16, 2016
The publisher was kind enough to send along a copy for review consideration.
=============================EXTRA STUFF
Links to the author’s personal, Twitter, and FB pages
Some facts about Edison
Wiki on George Westinghouse
Wiki for Paul Cravath
Songs
-----You Light up My Life - Debby Boone
----- The Future’s So Bright I Gotta Wear Shades - Timbuk 3
----- Light Up The World - Glee
December 13, 2022
4 illuminating stars for a story about the discovery of electricity and the ‘war of the currents’ that was fought on so many simultaneous fronts between Edison and Westinghouse as both struggled to prove themselves the victor, the inventor and the one to turn an idea into an enterprise by electrifying the world and bringing light into our lives and the ‘Last Days of Night’.
A book that will enlighten, shock and captivate the reader, as this excellent work of historical fiction and a dramatisation of the real events that occurred in the late 19th century are retold of the rivalry and messy legal battles that ensued between the various parties. One was to rise up victorious and go down in history as the genius to turn night to days, while the other shrunk back to near obscurity when the lights went out on his career. Yet both contributed significantly to lighting up our world with the help from the genius that is Nikola Tesla.
This story is the middle ground between fact and fiction. Perfectly positioned to appeal to those who want the facts and those less interested in a chronology of the events and want more of a novel. As such, the story includes many historical references and the people in the book are all real which makes this such a compelling and brilliantly researched book. However, to appeal to our love of storytelling, the author admits to combining events, meshing up some judicial proceedings and conversations to make this an easier read, as we are transported back to the age of wonder and light.
Powerful!!!, immersive and highly informative.
“Light bulbs. Electricity. It seems likely that ours will be the last generation to ever gaze, wide-eyed, at something truly novel. That our kind will be the last to ever stare in disbelief at a man-made thing that could not possibly exist. We made wonders, boys. I only wonder how many of them are left to make.”
A book that will enlighten, shock and captivate the reader, as this excellent work of historical fiction and a dramatisation of the real events that occurred in the late 19th century are retold of the rivalry and messy legal battles that ensued between the various parties. One was to rise up victorious and go down in history as the genius to turn night to days, while the other shrunk back to near obscurity when the lights went out on his career. Yet both contributed significantly to lighting up our world with the help from the genius that is Nikola Tesla.
This story is the middle ground between fact and fiction. Perfectly positioned to appeal to those who want the facts and those less interested in a chronology of the events and want more of a novel. As such, the story includes many historical references and the people in the book are all real which makes this such a compelling and brilliantly researched book. However, to appeal to our love of storytelling, the author admits to combining events, meshing up some judicial proceedings and conversations to make this an easier read, as we are transported back to the age of wonder and light.
Powerful!!!, immersive and highly informative.
“Light bulbs. Electricity. It seems likely that ours will be the last generation to ever gaze, wide-eyed, at something truly novel. That our kind will be the last to ever stare in disbelief at a man-made thing that could not possibly exist. We made wonders, boys. I only wonder how many of them are left to make.”
October 4, 2016
This novel wears its heart on its sleeve. I could tell the author loved his characters, flaws and all, and was fascinated by the time period. That enthusiasm rubbed off on me, and I enjoyed this book more than I expected.
The Last Days of Night is historical fiction about the electrifying feud between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse in the late 1800s. We see the battle through the eyes of a young lawyer, Paul Cravath, who Westinghouse hired to represent him in the long legal fight against Edison.
If you are unfamiliar with the drama that surrounded the fight over alternating current and direct current (AC/DC, for short), you are in for a treat. The author based his novel around many actual events and people, including the enigmatic Nikola Tesla. The result is an engaging look at a unique corner of science and American history. There are some truly shocking stories in here, and I confess I didn't know that Edison was such an egotistical scoundrel. Whereas Tesla was so brilliant and endearing and misunderstood that I just wanted to give him a hug, if he would have allowed anyone to enter his personal space, that is.
Now, this novel isn't perfect, as historical fiction rarely is. I thought the female character of Agnes was sometimes written a little too cutesy, which was irksome. And the author followed the current publishing trend of writing really short chapters, which made the pace go faster, but it also felt jumpy and contrived. When did it become a crime to write chapters that were more than 4 pages?
Additionally, the author included famous quotes before each chapter, including a lot from Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, allowing the reader to draw comparisons to the famous Apple v. Microsoft technology battle that happened about a century after Edison v. Westinghouse. While the quotes started out interesting, they quickly became excessive because there were so many freaking chapters, and the modern references took the reader out of the historical period. I don't think there needed to be 70+ extra quotes. A few choice ones at the major section breaks would have sufficed.
But these are small complaints. Overall I enjoyed reading this, and I appreciated the author's detailed note at the end explaining which people and events were real, where the timing was compressed to improve storytelling, etc. The author also gave recommendations for other books on the subject. I thought this story was so interesting I plan on looking up some of those nonfiction books, especially a biography on Tesla.
Recommended for fans of historical fiction.
Favorite Quotes
"The death of mathematical education will be the death of this country," proclaimed [Westinghouse]. "A generation of young men who have never even heard of the calculus, much less possess the ability to determine the instantaneous rates of change. What will you lot invent?"
"Quietly, in secret, from an impromptu, subterranean laboratory in the Tennessee plains, Tesla had teamed with the precocious sons of southern freedman to engineer wonders stranger than anything Edison and his well-heeled peers might have dreamed. Paul had once thought that Thomas Edison was the most American man of his generation. But looking around the worktable before him at Tesla and his students ... Paul saw another America. This one had been born in an impoverished Serbian village and a West Tennessee cotton field. Where the first America was brilliant, the second was ingenious. What the first America did not invent, the second would tinker into being. What Wall Street would not fund, a Nashville basement would build. This was what men like Edison and Morgan feared."
"Who had invented the light bulb? That was the question that started the whole story off. It was all of them. Only together could they have birthed the system that was now the bone and sinew of these United States. No one man could have done it. In order to produce such a wonder, Paul realized, the world required men like each of them. Visionaries like Tesla. Craftsmen like Westinghouse. Salesmen like Edison."
The Last Days of Night is historical fiction about the electrifying feud between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse in the late 1800s. We see the battle through the eyes of a young lawyer, Paul Cravath, who Westinghouse hired to represent him in the long legal fight against Edison.
If you are unfamiliar with the drama that surrounded the fight over alternating current and direct current (AC/DC, for short), you are in for a treat. The author based his novel around many actual events and people, including the enigmatic Nikola Tesla. The result is an engaging look at a unique corner of science and American history. There are some truly shocking stories in here, and I confess I didn't know that Edison was such an egotistical scoundrel. Whereas Tesla was so brilliant and endearing and misunderstood that I just wanted to give him a hug, if he would have allowed anyone to enter his personal space, that is.
Now, this novel isn't perfect, as historical fiction rarely is. I thought the female character of Agnes was sometimes written a little too cutesy, which was irksome. And the author followed the current publishing trend of writing really short chapters, which made the pace go faster, but it also felt jumpy and contrived. When did it become a crime to write chapters that were more than 4 pages?
Additionally, the author included famous quotes before each chapter, including a lot from Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, allowing the reader to draw comparisons to the famous Apple v. Microsoft technology battle that happened about a century after Edison v. Westinghouse. While the quotes started out interesting, they quickly became excessive because there were so many freaking chapters, and the modern references took the reader out of the historical period. I don't think there needed to be 70+ extra quotes. A few choice ones at the major section breaks would have sufficed.
But these are small complaints. Overall I enjoyed reading this, and I appreciated the author's detailed note at the end explaining which people and events were real, where the timing was compressed to improve storytelling, etc. The author also gave recommendations for other books on the subject. I thought this story was so interesting I plan on looking up some of those nonfiction books, especially a biography on Tesla.
Recommended for fans of historical fiction.
Favorite Quotes
"The death of mathematical education will be the death of this country," proclaimed [Westinghouse]. "A generation of young men who have never even heard of the calculus, much less possess the ability to determine the instantaneous rates of change. What will you lot invent?"
"Quietly, in secret, from an impromptu, subterranean laboratory in the Tennessee plains, Tesla had teamed with the precocious sons of southern freedman to engineer wonders stranger than anything Edison and his well-heeled peers might have dreamed. Paul had once thought that Thomas Edison was the most American man of his generation. But looking around the worktable before him at Tesla and his students ... Paul saw another America. This one had been born in an impoverished Serbian village and a West Tennessee cotton field. Where the first America was brilliant, the second was ingenious. What the first America did not invent, the second would tinker into being. What Wall Street would not fund, a Nashville basement would build. This was what men like Edison and Morgan feared."
"Who had invented the light bulb? That was the question that started the whole story off. It was all of them. Only together could they have birthed the system that was now the bone and sinew of these United States. No one man could have done it. In order to produce such a wonder, Paul realized, the world required men like each of them. Visionaries like Tesla. Craftsmen like Westinghouse. Salesmen like Edison."
April 15, 2017
The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore is a 2016 Random House publication.
I have been on a wait list for this book, I kid you not, for FOUR MONTHS!!
So, the big question is-
Was it worth the wait? YES! WOW! Who knew light bulbs were so fascinating?
This is a fictional account of the ‘war’ between Thomas Edison / General Electric and George Westinghouse over patent rights, inventions, and the law. It’s also a novel about genius, competitiveness, obsession and madness.
All the major characters in the book were actual people, and most of the events described really took place, only maybe not in the same particular sequence, which made the story even more fascinating and authentic.
The quotes used at the beginning of each chapter are amazing, and the author was especially clever in choosing quotes from Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, who were also fierce competitors.
Paul Cravath is hired by George Westinghouse to plead his patent dispute over who invented the light bulb pitting him against Thomas Edison, who got the patent first. Paul is inexperienced, idealistic, still has a strong moral code, and is of course way out of his depth.
Paul also finds himself falling in love with a famous singer, Agnes Huntington, who will become his inspiration for all he does and is instrumental in helping Nikola Telsa during a dark and confusing time.
Nikola Telsa envelops every corner of the story, and his presence is haunting and poignant. Despite his character playing more of a secondary part, he is still larger than life.
The ‘politics’ of patent law, the drive to win at all costs, the toll it takes on one’s conscience, ideals, and innocence, teaches Paul some valuable life lessons. The challenges inventors and innovators face, the cut throat competition, the public perceptions, and even the sacrifice of convictions, all made for money, for power,or for the sake of winning, is an eye-opening journey.
I was endlessly impressed with the sharp minds of Edison and Westinghouse, the machinations of J.P. Morgan and of course the genius of Telsa, even if I didn’t really like the way they did things and questioned their motives and moral fiber on many occasions.
The twists come fast and furious, and the emotions run high as the suspense builds in this high-stakes drama.
Paul learns a lot about himself in the end, as much as he learns about life, and I was pleased that he used this experience as lesson, a teaching moment, and did not allow it to poison his heart, but instead led him to seek out loftier goals.
This book is informative, very interesting, and completely absorbing. The only problem was that it had to end, and it ended all too soon.
The writing is exceptional, the history is amazingly detailed and very well researched and constructed, especially since there was were so many major events packed into a much shorter span of time than they actually unfolded in real life. I intend to add the books the author suggested to my reading list to get a more detailed non-fictional accounting of these events as well.
After reading this book, I realize how spectacular the light bulb is. Other than when I'm trying to choose an energy efficienct bulb, I never give them much thought, much less ponder on how it all works in the first place.
I don't think I will flippantly flick on light switch again!
5 stars
I have been on a wait list for this book, I kid you not, for FOUR MONTHS!!
So, the big question is-
Was it worth the wait? YES! WOW! Who knew light bulbs were so fascinating?
This is a fictional account of the ‘war’ between Thomas Edison / General Electric and George Westinghouse over patent rights, inventions, and the law. It’s also a novel about genius, competitiveness, obsession and madness.
All the major characters in the book were actual people, and most of the events described really took place, only maybe not in the same particular sequence, which made the story even more fascinating and authentic.
The quotes used at the beginning of each chapter are amazing, and the author was especially clever in choosing quotes from Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, who were also fierce competitors.
Paul Cravath is hired by George Westinghouse to plead his patent dispute over who invented the light bulb pitting him against Thomas Edison, who got the patent first. Paul is inexperienced, idealistic, still has a strong moral code, and is of course way out of his depth.
