The Story of Alexander Graham Bell: Inventor of the Telephone (Famous Lives)

A biography of the man whose curiosity and perseverance led to various inventions, particularly the telephone, for which he is best known.

Grade 4-6-- A readable, interesting biography of the famous inventor, paying equal attention to his scientific achievements, his personal life, and his lifelong work with the deaf. There are several odd omissions, though, including why Bell adopted the middle name Graham; the spilled-acid aspect of the first telephone message (there is some question as to the authenticity of this incident, but it has become so famous that it bears mentioning, with a rebuttal if necessary); and Bell's demonstration of the telephone before Queen Victoria. Davidson also has an annoying tendency to attribute feelings to actions and statements, with Bell working happily, nodding glumly, feeling jolts of excitement, etc. Still, this is a thorough study and a good complement to Shippen's Mr. Bell Invents the Telephone (Random, 1963), which focuses primarily on the telephone and contains considerable fictionalization. The Story of Alexander Graham Bell is attractively illustrated; there is an abbreviated chronology, but no index or bibliography. --Ann W. Moore, formerly at Lane Road Library, Columbus, OH
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