Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, September 3, 1994 TAG: 9409080001
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: REVIEWED BY LARRY SHIELD
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
During his tumultuous life, Tesla made claims of having discovered everything from radio to robots. What was actually credited to him is remarkable - practical alternating current electricity transmission, fluorescent lighting and methods of inducing high electrical voltages through coils of wire.
Tad Wise's claims for him in this bizarre historical novel include communications with pigeons; a ``Death Ray,'' which was generated from Long Island and supposedly destroyed a 100,000 square acres of timberland in Tunguska, Siberia; practical electrical transmission without wires; and developing radio transmission schemes that could span the globe with only two antennae.
This book reminds me of a biography of mobster Sam Giancana in which Giancana was responsible for every evil act in the world, including the heartbreak of psoriasis. Instead being responsible for evil, Wise has Tesla responsible for every great invention since the wheel - and the book is weaker for the claims.
Tesla made remarkable discoveries in alternating current theory and high voltage low current electrical experiments. His genius does not need this ``historical'' novel gilding his achievements with poor, purple prose.
Tesla
By Tad Wise.
Turner Publishing.
$21.95.
Larry Shield trains dogs and horses in Franklin County.
by CNB