Paul also finds himself falling in love with a famous singer, Agnes Huntington, who will become his inspiration for all he does and is instrumental in helping Nikola Telsa during a dark and confusing time.
Nikola Telsa envelops every corner of the story, and his presence is haunting and poignant. Despite his character playing more of a secondary part, he is still larger than life.
The ‘politics’ of patent law, the drive to win at all costs, the toll it takes on one’s conscience, ideals, and innocence, teaches Paul some valuable life lessons. The challenges inventors and innovators face, the cut throat competition, the public perceptions, and even the sacrifice of convictions, all made for money, for power,or for the sake of winning, is an eye-opening journey.
I was endlessly impressed with the sharp minds of Edison and Westinghouse, the machinations of J.P. Morgan and of course the genius of Telsa, even if I didn’t really like the way they did things and questioned their motives and moral fiber on many occasions.
The twists come fast and furious, and the emotions run high as the suspense builds in this high-stakes drama.
Paul learns a lot about himself in the end, as much as he learns about life, and I was pleased that he used this experience as lesson, a teaching moment, and did not allow it to poison his heart, but instead led him to seek out loftier goals.
This book is informative, very interesting, and completely absorbing. The only problem was that it had to end, and it ended all too soon.
The writing is exceptional, the history is amazingly detailed and very well researched and constructed, especially since there was were so many major events packed into a much shorter span of time than they actually unfolded in real life. I intend to add the books the author suggested to my reading list to get a more detailed non-fictional accounting of these events as well.
After reading this book, I realize how spectacular the light bulb is. Other than when I'm trying to choose an energy efficienct bulb, I never give them much thought, much less ponder on how it all works in the first place.
I don't think I will flippantly flick on light switch again!
5 stars
September 17, 2022
Enlightening.
February 7, 2017
"The nighttime of our ancestors is ending. Electric light is our future. The man who controls it will not simply make an unimaginable fortune. He will not simply dictate politics. He will not merely control Wall Street, or Washington, or the newspapers, or the telegraph companies, or the million household electrical devices we can’t even dream of just yet. No, no, no. The man who controls electricity will control the very sun in the sky. - Thomas Edison
When I walk in the front door and flip the light switch each evening, or when I reach over and turn on my bedside lamp so I can see to read my beloved books, I never really think much about light bulbs or electricity. After all, this is not a new idea to me, I’ve been accustomed to this luxury my entire life. The wonder of electricity rarely crosses my mind – unless it goes out, of course. After reading The Last Days of Night, I began to understand the true marvel of electric current. I also came to realize that this discovery didn’t happen overnight and cannot be attributed to one single person but rather several geniuses of the scientific and business world. Scientists like Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and Nikola Tesla, businessmen such as J.P. Morgan, and a lesser known individual, at least to me personally, by the name of Paul Cravath, a young attorney who helped fight the battle of the invention of the light bulb and the debate between direct versus alternating current, D/C vs A/C – all these persons played a role in what we now take for granted as standard household amenities.
This book is an engaging, fictionalized account, based heavily on fact, of the “war” between Edison and Westinghouse during the 1880s. The narrative revolves around Paul Cravath, a twenty-six year old attorney with very little experience, who has been hired by Westinghouse to attend to the legal burdens of a lawsuit, or series of lawsuits, brought against him by the powerful and ruthless Thomas Edison. Edison claimed he held the patent on light bulbs – any light bulb – and that Westinghouse had infringed on this patent. There is quite a bit of legal talk around the patent and the lawsuits, but I thought it was well done and never dull. Scientific details were brought to the level of the layman, since the reader hears the information as it was relayed to Paul himself, a man with little knowledge of the world of inventors. Just enough detail was provided to make the science interesting but not overwhelming. I adored Tesla –what an eccentric, brilliant man! He was a man in it for the thrill of discovery and the joy of invention itself – not for the fame or the money. All I wanted to do was rescue this poor guy from the clutches of such men as Edison and Westinghouse, each who sought the genius of Tesla in order to win their legendary battle. A little example of Tesla’s quirkiness can be found when Paul treats him to dinner. As an apology for avoiding his shellfish, Tesla states "… please do not mistake me for a crazy. I can only ingest a dinner the cubic volume of which adds to a number divisible by three." A book centered on Tesla would make for fascinating reading, I think!
There is a bit of romance with a woman outside of Paul’s league, a gruesome depiction of the first attempts at the horrors of the electric chair as a form of capital punishment, a lot of sneakiness, spying, and what often looked like shady business practices, and an “accident” that remains a bit of a mystery for much of the book. A word of warning – there is a scene that involves cruelty to animals. The atmosphere of New York City just before the turn of the century is wonderfully depicted - an element that always appeals to me. The prose is clean and fairly matter-of-fact. For the most part this style worked for me, but I did miss a bit of that “feel” for my characters and beauty of language that brings a really good story up a notch to being an amazing book. But, overall, it was riveting, extremely well-researched, and educational to boot! I highly recommend this to fans of historical fiction and those that enjoy stories centered on science or law minus the courtroom drama. I would like to thank Goodreads and Random House for providing me with this copy which I won as a GR giveaway.
When I walk in the front door and flip the light switch each evening, or when I reach over and turn on my bedside lamp so I can see to read my beloved books, I never really think much about light bulbs or electricity. After all, this is not a new idea to me, I’ve been accustomed to this luxury my entire life. The wonder of electricity rarely crosses my mind – unless it goes out, of course. After reading The Last Days of Night, I began to understand the true marvel of electric current. I also came to realize that this discovery didn’t happen overnight and cannot be attributed to one single person but rather several geniuses of the scientific and business world. Scientists like Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, and Nikola Tesla, businessmen such as J.P. Morgan, and a lesser known individual, at least to me personally, by the name of Paul Cravath, a young attorney who helped fight the battle of the invention of the light bulb and the debate between direct versus alternating current, D/C vs A/C – all these persons played a role in what we now take for granted as standard household amenities.
This book is an engaging, fictionalized account, based heavily on fact, of the “war” between Edison and Westinghouse during the 1880s. The narrative revolves around Paul Cravath, a twenty-six year old attorney with very little experience, who has been hired by Westinghouse to attend to the legal burdens of a lawsuit, or series of lawsuits, brought against him by the powerful and ruthless Thomas Edison. Edison claimed he held the patent on light bulbs – any light bulb – and that Westinghouse had infringed on this patent. There is quite a bit of legal talk around the patent and the lawsuits, but I thought it was well done and never dull. Scientific details were brought to the level of the layman, since the reader hears the information as it was relayed to Paul himself, a man with little knowledge of the world of inventors. Just enough detail was provided to make the science interesting but not overwhelming. I adored Tesla –what an eccentric, brilliant man! He was a man in it for the thrill of discovery and the joy of invention itself – not for the fame or the money. All I wanted to do was rescue this poor guy from the clutches of such men as Edison and Westinghouse, each who sought the genius of Tesla in order to win their legendary battle. A little example of Tesla’s quirkiness can be found when Paul treats him to dinner. As an apology for avoiding his shellfish, Tesla states "… please do not mistake me for a crazy. I can only ingest a dinner the cubic volume of which adds to a number divisible by three." A book centered on Tesla would make for fascinating reading, I think!
There is a bit of romance with a woman outside of Paul’s league, a gruesome depiction of the first attempts at the horrors of the electric chair as a form of capital punishment, a lot of sneakiness, spying, and what often looked like shady business practices, and an “accident” that remains a bit of a mystery for much of the book. A word of warning – there is a scene that involves cruelty to animals. The atmosphere of New York City just before the turn of the century is wonderfully depicted - an element that always appeals to me. The prose is clean and fairly matter-of-fact. For the most part this style worked for me, but I did miss a bit of that “feel” for my characters and beauty of language that brings a really good story up a notch to being an amazing book. But, overall, it was riveting, extremely well-researched, and educational to boot! I highly recommend this to fans of historical fiction and those that enjoy stories centered on science or law minus the courtroom drama. I would like to thank Goodreads and Random House for providing me with this copy which I won as a GR giveaway.
May 8, 2023
Outstanding book... 5.0
My husband and I were having a discussion regarding Tesla and electric grid issues that will subsequently cause concerns of installations, costs and ownership. He suggested I read this book. Wow, let's get personal here. This is a great story of the history between George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison. It was fascinating to read about these two icons dealing with ambition, lawsuits, and power. ( no pun intended ) I left out the word "patents" for a reason.
Comparing this history with so many obvious issues of our modern day, it's so true about predicting the future if you look at the past history.
Because this book falls under the genre of historical fiction, I wasn't sure what was and what wasnt accurate. Moore takes the time in his author's note to describe which are real and those which are not.
No to a Tesla. Can't take a chance at this point. I have a fear of getting lost and no battery. :(
My husband and I were having a discussion regarding Tesla and electric grid issues that will subsequently cause concerns of installations, costs and ownership. He suggested I read this book. Wow, let's get personal here. This is a great story of the history between George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison. It was fascinating to read about these two icons dealing with ambition, lawsuits, and power. ( no pun intended ) I left out the word "patents" for a reason.
Comparing this history with so many obvious issues of our modern day, it's so true about predicting the future if you look at the past history.
Because this book falls under the genre of historical fiction, I wasn't sure what was and what wasnt accurate. Moore takes the time in his author's note to describe which are real and those which are not.
No to a Tesla. Can't take a chance at this point. I have a fear of getting lost and no battery. :(
February 10, 2017
A masterful mix of historical fiction and fact and a wonderful insight into the battle to electrify America
Ever since watching the TV Series "The Men who built America" I have a great interest in this period of American history and these fascinating characters, so when a Goodread's friend reviewed The Last Days of Night I knew this book was right for me.
This is a fascinating portrait of American inventors and entreprenuers, Thomas Edision, George Westinghouse, Nikola Tesla, J.P. Morgan and attorney Paul Cravath and their race and battle over AC/DC.
I loved the story and had very little knowledge on these Inventors and the legal drama took place over light bulb patents. The novel is not too technical and I found it extremely interesting and the fact that the characters are real brings the book alive.
The book deftly weaves fact and fiction and Graham Moore provides a interesting section of notes at the end where he separates facts from fiction and suggests further reading. I really appreciated this as many historical fiction novels leave you wondering about the facts of the novel and Graham Moore certainly ticks all the boxes when it comes to historical fiction for me.
I also loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter and found my self writing them down as I was going along.
I listened to this one on audible and it was terrific, easy to understand and pacing and narration was perfect.
A throughly enjoyable Novel, well written and educational as well.
Ever since watching the TV Series "The Men who built America" I have a great interest in this period of American history and these fascinating characters, so when a Goodread's friend reviewed The Last Days of Night I knew this book was right for me.
This is a fascinating portrait of American inventors and entreprenuers, Thomas Edision, George Westinghouse, Nikola Tesla, J.P. Morgan and attorney Paul Cravath and their race and battle over AC/DC.
I loved the story and had very little knowledge on these Inventors and the legal drama took place over light bulb patents. The novel is not too technical and I found it extremely interesting and the fact that the characters are real brings the book alive.
The book deftly weaves fact and fiction and Graham Moore provides a interesting section of notes at the end where he separates facts from fiction and suggests further reading. I really appreciated this as many historical fiction novels leave you wondering about the facts of the novel and Graham Moore certainly ticks all the boxes when it comes to historical fiction for me.
I also loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter and found my self writing them down as I was going along.
I listened to this one on audible and it was terrific, easy to understand and pacing and narration was perfect.
A throughly enjoyable Novel, well written and educational as well.
July 12, 2022
5★
“Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana. —Bill Gates”
This was sure a surprise! I don’t know what I was expecting, but not something as interesting and entertaining as this wonderful example of ‘historical faction’. Lots of factual information, but nothing dry or boring, as it is when popular authors try to find a subject to ‘teach’ us and then work a story around it the way I find a lot of popular chick lit, in particular.
Authors pick a place for romance—dairy, hospital, Paris—and then spend time trying to pique our interest with lessons about cows or unusual medical conditions, or art history to show us what clever researchers they are. Spare me, please!
Not Graham Moore. This reads like the real deal—well, real in the sense that the main characters are very real people who did sue each other and make deals at the time the United States was just beginning to enjoy the wonders of electric lighting in the late 1880s.
Every chapter is introduced by an interesting quote, sometimes from a current figure, like Bill Gates, above, or Steve Jobs, and sometimes by an historical one, like Karl Popper or Edison himself.
