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43rd out of 166 books
—
95 voters
My Inventions
by
Nikola Tesla
This important title is the autobiography of Nikola Tesla. Nikola Tesla appropriately titled his work on his life, My Inventions, as he was one of the most important inventors and scientists in history. The book touches on his life and career, his first inventions, discovering the magnetic field, tesla coil and transformer and the manifying transmitter. There is also a cha...more
Paperback, 88 pages
Published
May 1st 2006
by Filiquarian Publishing, LLC.
(first published October 1st 1982)
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Great book about one of the greatest inventors of all time. Sadly this book is "too" small and he just gives us a very brief glimpse of his inventions and ideas.
I did not know many things about him before reading this book like: Tesla was involved in wireless research, Marconi actually stole the Radio idea from Tesla. I always related Tesla with alternating current and did not know that he was into wireless as well.
I also liked that his main intention for inventing something was not to get appl...more
I did not know many things about him before reading this book like: Tesla was involved in wireless research, Marconi actually stole the Radio idea from Tesla. I always related Tesla with alternating current and did not know that he was into wireless as well.
I also liked that his main intention for inventing something was not to get appl...more
Read this on Graham's recommendation, and it was *fascinating* to hear it from the man himself. Tesla was famous for inventing alternating current (AC), which is used in every house and electric motor today. He was a famous scientist of his time, and supposedly there was some rift with him and Edison. It appears actually that Tesla sold his patents and the company that bought them sued everyone else, causing his name to be associated with the suits, even though he wasn't really involved. Tesla i...more
3 likes · like · see review
What a bizarre little book. Tesla has always seemed to me someone who existed in a space between our world and another unfathomable place, brought here by a glitch in dimensions or something. This loose memoir confirms my suspicions :). And not only because of passages like this: "I had a brother who was gifted to an extraordinary degree; one of those rare phenomena of mentality which biological investigation has failed to explain. His premature death left my earth parents disconsolate." No, it'...more
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A good read, though somewhat short; this essay was penned for inclusion in an Engineering periodical.
However it presents a fascinating insight into this gifted inventor's process, based on habits and abilities learned overcoming handicaps when young. I feel as though I know something of the discipline (mental and physical) required to reach the great heights of achievement attained by Tesla. I also know the man better now: intensly driven, intelligent and unconcerned with social customs or socia...more
However it presents a fascinating insight into this gifted inventor's process, based on habits and abilities learned overcoming handicaps when young. I feel as though I know something of the discipline (mental and physical) required to reach the great heights of achievement attained by Tesla. I also know the man better now: intensly driven, intelligent and unconcerned with social customs or socia...more
I decided to flip through the pages of My Inventions after my dad enthusiastically described how engineers at McMaster university, following Tesla’s principles, had powered a fan using electricity that was transmitted wirelessly from one mini tower to another.
Lacking a technical background, I didn’t think the book would capture my interest; but I was hooked from the very first page. Not only does Tesla share some unique observations of the world and his mind, such as his self-preserving device a...more
Lacking a technical background, I didn’t think the book would capture my interest; but I was hooked from the very first page. Not only does Tesla share some unique observations of the world and his mind, such as his self-preserving device a...more
The man doesn't age! There are photos of him from about 18 to 66 and he looks the exact same! He could also design, build and test machines inside his head -- if a single part was out of balance he would know before he ever put it together. Plus he masters the forces of the universe, created wireless electricity and speaks to you in that crazed early 20th century mad professor talk.
This has been very, very interesting. A book written by an undisputed genius in his very own words.
I must say this book was a surprise. I was expecting lots of technical detail, but instead the book was filled with lots of interesting stories and insightful social comment. Some of the stories were even hilarious, causing me to laugh out loud a number of times.
The book also gives some insight into what it's like to be a genius, and some of the abilities such a person possesses. For instance, draw...more
I must say this book was a surprise. I was expecting lots of technical detail, but instead the book was filled with lots of interesting stories and insightful social comment. Some of the stories were even hilarious, causing me to laugh out loud a number of times.
