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My Inventions
Written by Nikola Tesla at the age of sixty-three, this autobiography is a fascinating glimpse into the interior life of a man who may have contributed more to the fields of electricity, radio, and television than any other person living or dead, a man certainly possessed of genius and one who some consider the most important man of the twentieth century.
My Inventions is a firsthand account not only of the art and science behind the conception, execution, and reception of Tesla's most famous inventions but of his early life and first creative efforts as well.
My Inventions is a firsthand account not only of the art and science behind the conception, execution, and reception of Tesla's most famous inventions but of his early life and first creative efforts as well.
88 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 1935
About the author
Nikola Tesla
363 books1,344 followersNikola Tesla was a Serbian-American inventor, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, and futurist. He is best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system.
Born and raised in the Austrian Empire, Tesla first studied engineering and physics in the 1870s without receiving a degree. He then gained practical experience in the early 1880s working in telephony and at Continental Edison in the new electric power industry. In 1884 he emigrated to the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen. He worked for a short time at the Edison Machine Works in New York City before he struck out on his own. With the help of partners to finance and market his ideas, Tesla set up laboratories and companies in New York to develop a range of electrical and mechanical devices. His AC induction motor and related polyphase AC patents, licensed by Westinghouse Electric in 1888, earned him a considerable amount of money and became the cornerstone of the polyphase system which that company eventually marketed.
Attempting to develop inventions he could patent and market, Tesla conducted a range of experiments with mechanical oscillators/generators, electrical discharge tubes, and early X-ray imaging. He also built a wirelessly controlled boat, one of the first ever exhibited. Tesla became well known as an inventor and demonstrated his achievements to celebrities and wealthy patrons at his lab, and was noted for his showmanship at public lectures. Throughout the 1890s, Tesla pursued his ideas for wireless lighting and worldwide wireless electric power distribution in his high-voltage, high-frequency power experiments in New York and Colorado Springs. In 1893, he made pronouncements on the possibility of wireless communication with his devices. Tesla tried to put these ideas to practical use in his unfinished Wardenclyffe Tower project, an intercontinental wireless communication and power transmitter, but ran out of funding before he could complete it.
After Wardenclyffe, Tesla experimented with a series of inventions in the 1910s and 1920s with varying degrees of success. Having spent most of his money, Tesla lived in a series of New York hotels, leaving behind unpaid bills. He died in New York City in January 1943. Tesla's work fell into relative obscurity following his death, until 1960, when the General Conference on Weights and Measures named the International System of Units (SI) measurement of magnetic flux density the tesla in his honor. There has been a resurgence in popular interest in Tesla since the 1990s.
Born and raised in the Austrian Empire, Tesla first studied engineering and physics in the 1870s without receiving a degree. He then gained practical experience in the early 1880s working in telephony and at Continental Edison in the new electric power industry. In 1884 he emigrated to the United States, where he became a naturalized citizen. He worked for a short time at the Edison Machine Works in New York City before he struck out on his own. With the help of partners to finance and market his ideas, Tesla set up laboratories and companies in New York to develop a range of electrical and mechanical devices. His AC induction motor and related polyphase AC patents, licensed by Westinghouse Electric in 1888, earned him a considerable amount of money and became the cornerstone of the polyphase system which that company eventually marketed.
Attempting to develop inventions he could patent and market, Tesla conducted a range of experiments with mechanical oscillators/generators, electrical discharge tubes, and early X-ray imaging. He also built a wirelessly controlled boat, one of the first ever exhibited. Tesla became well known as an inventor and demonstrated his achievements to celebrities and wealthy patrons at his lab, and was noted for his showmanship at public lectures. Throughout the 1890s, Tesla pursued his ideas for wireless lighting and worldwide wireless electric power distribution in his high-voltage, high-frequency power experiments in New York and Colorado Springs. In 1893, he made pronouncements on the possibility of wireless communication with his devices. Tesla tried to put these ideas to practical use in his unfinished Wardenclyffe Tower project, an intercontinental wireless communication and power transmitter, but ran out of funding before he could complete it.
After Wardenclyffe, Tesla experimented with a series of inventions in the 1910s and 1920s with varying degrees of success. Having spent most of his money, Tesla lived in a series of New York hotels, leaving behind unpaid bills. He died in New York City in January 1943. Tesla's work fell into relative obscurity following his death, until 1960, when the General Conference on Weights and Measures named the International System of Units (SI) measurement of magnetic flux density the tesla in his honor. There has been a resurgence in popular interest in Tesla since the 1990s.