Our main character was a real attorney, Paul Cravath. The author has conjured up his romance and conversations, of course, and done it believably well. Thomas Alva Edison, George Westinghouse, and Nikola Tesla are not only real, but famous, personages, and the author has used a bit of artistic licence in compressing some time lines to make the story run smoothly. But the basic story and J.P. Morgan's involvement is all there in the history books.
We begin with Edison saying he invented the incandescent light and suing George Westinghouse for selling one of his own design. Edison seems to have hundreds of lawsuits going. Westinghouse hires Paul Cravath to defend him, and Paul sifts through everything he can find, looking for a flaw (and necessarily learns a lot about electricity in the bargain).
“Even if Edison was the one who did the inventing, and even if inventing is what occurred, did he actually invent ‘the’ light bulb—or just ‘a’ light bulb? Why the definite article? There could be as many varietals of light bulb as roses blooming in the gardens of Central Park.”
The earliest light devices were unsatisfactory—electricity arcing between two sticks (scary!), but as the experiments become more successful, the rivalry grows.
The other main battle is over the comparative price and safety of Direct Current (DC - Edison’s) vs Alternating Current (AC - Westinghouse’s). [You can look up the War of Currents in Wikipedia.] I learned a lot along with Paul, but you don’t have to be a science buff to enjoy this history. There's plenty of story to satisfy. The author explains, for example:
“None of these early iterations were fit for the home—no wife in America would sanction the installation of a lamp that was confusing to use, expensive to repair, and more likely than not to set the drapes on fire.”
The worst part of the war was Edison convincing a state to use an electric chair for the death penalty to prove how dangerous AC was. Horrifyingly disastrous results. All wars are dreadful, and this was war.
In addition to his powers of persuasion and invention, Edison seems to have had a real skill in patenting devices with such clever loose language that his patent could easily be said to cover other people’s inventions. Speaking of broad-reaching phrasing. . .
“They argued that no other company had a legal right to manufacture incandescent bulbs, because incandescent light itself was covered by Edison’s patent.”
So now he claims to own all forms of incandescent light?
And into the mix arrives the quintessential ‘mad scientist’, Nikola Tesla, a brilliant, eccentric Serb who worked with Edison and quit suddenly in anger and disappeared. Paul wants to find him and pump him for information about Edison’s lab. But Edison is hunting for him as well, so the chase is on.
The author has also done a great job imagining Tesla’s speech patterns by jumbling the grammar rather than trying to recreate his heavy accent, which would make for uncomfortable reading.
“It was soon clear that his command of the raw materials of the language—words, short phrases—was deep, and yet his use of its intricacies—grammar, sentence construction—was haphazard. It was as if Tesla tossed up into the air all the words he knew on a given subject, and then walked away before he could see where they landed.”
Tesla explains to Paul, who’s taken him out to dinner, why he can’t eat the meal.
“‘Well, of course not; please do not mistake me for a crazy. I can only ingest a dinner the cubic volume of which adds to a number divisible by three.’”
Later we learn his ‘meals’ are only soda water and saltine crackers.
When giving a lecture to a large group, Tesla’s accent and speech patterns were so jumbled that Paul wasn’t sure he was speaking English.
“‘Please pardon my face,’ came Tesla’s high-pitched and thickly accented voice. ‘My pallor is white as pale. My health is in a condition dishabille.
. . . Laboratories are better-fit places for machines than personages, continued Tesla. ‘But I am digressed.
. . . My health, I have said. I ask your kind indulgence, and my gratification shall be in your minor approvals.’”
Tesla is found, ill and mad but has flashes of brilliance (and continued to do so for the rest of his life). We watch the unfolding of plans involving Alexander Graham Bell (you know, the telephone man), J.P. Morgan, then America’s richest man (close enough), and other real people.
And Tesla is the man in whose honour the founders of Tesla Motors named their company, (although I read that Elon Musk, the CEO, is an Edison fan).
Plus there’s a delightful romance simmering away between Paul and a famous singer whose mother disapproves of him. And then there's Paul’s father, who helped found Fisk University, a black university in Tennessee for freedmen. And then there’s Paul, who designed today’s law firm hierarchy.
All in all, an absorbing, entertaining read, I’m more than happy to recommend. My quotes are from the NetGalley preview copy so may have changed in the final publication.
“Intellectual property has the shelf life of a banana. —Bill Gates”
This was sure a surprise! I don’t know what I was expecting, but not something as interesting and entertaining as this wonderful example of ‘historical faction’. Lots of factual information, but nothing dry or boring, as it is when popular authors try to find a subject to ‘teach’ us and then work a story around it the way I find a lot of popular chick lit, in particular.
Authors pick a place for romance—dairy, hospital, Paris—and then spend time trying to pique our interest with lessons about cows or unusual medical conditions, or art history to show us what clever researchers they are. Spare me, please!
Not Graham Moore. This reads like the real deal—well, real in the sense that the main characters are very real people who did sue each other and make deals at the time the United States was just beginning to enjoy the wonders of electric lighting in the late 1880s.
Every chapter is introduced by an interesting quote, sometimes from a current figure, like Bill Gates, above, or Steve Jobs, and sometimes by an historical one, like Karl Popper or Edison himself.
Our main character was a real attorney, Paul Cravath. The author has conjured up his romance and conversations, of course, and done it believably well. Thomas Alva Edison, George Westinghouse, and Nikola Tesla are not only real, but famous, personages, and the author has used a bit of artistic licence in compressing some time lines to make the story run smoothly. But the basic story and J.P. Morgan's involvement is all there in the history books.
We begin with Edison saying he invented the incandescent light and suing George Westinghouse for selling one of his own design. Edison seems to have hundreds of lawsuits going. Westinghouse hires Paul Cravath to defend him, and Paul sifts through everything he can find, looking for a flaw (and necessarily learns a lot about electricity in the bargain).
“Even if Edison was the one who did the inventing, and even if inventing is what occurred, did he actually invent ‘the’ light bulb—or just ‘a’ light bulb? Why the definite article? There could be as many varietals of light bulb as roses blooming in the gardens of Central Park.”
The earliest light devices were unsatisfactory—electricity arcing between two sticks (scary!), but as the experiments become more successful, the rivalry grows.
The other main battle is over the comparative price and safety of Direct Current (DC - Edison’s) vs Alternating Current (AC - Westinghouse’s). [You can look up the War of Currents in Wikipedia.] I learned a lot along with Paul, but you don’t have to be a science buff to enjoy this history. There's plenty of story to satisfy. The author explains, for example:
“None of these early iterations were fit for the home—no wife in America would sanction the installation of a lamp that was confusing to use, expensive to repair, and more likely than not to set the drapes on fire.”
The worst part of the war was Edison convincing a state to use an electric chair for the death penalty to prove how dangerous AC was. Horrifyingly disastrous results. All wars are dreadful, and this was war.
In addition to his powers of persuasion and invention, Edison seems to have had a real skill in patenting devices with such clever loose language that his patent could easily be said to cover other people’s inventions. Speaking of broad-reaching phrasing. . .
“They argued that no other company had a legal right to manufacture incandescent bulbs, because incandescent light itself was covered by Edison’s patent.”
So now he claims to own all forms of incandescent light?
And into the mix arrives the quintessential ‘mad scientist’, Nikola Tesla, a brilliant, eccentric Serb who worked with Edison and quit suddenly in anger and disappeared. Paul wants to find him and pump him for information about Edison’s lab. But Edison is hunting for him as well, so the chase is on.
The author has also done a great job imagining Tesla’s speech patterns by jumbling the grammar rather than trying to recreate his heavy accent, which would make for uncomfortable reading.
“It was soon clear that his command of the raw materials of the language—words, short phrases—was deep, and yet his use of its intricacies—grammar, sentence construction—was haphazard. It was as if Tesla tossed up into the air all the words he knew on a given subject, and then walked away before he could see where they landed.”
Tesla explains to Paul, who’s taken him out to dinner, why he can’t eat the meal.
“‘Well, of course not; please do not mistake me for a crazy. I can only ingest a dinner the cubic volume of which adds to a number divisible by three.’”
Later we learn his ‘meals’ are only soda water and saltine crackers.
When giving a lecture to a large group, Tesla’s accent and speech patterns were so jumbled that Paul wasn’t sure he was speaking English.
“‘Please pardon my face,’ came Tesla’s high-pitched and thickly accented voice. ‘My pallor is white as pale. My health is in a condition dishabille.
. . . Laboratories are better-fit places for machines than personages, continued Tesla. ‘But I am digressed.
. . . My health, I have said. I ask your kind indulgence, and my gratification shall be in your minor approvals.’”
Tesla is found, ill and mad but has flashes of brilliance (and continued to do so for the rest of his life). We watch the unfolding of plans involving Alexander Graham Bell (you know, the telephone man), J.P. Morgan, then America’s richest man (close enough), and other real people.
And Tesla is the man in whose honour the founders of Tesla Motors named their company, (although I read that Elon Musk, the CEO, is an Edison fan).
Plus there’s a delightful romance simmering away between Paul and a famous singer whose mother disapproves of him. And then there's Paul’s father, who helped found Fisk University, a black university in Tennessee for freedmen. And then there’s Paul, who designed today’s law firm hierarchy.
All in all, an absorbing, entertaining read, I’m more than happy to recommend. My quotes are from the NetGalley preview copy so may have changed in the final publication.
February 2, 2020
I have read a few biographical pieces about Thomas Edison of late, as well as Graham Moore’s latest piece of quasi-legal fiction, so I thought the blend here would do me some good. Set in the latter part of the 19th century, the story opens with a horrible electrocution of a worker who is trying to deal with a fallen electrical line. Paul Cravath, a young attorney, witnesses this and finds himself pulled into the middle of a clash of titans like no other! Cravath arrives to see Thomas Edison with a purpose, to declare that he is being sued for his declaration that he created the ‘light bulb’. While Edison is not surprised, he assures Cravath that he holds the patent and that George Westinghouse—Cravath’s client, a fellow inventor—is sure to lose. While Cravath begins building his case, he is thrust into the world of electricity and the science behind it. He and Westinghouse feel that they will need to get inside Edison’s mind, assuring them of legal victory. The best way of doing that will be to secure the cooperation of a fellow inventor and scientist, Nikola Tesla. A unique character if ever this is one, Tesla speaks in his jilted English about his new finding, the alternating current, while Edison rose to prominence with direct current. Tesla is helpful at providing some insight, though he, too, soon tires of the drama and wants only to further the scientific discoveries of electricity. Cravath crosses paths with a young woman whose attention serves to distract him from the weighty legal situation under which he finds himself. This connection keeps Cravath from working as effectively to help his client and, in part, leads to an almost deadly situation. It would seem that Edison is trying to mute his foes in order to keep his reputation from being tarnished. That being said, it will take more than the science that Tesla spouts and the proprietary determination that Westinghouse has to see Thomas Edison fall to his proverbial knees. Cravath works through the legal findings as best he can, though there are powerful forces that seek to see Edison prevail and have his direct current serve to light the way towards electrical innovation. A wonderful legal thriller mixed with historical fiction that will keep the reader hooked throughout. Recommended to those who enjoy a mystery pulled from the history books, as well as the reader with an interest in all things scientific.
A book of this nature works best for the reader who loves fiction but also enjoys learning a great deal along the way. Set in and around 1888, Moore transports the reader to a time when electrical innovation was becoming commonplace and Thomas Edison was a giant among men. Paul Cravath serves as an interesting character, who, much like the reader, may know little about electricity, but is eager to learn. He must understand the realm in which he finds himself in order to argue effectively and see victory in the courts. He is astute, but also too loyal, blinded by work and his heart from seeing what is transpiring before him. While he is the plaything of two (maybe, three) men, Cravath brings much to the story in his focus on the legal nuances of patents and propriety. He is also trying to make sense of the speed at which society is accepting anything that Edison says, even if it might have dire consequences. Others prove to be highly effectively supporting characters, some historical figures and others those invested with the author’s pen. Moore uses all these people are effective vessels to sell his story and keep the reader wanting to know more. So much so that I find myself wanting to know more about some of these titans to decipher what facts are blurred with fiction. The story was delightful, though dense at times, as the reader is taken into the late 19th century and the innovations that were still freshly emerging. Moore is able to use his mix of short and longer chapters to tell a story that will pique the interest of some readers, tending to offer a different (negative?) perspective of the giant Edison. My biographical reading of the man’s work did not touch extensively on the Westinghouse disputes, though I am sure there were intense and full of legal pitfalls. I will leave it to the reader to discover all that Moore presents, but admit that the story is more than a legal/courtroom thriller, but also a well-paced historical tale that shines ‘light’ on many of the heavyweights at the time, with a peppering of personal growth for some of the characters. I have another historical thriller of Moore’s to read and am anticipating how well that will go.