The book also gives some insight into what it's like to be a genius, and some of the abilities such a person possesses. For instance, draw...more
What a fascinating man! For an inventor he could craft some nice phrases. I also quite enjoyed thinking about the theory he described on page 89.
"Our bodies are of similar construction and exposed to the same external forces. This results in likeness of response and concordance of the general activities on which all our social and other rules and laws are based. We are automata entirely controlled by the forces of the medium, being tossed about like corks on the surface of the water, but mistak...more
"Our bodies are of similar construction and exposed to the same external forces. This results in likeness of response and concordance of the general activities on which all our social and other rules and laws are based. We are automata entirely controlled by the forces of the medium, being tossed about like corks on the surface of the water, but mistak...more
MY INVENTIONS: The Autobiography of Nicola Tesla. (1919; this ed. 1982). Nicola Tesla. ***.
Of the various accomplishments that Tesla could brag about, writing would certainly not be one of them. This “autobiography” is a collation of six articles that Tesla wrote for the magazine, “Electrical Experimenter” in 1919. He traces his life from his early days in Croatia, where he was born and raised, to his achievements in the world of electrical inventions. The things that he reveals in the early ch...more
Of the various accomplishments that Tesla could brag about, writing would certainly not be one of them. This “autobiography” is a collation of six articles that Tesla wrote for the magazine, “Electrical Experimenter” in 1919. He traces his life from his early days in Croatia, where he was born and raised, to his achievements in the world of electrical inventions. The things that he reveals in the early ch...more
I could not decide whether to give this book 2 or 4 stars so I am giving it 3. Tesla is weird, I am pretty weird, but Tesla is really weird. He is not that great of a writer. His tales jump back and forth in time and we jump in and out of his mind. He presents most things as real, but there are a few imagined instances that can easily be seen as him believing they are real. The book does not go much into his inventions, despite the title. There are many anecdotes from his youth, and a couple fro...more
This is short and entertaining for anyone who knows anything of Tesla. It's not well written and it shows clearly the dichotomy present in a socially infantile but intellectually revolutionary mind; the same mind that helped create so much of what we use today from LED lights to wi-fi. As always, it is the things he doesn't say in this book that cause one to read it more deeply; almost everything he writes is akin to a patient vomiting their childhood experiences for psychoanalysis. One is remin...more
I read this book three times. Although its a bit disorganized and despite the fact that it is a very brief autobiography, it remains to be one of the best autobiographies I have read. I don't think anyone who reads Tesla's autobiography wouldn't be fascinated by him. His character, his genius, and most of all, his hard work that lead to many of the advancements we see today. Tesla was one of the visionaries of the 19th and 20th century, yet so many people never heard about him.
The 'book' is ver...more
The 'book' is ver...more
It seems to me as if Tesla was a pretty funny guy, and a bit nutty. Reading his autobiography, I get the feeling that, at the turn of the century (19th-20th), some decisions were made (by whom?) regarding energy sources that have us where we are now, and that, if Tesla and certain others(?) had had more of a say, we would be living in a much different world. Maybe we would have arrived here (or at a semblance of it) even earlier (1950, throwing out a random year). Maybe I'm succumbing to paranoi...more
Short and not very comprehensive. The most interesting part is how Nikola self analysis some of psychotic issues. He is fully aware that his brain is not normal, in both genius and crazy ways.
He did not mention any personal relations in the book. Not once. No girl, no boy he was friends with or dated. After reading this I would like to read a few more books about him.
He did not mention any personal relations in the book. Not once. No girl, no boy he was friends with or dated. After reading this I would like to read a few more books about him.
Tesla was a singular man. This part autobiography ranges between extremely interesting, thru incomprehensible, to stretching the credulity rather too far. I enjoyed the stories from his childhood (even the ridiculous ones), but the parts about his adult work seem to be missing rather large chunks. Sadly it's far too short, and there lies its downfall.
Turns out that the fascinating man with the fascinating ideas should have used a ghost writer when it came to his memoirs. This collection of serialized articles, written by Tesla long after his commercial successes had come and gone, provide an interesting sketch of the inventor, but they're really too short and too general to stand up as a bona fide autobiography.
