About The Books
The Quotable Edison
The Quotable Edison offers a wealth of his insightful, enlightening, and sometimes humorous comments and witticisms on a wide range of subjects, from business to politics, from religion to nutrition, from advice to boys to opinions on women’s clothing.
Famous for his dictum that “Genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration,” Edison offered many other gems.
• On religion, “Satan is the scarecrow of the religious cornfield.”
• On the English, “The English are not an inventive people; they don’t eat enough pie.”
• On work and business, “I’ve been working two shifts most of my life. Lots of other men work two shifts too, but [they] devote the other one to poker.”
• On the law, “A lawsuit is the suicide of time.”
And his reported final words: “It’s very beautiful over there.”
The Quotable Edison is available for pre-order. Copies will be shipped in February 2011.
The Florida Life of Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison (1847-1931) was America’s most famous and, arguably, most prolific inventor. But few realize the extent to which he called Florida, not New Jersey, home.
From 1885 until his death in 1931, Edison wintered in the sleepy Gulf Coast town of Fort Myers, south of Tampa. There, he was the pride of the small town, which eagerly watched to see what magic the Wizard would conjure. The local newspaper chronicled Edison’s local experiments, his establishment of a laboratory in town, and his unsuccessful efforts to electrify the area.
Edison’s presence encouraged Henry Ford to buy the Florida estate next door. Edison’s experiments with rubber from local plants intrigued Ford and Harvey Firestone, who funded Edison’s research.
Using a wide range of little-known resources, including photographs, manuscripts, maps, and newspaper accounts, Michele Albion explores an important facet of Edison’s life that is largely unknown. In doing so, she presents the full story of his professional and leisure time while on holiday. Particularly interesting is the impact his wife, Mina, had on the culture and community of Fort Myers. The Florida Life of Thomas Edison reveals how the Edisons’ legacy influenced women’s history, environmental history, black history, and Florida history.
Photos from The Florida Life of Thomas Edison
A dapper looking Thomas Edison, circa 1892.
Courtesy U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Edison National Historic Site.
While Edison looks great in this publicity photo, prior to his marriage to Mina Edison, his personal hygiene was often lacking. As one woman recalled, “Well, he was dirty…about his person. He wouldn’t take a bath. They had to force him to take [one].” [Chapter 2, p. 14]. Find out more about Edison’s character and personality by reading The Florida Life of Thomas Edison.
Mina Edison, the second wife of Thomas Edison, circa 1890.
Courtesy U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Edison National Historic Site.
On her first visit, Mina was not impressed by her new winter home in Florida. “No running water, no sewerage, no ice. Tough beef–no other meat–making it almost imperative to have food shipped from the north.” [chapter 3, p. 23] Despite her initial experience on the Florida frontier, Mina grew to love her winter home, which was later called Seminole Lodge. Find out more about the woman behind the famous man by reading The Florida Life of Thomas Edison.
Seminole Lodge, circa 1915.
Courtesy U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Edison National Historic Site.
Edison liked the royal palm trees in front of his winter home so much that he offered to supply the town of Fort Myers with the trees. His generous impulse was the beginning of a long dispute that threatened to spoil relations between the inventor and his neighbors. Find out what happened by reading Chapter 7 of The Florida Life of Thomas Edison.
Young Charles and Thomas Edison demonstrate their successful day fishing on the Caloosahatchee River, circa 1901.
Courtesy U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Edison National Historic Site.
More than anything else in the world, Edison wanted to catch a large tarpon, but the inventor had no luck with the great game fish, which often weighted 100 lbs. Then, one day in 1904, Edison finally realized his dream. But at the end of the day the great inventor was feeling a little less great. Find out why by reading chapter 7 of The Florida Life of Thomas Edison.