Charles Proteus Steinmetz: The Electrical Wizard of Schenectady

by Robert W. Bly

A genius to rival Edison, a personality as intriguing as Tesla, Charles Proteus Steinmetz was a key figure in creating the modern world. Thomas Alva Edison and Nikola Tesla have the glory, but perhaps the greatest electrical wizard of them all was Charles Proteus Steinmetz. Revered in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a genius, but largely forgotten today, Steinmetz made the modern world possible through his revolutionary work on AC electricity transmission, the technology underlying today’s power grid. More than just a great scientist and engineer, Steinmetz was also one of the most colorful characters in American life. Standing just four feet tall with a pronounced spine curvature, Steinmetz was as well known for his fiery political opinions, his fierce advocacy for social progress and education, his unusual home life, and his private menagerie as for his technical achievements. The first full biography of Steinmetz in many years, Charles Proteus The Electrical Wizard of Schenectady brings the life, passions, and scientific achievement of this remarkable man to a new generation.

Genres: Biography

180 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2018

About the author

Bob Bly is a freelance copywriter with 4 decades of experience in direct response and business-to-business marketing. He is the author of 100 published book on topics ranging from science, sex, satire, and science fiction -- to small business, writing, advertising, and online marketing. McGraw-Hill calls Bob Bly “America’s top copywriter.”

Reviews

[Hunter Shea · Rating 5 out of 5]

This would make great required reading in a technical college. It's a whirlwind course in advances in electricity broken down for even a lay person to understand. I found the parts about Steinmetz's life fascinating. It shows you can be anything in life, no matter what kind of hand you were dealt. Inspiring.

[Fred Holden · Rating 2 out of 5]

You need to add the option of just quitting the book. I'm tired of getting these inquiries re: how far I've read. Book sucks. Stopped reading. End of story.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Basically a short history of early electric technology with a few Steinmetz anecdotes sprinkled in.