Really only useful as a primary source, definitely not as a first introduction to Nikola Tesla.
It's impossible to glean much about the mans' life or inventions from this book, except maybe that he was a workaholic and possessed an atypical mental life (synaesthesia & visions).
It's impossible to glean much about the mans' life or inventions from this book, except maybe that he was a workaholic and possessed an atypical mental life (synaesthesia & visions).
Fascinating look at a brilliant man who had all kinds of “problems” (on the autism spectrum, very OCD, extreme synesthesia)—but who viewed them as assets and used them in some extremely brilliant and world-changing inventions.
A brief window into the mind of a genius. This is an awesome read if you ever feel worried about making your mark on the wold. He never mentions worrying about where the money will come from or trying to market his ideas, he just created tirelessly.
I knew nothing about Tesla before reading this except that David Bowie played him in The Prestige and that he did stuff with electricity. After reading this, I would like to learn more. He seems like the Rasputin of science.
An interesting read for many reason but most of all for giving the reader a view of how Tesla perceived himself and the "role" he had to play in this world. Makes you wish he could live now and have all possible resources at his disposal.
Wasn't what I was expecting, as far as a detailed approach to his greatest inventions, as he only touched on them briefly. Nevertheless it was a wonderful insight into the mind of one of the greatest minds the world has known, and brings you one step closer to understanding such a profound person whom the majority of the world will never fully appreciate just how far he moved us forward.
Very interesting book. If you know who Tesla was and what his contributions are, I'd strongly recommend reading this book. The book talks about his early life, and he discusses how applied science to solve real world problems, and later on his inventions.
Find out about Nikola Tesla's life through his own words. You can feel his passion for invention and engineering in his narration. Slightly dramatic, but very inspiring, representation of Tesla's mind and adventures.
Not what I expected
Tesla was brilliant, and the information contained in this book is interesting, but for the price, I'd pictured an actual book, rather than something that's barely more than a pamphlet.
Tesla was brilliant, and the information contained in this book is interesting, but for the price, I'd pictured an actual book, rather than something that's barely more than a pamphlet.
Really interesting to read about his life through his own eyes, although I got terribly lost in the last two chapters when he stopped talking about himself and more about his inventions. Indeed he said at one point "This was perfectly self-evident, but came as a revelation to some simple-minded wireless folks" which definitely made me feel stupid because I had no idea what he was talking about at this point. But, if you want an insight into a genius mind, or if you want to make yourself feel bet...more
This man invented almost everything we have today....If only Edison had joined with him to light up the world, and give us affordable energy.
As a scientist, he was an ideal man but I am amazed to see that his writing skills are as good as his inventions. Hats off to Nikola Tesla
A great book, i thought it would read like a tech manual. Was surprised by the book and the ease of the read what a remarkable man.
Interesting short description of Tesla. It goes quick so I suppose it's worth reading, but still leaves me wanting to know more.
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| Which edition of this book would you recommend, and why? | 2 | 4 | Oct 31, 2012 07:08am |
Nikola Tesla was a genius polymath, inventor and a mechanical and electrical engineer. He is frequently cited as one of the most important contributors to the birth of commercial electricity, a man who "shed light over the face of Earth," and is best known for his many revolutionary developments in the field of electricity and magnetism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tesla's patents an...more
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“Invention is the most important product of man's creative brain. The ultimate purpose is the complete mastery of mind over the material world, the harnessing of human nature to human needs.”
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28 people liked it
“I am credited with being one of the hardest workers and perhaps I am, if thought is the equivalent of labour, for I have devoted to it almost all of my waking hours. But if work is interpreted to be a definite performance in a specified time according to a rigid rule, then I may be the worst of idlers.”
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18 people liked it
More quotes…
i read some of his inventions were used by some other scientists. is it re...more
May 29, 2012 10:39pm
i read some of his inventions were used by some other sci...more
May 30, 2012 12:24pm