false 451670 http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg A new paperback edition of the first book by the bestselling author of A History of the World in 6 Glasses—the fascinating story of the telegraph, the world’s first “Internet,” which revolutionized the nineteenth century even more than the Internet has the twentieth and twenty first.

The Victorian Internet tells the colorful story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it, from the eighteenth-century French scientist Jean-Antoine Nollet to Samuel F. B. Morse and Thomas Edison. The electric telegraph nullified distance and shrank the world quicker and further than ever before or since, and its story mirrors and predicts that of the Internet in numerous ways. </div></div>]]> 52853 6 51545 1998 The Victorian Internet total:184|5:1|4:3|3:5|2:1|1:0| 184 687 399 39 2636 3.67 1223 311 56474933 923535 1650244 0802713424 9780802713421 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1186363642m/1650244.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1186363642s/1650244.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1650244.The_Victorian_Internet_The_Remarkable_Story_of_the_Telegraph_and_the_Nineteenth_Century_s_On_Line_Pioneers 3.88 17 The Victorian Internet, Tom Standage examines the history of the telegraph, beginning with a horrifically funny story of a mile-long line of monks holding a wire and getting simultaneous shocks in the interest of investigating electricity, and ending with the advent of the telephone. All the early "online" pioneers are here: Samuel Morse, Thomas Edison, and a seemingly endless parade of code-makers, entrepreneurs, and spies who helped ensure the success of this communications revolution. Fans of Longitude will enjoy another story of the human side of dramatic technological developments, complete with personal rivalry, vicious competition, and agonizing failures. --Therese Littleton ]]> 1998 3 0 false Tue May 19 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon May 18 08:07:01 -0700 2009 Wed May 20 08:43:44 -0700 2009
For the most part, I liked how Standage simplified his description of ...more...]]> 64453580 2428028 451670 0802716040 9780802716040 4 http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/451670.The_Victorian_Internet_The_Remarkable_Story_of_the_Telegraph_and_the_Nineteenth_Century_s_On_line_Pioneers 3.73 15 A new paperback edition of the first book by the bestselling author of A History of the World in 6 Glasses—the fascinating story of the telegraph, the world’s first “Internet,” which revolutionized the nineteenth century even more than the Internet has the twentieth and twenty first.

