Before the turn of the 20th century, electricity remained a mere scientific curiosity. Nikola Tesla, arguably more than anyone else, changed that. But Tesla's pioneering research in electricity represents only a portion of the scientific and technical innovations that elevated him to science godhood.

Prodigal Genius, The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla covers, among other topics, the story of Tesla's inspiration for his career in engineering, shows his theories of electricity that went against the scientific establishment, explores his friendships, investigates the story of the lost Nobel Prize, and, dig into Tesla's own views of the paranormal.

Written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author John J. O'Neill, Prodigal Genius, The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla details the life of one the greatest geniuses of our time.

One of the most enduring problems of history is the decline of Classical Civilization. How was it that the civilization of Greece and Rome, which had endured almost a thousand years, a civilization which prized learning, science and reason, gave way to the world of the Medieval; an age which saw, for a while, the almost complete disappearance of the rationalist spirit of Greece and Rome? The traditional view was that after their seizure of Italy in the fifth century, the Barbarian tribes of Germany and Scythia had reduced Europe to an economic and cultural wasteland, initiating a Dark Age, which was to last half a millennium. After the Reformation, another suspect was added to the list: Christianity, or, more accurately, Catholic Christianity. In this view Christianity was corrupted beyond recognition after the time of Constantine and from the fourth century onwards a power-hungry Church hierarchy, in cahoots with the Imperial authorities, kept the population of Europe in subservience and ignorance, effectively completing the destructive work of the Barbarians.

In this ground-breaking work, historian John J. O'Neill examines a great variety of evidence from many specialties and reaches an astonishing and novel conclusion: Classical Civilization was not destroyed by Barbarians or by Christians. It survived intact into the early seventh century. The Vandals and Goths who seized the Western Empire in the fifth century had become completely romanized by the start of the sixth century. Artistic and intellectual life flourished, as did the economy and the cities built earlier under the Empire. Yet sometime in the middle of the seventh century everything changed. Cities were abandoned, literacy plummeted, royal authority declined and local strongmen, or barons, seized control of the provinces. The Middle Ages had begun.

Who or what had caused this? As O'Neill notes, by the 1920s Belgian historian Henri Pirenne had located the proverbial smoking gun; but it was not in the hands of the Barbarians or the Christians: it was held by those who, even then, it had become fashionable to credit with saving, rather than destroying, Classical Civilization: the Arabs. In a conclusion that will have resonance for the modern world, O'Neill argues convincingly that all we regard as Medieval had its origin in Islam, and that the Muslims terminated Classical Civilization in Europe just as surely as they did in the Middle East. O'Neill shows how the sudden relapse of Europe in the seventh century was due entirely to the economic blockade imposed by Islam's war against Christendom. The Mediterranean, which had previously been a cultural highway, now became a frontier, and a very dangerous frontier at it. Prompted by Islam's doctrine of perpetual war against nonbelievers, Muslim pirates scoured the Mediterranean, effectively ending all trade between Europe and the great centers of civilization in the Near East. The flow of gold ended, as did the supply of all luxury items. And so too did the supply of papyrus from Egypt, without which Europeans were forced to rely on expensive parchment. Not surprisingly, literacy plummeted. Worst of all, the great cities of the West, which depended upon the trade in luxury items from the East, began to decline.

As the dominant power of the time, ideas originating in the Islamic world now began to penetrate Europe. From their Muslim foes Christian Europeans began to think in terms that would have been unimaginable a century earlier. The idea of Holy War entered the mindset of Christians, and, under the influence of Islam, the rationalism of Greece and Rome began to be replaced by a literal and intolerant interpretation of The Book. Classical civilization was dead.

Before the turn of the 20th century, electricity remained a mere scientific curiosity. Nikola Tesla, arguably more than anyone else, changed that. But Tesla's pioneering research in electricity represents only a portion of the scientific and technical innovations that elevated him to science godhood.

Prodigal Genius, The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla covers, among other topics, the story of Tesla's inspiration for his career in engineering, shows his theories of electricity that went against the scientific establishment, explores his friendships, investigates the story of the lost Nobel Prize, and, dig into Tesla's own views of the paranormal.

Written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author John J. O'Neill, Prodigal Genius, The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla details the life of one the greatest geniuses of our time.

Even the gods of old, in the wildest imaginings of their worshipers, never undertook such gigantic tasks of world-wide dimension as those which Tesla attempted and accomplished. -from Chapter One First published in 1944 and long a favorite of Tesla fans, this is a definitive biography of the man without whom modern civilization would not exist. Nikola Tesla, pioneer of electrical engineering, was a close friend of Pulitzer Prize-winning author O'Neill, and here, O'Neill captures the man as a scientist and as a public figure, exploring: . how Tesla's father inspired his life in engineering . why Tesla clung to his theories of electricity in the face of opposition . how the shy but newly popular Tesla navigated the social life of New York in the gay 1890s . Tesla's friendship with Mark Twain . the story of Tesla's lost Nobel Prize . Tesla's dabblings in the paranormal . and much more. JOHN JOSEPH O'NEILL (b. 1889) also wrote Engineering the New Age and You and the Universe: What Science Reveals.

