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Book Summary and Reviews of The Telephone Gambit by Seth Shulman

The Telephone Gambit by Seth Shulman

The Telephone Gambit

Chasing Alexander Graham Bell's Secret

by Seth Shulman

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  • Published:
  • Jan 2008, 256 pages
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About this book

Book Summary

While researching Alexander Graham Bell at MIT's Dibner Institute, Seth Shulman scrutinized Bell's journals and within them he found the smoking gun, a hint of deeply buried historical intrigue. Delving further, Shulman unearthed the surprising story behind the invention of the telephone: a tale of romance, corruption, and unchecked ambition.

Bell furtively—and illegally—copied part of Elisha Gray's invention in the race to secure what would become the most valuable U.S. patent ever issued. And afterward, as Bell's device led to the world's largest monopoly, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company, he hid his invention's illicit beginnings. In The Telephone Gambit, Shulman challenges the reputation of an icon of invention, rocks the foundation of a corporate behemoth, and offers a probing meditation on how little we know about our own history.

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Reviews

Media Reviews

"Starred Review. Although much of this book involves comparisons of correspondence, documents and journals, the skillful, polished writing makes century-old events spring to life." - Publishers Weekly.

This information about The Telephone Gambit was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

Write your own reviewwrite your own review

Miriam V. Newman

Telephone Gambit, A Suspenseful Tale
Seth Shulman writes this story like a detective and makes the hunt for the truth a thrilling tale to read. If you are a science and history buff who appreciates well-written books, you will love this story.

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