Kudos, Mr. Moore, for a highly educational read. I felt as though I learned as much as I was entertained. Masterful work, to say the least!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
A book of this nature works best for the reader who loves fiction but also enjoys learning a great deal along the way. Set in and around 1888, Moore transports the reader to a time when electrical innovation was becoming commonplace and Thomas Edison was a giant among men. Paul Cravath serves as an interesting character, who, much like the reader, may know little about electricity, but is eager to learn. He must understand the realm in which he finds himself in order to argue effectively and see victory in the courts. He is astute, but also too loyal, blinded by work and his heart from seeing what is transpiring before him. While he is the plaything of two (maybe, three) men, Cravath brings much to the story in his focus on the legal nuances of patents and propriety. He is also trying to make sense of the speed at which society is accepting anything that Edison says, even if it might have dire consequences. Others prove to be highly effectively supporting characters, some historical figures and others those invested with the author’s pen. Moore uses all these people are effective vessels to sell his story and keep the reader wanting to know more. So much so that I find myself wanting to know more about some of these titans to decipher what facts are blurred with fiction. The story was delightful, though dense at times, as the reader is taken into the late 19th century and the innovations that were still freshly emerging. Moore is able to use his mix of short and longer chapters to tell a story that will pique the interest of some readers, tending to offer a different (negative?) perspective of the giant Edison. My biographical reading of the man’s work did not touch extensively on the Westinghouse disputes, though I am sure there were intense and full of legal pitfalls. I will leave it to the reader to discover all that Moore presents, but admit that the story is more than a legal/courtroom thriller, but also a well-paced historical tale that shines ‘light’ on many of the heavyweights at the time, with a peppering of personal growth for some of the characters. I have another historical thriller of Moore’s to read and am anticipating how well that will go.
Kudos, Mr. Moore, for a highly educational read. I felt as though I learned as much as I was entertained. Masterful work, to say the least!
Like/hate the review? An ever-growing collection of others appears at:
http://pecheyponderings.wordpress.com/
A Book for All Seasons, a different sort of Book Challenge: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...
September 10, 2016
I love a good historical novel that teaches me about events about which I was unaware. This one fits the bill, exploring the lawsuits between Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse in the late 19th century. Anyone who enjoyed Doctorow’s Ragtime will enjoy this.
While we take it for granted, the electric light bulb was an invention of mind boggling proportion. Moore walks us through not only the history but the effect of electricity on the country and makes it interesting. Ditto for his ability to describe the lawsuits and patents. I loved that his protagonist, a young lawyer, sees all of law as the ability to tell a story. He explains how an entire lawsuit could hang on the use of the word “the” instead of “a”.
And Moore is a fabulous wordsmith. Here is an example: “It was soon clear that his command of the raw materials of the language -words, short phrases -was deep, and yet his use of its intricacies - grammar, sentence construction- was haphazard. It was as if Tesla tossed up into the air all the words he knew on a given subject, and then walked away before he could see where they landed”. It's amazing to think all these people really lived. They are all fascinating, unique individuals.
This would be a good novel for people who think they only like nonfiction. Many, many interesting facts and history lessons. And make sure to read the Author’s Note at the end. It provides a detailed list of which episodes are true, what changes to time or place were made and what sources were used to flesh out the novel.
My thanks to Netgalley, Random House and Graham Moore for an advance copy of this book.
Update - I just saw that this will be made into a movie. I can't wait!
While we take it for granted, the electric light bulb was an invention of mind boggling proportion. Moore walks us through not only the history but the effect of electricity on the country and makes it interesting. Ditto for his ability to describe the lawsuits and patents. I loved that his protagonist, a young lawyer, sees all of law as the ability to tell a story. He explains how an entire lawsuit could hang on the use of the word “the” instead of “a”.
And Moore is a fabulous wordsmith. Here is an example: “It was soon clear that his command of the raw materials of the language -words, short phrases -was deep, and yet his use of its intricacies - grammar, sentence construction- was haphazard. It was as if Tesla tossed up into the air all the words he knew on a given subject, and then walked away before he could see where they landed”. It's amazing to think all these people really lived. They are all fascinating, unique individuals.
This would be a good novel for people who think they only like nonfiction. Many, many interesting facts and history lessons. And make sure to read the Author’s Note at the end. It provides a detailed list of which episodes are true, what changes to time or place were made and what sources were used to flesh out the novel.
My thanks to Netgalley, Random House and Graham Moore for an advance copy of this book.
Update - I just saw that this will be made into a movie. I can't wait!
February 11, 2017
Power Plays: May Make for Fantastic Film (Young Manhattan Attorney from Nashville Takes on NY Business Titan Notorious for Narcissism and Bullying)
This novel was written by a novelist turned Hollywood screenwriter with, ostensibly, a big payday in mind. I have little doubt that in the right hands (a lush budget, a talented director and a name movie star(s)) this will make an award-winning film. I read somewhere that British actor Eddie Redmayne had already signed on to star as the protagonist Paul Cravath, a 26-year-old Manhattan attorney hired by George Westinghouse in 1906 to represent his company in a lawsuit filed against it by the litigious Thomas Edison, a patent-hogging inventor and NYC business titan notorious for his narcissistic personality and bullying bluster (quite timely). The suit was to decide, in effect, which company would have the initial foothold on supplying electricity in the populous Northeast (and thus elsewhere in the U.S.).
Suspense and moral quandaries naturally flow from the charged litigation environment over billions of dollars (in today's values) including unfair, dishonest and surreptitious litigation ploys involving misappropriation of trade secrets and key personnel and even endangering the lives of those caught in the crossfire.
The Last Days of Night will likely be a better movie than it was a novel.
This novel was written by a novelist turned Hollywood screenwriter with, ostensibly, a big payday in mind. I have little doubt that in the right hands (a lush budget, a talented director and a name movie star(s)) this will make an award-winning film. I read somewhere that British actor Eddie Redmayne had already signed on to star as the protagonist Paul Cravath, a 26-year-old Manhattan attorney hired by George Westinghouse in 1906 to represent his company in a lawsuit filed against it by the litigious Thomas Edison, a patent-hogging inventor and NYC business titan notorious for his narcissistic personality and bullying bluster (quite timely). The suit was to decide, in effect, which company would have the initial foothold on supplying electricity in the populous Northeast (and thus elsewhere in the U.S.).
Suspense and moral quandaries naturally flow from the charged litigation environment over billions of dollars (in today's values) including unfair, dishonest and surreptitious litigation ploys involving misappropriation of trade secrets and key personnel and even endangering the lives of those caught in the crossfire.
The Last Days of Night will likely be a better movie than it was a novel.
January 14, 2022
This book -designated as historical fiction- reads like a scientific legal thriller.
The story is told from the perspective of a young lawyer representing George Westinghouse in a patent infringement case against Thomas Edison. Nikola Tesla also plays a major part. At stake was the future of the electrification of the U.S.
The author painstakingly rearranged actual events of history and involved all the actual participants of those events of the late 1800's. The result was a very fluid and very enjoyable read.
Recommended to those who are science and history minded.
The story is told from the perspective of a young lawyer representing George Westinghouse in a patent infringement case against Thomas Edison. Nikola Tesla also plays a major part. At stake was the future of the electrification of the U.S.
The author painstakingly rearranged actual events of history and involved all the actual participants of those events of the late 1800's. The result was a very fluid and very enjoyable read.
Recommended to those who are science and history minded.
July 15, 2016
I was intrigued by the title and know the author's work so I requested this book from Net Galley. When I won and then began reading the description more thoroughly, I wondered if I would actually enjoy this book. After the first few chapters, I worried no more! This story totally captivated me. I loved the story told by the lawyer who was and is the least known major character in this historical novel. But that is to be expected with luminaries (I am using that description a little tongue-in-cheek because light & light bulbs are a big part of the book!) such as Edison, Westinghouse, Morgan & Tesla on stage! These men who have always just been names to me became people with many failings and ferocious drives to succeed - to win at any cost - except for Tesla who was truly a mad genius! An added pleasure was the woman whose secret background was a fearful burden but whose voice was angelic and whose brain, understanding and ethics kept Tesla nearly sane and made the lawyer a better man. Of course, there is a love story there! The book is very well written and I loved it! Highly recommended! Thank you Random House & Net Galley!
November 6, 2016
The Last Days of Night is exactly why I enjoy reading historical fiction. I was able to learn about events I knew nothing about such as the legal battle over whether to use A/C or D/C in the late 1800’s. The book primarily focuses on Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse, but you will recognize many other names that appear throughout the story. This was a time of great invention and Graham Moore touches on everything from the first x-ray to the electric chair. It is quite apparent the amount of research he put into this book as evidenced by his notes at the end.
The story is told with a quick narrative style from the perspective of Paul Cravath, a recent law graduate who represents George Westinghouse. Moore’s writing really brings his characters to life, and Cravath became an interesting character to follow and root for.
I have read that Eddie Redmayne will star in an upcoming film adaptation of this book. The casting of Redmayne for this character could not be better suited, and I will be looking forward to seeing this movie.
*A side note to readers who are sensitive about graphic depictions of death/torture of humans and animals. There are electrocutions done in this story that you might want to avoid.
The story is told with a quick narrative style from the perspective of Paul Cravath, a recent law graduate who represents George Westinghouse. Moore’s writing really brings his characters to life, and Cravath became an interesting character to follow and root for.
I have read that Eddie Redmayne will star in an upcoming film adaptation of this book. The casting of Redmayne for this character could not be better suited, and I will be looking forward to seeing this movie.
*A side note to readers who are sensitive about graphic depictions of death/torture of humans and animals. There are electrocutions done in this story that you might want to avoid.
December 11, 2016
I enjoyed this take on 3 giants in American history: Tesla, Westinghouse, and Edison.
Preceding each chapter was a quote from various inventors, scientists and businessmen; Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Carl Sagan among them.
"I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that don’t work.” Thomas Edison.
I listened to this on audio and it was excellent. Highly recommended to anyone wanting to learn more about the current wars via an entertaining medium.
Preceding each chapter was a quote from various inventors, scientists and businessmen; Steve Jobs, Bill Gates and Carl Sagan among them.
"I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that don’t work.” Thomas Edison.
I listened to this on audio and it was excellent. Highly recommended to anyone wanting to learn more about the current wars via an entertaining medium.
August 10, 2016
To read more of my reviews, please go to Lit. Wit. Wine & Dine.
I do not care so much for a great fortune as I do for getting ahead of the other fellows. - Thomas Edison
Until I read this book, I had an impression of what it would have been like to see the night lit for the first time. It was terribly romantic. It was surreal, ethereal, and peaceful. (Sort of like this book's beautiful cover.) There were scientists and engineers of all sorts slapping each other on the back, congratulating themselves on their enormous contribution to mankind. Thomas Edison was one of these scientists, of course, and he was a jolly good fellow. He lead this collaboration of gifted men with the grace, elegance, and credibility only natural born leaders of that period possessed.
It seems I was mistaken.
Graham Moore's latest novel, The Last Day's of Night, is the story of the War of Currents. Though it is a work of fiction, the majority of it is historically accurate and all of the characters did exist including Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, George Westinghouse, and Westinghouse's attorney, Paul Cravath. Paul, a fresh-out-school attorney in is mid-twenties is hired by Westinghouse to defend him in a law suit Thomas Edison has brought forth demanding the outrageous sum of one billion dollars.
Paul is a thoroughly likable young man who quickly finds himself in over his head. He is, however, determined to win at all costs. He is ambitious, driven, and singularly focused. As time goes on he morphs from naive rookie to shrewd, calculating, savvy attorney. But that's not to say there aren't a few SNAFUs along the way... (Though I'd never heard of him, he is apparently quite well-known in the legal world. In fact, the firm he eventually started is still in existence and continues to use the Cravath Sytem which has been credited with changing the way lawyers practice and law firm are structured.)