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January 14, 2009
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's also how differently he thought about inventing and engineering than everyone else.
It's not particularly well-written in the standard sense (and my copy, at least, was ATROCIOUSLY edited). But that's not really what it's about anyway. It's about getting the chance to spend time with a quirky genius.
It's not particularly well-written in the standard sense (and my copy, at least, was ATROCIOUSLY edited). But that's not really what it's about anyway. It's about getting the chance to spend time with a quirky genius.
December 15, 2018
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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 applause or make money. He did all the hard work only for the betterment of the society. I admire him for his ideas to unite the world using wireless, using aerial machines as he calls them that revolve around the Earth.
"Peace can only come as a natural consequence of universal enlightenment and merging of races... There is in fact but one race, of many colors."
He was way ahead of his time and people did not encourage many of his brilliant ideas, which is really sad. They thought his ideas were too unpractical(he even mentions that people laughed at his ideas). But we now see those ideas were realistic since many of them have been implemented in real life.
Even though he was a scientist, he strongly believed in God!
I watched a movie sometime back about Tesla - "The Secret of Nikola Tesla(Tajna Nikole Tesla)". This movie went into the details about his life. I did not know about his involvement with Niagara project until I watched this video. Edison thought he was the "father of electricity" and couldn't tolerate another man coming up with a better form of electricity (Alternating current by Tesla). He never cared for money and he gave all his money to Westinghouse without thinking twice.
Do watch it if you are interested in learning more about this man's inventions.
Check this link for more details about his work: Oatmeal's article about Tesla
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 applause or make money. He did all the hard work only for the betterment of the society. I admire him for his ideas to unite the world using wireless, using aerial machines as he calls them that revolve around the Earth.
"Peace can only come as a natural consequence of universal enlightenment and merging of races... There is in fact but one race, of many colors."
He was way ahead of his time and people did not encourage many of his brilliant ideas, which is really sad. They thought his ideas were too unpractical(he even mentions that people laughed at his ideas). But we now see those ideas were realistic since many of them have been implemented in real life.
Even though he was a scientist, he strongly believed in God!
I watched a movie sometime back about Tesla - "The Secret of Nikola Tesla(Tajna Nikole Tesla)". This movie went into the details about his life. I did not know about his involvement with Niagara project until I watched this video. Edison thought he was the "father of electricity" and couldn't tolerate another man coming up with a better form of electricity (Alternating current by Tesla). He never cared for money and he gave all his money to Westinghouse without thinking twice.
Do watch it if you are interested in learning more about this man's inventions.
Check this link for more details about his work: Oatmeal's article about Tesla
June 6, 2018
My Inventions: The Autobiography of Nikola Tesla
By: Nikola Tesla
Narrated by: Stephen Paul Aulridge Jr.
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I have always been interested in Tesla and his life/inventions. He is very strange, intelligent, and someone far ahead of his time. In this book, Tesla tells all about what goes on in his head, which sometimes is very weird. He tells about his life, how his inventions came to him, and how his inventions helped save his life. He tells his encounters with famous people, his brush with death which was more than once, and future ideas.
If he could only know how much his inventions have changed the world he would be so happy. He died poor and alone. We can do so much now because of him and few realize that. Good book.
He also looks like what my grandfather looked like when he was young..:)
The narrator sounds like what I would picture Telsa would sound like. He was wonderful!
By: Nikola Tesla
Narrated by: Stephen Paul Aulridge Jr.
This is an audible book I requested and the review is voluntary.
I have always been interested in Tesla and his life/inventions. He is very strange, intelligent, and someone far ahead of his time. In this book, Tesla tells all about what goes on in his head, which sometimes is very weird. He tells about his life, how his inventions came to him, and how his inventions helped save his life. He tells his encounters with famous people, his brush with death which was more than once, and future ideas.
If he could only know how much his inventions have changed the world he would be so happy. He died poor and alone. We can do so much now because of him and few realize that. Good book.
He also looks like what my grandfather looked like when he was young..:)
The narrator sounds like what I would picture Telsa would sound like. He was wonderful!
March 24, 2018
Nikola Tesla, a very strange yet a very intellectual man. Well, the term strange I have used here is a positive adjective of course.
The other day I was watching The Big Bang Theory and his name came up. The knowledge I have of this man is very little. So, I felt like reading some more about him and this little book I found.
