The Inventions, Researches and Writings of Nikola Tesla - Hardcover

Nikola Tesla

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1435149114 ISBN 13: 9781435149113

Publisher: Barnes & Noble, 1995

Synopsis

New; Pristine. The decorative-binding edition, and with All Edges Silver. New York: Barnes & Noble, 2014. Octavo; highly decorative binding with copper, black and silver boards, cover device of a black and white photograph of Tesla in his prime, in circular limits; All Edges Silver; black satin page-marker ribbon; illustrated endpapers; xi + 497 pp. New, and quite pristine; removed from original publisher's shrinkwrap for the purpose of scanning and description, then stored in archival protection. See scan. Possibly the most visually spectacular edition of a title which has been reprinted seemingly countless times since its 1894 inception, at which time the famously under- acclaimed but undeniably singular and ingenious scientist/physicist/electrical engineer/inventor, still insufficiently appreciated to this day (though that condition is changing rapidly), was only part way into his ingenious and often enigmatic endeavors. Reproduced here, internally, in a very careful facsimile style. A pristine example for the collector - and one could make a collection of the editions of this title alone (Barnes & Noble itself produced earlier editions in 1992, 1993, and 1995). See scans. L-56n Read more

About this title

About the Author

As AN introduction to the record contained in this volume of Mr. Tesla' s investigations and discoveries, a few words of "a biographical nature will, it is deemed, not be out of place, nor other than welcome. Nikola Tesla was born in 1857 at Smiljan, Lika, a borderland region of Austro-Hungary, of the Serbian race, which has maintained against Turkey and all comers so unceasing a struggle for freedom. His family is an old and representative one among these Switzers of Eastern Europe, and his father was an eloquent clergyman in the Greek Church. An uncle is to-day Metropolitan in Bosnia. His mother was a woman of inherited ingenuity, and delighted not only in skillful work of the ordinary household character, but in the construction of such mechanical appliances as looms and churns and other machinery required in a rural community. Nikola was educated at Gospich in the public school for four years, and then spent three years in the Real Scliule. He was then sent to Carstatt, Croatia, where he continued his studies for three years in the Higher Real Scliule. There for the first time he saw a steam locomotive. He graduated in 1873, and, surviving an attack of cholera, devoted himself to experimentation, especially in electricity and magnetism. His father would have had him maintain the family tradition by Altering the Church, but native genius was too strong, and he was allowed to enter the Polytechnic School at Gratz, to finish his studies, and with the object of becoming a professor of mathematics and physics. One of the machines there experimented with was a Gramme dynamo, used as a motor.

Review

I've read a borrowed copy of this; seeing that Amazon had it, I bought my own copy - I could see that digesting this material is going to take a while. The text is all here, unabridged. The image quality of the illustrations leaves a lot to be desired with this edition, however. It looks like a second-generation xerox in spots. If this is a problem, do yourself a favor and look for the 1980's hardcover reprint. The images are much better in that one. That said, the substance of this book is thoroughly recommended for the serious student of electrical engineering as well as fans of Tesla. Since this text was written in the late 1800s, and is reprinted here without alteration, the language can sometimes have the density of Shakespeare (without the poetry). Much of the phraseology has passed out of use in the last hundred years. This material is written for the intelligencia of Tesla's era, and not "dumbed down" for this age as many other books are. This is an advantage for someone who wants an authoratative viewpoint on this subject (who more authoratative than Tesla!), but poisonous to the casual reader. Many of the inventions discussed in this book are now commonplace (for instance - the AC induction motor, fully described here, is in use everywhere). Nikola's own depth of understanding of the principles involved make this a thoroughly intense experience for those who are ready for it. Readers who can understand this material are going to experience the devine "Ah-ha" on a regular basis throughout this book. Others will be put to sleep. This book will separate the men from the boys very quickly. Robert English (Independence, OR) --http://www.amazon.com/Inventions-Researches-Writings-Nikola-Tesla/dp/1564597113

When I was young I planned to write something along the lines of "an evaluation of Tesla's scientific contributions." Three things stopped me: 1) procrastination, 2) laziness, and 3) the impression that everyone who writes about Tesla will have a "kook" label stick to them for the rest of their lives. Why this is so is interesting, but first about the book. This is a reprint of one published a little more than a hundred years ago, and is most definitely not a "kook book." The author, Mr. Martin, writes a very good description of the nature and significance of Tesla's work up to about 1895. The second part of the book consists of reprints of lectures delivered by Tesla, apparently written by the great man himself. The book contains many good diagrams and illustrations. Both parts have the expected "old-fashioned" feel, but the book gives us a chance to compare Tesla's writing style with that of a contemporary. My own impression is that Tesla's writing style is fairly good as well as interesting, though perhaps even more florid than customary during that age. The book is rather long, and I would venture only two types are likely to read it in entirety: 1) historians of science, and 2) the Tesla sycophants. When the book was originally published Tesla was at the height of his powers. About that time his assertions started to become more and more grandiose, if not fantastic. Following the debacle of his "world wireless power transmission" scheme (just prior to WWI), his reputation suffered. Although he lived until 1941, in later life he tended to be increasingly seen as an eccentric loner and kook. He died in loneliness and poverty. OK, so why does a "kook" label tend stick to anyone who has more than passing interest in Tesla? The first reason is, of course, the fantastic and eccentric claims Tesla made late in life. But by itself this is not enough - after all, even the great Newton dabbled in alchemy and the Book of Revelations late in life. To the first reason --http://www.amazon.com/Inventions-Researches-Writings-Nikola-Tesla/dp/1564597113

A volume that records the early pioneering work of an electrical genius and inventor, in the same platform of Thomas Edison and Charles Steinmetz, Guglielmo Marconi and George Westinghouse, though never as well known. It shows in great detail not only the works of Tesla's experiments, but will give the reader a glimpse of the amazing range of his thinking. From alternating curent generators to Unipolar generators (generators being just one field of study) to theories and applications of polyphase currents and motors to high frequency and high potential currents, this gives the reader some basic understanding of his pioneering work. This is not about his life and times, and how this genius could understand the mysteries of electromagnestism but could not help himself when it comes to battling corporations represented by lawyers of JP Morgan. It may seem outdated, since the work was published in the 1890s. But nowhere can you find a book that will explain more about the foundations of his technical and scientific work. Noel Isler (Atlanta, GA) --http://www.amazon.com/Inventions-Researches-Writings-Nikola-Tesla/dp/1564597113

Edition details

• Publisher: Barnes & Noble
• Publication date: 1995
• ISBN 10: 1435149114
• ISBN 13: 9781435149113
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 512