This book is more intriguing that I could have imagined. All of the same components of modern corporate conflicts and greed existed then. And these scientists we've come to hold in such high esteem where not exempt from engaging in all manner of unscrupulous behavior in their quest to be the first and best. From patent infringement to character assassination, from corporate espionage to arson, nothing was off limits.
The author tells this story in such an amazingly engaging, page-turning way that I was fully entertained while being educated. That, I think, is the pinnacle of happiness for those of us semi-obsessed with historical fiction.
There is already a movie in the works. Moore has done the adaptation. My expectations are admittedly very high after having seen The Imitation Game which he adapted from the book Alan Turing: The Engima by Andrew Hodges.
5/5 stars
Many thanks to Random House for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I do not care so much for a great fortune as I do for getting ahead of the other fellows. - Thomas Edison
Until I read this book, I had an impression of what it would have been like to see the night lit for the first time. It was terribly romantic. It was surreal, ethereal, and peaceful. (Sort of like this book's beautiful cover.) There were scientists and engineers of all sorts slapping each other on the back, congratulating themselves on their enormous contribution to mankind. Thomas Edison was one of these scientists, of course, and he was a jolly good fellow. He lead this collaboration of gifted men with the grace, elegance, and credibility only natural born leaders of that period possessed.
It seems I was mistaken.
Graham Moore's latest novel, The Last Day's of Night, is the story of the War of Currents. Though it is a work of fiction, the majority of it is historically accurate and all of the characters did exist including Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla, George Westinghouse, and Westinghouse's attorney, Paul Cravath. Paul, a fresh-out-school attorney in is mid-twenties is hired by Westinghouse to defend him in a law suit Thomas Edison has brought forth demanding the outrageous sum of one billion dollars.
Paul is a thoroughly likable young man who quickly finds himself in over his head. He is, however, determined to win at all costs. He is ambitious, driven, and singularly focused. As time goes on he morphs from naive rookie to shrewd, calculating, savvy attorney. But that's not to say there aren't a few SNAFUs along the way... (Though I'd never heard of him, he is apparently quite well-known in the legal world. In fact, the firm he eventually started is still in existence and continues to use the Cravath Sytem which has been credited with changing the way lawyers practice and law firm are structured.)
This book is more intriguing that I could have imagined. All of the same components of modern corporate conflicts and greed existed then. And these scientists we've come to hold in such high esteem where not exempt from engaging in all manner of unscrupulous behavior in their quest to be the first and best. From patent infringement to character assassination, from corporate espionage to arson, nothing was off limits.
The author tells this story in such an amazingly engaging, page-turning way that I was fully entertained while being educated. That, I think, is the pinnacle of happiness for those of us semi-obsessed with historical fiction.
There is already a movie in the works. Moore has done the adaptation. My expectations are admittedly very high after having seen The Imitation Game which he adapted from the book Alan Turing: The Engima by Andrew Hodges.
5/5 stars
Many thanks to Random House for providing me with a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
October 27, 2019
This proved to be a surprisingly good book -- one that I stumbled upon inadvertently, that is well outside my usual range of interests, but nonetheless turned out to be a deeply enjoyable and thought-provoking read. Perfectly plotted with no lose ends, each character vivid and distinct and authentic, the setting richly imagined to the last detail.
The historical tale of the intrigue between Westinghouse, Edison and Tesla--as told through the eyes of attorney Paul Cravath--is summarized in many other reviews, so all I will add is that (unlike some other reviewers) I thought Moore did an excellent job of taking historical liberties without distorting the underlying truths of the characters or their stories. I also appreciated the author's note that clarifies which historical details are accurate and which are not. Parts of the text reminded me in style and sensibility of Jack Finney (Time and Again), which is a high compliment as far as I am concerned.
One feature of this work that distinguishes it from much historical fiction or re-imagined history is Moore's gift for distilling complex insights into easily digestible gems. Such as when Paul reflects: "Knowing the difference between right and wrong sometimes did not serve to clarify much of anything. Just because a man is able to draw a line in the sand, it doesn't mean he'll know what to do when his only course of action requires crossing it." Or when he thinks: "He knew that men like Edison, Tesla and Westinghouse possessed something he did not. An extra organ, an extra region of the brain, a God-like candle such as the one that gave Saint Augustine faith--there was a creative thing, and Paul knew he didn't have it." Or when Agnes says of the opera: "Well, I'll tell you an awful secret about the opera....It's the same show every night."
I read this book in two sittings of about four hours each. It's a very quick read, lots of fun, and if it is not exactly Joyce or Proust, it's also a reasonably sophisticated novel that has considerable depth and insight to offer on the nature of human innovation and American business. So glad I found this; I highly recommend you do the same.
The historical tale of the intrigue between Westinghouse, Edison and Tesla--as told through the eyes of attorney Paul Cravath--is summarized in many other reviews, so all I will add is that (unlike some other reviewers) I thought Moore did an excellent job of taking historical liberties without distorting the underlying truths of the characters or their stories. I also appreciated the author's note that clarifies which historical details are accurate and which are not. Parts of the text reminded me in style and sensibility of Jack Finney (Time and Again), which is a high compliment as far as I am concerned.
One feature of this work that distinguishes it from much historical fiction or re-imagined history is Moore's gift for distilling complex insights into easily digestible gems. Such as when Paul reflects: "Knowing the difference between right and wrong sometimes did not serve to clarify much of anything. Just because a man is able to draw a line in the sand, it doesn't mean he'll know what to do when his only course of action requires crossing it." Or when he thinks: "He knew that men like Edison, Tesla and Westinghouse possessed something he did not. An extra organ, an extra region of the brain, a God-like candle such as the one that gave Saint Augustine faith--there was a creative thing, and Paul knew he didn't have it." Or when Agnes says of the opera: "Well, I'll tell you an awful secret about the opera....It's the same show every night."
I read this book in two sittings of about four hours each. It's a very quick read, lots of fun, and if it is not exactly Joyce or Proust, it's also a reasonably sophisticated novel that has considerable depth and insight to offer on the nature of human innovation and American business. So glad I found this; I highly recommend you do the same.
August 30, 2020
I read this book for my real world (currently Zoom world) book club.
This is a brilliantly told account and I found it fascinating but I did not find the book to be a page turner. I think it was more me than the book but it wasn’t that hard for me to put it down and it wasn’t that hard to not pick it up again. I enjoyed it though and I’m glad that I read it.
The map at the start of book of Manhattan in 1888 was great but I read an e-book (and audio book simultaneously) and I forgot to keep checking the map as I read the book. I forgot that it was even there. I love maps in books and if I’d had a hardcover or paperback copy I’m sure I’d have frequently consulted it.
The book started off great with amusing quotes from Bill Gates and Steve Jobs referring to each other. There are wonderful quotes from various scientists at the start of every chapter.
There is lots of wonderful humor. The events described are mostly serious but so much was amusing and I really appreciated that.
The people were interesting.
There were a few tremendously upsetting scenes that were disconcerting as pertained to death by electricity. They included an accident involving a man, unscrupulous research on dogs, and a horrendous memorable capital punishment death, the first in the first electric chair. I’d been warned by a friend of these occurrences so I was somewhat prepared though not completely for the description of the electric chair death. That was unimaginable. If it hadn’t really happened I’d have hated its inclusion as gratuitous violence.
I knew nothing of any of these events. Nothing at all. It was really interesting to learn of them. The account had me looking at some of these historical figures in a new way. I do admire the scope of the entire story and how it deviated in some ways from what I’d been expecting. That was particularly true of how many of the people’s relationships developed and changed.
The author’s note in the back is outstanding. He shows how he constructed the story, telling exactly what was fact, what was slightly tweaked and why, what was fictionalized, what was conjecture on his part, and refers to his research. He has additional material, including a chronology of real events, at his website mrgrahammoore.com. He did fine research and gives some info on his sources.
And:
My status updates:
1.
This is excellent. Great quotes from scientists, plentiful humor, and events about which I knew nothing and I'm now enjoying learning. I'm trying to refrain from doing too much research because I want to learn as I read the novel. (page 53)
2.
I am enjoying it a lot but I'm not reading much and it feels as though it's taking forever for me to read it. I am hoping that I will finish it by the end of next weekend. Both Kindle edition and audio-book are due and will be removed from my devices early on 9/2. I don't think I'll have much time to read 8/31-9/2. Great book though. Interesting historical fiction and I'm learning a lot. the humor is great. (page 138)
3.
Margie warned me. Some highly disturbing content.
I do really like the book so far but at the halfway mark I'm perhaps wishing I was reading a different kind of novel. Maybe for my next book. This one has a lot of humor and that helps.
I'm curious about what really happened and what it fictionalized. I'll do some research after I read the book, if not during. (page 198)
There are too many great quotes by the book’s author and by scientists to list but I loved this (too funny!) one in particular:
“Edison and a few others had been working on improvements to Alexander Bell’s initial “telephone” device. Tesla was attempting to make the devices work without the aid of any wires at all. One didn’t have to be much of a scientist to know that this was absurd. Even if by some miracle Tesla managed to make them function, who in the world would have any use for them?”
This is a brilliantly told account and I found it fascinating but I did not find the book to be a page turner. I think it was more me than the book but it wasn’t that hard for me to put it down and it wasn’t that hard to not pick it up again. I enjoyed it though and I’m glad that I read it.
The map at the start of book of Manhattan in 1888 was great but I read an e-book (and audio book simultaneously) and I forgot to keep checking the map as I read the book. I forgot that it was even there. I love maps in books and if I’d had a hardcover or paperback copy I’m sure I’d have frequently consulted it.
The book started off great with amusing quotes from Bill Gates and Steve Jobs referring to each other. There are wonderful quotes from various scientists at the start of every chapter.
There is lots of wonderful humor. The events described are mostly serious but so much was amusing and I really appreciated that.
The people were interesting.
There were a few tremendously upsetting scenes that were disconcerting as pertained to death by electricity. They included an accident involving a man, unscrupulous research on dogs, and a horrendous memorable capital punishment death, the first in the first electric chair. I’d been warned by a friend of these occurrences so I was somewhat prepared though not completely for the description of the electric chair death. That was unimaginable. If it hadn’t really happened I’d have hated its inclusion as gratuitous violence.
I knew nothing of any of these events. Nothing at all. It was really interesting to learn of them. The account had me looking at some of these historical figures in a new way. I do admire the scope of the entire story and how it deviated in some ways from what I’d been expecting. That was particularly true of how many of the people’s relationships developed and changed.
The author’s note in the back is outstanding. He shows how he constructed the story, telling exactly what was fact, what was slightly tweaked and why, what was fictionalized, what was conjecture on his part, and refers to his research. He has additional material, including a chronology of real events, at his website mrgrahammoore.com. He did fine research and gives some info on his sources.
And:
My status updates:
1.
This is excellent. Great quotes from scientists, plentiful humor, and events about which I knew nothing and I'm now enjoying learning. I'm trying to refrain from doing too much research because I want to learn as I read the novel. (page 53)
2.
I am enjoying it a lot but I'm not reading much and it feels as though it's taking forever for me to read it. I am hoping that I will finish it by the end of next weekend. Both Kindle edition and audio-book are due and will be removed from my devices early on 9/2. I don't think I'll have much time to read 8/31-9/2. Great book though. Interesting historical fiction and I'm learning a lot. the humor is great. (page 138)
3.
Margie warned me. Some highly disturbing content.
I do really like the book so far but at the halfway mark I'm perhaps wishing I was reading a different kind of novel. Maybe for my next book. This one has a lot of humor and that helps.
I'm curious about what really happened and what it fictionalized. I'll do some research after I read the book, if not during. (page 198)
There are too many great quotes by the book’s author and by scientists to list but I loved this (too funny!) one in particular:
“Edison and a few others had been working on improvements to Alexander Bell’s initial “telephone” device. Tesla was attempting to make the devices work without the aid of any wires at all. One didn’t have to be much of a scientist to know that this was absurd. Even if by some miracle Tesla managed to make them function, who in the world would have any use for them?”
July 27, 2016
This was good historical fiction with fictional characters thrown in along with the real inventors and businessmen.
Paul Cravath is a young attorney who has been given what he feels is the opportunity of a lifetime, represent Westinghouse against multiple suits by Thomas Edison. I certainly learned a lot about how the light bulb was invented, how much input there was from various scientists and the real brains behind it all, Nicola Tesla.
I didn’t know much about the lawsuits or about the intense rivalry between Westinghouse and Edison, how similar they were in their manipulation of others inventors. While this starts out as a battle about who invented the light bulb it really culminates in how the United States ultimately uses electricity, an incredibly interesting story.