Tesla created the modern era; he was unquestionably one of the world's greatest geniuses, but he leaves no offspring, no legatees of his brilliant mind, who might aid in administering that world; he created fortunes for multitudes of others but himself died penniless, spurning wealth that might be gained from his discoveries. Even as he walked among the teeming millions of New York he became a fabled individual who seemed to belong to the far-distant future or to have come to us from the mystical realm of the gods, for he seemed to be an admixture of a Jupiter or a Thor who hurled the shafts of lightning; an Ajax who defied the Jovian bolts; a Prometheus who transmuted energy into electricity to spread over the earth; an Aurora who would light the skies as a terrestrial electric lamp; a Mazda who created a sun in a tube; a Hercules who shook the earth with his mechanical vibrators; a Mercury who bridged the ambient realms of space with his wireless waves-and a Hermes who gave birth to an electrical soul in the earth that set it pulsating from pole to pole. Nikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, mechanical engineer, and electrical engineer best known for developing the modern alternating current electrical supply system. Tesla's patents and theoretical work also formed the basis of wireless communication and the radio.

First published in 1944 and long a favorite of Tesla fans, this is a definitive biography of the man without whom modern civilization would not exist. Nikola Tesla, pioneer of electrical engineering, was a close friend of Pulitzer Prize-winning author O'Neill, and here, O'Neill captures the man as a scientist and as a public figure, exploring: . how Tesla's father inspired his life in engineering . why Tesla clung to his theories of electricity in the face of opposition . how the shy but newly popular Tesla navigated the social life of New York in the gay 1890s . Tesla's friendship with Mark Twain . the story of Tesla's lost Nobel Prize . Tesla's dabblings in the paranormal . and much more. JOHN JOSEPH O'NEILL (b. 1889) also wrote Engineering the New Age and You and the Universe: What Science Reveals.

Before the turn of the 20th century, electricity remained a mere scientific curiosity. Nikola Tesla, arguably more than anyone else, changed that. But Tesla's pioneering research in electricity represents only a portion of the scientific and technical innovations that elevated him to science godhood.

Prodigal Genius, The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla covers, among other topics, the story of Tesla's inspiration for his career in engineering, shows his theories of electricity that went against the scientific establishment, explores his friendships, investigates the story of the lost Nobel Prize, and, dig into Tesla's own views of the paranormal.

Written by the Pulitzer Prize-winning author John J. O'Neill, Prodigal Genius, The Extraordinary Life of Nikola Tesla details the life of one the greatest geniuses of our time.

Antes de entrar en el siglo XXI, la electricidad era una curiosidad meramente cient fica. Nikola Tesla, m s discutible que cualquier otro, cambi esta realidad. Sin embargo, la investigaci n pionera de Tesla en el mbito de la electricidad representa solamente una porci n de las innovaciones cient ficas y t cnicas que lo elevaron a divinidad cient fica.

El Genio Pr digo: La Extraordinaria Vida de Nikola Tesla cubre, entre otros temas, la historia de la inspiraci n de Tesla que lo llev a ser ingeniero; muestra sus teor as respecto a la electricidad que fueron contra lo establecido por la ciencia; explora sus amistades; investiga la historia del Premio Nobel perdido; y, explica las investigaciones de Tesla respecto a lo paranormal.

Escrito por el ganador del Premio Pullitzer, John J. O Neill, Nikola Tesla, El Genio Pr digo: La Extraordinaria Vida de Nikola Tesla detalla la vida de uno de los genios m s importantes de nuestro tiempo.

À la fin du 19ème siècle, alors que l'électricité n'était qu'une simple curiosité, ses recherches dans le domaine de l'électricité et innovations scientifiques le hissèrent au rang de « dieu de la science. Le monde repose sur ses inventions, mais peu de personnes connaissent son nom. Il fut l'un des plus grands génies qui ait foulé cette terre, mais reste pourtant ignoré.

Écrit par le lauréat du Prix Pulitzer, John J. O'Neill, Le Génie Prodigue: L'incroyable Vie de Nikola Tesla nous ouvre les portes sur la vie d'un inventeur, d'un génie incompris par ses contemporains, d'un maître de la science qui n'avait pour raison de vivre que la concrétisation de ses rêves. Ce livre nous fait vivre l'inspiration de Nikola Tesla, nous présente ses théories sur l'électricité qui allaient à l'encontre des fondations de la science, examine ses relations amicales, enquête sur les dessous de l'histoire du prix Nobel perdu, et aborde ses études sur les phénomènes paranormaux. Chaque invention et expérience de Nikola Tesla est ponctuée par des extraits de conversations, parfois très surprenantes, entre l'inventeur et ceux qui avaient la chance de côtoyer cet être extraordinaire.