It is an autobiography where Mr. Tesla illustrated the journey of his invention which started in his very early age. He had a gifted mind I must say. He used to imagine things, build up machine models, come up various mechanisms in his mind! He used to count everything he could find around him. It could be the steps of the stairs or the foods on the table! Interesting, right?
In the first few pages, he mentioned that he acquired his passion for invention from his mother.
” My mother was an inventor of the first order and would, I believe, have achieved great things had she not been so remote from modern life and its multifold opportunities. She invented and constructed all kinds of tools and devices and wove the finest designs from thread which was spun by her.”
These lines made me really happy. In an ancient time like that, a woman actually made herself a role model in the arena of the invention which encouraged her child! How beautiful is that!
I must say, this book is written in a fine classic language and this made me go through the dictionary a lot! Besides, Mr. Tesla used various mechanical terms throughout the whole book of which some I understood and some just passed over my head!
This book mainly focuses on the inventions Mr. Tesla came up with. But, I wanted to read more about the person actually. Still, the read was fascinating! :)
The other day I was watching The Big Bang Theory and his name came up. The knowledge I have of this man is very little. So, I felt like reading some more about him and this little book I found.
It is an autobiography where Mr. Tesla illustrated the journey of his invention which started in his very early age. He had a gifted mind I must say. He used to imagine things, build up machine models, come up various mechanisms in his mind! He used to count everything he could find around him. It could be the steps of the stairs or the foods on the table! Interesting, right?
In the first few pages, he mentioned that he acquired his passion for invention from his mother.
” My mother was an inventor of the first order and would, I believe, have achieved great things had she not been so remote from modern life and its multifold opportunities. She invented and constructed all kinds of tools and devices and wove the finest designs from thread which was spun by her.”
These lines made me really happy. In an ancient time like that, a woman actually made herself a role model in the arena of the invention which encouraged her child! How beautiful is that!
I must say, this book is written in a fine classic language and this made me go through the dictionary a lot! Besides, Mr. Tesla used various mechanical terms throughout the whole book of which some I understood and some just passed over my head!
This book mainly focuses on the inventions Mr. Tesla came up with. But, I wanted to read more about the person actually. Still, the read was fascinating! :)
December 10, 2009
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, drawing on a blackboard bored Nikola because he could draw things in his mind that were as real to him as if they were written down in the physical world. Indeed, later in life he used this ability to design a number of his inventions, and once constructed in the real world they worked the very first time since he had already tested them out - in his mind!
Tesla also suffered from frail health most of his life, having several near death experiences. After one of these, he chronologically recalled in full detail his entire life from the time he was a baby in his mother's arms up to his present over a period of years - as if he was reliving everything.
There are a number of social observations towards the end of the book that are still relevant to our time. Written during the Prohibition (1920-1933), Tesla foresaw a time when entire cities would be destroyed in an instant, and our only hope for peace was a global communication and transport system.
My only disappointment in the man is that he was quite a determinist, to such an extent that he would have made B.F. Skinner proud. Still, for someone who single-handed invented our entire AC power grid and succeeded in promoting it over the objections of Edison, he was a genius of the sort that the world seldom sees.
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, drawing on a blackboard bored Nikola because he could draw things in his mind that were as real to him as if they were written down in the physical world. Indeed, later in life he used this ability to design a number of his inventions, and once constructed in the real world they worked the very first time since he had already tested them out - in his mind!
Tesla also suffered from frail health most of his life, having several near death experiences. After one of these, he chronologically recalled in full detail his entire life from the time he was a baby in his mother's arms up to his present over a period of years - as if he was reliving everything.
There are a number of social observations towards the end of the book that are still relevant to our time. Written during the Prohibition (1920-1933), Tesla foresaw a time when entire cities would be destroyed in an instant, and our only hope for peace was a global communication and transport system.
My only disappointment in the man is that he was quite a determinist, to such an extent that he would have made B.F. Skinner proud. Still, for someone who single-handed invented our entire AC power grid and succeeded in promoting it over the objections of Edison, he was a genius of the sort that the world seldom sees.
January 19, 2024
My Inventions Nikola Tesla's Autobiography, serves as Nikola Tesla's autobiography, encompassing reflections on his significant breakthroughs and revolutionary creations. Among them, Tesla's most remarkable invention, alternating current (AC) empowers a wide range of modern marvels, spanning from household heating systems to computers and advanced robotics.