I enjoyed getting to know Westinghouse, Edison and Nicola Tesla, what a brilliant and eccentric man! Alexander Graham Bell and J.P. Morgan seem to be on the side of Westinghouse, or are they? There are lots of subplots in this story and along the way we learn a lot of history.
I enjoyed this book but was expecting a little bit more of an interesting story. I think if the characters had been more well described in their life outside of the laboratory it would have made for a more readable book. As it is I felt a bit let down by this extremely talented screenwriter.
I would still recommend this book as a historical novel based on actual events to anyone who loves historical fiction.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Paul Cravath is a young attorney who has been given what he feels is the opportunity of a lifetime, represent Westinghouse against multiple suits by Thomas Edison. I certainly learned a lot about how the light bulb was invented, how much input there was from various scientists and the real brains behind it all, Nicola Tesla.
I didn’t know much about the lawsuits or about the intense rivalry between Westinghouse and Edison, how similar they were in their manipulation of others inventors. While this starts out as a battle about who invented the light bulb it really culminates in how the United States ultimately uses electricity, an incredibly interesting story.
I enjoyed getting to know Westinghouse, Edison and Nicola Tesla, what a brilliant and eccentric man! Alexander Graham Bell and J.P. Morgan seem to be on the side of Westinghouse, or are they? There are lots of subplots in this story and along the way we learn a lot of history.
I enjoyed this book but was expecting a little bit more of an interesting story. I think if the characters had been more well described in their life outside of the laboratory it would have made for a more readable book. As it is I felt a bit let down by this extremely talented screenwriter.
I would still recommend this book as a historical novel based on actual events to anyone who loves historical fiction.
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
October 4, 2017
Fantastic historical fiction! All I knew about Thomas Edison before reading this book was his quote which is something about not failing 999 times to make the lightbulb, but learning 999 ways how NOT to make it. I often quote this to the children I teach.
I'd never heard of Westinghouse, had heard of Nikola Tesla, but could tell you nothing about him.
So I learned a lot about electricity, the difference between AC and DC currents and the Currents War in America during the last decades of the nineteenth century.
This type of book demonstrates precisely why I love historical fiction- the perfect combination of learning and entertainment, where the author spends the time doing the research and we, the readers, profit in so many ways. This book was a delight! Recommended.
I'd never heard of Westinghouse, had heard of Nikola Tesla, but could tell you nothing about him.
So I learned a lot about electricity, the difference between AC and DC currents and the Currents War in America during the last decades of the nineteenth century.
This type of book demonstrates precisely why I love historical fiction- the perfect combination of learning and entertainment, where the author spends the time doing the research and we, the readers, profit in so many ways. This book was a delight! Recommended.
May 24, 2016
I received this book on a read to review basis from NetGalley. Thank you to the author, Graham Moore, and the publisher, Random House, for this opportunity.
I have never had the pleasure of previously reading anything by Graham Moore but he is an author I can already say I want to devour every published word from! His writing has a beautiful and lyrical quality to it that just took my breath away: his writing is incandescent in its delicacy and grace. He doesn't write a story to be read, he writes a story to be lived. His descriptions of people and places had me vividly re-imagining each scene in my mind and, what stunned me the most was that, he was able to do so in just a sentence or two: there wasn't a superfluous word to be found in this novel. If you are interested in studying good writing, regardless of your affinity towards this story or genre, then I would wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Now that I have that gushing out of my system, I can continue...
This is a historical tale set in the dawn of the electric light bulb. Our protagonist, Paul Cravath , is lawyer to George Westinghouse's company, who are one of Thomas Edison's numerous combatants. Paul is attempting to rescue his client from the 312 court cases that Edison has attempted to throw at Westinghouse in their rival race to be the sole contributor of lighting the whole of America with their new technological advancements.
The portrayal of America during this historical period were apt, in regards to the the cultural and societal restraints placed upon the characters. It was interesting seeing something we take for granted be revered or feared by members of the public and to see the passions, energy and genius exuded by the pioneering scientists of the time. It was also electrifying (see what I did there?!) to see famed historical figures displayed as something more than the two-dimensional accounts examined in history books. Moore has made them come to life and giving them distinct personalities and voices.
Whilst not something I have much knowledge or interest of, this manages to give a factual account of the period and the science whilst managing to not become a dry and dense historical account. This is a well executed example of a treading the fine line between fiction and non-fiction.
I have never had the pleasure of previously reading anything by Graham Moore but he is an author I can already say I want to devour every published word from! His writing has a beautiful and lyrical quality to it that just took my breath away: his writing is incandescent in its delicacy and grace. He doesn't write a story to be read, he writes a story to be lived. His descriptions of people and places had me vividly re-imagining each scene in my mind and, what stunned me the most was that, he was able to do so in just a sentence or two: there wasn't a superfluous word to be found in this novel. If you are interested in studying good writing, regardless of your affinity towards this story or genre, then I would wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Now that I have that gushing out of my system, I can continue...
This is a historical tale set in the dawn of the electric light bulb. Our protagonist, Paul Cravath , is lawyer to George Westinghouse's company, who are one of Thomas Edison's numerous combatants. Paul is attempting to rescue his client from the 312 court cases that Edison has attempted to throw at Westinghouse in their rival race to be the sole contributor of lighting the whole of America with their new technological advancements.
The portrayal of America during this historical period were apt, in regards to the the cultural and societal restraints placed upon the characters. It was interesting seeing something we take for granted be revered or feared by members of the public and to see the passions, energy and genius exuded by the pioneering scientists of the time. It was also electrifying (see what I did there?!) to see famed historical figures displayed as something more than the two-dimensional accounts examined in history books. Moore has made them come to life and giving them distinct personalities and voices.
Whilst not something I have much knowledge or interest of, this manages to give a factual account of the period and the science whilst managing to not become a dry and dense historical account. This is a well executed example of a treading the fine line between fiction and non-fiction.
April 24, 2019
WOW! Fantastic read! Of the many things we take for granted in the 21st-century electric power has to be at the top of the list. This captivating historical fiction set in New York City late 1800's, brings to life the personalities of Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse, and the battle between them to build the electrical system that would light the United States. The story is told from the point of view of 26-year-old Paul Cravath, an inexperienced but ambitious recent law school graduate who today is recognized as the inventor of the modern law firm. He was hired as Westinghouse's lead litigator in the largest patent infringement suit in U.S. history. In addition to the patent suit, a large part of the battle is the competition to win the public's perceived superiority between Edison’s direct current and Westinghouse’s alternating current.
Other players in this battle include eccentric inventor Nikola Tesla, Alexander Graham Bell, and financier J.P. Morgan. The outcome of this feud between geniuses would reverberate for generations.
The brilliant men of that era were such an influence on science and investing and will always be remembered! This is not a dry history of scientists and courtrooms, but a completely entertaining story with wonderfully drawn true-to-life characters, famous inventors and major industry players. It includes historically accurate accounts of backroom dealings, attempted murder, private spies, and even a little romance. Best of all, the majority of personalities and events are true! It is a uniquely riveting, thrilling and fast-paced read which both fiction and nonfiction readers will devour. Many, many interesting facts and history lessons. As often occurs with historical fiction, I found myself searching the internet for more information and images of all the major characters. The Author’s Note at the end provides a detailed list of which episodes are true, what changes to time or place were made and what sources were used to flesh out the novel.
Other players in this battle include eccentric inventor Nikola Tesla, Alexander Graham Bell, and financier J.P. Morgan. The outcome of this feud between geniuses would reverberate for generations.
The brilliant men of that era were such an influence on science and investing and will always be remembered! This is not a dry history of scientists and courtrooms, but a completely entertaining story with wonderfully drawn true-to-life characters, famous inventors and major industry players. It includes historically accurate accounts of backroom dealings, attempted murder, private spies, and even a little romance. Best of all, the majority of personalities and events are true! It is a uniquely riveting, thrilling and fast-paced read which both fiction and nonfiction readers will devour. Many, many interesting facts and history lessons. As often occurs with historical fiction, I found myself searching the internet for more information and images of all the major characters. The Author’s Note at the end provides a detailed list of which episodes are true, what changes to time or place were made and what sources were used to flesh out the novel.
July 22, 2018
1888 in New York, and newly out of Columbia Law School, lawyer Paul Cravath had his future ahead of him. He, as yet, had no clients but his new partnership in Carter, Hughes and Cravath, albeit a small percentage, meant he could make a name for himself if he did it right. His first client was George Westinghouse who wanted Paul to win over Thomas Edison – the invention of the light bulb and the patent was at the forefront – Edison was suing Westinghouse.
Naïve and fresh, Cravath had one thing in his favour – he had no other clients and was dogged; determined to make a name for himself with success. Edison was dangerous; Cravath needed to better him. But the class of high society; the money that spoke louder than words – all meant Paul needed his wits about him at all times. When Nikola Tesla, a scientist with a brilliant mind crossed paths with Paul, he was sure he was the answer. And when a new client entered his office, beautiful but aloof opera singer Agnes Huntington, Paul was sure the risks he would take would bring the correct result.
But there was danger in the pursuit of victory. There were those who would stop at nothing to achieve their desired aim. Was Paul too naïve to win?
Well I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed that! Spectacular! The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore tells of the birth of electricity in America. And what a way to do it! Fact liberally laced with fiction – Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, Nikola Tesla, Alexander Graham Bell – and many others – all people we’ve heard of in our history lessons. And a twenty-four-year-old lawyer fresh out of Law School. This fascinating historical mystery started each chapter with a quote from someone famous – it also had me from the first page. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster AU for my ARC to read and review.
Naïve and fresh, Cravath had one thing in his favour – he had no other clients and was dogged; determined to make a name for himself with success. Edison was dangerous; Cravath needed to better him. But the class of high society; the money that spoke louder than words – all meant Paul needed his wits about him at all times. When Nikola Tesla, a scientist with a brilliant mind crossed paths with Paul, he was sure he was the answer. And when a new client entered his office, beautiful but aloof opera singer Agnes Huntington, Paul was sure the risks he would take would bring the correct result.
But there was danger in the pursuit of victory. There were those who would stop at nothing to achieve their desired aim. Was Paul too naïve to win?
Well I have to say I thoroughly enjoyed that! Spectacular! The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore tells of the birth of electricity in America. And what a way to do it! Fact liberally laced with fiction – Thomas Edison, George Westinghouse, Nikola Tesla, Alexander Graham Bell – and many others – all people we’ve heard of in our history lessons. And a twenty-four-year-old lawyer fresh out of Law School. This fascinating historical mystery started each chapter with a quote from someone famous – it also had me from the first page. Highly recommended.
With thanks to Simon & Schuster AU for my ARC to read and review.
March 12, 2024
Борба между велики умове, битка на титани - Tомас Едисън, Джордж Уестингхаус, Никола Тесла - Манхатън 80те години на 19 век. Велик период на научен подем и изобретения, както и на машинации в сферата на патентното право.
“Последните дни на нощта” на Греъм Мур ни отвежда в Америка на великите открития. Действието ни потапя в света на богатите на “Грамърси парк”, “Метрополитан опера”, минава през научните лаборатории на велики изследователи и ни отвежда дори в дома на Александър Бел.
Сюжетът се завърта около делото между Едисън и Уестингхаус за правото на патент върху електрическата крушка. В центъра е и никому известният млад адвокат Пол Кревът, току що завършил Колумбийския университет.
Страшно много любопитни факти грабнаха вниманието ми (макар на моменти автора да изпада в твърде много подробности около неща свързани с физиката и леко ме губеше), но най вече ме впечатли изграждането на образите - особено на Томас Едисън (богат индустриалец, който експлоатира млади научни умове) и супер странният ексцентрик, напълно отдаден на науката - Никола Тесла.
Много ми хареса и анализа на обществените прослойки, което прави Мур и лекия намек как емигрантите са тези, кото градят бедещето на Америка.
Макар, че ми потръгна бавно и да е извън комфортната ми зона, книгата ми хареса доста. Оформлението на Orange books e повече от прекрасно.
Оставям 2 любими цитата.
“В моята лаборатория тук - продължи Бел - мога да работя по всяка задача, която си избера....
точно това означава да победиш. Да си седиш в тъмното и да създаваш неща. Така сме започнали всички. Но по някаква причина сме забравили за това и сме позволили на дните си да се изпълнят с караници кой от нас пръв е пуснал ток по някаква жица.”
