What a disappointment! Not only is some of the history in this book misrepresented, it is just plain wrong. In spite of a very attractive layout and some interesting pictures, the book isn't worth the price. Scholarly research and more thoughtful presentation make Neil Baldwin's book EDISON: INVENTING THE CENTURY and Paul Israel's book EDISON: A LIFE OF INVENTION much better reading!

Hard to believe so much useful information and so many rare pictures on Thomas Edison in Florida could be compiled in a single, easy-to-read, and interesting book. I have read many books on Edison and always seemed to get lost in the overwhelming detail. In my opinion, this book is obviously the most useful book for the general public on Edison and his Florida experience. For me, this has really been money well spent, which I really can't say about most of the other Edison books.

In my professional opinion, this book was definetly not worth the buy. The photo editing and graphics sure are though. I would like to meet the genius that composed this work of art, and as far as the author goes.. well, nice try. ;p

This book is ok....I mean i wouldnt read it if i didnt have to (we had to read it for school).......well some ppl might like it..but i am more into fiction books.......teh book was well writen........

Pedantic and self-important prose mask the significance of Thomas A. Edison in this poorly crafted and ponderous work written by some academic. Don't waste your time.

This book is essentially unadulterated Edison. Martin Melosi (author) wrote a very very detailed book about one of the great inventors. The book is a little boring, but if you want to learn A LOT about Edison this book is for you. But don't take my word for it...wait actually you should

In his book, Edison in Florida, Olav Thulesius demonstates a talent for acquiring and compiling information about the famous inventor's life in the tropical state. However, the book fails to demonstrate the significance of Edison's life there. Particularly disappointing were his depiction of the inventor as environmentally responsible (he was far from it) and the chapter on the Nobel prize, which he was never in contention for, and has nothing to do with his life in Florida.

This book is very well written, illustrated and produced; also it is a very good introduction on Edison's contribution to motion pictures but, while it doesn't seem to falsify the actual truth, the author, Charles Musser one of the major historians of early cinema development, bends backwards to exonerate Edison's less than savory practices; to present Edison as the "inventor of motion pictures"; to claim the development of cinema for the US; and to make totally unsupported claims that this was a beneficial turn of events for all cinema / motion pictures!

The title of the book about Edison should have been "The world greatest opportunist who would stop at nothing to make a buck, including stealing ideas of others!" But I guess kids need heroes and not the truth; yet its nauseating to see a man who held progress of science down (tried to discredit alternating currents by publicly electrocuting animals) being called the world's greatest inventor. If you want to learn about real talented inventor, read about Nicola Tesla.
I'm sure few years from now Anna Sproule will write a book titled "Bill Gates: The world's greatest inventor."