Many things that we take for granted today such as our electrical system, computers and smart phone would not be possible without Nikola Tesla. Unfortunately, he was not a savvy businessman like Thomas Edison. Both invented things, but Edison had a lot of people to work on his inventions whereas Tesla had very little funding and only a handful of assistants that aided him. One was a wealthy business man who wanted to do more business and the other one was humanitarian and wanted to provide free energy to the whole world which would put an end to the war between nations in the name of power and energy.
It's true that most of his patents and inventions were stolen and seized by the US government. And one good example is Marconi and his radio invention. Later it was proved that it was Tesla who invented radio and transferred the first signal even way before Marconi did.
X-rays was also invented by Tesla and he called it shadowgraph. But he was least bothered about people stealing his ideas and credits because he always wanted to work for the benefit of the mankind on global level and he foresaw this back then and wanted to go wireless available for free to the whole world.
Tesla’s drive, determination and focus were very inspiring. Anyone with an interest in the development of our modern technologies should read this book. It is written in a manner that everyone can understand. I especially enjoyed the insights into his personal challenges. _
Many things that we take for granted today such as our electrical system, computers and smart phone would not be possible without Nikola Tesla. Unfortunately, he was not a savvy businessman like Thomas Edison. Both invented things, but Edison had a lot of people to work on his inventions whereas Tesla had very little funding and only a handful of assistants that aided him. One was a wealthy business man who wanted to do more business and the other one was humanitarian and wanted to provide free energy to the whole world which would put an end to the war between nations in the name of power and energy.
It's true that most of his patents and inventions were stolen and seized by the US government. And one good example is Marconi and his radio invention. Later it was proved that it was Tesla who invented radio and transferred the first signal even way before Marconi did.
X-rays was also invented by Tesla and he called it shadowgraph. But he was least bothered about people stealing his ideas and credits because he always wanted to work for the benefit of the mankind on global level and he foresaw this back then and wanted to go wireless available for free to the whole world.
Tesla’s drive, determination and focus were very inspiring. Anyone with an interest in the development of our modern technologies should read this book. It is written in a manner that everyone can understand. I especially enjoyed the insights into his personal challenges. _
February 8, 2020
Tesla has always been an inspiration for me from my childhood, particularly after getting to know his discovery of the Rotating Magnetic Field. I cannot describe my extreme delight out of performing his experiments at home. And I am so delighted to read this book, because it surprisingly made me have a more profound understanding of his life and how he faced several breakdowns just because he was so ahead of his time.
"War can not be avoided until the physical cause for its recurrence is removed and this, in the last analysis, is the vast extent of the planet on which we live. Only through annihilation of distance in every respect, as the conveyance of intelligence, transport of passengers and supplies and transmission of energy will conditions be brought about some day, insuring permanency of friendly relations. What we now want most is closer contact and better understanding between individuals and communities all over the earth, and the elimination of that fanatic devotion to exalted ideals of national egoism and pride which is always prone to plunge the world into primeval barbarism and strife. No league or parliamentary act of any kind will ever prevent such a calamity. These are only new devices for putting the weak at the mercy of the strong. "
March 19, 2024
Cred că putem considera data de 10 iulie 1856, ziua în care s-a născut Nikola Tesla, una de o importanță crucială pentru istoria noastră, cât și pentru prezent. A fost una dintre cele mai misterioase personalități din lumea științei și a inventicii, un personaj care mă fascinează și pe care îl admir de multă vreme. Tesla se află în spatele unor invenții și tehnologii de care suntem, mai mult sau mai puțin, dependenți și astăzi. Mai ales astăzi.
Mi-a adus o imensă satisfacție să citesc cartea asta, care reprezintă de fapt o serie de articole scrise între 1917 și 1919 pentru revista Electrical Experimenter. Nu numai pentru că e extraordinară, ci și pentru că am aflat o sumedenie de informații inedite despre una dintre cele mai strălucite minți care au existat vreodată. A fost o minte vizionară, un om cu mult înaintea timpului său, care a prevăzut lucruri din prezentul nostru cu o acuratețe uimitoare. El însuși recunoaște asta, atunci cînd vorbește despre Turnul Wardenclyffe și refuzul lui John Pierpont Morgan de a-l finanța în continuare : “Proiectul meu a fost întârziat de legile naturii. Lumea nu era pregătită pentru el. Devansasem cu mult epoca mea.” E aproape ca și cum ar fi călătorit peste decenii până în zilele noastre și apoi s-ar fi întors în timpul lui, care oricum nu-l putea cuprinde. Altfel cum se explică faptul că descrie atît de bine telefoane mobile și sateliți – bineînțeles, raportat la nivelul și limbajul tehnologic al începutului de secol XX. Poate chiar avea ascunsă pe undeva o mașină a timpului.