“Бъдещето, за което се бориш принадлежи на хората с парите, не на изобретателите. Остави първите да горят в луксозния си ад. И кажи на вторите да дойдат при мен на това място, където единствено геният има значение и единственото богатство са чудесата.”
“Последните дни на нощта” на Греъм Мур ни отвежда в Америка на великите открития. Действието ни потапя в света на богатите на “Грамърси парк”, “Метрополитан опера”, минава през научните лаборатории на велики изследователи и ни отвежда дори в дома на Александър Бел.
Сюжетът се завърта около делото между Едисън и Уестингхаус за правото на патент върху електрическата крушка. В центъра е и никому известният млад адвокат Пол Кревът, току що завършил Колумбийския университет.
Страшно много любопитни факти грабнаха вниманието ми (макар на моменти автора да изпада в твърде много подробности около неща свързани с физиката и леко ме губеше), но най вече ме впечатли изграждането на образите - особено на Томас Едисън (богат индустриалец, който експлоатира млади научни умове) и супер странният ексцентрик, напълно отдаден на науката - Никола Тесла.
Много ми хареса и анализа на обществените прослойки, което прави Мур и лекия намек как емигрантите са тези, кото градят бедещето на Америка.
Макар, че ми потръгна бавно и да е извън комфортната ми зона, книгата ми хареса доста. Оформлението на Orange books e повече от прекрасно.
Оставям 2 любими цитата.
“В моята лаборатория тук - продължи Бел - мога да работя по всяка задача, която си избера....
точно това означава да победиш. Да си седиш в тъмното и да създаваш неща. Така сме започнали всички. Но по някаква причина сме забравили за това и сме позволили на дните си да се изпълнят с караници кой от нас пръв е пуснал ток по някаква жица.”
“Бъдещето, за което се бориш принадлежи на хората с парите, не на изобретателите. Остави първите да горят в луксозния си ад. И кажи на вторите да дойдат при мен на това място, където единствено геният има значение и единственото богатство са чудесата.”
October 24, 2020
Изключителен роман , борба на умовете(Едисън, Тесла , Уестингхаус) за надмощие в светлината , в едно от най-бурните откъм научни ( сравним от мен само с дигиталния и технологичен бум на който бяхме и сме свидетели в момента) открития времена за човечеството .Беше невероятно усещане за мен .И тримата са канонизирани в науката и в съзнанието на хората като изключителни новатори и учени и ми беше мн приятно да видя и техния човешки облик представен от Греъм Мур .
March 26, 2017
So liebe ich das Genre des historischen Romans: Eine im Kern wahre Geschichte, die fast an einen Thriller herankommt, eine Prise Fiktion, ein bisschen Wissenschaft, wundervoll entwickelte Figuren, ein spannender Plot, angenehme Sprache und einen Krieg der Theorien eigentlich der Erfinderpersönlichkeiten Edison – Westinghouse – Tesla – der Stromkrieg, der Ende des 19. Jahrhunderts ganz Amerika in Atem hielt.
Der Autor Graham Moore berichtet die Story aus der Sicht des jungen Anwalts Paul Cravath, der in seiner Funktion des Rechtsvertreters von George Westinghouse genauestens seinen Auftraggeber, alle potenziellen strategischen Partner, alle Hinderungsfaktoren, die Finanziers im Hintergrund wie z.B. J.P. Morgan und selbstverständlich den Hauptgegner Edison, den es zu bekämpfen gilt, tiefgehend mit all seinen Stärken und Schwächen strategisch klug und relativ objektiv analysiert. Dabei bleibt die Hauptfigur Paul als treffender Beobachter am Rande über weite Strecken des Buches zwar ein wesendtlicher Akteur des Geschehens, tritt aber als fühlende tiefgründige Persönlichkeit im Roman etwas in den Hintergrund, was mich gar nicht gestört hat, da es ihn als leidlich objektiven Beobachter aus dem sehr emotionalen Ränkespiel der Erfinderpersönlichkeiten herausnimmt. Erst als Cravath als Kollateralschaden einer Brandstiftung fast getötet wird, ändert sich seine analytisch-neutrale Position dramatisch, und er wirft sich voller Emotionen mit eigenen Interessen ins Gefecht der Erfinder.
Wundervoll werden zuerst alle zentralen Figuren des Stromkrieges installiert. Die für den Anwalt relevante Ersatzvaterfigur George Westinghouse, der Paul als sein erster Mandant die Chance gibt, sich auf dem Parkett der Juristerei einen Namen zu machen, der das Konzept des Wechselstroms vertritt und visionäre Ideen auf den Boden der Tatsachen bringt, indem er sehr gerne reale Produkte baut. Nikola Tesla, ein genialer Visionär mit monkhaften Zwangsstörungen und teilweise wahnhaften Schüben, in denen er am laufenden Band Ideen entwickelt, die seiner Zeit meilenweit voraus sind. Und zuletzt Thomas Alva Edison, ein weiterer diametral entgegengesetzter Erfindertyp, der mit einem großen Ingenieursteam im Sinne der kontinuierlichen Verbesserung so lange probiert, bis sich ein Erfindungsproblem auf irgendeine Weise technisch und wirtschaftlich vertretbar relativ gut lösen lässt. Der also im Prinzip das moderne Innovationsmanagement erfunden hat. Flankiert noch von den Persönlichkeiten des J.P Morgan, als Banker ein beinharter Rechner und Strippenzieher im Hintergrund, Mr. Brown, ein Fanatiker, der unbedingt den elektrischen Stuhl einführen will und Agnes, die große Liebe von Paul.
"Offenkundig beherrschte Tesla das Rohmaterial der Sprache durchaus – Wörter und kurze Sätze -, agierte beim Anwenden komplexer Sprachbestandteile – Grammatik und Satzbau- allerdings vollkommen beliebig. Es war als werfe Tesla sämtliche Wörter, die er zu einem bestimmten Thema kannte, hoch in die Luft und ginge dann weg, ohne abzuwarten, wo sie landeten.“
Als der Stromkrieg voll ausbricht, werden von fast allen beteiligten Hauptprotagonisten Hemmungen und Skrupel komplett über Bord geworfen, da werden Hunde und Pferde mit dem Stromsystem von Westinghouse coram publicum gegrillt und gemeuchelt, nur um ihn zu diskreditieren, da bricht auch der brave Rechtsverdreher Paul in Büros ein, um Industriespionage zu begehen, da werden von irgendwem Mordanschläge verübt, und alle belügen und betrügen sich gegenseitig mehrmals massiv um Geschäftsanteile und brechen viele schriftlichen Verträge. Lediglich Nikola Tesla bekommt in seiner Naivität nichts mit und ist letztendlich das eigentliche Opfer der verwickelten Ränkespiele.
Am Ende der Geschichte gibt es sowohl für jene, die den historischen Ablauf nicht genau kennen, als auch für alle anderen eine überraschende fiktionale Wendung. Aber mehr möchte ich nun nicht mehr spoilern. :-)
Normalerweise fragt sich jeder historisch interessierte Leser am Ende eines Romans, wie viel und was genau bei so einer Story auf Fakten basiert und welche Teile halb oder völlig fiktional sind. Auch hier hat der Autor im Nachwort wundervoll Abhilfe geschaffen. Er erklärt genau seine Quellen, welche Teile auf Fakten beruhen, wo ziemlich gesicherte Vermutungen in den Plot einflossen und was genau komplett erfunden ist. Weiters beschreibt er detailliert, an welchen Stellen er im Roman Veränderungen im Zeitablauf – im Vergleich zu den historischen Daten – vorgenommen hat. Bravo!! Sehr witzig und außerordentlich überraschend fand ich den Umstand, dass auch die Hauptfigur Paul Cravath und seine Angebetete Adele als historische Persönlichkeiten tatsächlich in dieser Story mitspielten. Ich dachte eigentlich, dass sie frei erfunden sind. Als offensichtlich wichtige Akteure des New Yorker Society-Lebens hätte ich gerne auch mal einen Roman oder eine Biografie über diese beiden gelesen.
Fazit: Eine absolute Leseempfehlung von mir für diesen grandiosen Pageturner – ich finde ausnahmsweise gar nichts zu kritisieren. In Anbetracht der Tatsache, dass der Autor normalerweise Drehbücher schreibt, freue ich mich auch schon sehr auf den Film.
Der Autor Graham Moore berichtet die Story aus der Sicht des jungen Anwalts Paul Cravath, der in seiner Funktion des Rechtsvertreters von George Westinghouse genauestens seinen Auftraggeber, alle potenziellen strategischen Partner, alle Hinderungsfaktoren, die Finanziers im Hintergrund wie z.B. J.P. Morgan und selbstverständlich den Hauptgegner Edison, den es zu bekämpfen gilt, tiefgehend mit all seinen Stärken und Schwächen strategisch klug und relativ objektiv analysiert. Dabei bleibt die Hauptfigur Paul als treffender Beobachter am Rande über weite Strecken des Buches zwar ein wesendtlicher Akteur des Geschehens, tritt aber als fühlende tiefgründige Persönlichkeit im Roman etwas in den Hintergrund, was mich gar nicht gestört hat, da es ihn als leidlich objektiven Beobachter aus dem sehr emotionalen Ränkespiel der Erfinderpersönlichkeiten herausnimmt. Erst als Cravath als Kollateralschaden einer Brandstiftung fast getötet wird, ändert sich seine analytisch-neutrale Position dramatisch, und er wirft sich voller Emotionen mit eigenen Interessen ins Gefecht der Erfinder.
Wundervoll werden zuerst alle zentralen Figuren des Stromkrieges installiert. Die für den Anwalt relevante Ersatzvaterfigur George Westinghouse, der Paul als sein erster Mandant die Chance gibt, sich auf dem Parkett der Juristerei einen Namen zu machen, der das Konzept des Wechselstroms vertritt und visionäre Ideen auf den Boden der Tatsachen bringt, indem er sehr gerne reale Produkte baut. Nikola Tesla, ein genialer Visionär mit monkhaften Zwangsstörungen und teilweise wahnhaften Schüben, in denen er am laufenden Band Ideen entwickelt, die seiner Zeit meilenweit voraus sind. Und zuletzt Thomas Alva Edison, ein weiterer diametral entgegengesetzter Erfindertyp, der mit einem großen Ingenieursteam im Sinne der kontinuierlichen Verbesserung so lange probiert, bis sich ein Erfindungsproblem auf irgendeine Weise technisch und wirtschaftlich vertretbar relativ gut lösen lässt. Der also im Prinzip das moderne Innovationsmanagement erfunden hat. Flankiert noch von den Persönlichkeiten des J.P Morgan, als Banker ein beinharter Rechner und Strippenzieher im Hintergrund, Mr. Brown, ein Fanatiker, der unbedingt den elektrischen Stuhl einführen will und Agnes, die große Liebe von Paul.
"Offenkundig beherrschte Tesla das Rohmaterial der Sprache durchaus – Wörter und kurze Sätze -, agierte beim Anwenden komplexer Sprachbestandteile – Grammatik und Satzbau- allerdings vollkommen beliebig. Es war als werfe Tesla sämtliche Wörter, die er zu einem bestimmten Thema kannte, hoch in die Luft und ginge dann weg, ohne abzuwarten, wo sie landeten.“
Als der Stromkrieg voll ausbricht, werden von fast allen beteiligten Hauptprotagonisten Hemmungen und Skrupel komplett über Bord geworfen, da werden Hunde und Pferde mit dem Stromsystem von Westinghouse coram publicum gegrillt und gemeuchelt, nur um ihn zu diskreditieren, da bricht auch der brave Rechtsverdreher Paul in Büros ein, um Industriespionage zu begehen, da werden von irgendwem Mordanschläge verübt, und alle belügen und betrügen sich gegenseitig mehrmals massiv um Geschäftsanteile und brechen viele schriftlichen Verträge. Lediglich Nikola Tesla bekommt in seiner Naivität nichts mit und ist letztendlich das eigentliche Opfer der verwickelten Ränkespiele.