Le Génie Prodigue: L'incroyable Vie de Nikola Tesla est un texte vivant et poétique, qui porte à réflexion sur la société et la nature de l'homme.

Antes de entrar en el siglo XXI, la electricidad era una curiosidad meramente cient fica. Nikola Tesla, m s discutible que cualquier otro, cambi esta realidad. Sin embargo, la investigaci n pionera de Tesla en el mbito de la electricidad representa solamente una porci n de las innovaciones cient ficas y t cnicas que lo elevaron a divinidad cient fica.

El Genio Pr digo: La Extraordinaria Vida de Nikola Tesla cubre, entre otros temas, la historia de la inspiraci n de Tesla que lo llev a ser ingeniero; muestra sus teor as respecto a la electricidad que fueron contra lo establecido por la ciencia; explora sus amistades; investiga la historia del Premio Nobel perdido; y, explica las investigaciones de Tesla respecto a lo paranormal.

Escrito por el ganador del Premio Pullitzer, John J. O Neill, Nikola Tesla, El Genio Pr digo: La Extraordinaria Vida de Nikola Tesla detalla la vida de uno de los genios m s importantes de nuestro tiempo.

Vor Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts blieb Elektrizit t allein ein wissenschaftliches Kuriosum. Nikola Tesla nderte dies wohl mehr als jeder Andere. Aber Teslas bahnbrechende Forschung in der Elektrizit tslehre stellt nur einen Teil der wissenschaftlichen und technischen Innovationen dar, die ihn zu einer wissenschaftlichen Gottheit erhoben.

Nikola Tesla: Das Verlorene Genie umfasst unter anderem die Geschichte von Teslas Inspiration f r seine Karriere im Ingenieurswesen; es zeigt seine Elektrizit tstheorien, die gegen die wissenschaftliche Welt verstie en, erforscht seine Freundschaften, untersucht die Geschichte des verlorenen Nobelpreises und erkl rt Teslas Erforschung des bernat rlichen.

Geschrieben vom Pulitzer-Preistr ger John J. O'Neill, beschreibt Nikola Tesla: Das Verlorene Genie in allen Einzelheiten das Leben eines der gr ten Genies unserer Zeit.

Vor Beginn des 20. Jahrhunderts blieb Elektrizit t allein ein wissenschaftliches Kuriosum. Nikola Tesla nderte dies wohl mehr als jeder Andere. Aber Teslas bahnbrechende Forschung in der Elektrizit tslehre stellt nur einen Teil der wissenschaftlichen und technischen Innovationen dar, die ihn zu einer wissenschaftlichen Gottheit erhoben.

Nikola Tesla: Das Verlorene Genie umfasst unter anderem die Geschichte von Teslas Inspiration f r seine Karriere im Ingenieurswesen; es zeigt seine Elektrizit tstheorien, die gegen die wissenschaftliche Welt verstie en, erforscht seine Freundschaften, untersucht die Geschichte des verlorenen Nobelpreises und erkl rt Teslas Erforschung des bernat rlichen.

Geschrieben vom Pulitzer-Preistr ger John J. O'Neill, beschreibt Nikola Tesla: Das Verlorene Genie in allen Einzelheiten das Leben eines der gr ten Genies unserer Zeit.

la fin du 19 me si cle, alors que l' lectricit n' tait qu'une simple curiosit , ses recherches dans le domaine de l' lectricit et innovations scientifiques le hiss rent au rang de « dieu de la science. Le monde repose sur ses inventions, mais peu de personnes connaissent son nom. Il fut l'un des plus grands g nies qui ait foul cette terre, mais reste pourtant ignor .

crit par le laur at du Prix Pulitzer, John J. O'Neill, Le G nie Prodigue: L'incroyable Vie de Nikola Tesla nous ouvre les portes sur la vie d'un inventeur, d'un g nie incompris par ses contemporains, d'un ma tre de la science qui n'avait pour raison de vivre que la concr tisation de ses r ves. Ce livre nous fait vivre l'inspiration de Nikola Tesla, nous pr sente ses th ories sur l' lectricit qui allaient l'encontre des fondations de la science, examine ses relations amicales, enqu te sur les dessous de l'histoire du prix Nobel perdu, et aborde ses tudes sur les ph nom nes paranormaux. Chaque invention et exp rience de Nikola Tesla est ponctu e par des extraits de conversations, parfois tr s surprenantes, entre l'inventeur et ceux qui avaient la chance de c toyer cet tre extraordinaire.

Le G nie Prodigue: L'incroyable Vie de Nikola Tesla est un texte vivant et po tique, qui porte r flexion sur la soci t et la nature de l'homme.