The Telephone Gambit
Chasing Alexander Graham Bell's Secret
Seth Shulman (Author)
"A stellar example of historical investigation at its probing best."—Chuck Leddy, Boston Globe
Throughout his career, Alexander Graham Bell, one of the world's most famous inventors, was plagued by a secret: he stole the key idea behind the invention of the telephone. While researching at MIT, science journalist Seth Shulman scrutinized Bell's journals and within them found the smoking gun: a hint of deeply buried historical deception. Delving further into Bell's life, Shulman unearthed the surprising story behind the telephone, a tale of romance, corruption, and unchecked ambition.
Book Details
- Paperback
- January 2009
-
ISBN 978-0-393-33368-8
- 5.5 × 8.3 in
/ 256 pages
- Territory Rights: Worldwide
Other Formats
Hardcover
Endorsements & Reviews
“A page-turner....The Telephone Gambit is solid history, and Seth Shulman makes it as much fun to read as an Agatha Christie whodunit by using the techniques of historiography the way Hercule Poirot used his 'little gray cells.' That's no small accomplishment.” — John Steele Gordon, Wall Street Journal
“A portrait of the thrilling era of innovation in which Bell lived....Succeeds splendidly as an edge-of-your seat historical tale.” — Marjorie Kehe, Christian Science Monitor
“Seth Shulman's The Telephone Gambit masterfully breathes life into a long-forgotten controversy.” — Entertainment Weekly
“Masterful...[the] story never flags....an intrepid journalist-turned-historian's quest for the true story of the invention of the telephone.” — The Washington Post
“Starred Review. Rewrites history even as it immediately lures readers with scandal and iconoclasm.” — Booklist
“A great tale of historic detection.” — New Scientist
“A dramatic probe into a shocking intellectual theft...the skillful, polished writing makes century-old events spring to life.” — Publishers Weekly
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