Am Ende der Geschichte gibt es sowohl für jene, die den historischen Ablauf nicht genau kennen, als auch für alle anderen eine überraschende fiktionale Wendung. Aber mehr möchte ich nun nicht mehr spoilern. :-)
Normalerweise fragt sich jeder historisch interessierte Leser am Ende eines Romans, wie viel und was genau bei so einer Story auf Fakten basiert und welche Teile halb oder völlig fiktional sind. Auch hier hat der Autor im Nachwort wundervoll Abhilfe geschaffen. Er erklärt genau seine Quellen, welche Teile auf Fakten beruhen, wo ziemlich gesicherte Vermutungen in den Plot einflossen und was genau komplett erfunden ist. Weiters beschreibt er detailliert, an welchen Stellen er im Roman Veränderungen im Zeitablauf – im Vergleich zu den historischen Daten – vorgenommen hat. Bravo!! Sehr witzig und außerordentlich überraschend fand ich den Umstand, dass auch die Hauptfigur Paul Cravath und seine Angebetete Adele als historische Persönlichkeiten tatsächlich in dieser Story mitspielten. Ich dachte eigentlich, dass sie frei erfunden sind. Als offensichtlich wichtige Akteure des New Yorker Society-Lebens hätte ich gerne auch mal einen Roman oder eine Biografie über diese beiden gelesen.
Fazit: Eine absolute Leseempfehlung von mir für diesen grandiosen Pageturner – ich finde ausnahmsweise gar nichts zu kritisieren. In Anbetracht der Tatsache, dass der Autor normalerweise Drehbücher schreibt, freue ich mich auch schon sehr auf den Film.
February 6, 2020
"I have not failed. I’ve just found ten thousand ways that don’t work."
—THOMAS EDISON
Be alone—that is the secret of invention: be alone, that is when ideas are born.
—NIKOLA TESLA, FROM HIS DIARY
Sometimes we stare so long at a door that is closing that we see too late the one that is open.
—ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL
Страхотна книга, която ни връща в епохата на едни от най- великите и ключови открития за човечеството и ни поставя в епицентъра на буря, в която велики умове се борят за опазване на тяхната интелектуална собственост.
Изключително увлекателно разказана история с препратки към важни събития и личности от 19в. Греъм Мур е изградил пълнокръвни образи и е показал един преобразяващ се свят през погледа на младият адвокат Пол Кревът, който защитава интересите на Джордж Уестингхаус.
Нажежени емоции и наелектризираща борба за власт, пари, надмощие и слава; юридическо джамбуре, в което са въвлечени Едисон, Уестингхаус, Тесла, та дори и Александър Бел.
"Even a true story is a fiction, Paul knew. It is the comforting tool we use to organize the chaotic world around us into something comprehensible. It is the cognitive machine that separates the wheat of emotion from the chaff of sensation. The real world is overfull with incidents, brimming over with occurrences. In our stories, we disregard most of them until clear reason and motivation emerge. Every story is an invention, a technological device not unlike the very one that on that morning had seared a man’s skin from his bones. A good story could be put to no less dangerous a purpose."
В романа си "Последните дни на нощта" Греъм Мур ни отвежда на сцена, на която предстои да се води "делото на века" за патентно право върху изобретяването на електрическата крушка меджу Томас Едисън и Джордж Уестингхаус.
Thomas Edison:
“The question that should concern you,” he said as he reclined in his chair, “is not how far I’m willing to go to win. The question is how far you’ll go before you lose.”
Има много спорни около електрическата крушка, а двамата конкуренти са готови на всичко за правото откритието да се нарече тяхно.
Ето така е изглеждал регистрираният от Едисън патент:
https://americanhistory.si.edu/lighti...
Беше ми интересно да вдигна завесата и да разгледам лабораториите и личните кабинети на двамата изобретатели, които завинаги са оставили своята следа ( или по-скоро светлина 🙂) в нашия свят. Беше ми драго да се докосна до гениалността, ексцентричността, екстравагантността, колоритността на Никола Тесла и да науча интересни факти за него.
" I do not think you can name many great inventions that have been made by married men.
—NIKOLA TESLA" -> ама разбира се- жената само размътва мозъка на мъжа 😁
Една от сюжетните линии, които остават леко в сянка, но същевременно е много интересна и важна, е борбата на Едисон с Тесла, който някога е работил за него. Метафорично представено, това е един ожесточен ръкопашен бой между правия( от страна на Едисън) и променливия ток( от страна на Тесла), който е в основата на необятни технологични възможности. Едисън е отстоявал твърдо позицията на правия ток, и как не, щом той му е носил толкова пари. От друга страна Тесла прави гениални открития, които могат да разклатят устоите на праволинейното статукво.
https://nauka.offnews.bg/news/Novini_...
Тази книга е уникална, обогатена едновременно с реални събития, наука, художествена история. Тя ме провокира да се разровя още по- дълбоко за данни и информация.
Цялата книга е наситена с толкова ясни, отчетливи, силни, категорични изявления ( особено от страна на Едисън), че ме караше да настръхвам. Толкова красноречиво е предадено с думи чувството, неистовото желание за победа, че чак аз го усещах във вените си.
Need. Power was the need for something so great that absolutely nothing could stop the getting of it. With a need like that, victory was not a matter of will. It was a matter of time. And Thomas Edison needed to win more than any man he had ever met.
All stories are love stories. Paul remembered someone famous saying that. Thomas Edison’s would be no exception. All men get the things they love. The tragedy of some men is not that they are denied, but that they wish they’d loved something else.
“If you think you can stop me,” Edison said softly, “go ahead and try. But you’ll have to do it in the dark.”
Колкото и да беше арогантно, харесваше ми пустото присъствие на Едисън; вдъхновявах се от комбинативността, находчивостта и прагматичността на Дж.П. Морган- най- богатият и влиятелен бизнесмен/ банкер в Щатите по онова време; нахъсвах се от интелектуалната гъвкавост на адвокатът Пол и от предвидливостта и интуитивния нюх на Александър Бел. Всичко това караше кръвта ми да закипи 😊
Изгълтах книгата с настървение, подобно може би на това, което се излъчваше от самите персонажи в нея. Тя просто ми запали фитила и разгоря огъня в мен.
Четох " Последните дни на нощта" на английски, но това е една от тези книги, които обезателно искам да имам в библиотеката си и в превод. Заслужава си много. Романът хвърля ясна светлина върху личности, които винаги ще помним.
"Edison loved the audience. For him, it was the performance. It was the crowd. He remains the most famous inventor in the world. I’ll bet he’ll stay that way for generations. He wanted the applause. That’s what he was fighting for. Now, Westinghouse…Westinghouse was different. He loved the products themselves. And he made them better than anyone. He is the ultimate craftsman, isn’t he? He didn’t want to sell the most light bulbs. He wanted to make the best light bulbs. If they were too expensive, if they were too late into production, he didn’t care. They had to be the best. The most useful, the most current technology. And he did, didn’t he? It’s his products that won out. He wanted to perfect the light bulb and he did it. Then there’s Tesla. He was the third leg in this tripod. He didn’t care a bit about Edison’s public, or Westinghouse’s products. No, Tesla cared only for the ideas themselves. Their promulgation did not matter. Tesla was his own audience, and his ideas were his product, for consumption by himself alone. He had the idea, then he was done. Once he knew he’d solved a problem, he moved on."
Греъм Мур е направил прекрасна съпоставка между данните в книгата и реалните събития:
https://mrgrahammoore.com/books/the-l...
Чувството, което остави " Последните дни на нощта" в мен е, че сякаш присъствам на сцена от Сблъсъкът на Титаните.
Ето това е този роман- титаничен.
Впечатляващо изпълнение и страхотно попадение!
January 31, 2018
Thomas Edison, Nikola Tesla e George Westinghouse
No início do romance o escritor Graham Moore (n. 1981) avisa: ”A Luz da Noite” é uma obra de ficção histórica. Além dos nomes, acontecimentos e locais verdadeiros e conhecidos que constam desta narrativa, todos os nomes, personagens, locais e incidentes são fruto da imaginação do autor ou são utilizados ficcionalmente.”
Paul Cravath é um jovem advogado, formado na Columbia Law School, sem experiência profissional que aceita defender George Westinghouse que tem trezentas e doze acções judiciais no valor de mais de mil milhões de dólares interpostas pelo também inventor Thomas Edison. Estamos no final do século XIX em Nova Iorque, Estados Unidos da América – no período depois da descoberta da electricidade – e a questão fundamental é saber quem inventou a lâmpada eléctrica. De um lado está Thomas Edison que tem o apoio da imprensa e do banco J. P. Morgan e do outro lado está George Westinghouse.
No meio estão duas pessoas inesquecíveis: o génio e excêntrico inventor Nikolas Tesla e a lindíssima cantora de ópera Agnes Huntington.
O narrador de ”A Luz da Noite” Paul Cravath, que tal como eu, é um ignorante no conhecimento científico sobre a energia eléctrica.
Logo no início Paul Cravath encontra-se com Thomas Edison que faz-lhe um aviso: ”- A questão que o deve preocupar – continuou Edison recostando-se no cadeirão -, não é até onde estou disposto a ir para vencer. A questão é até onde conseguirá chegar antes de perder.” (Pág. 31)
Numa narrativa brilhante e inventiva todos os intervenientes querem vencer, estabelecendo planos indescritíveis, por vezes, com consequências desastrosas. No essencial, quase todas as personagens agem em função de acontecimentos que emergem ao longo de vivências que experimentam no dia-a-dia e que apenas pressupõem a conquista ou o domínio.
Graham Moore controla o enredo, criando e inventando múltiplas histórias, com um inegável suspense e mistério, que se vão interligando, numa experiência de leitura notável, detalhando múltiplas descrições técnicas das inúmeras inovações tecnológicas da época, sem que se tornem excessivas ou supérfluas.
No final há uma Nota do Autor - com onze páginas em que Graham Moore relata: ”Sendo uma obra de ficção histórica, este romance destina-se a ser uma dramatização da História, não um registo da mesma. Nenhum dos relatos que leu neste livro deve ser encarado como um facto verificável. Contudo, a globalidade dos eventos retratados aconteceram e todas as principais personagens existiram. A maior parte dos diálogos baseia-se nos próprios ditos das personagens históricas ou nos escritos das suas prodigiosas penas. (…). Este livro é um emaranhado de verdades verificáveis, suposições baseadas em factos verídicos, dramatismo e absolutas conjecturas. O objectivo desta nota é ajudar o leitor a desfazer o emaranhado.” (Pág. 471)
A Luz da Noite é uma soberba obra de ficção histórica e um dos melhores thrillers “legais” que já li. Exibindo um ritmo narrativo excepcional; é um romance emocionante e divertido na sua leitura, integrando uma intensa e impressionante investigação científica e histórica, que consegue condensar admiravelmente mais de duas décadas de intensa e acentuadas descobertas tecnológicas; expondo uma encantadora história de amor, e uma genuína luta de ambições e desejos.
Paul Cravath e Agnes Huntington
https://mrgrahammoore.com/books/the-l...
https://mrgrahammoore.com/books/the-l...
January 3, 2020
Тази книга е слоубърн на годината, в добрия смисъл. Супер бавно ми тръгна, от ноември я чета, но бавно и малко, чак сега наведнъж прочетох втората половина.
Ако ви се чете за драмата между Дж. П. Морган, Тесла, Едисън, Уестингхаус и адвокатите им, то ще попаднете в центъра на бурята и драма е ... меко казано. То е цяло правно мазало.
Знаете с какво са известни тези имена, ясно е, че става дума за гении и техните изобретения, но това, което открадна шоуто е епизодичната поява на Александър Бел. Толкова добре е описан характера на този човек, че сега си купих от амазон биографията му, върху която е базиран образа му в “Последните дни на нощта”.
Добре, че Ориндж представиха книгата на български, иначе едва ли щях да разбера за нея. Писана е от сценаристът на The Imitation Game - Enigma, който има оскар за този сценарий.
Ако ви се чете за драмата между Дж. П. Морган, Тесла, Едисън, Уестингхаус и адвокатите им, то ще попаднете в центъра на бурята и драма е ... меко казано. То е цяло правно мазало.
Знаете с какво са известни тези имена, ясно е, че става дума за гении и техните изобретения, но това, което открадна шоуто е епизодичната поява на Александър Бел. Толкова добре е описан характера на този човек, че сега си купих от амазон биографията му, върху която е базиран образа му в “Последните дни на нощта”.
Добре, че Ориндж представиха книгата на български, иначе едва ли щях да разбера за нея. Писана е от сценаристът на The Imitation Game - Enigma, който има оскар за този сценарий.
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