The Victorian Internet tells the colorful story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it, from the eighteenth-century French scientist Jean-Antoine Nollet to Samuel F. B. Morse and Thomas Edison. The electric telegraph nullified distance and shrank the world quicker and further than ever before or since, and its story mirrors and predicts that of the Internet in numerous ways. </div></div>]]> 1998 4 0 false Fri Jul 24 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue Jul 21 19:25:48 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 24 18:02:35 -0700 2009 more...]]> 70249448 1887157 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.68 145 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 5 0 false Fri Sep 25 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sun Sep 06 09:25:35 -0700 2009 Fri Sep 25 12:15:16 -0700 2009 more...]]> 75502986 655434 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.73 184 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 4 0 false Sat Nov 21 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Oct 23 11:18:36 -0700 2009 Sat Nov 21 23:20:18 -0800 2009 more...]]> 10686907 349264 1650244 0802713424 9780802713421 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1186363642m/1650244.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1186363642s/1650244.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1650244.The_Victorian_Internet_The_Remarkable_Story_of_the_Telegraph_and_the_Nineteenth_Century_s_On_Line_Pioneers 3.73 184 The Victorian Internet, Tom Standage examines the history of the telegraph, beginning with a horrifically funny story of a mile-long line of monks holding a wire and getting simultaneous shocks in the interest of investigating electricity, and ending with the advent of the telephone. All the early "online" pioneers are here: Samuel Morse, Thomas Edison, and a seemingly endless parade of code-makers, entrepreneurs, and spies who helped ensure the success of this communications revolution. Fans of Longitude will enjoy another story of the human side of dramatic technological developments, complete with personal rivalry, vicious competition, and agonizing failures. --Therese Littleton ]]> 1998 3 0 false Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2004 Wed Dec 19 09:17:49 -0800 2007 Wed Dec 19 10:44:42 -0800 2007 more...]]> 1108243 79349 136392 0297841483 9780297841487 2 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172081179m/136392.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172081179s/136392.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/136392.THE_VICTORIAN_INTERNET_THE_REMARKABLE_STROY_OF_THE_TELEGRAPH_AND_THE_NINETEENTH_CENTURY_S_ON_LINE_PIONEERS 4.67 3 The Victorian Internet, Tom Standage examines the history of the telegraph, beginning with a horrifically funny story of a mile-long line of monks holding a wire and getting simultaneous shocks in the interest of investigating electricity, and ending with the advent of the telephone. All the early "online" pioneers are here: Samuel Morse, Thomas Edison, and a seemingly endless parade of code-makers, entrepreneurs, and spies who helped ensure the success of this communications revolution. Fans of Longitude will enjoy another story of the human side of dramatic technological developments, complete with personal rivalry, vicious competition, and agonizing failures. --Therese Littleton ]]> 1998 5 0 false Sat Apr 01 00:00:00 -0800 2006 Tue May 08 15:32:55 -0700 2007 Tue May 08 15:38:31 -0700 2007 more...]]> 71540198 739853 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.73 184 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 3 0 false Wed Sep 16 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Sep 17 07:45:52 -0700 2009 Thu Sep 17 07:48:27 -0700 2009 more...]]> 55522651 1836812 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.73 184 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 3 0 false Mon May 11 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Sat May 09 17:54:31 -0700 2009 Mon May 11 17:40:00 -0700 2009 more...]]> 58527395 175916 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.73 184 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 3 0 false Sun Sep 28 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Fri Jun 05 07:22:24 -0700 2009 Fri Jun 05 07:24:26 -0700 2009 more...]]> 17499401 618376 1650244 0802713424 9780802713421 6 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1186363642m/1650244.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1186363642s/1650244.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1650244.The_Victorian_Internet_The_Remarkable_Story_of_the_Telegraph_and_the_Nineteenth_Century_s_On_Line_Pioneers 3.73 184 The Victorian Internet, Tom Standage examines the history of the telegraph, beginning with a horrifically funny story of a mile-long line of monks holding a wire and getting simultaneous shocks in the interest of investigating electricity, and ending with the advent of the telephone. All the early "online" pioneers are here: Samuel Morse, Thomas Edison, and a seemingly endless parade of code-makers, entrepreneurs, and spies who helped ensure the success of this communications revolution. Fans of Longitude will enjoy another story of the human side of dramatic technological developments, complete with personal rivalry, vicious competition, and agonizing failures. --Therese Littleton ]]> 1998 4 0 false Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 1999 Tue Mar 11 05:21:23 -0700 2008 Tue Mar 11 05:28:26 -0700 2008 more...]]> 62837012 2255159 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.73 184 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 4 0 false Fri Apr 23 00:00:00 -0700 2004 Thu Jul 09 17:12:03 -0700 2009 Thu Jul 09 17:12:03 -0700 2009 more...]]> 49924103 2130888 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.73 184 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 4 0 false Fri Mar 20 20:39:03 -0700 2009 Fri Mar 20 20:39:45 -0700 2009 27436031 1253638 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.73 184 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 4 0 false Sat Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Wed Jul 16 12:18:41 -0700 2008 Wed Jul 16 12:23:20 -0700 2008 more...]]> 38334894 1132247 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.73 184 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 3 0 false Fri Nov 21 14:12:38 -0800 2008 Fri Nov 21 14:15:06 -0800 2008 519651 44544 136392 0297841483 9780297841487 2 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172081179m/136392.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1172081179s/136392.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/136392.THE_VICTORIAN_INTERNET_THE_REMARKABLE_STROY_OF_THE_TELEGRAPH_AND_THE_NINETEENTH_CENTURY_S_ON_LINE_PIONEERS 3.73 184 The Victorian Internet, Tom Standage examines the history of the telegraph, beginning with a horrifically funny story of a mile-long line of monks holding a wire and getting simultaneous shocks in the interest of investigating electricity, and ending with the advent of the telephone. All the early "online" pioneers are here: Samuel Morse, Thomas Edison, and a seemingly endless parade of code-makers, entrepreneurs, and spies who helped ensure the success of this communications revolution. Fans of Longitude will enjoy another story of the human side of dramatic technological developments, complete with personal rivalry, vicious competition, and agonizing failures. --Therese Littleton ]]> 1998 5 0 false Sun Apr 01 09:46:49 -0700 2007 Wed Dec 16 17:22:33 -0800 2009 more...]]> 44915287 24802 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.73 184 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 4 0 false Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 30 19:56:58 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 30 19:57:52 -0800 2009 10486291 549570 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.73 184 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 4 0 false Sat Dec 01 00:00:00 -0800 2007 Sat Dec 15 20:01:36 -0800 2007 Sun Jan 06 21:34:40 -0800 2008 more...]]> 69587007 1379426 451670 0802716040 9780802716040 4 http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/451670.The_Victorian_Internet_The_Remarkable_Story_of_the_Telegraph_and_the_Nineteenth_Century_s_On_line_Pioneers 3.73 184 A new paperback edition of the first book by the bestselling author of A History of the World in 6 Glasses—the fascinating story of the telegraph, the world’s first “Internet,” which revolutionized the nineteenth century even more than the Internet has the twentieth and twenty first.

The Victorian Internet tells the colorful story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it, from the eighteenth-century French scientist Jean-Antoine Nollet to Samuel F. B. Morse and Thomas Edison. The electric telegraph nullified distance and shrank the world quicker and further than ever before or since, and its story mirrors and predicts that of the Internet in numerous ways. </div></div>]]> 1998 3 0 false Sun Aug 30 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 31 12:58:27 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 31 12:59:07 -0700 2009 60048075 152979 451670 0802716040 9780802716040 4 http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-111x148.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/images/nocover-60x80.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/451670.The_Victorian_Internet_The_Remarkable_Story_of_the_Telegraph_and_the_Nineteenth_Century_s_On_line_Pioneers 3.73 184 A new paperback edition of the first book by the bestselling author of A History of the World in 6 Glasses—the fascinating story of the telegraph, the world’s first “Internet,” which revolutionized the nineteenth century even more than the Internet has the twentieth and twenty first.

The Victorian Internet tells the colorful story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it, from the eighteenth-century French scientist Jean-Antoine Nollet to Samuel F. B. Morse and Thomas Edison. The electric telegraph nullified distance and shrank the world quicker and further than ever before or since, and its story mirrors and predicts that of the Internet in numerous ways. </div></div>]]> 1998 3 0 false Tue Jun 23 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Jun 17 10:52:53 -0700 2009 Tue Jun 23 08:30:37 -0700 2009 41663101 271302 52853 0425171698 9780425171691 27 http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910m/52853.jpg http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1170392910s/52853.jpg http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52853.The_Victorian_Internet 3.73 184 USA Today

For many people, the Internet is the epitome of cutting-edge technology. But in the nineteenth century, the first online communications network was already in place--the telegraph. And at the time, it was just as perplexing, controversial, and revolutionary as the Internet is today.

The Victorian Internet tells the story of the telegraph's creation and remarkable impact, and of the visionaries, oddballs, and eccentrics who pioneered it. With the invention of the telegraph, the world of communications was forever changed. The telegraph gave rise to creative business practices and new forms of crime. Romances blossomed over its wires. And attitudes toward everything from news gathering to war had to be completely rethought. The saga of the telegraph offers many parallels to that of the Internet in our own time, and is a remarkable episode in the history of technology.

* Illustrated throughout
* A masterful, lively blend of science and history, in the bestselling tradition of Longitude

"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you."--Wired

"Sparkling."--Forbes

"Essential reading for those caught up in our own information revolution."--Christian Science Monitor]]> 1998 2 0 false Sun Feb 22 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 02 18:23:37 -0800 2009 Sun Mar 22 06:18:57 -0700 2009
However, it's gimmicky and while I realize that you're not going to find footnotes in this type of book, I finished feeling skeptical enough about a lot of hi...more...]]> 8 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=451670