Părerile sunt împărțite în cazul prezentării pe care Anca Irina Ionescu, traducătoarea cărții, i-a făcut-o cunoscutului fizician și inventator în prefața cărții. Mi-a plăcut parțial, însă parcă a fost cam prea lungă și plină de detalii care se găsesc și în conținutul propriu-zis al cărții. Aș fi preferat să-l descopăr direct, prin propriile sale cuvinte. Relatările lui despre aventurile specifice copilăriei, presărate cu întâmplări mai puțin obișnuite, îi dovedesc înclinația evidentă către știință și fizică aplicată. Povestește foarte pe scurt despre rivalitatea dintre el și Edison (al cărui angajat a fost o perioadă), însă lucrurile au fost mult mai grave. Edison l-a ademenit să lucreze la compania sa promițîndu-i suma de 50000 de dolari, dar la finalizarea sarcinilor acesta a refuzat să-l plătească, spunându-i cu un cinism incredibil că nu înțelege umorul american. Întâmplarea asta l-a marcat puternic pe Tesla, mai ales că până atunci îl prețuia imens pe Edison.
Mama sa l-a numit “copilul luminii”, datorită faptului că s-a născut în timpul unei furtuni cu descărcări electrice. Cu timpul a ajuns stăpânul luminii, reușind să controleze energia electrică prin invențiile sale. Energie despre care afirma că se găsește liberă pe Pământ și în univers, sperând ca într-o zi să o ofere oamenilor fără niciun fel de costuri. Un alt vis de-al lui era tehnologia wireless, prin care aspira la o comunicare facilă și instantanee între oameni, fără restricții. Era convins că războaiele ar putea fi evitate dacă oamenii ar comunica mai mult. Așadar, iată că teoretizase o tehnologie care e acum parte integrantă a vieții noastre. A descoperit, pe lângă multe altele, motorul cu curent alternativ, radarul, transmisia de energie electromagnetică (radio-transmițătorul), bobina Tesla. Și poate ar fi fost și mai multe dacă laboratorul lui n-ar fi ars în 1895, în incendiu pierzându-se documente și note foarte importante.
În alte timpuri și locuri poate că Tesla ar fi fost un zeu cu față umană. Poate un Thor modern ori un Zeus binevoitor. Dar cu siguranță a fost un Prometeu care a smuls secretele fulgerelor și electricității pentru folosul oamenilor.
Mi-a adus o imensă satisfacție să citesc cartea asta, care reprezintă de fapt o serie de articole scrise între 1917 și 1919 pentru revista Electrical Experimenter. Nu numai pentru că e extraordinară, ci și pentru că am aflat o sumedenie de informații inedite despre una dintre cele mai strălucite minți care au existat vreodată. A fost o minte vizionară, un om cu mult înaintea timpului său, care a prevăzut lucruri din prezentul nostru cu o acuratețe uimitoare. El însuși recunoaște asta, atunci cînd vorbește despre Turnul Wardenclyffe și refuzul lui John Pierpont Morgan de a-l finanța în continuare : “Proiectul meu a fost întârziat de legile naturii. Lumea nu era pregătită pentru el. Devansasem cu mult epoca mea.” E aproape ca și cum ar fi călătorit peste decenii până în zilele noastre și apoi s-ar fi întors în timpul lui, care oricum nu-l putea cuprinde. Altfel cum se explică faptul că descrie atît de bine telefoane mobile și sateliți – bineînțeles, raportat la nivelul și limbajul tehnologic al începutului de secol XX. Poate chiar avea ascunsă pe undeva o mașină a timpului.
Părerile sunt împărțite în cazul prezentării pe care Anca Irina Ionescu, traducătoarea cărții, i-a făcut-o cunoscutului fizician și inventator în prefața cărții. Mi-a plăcut parțial, însă parcă a fost cam prea lungă și plină de detalii care se găsesc și în conținutul propriu-zis al cărții. Aș fi preferat să-l descopăr direct, prin propriile sale cuvinte. Relatările lui despre aventurile specifice copilăriei, presărate cu întâmplări mai puțin obișnuite, îi dovedesc înclinația evidentă către știință și fizică aplicată. Povestește foarte pe scurt despre rivalitatea dintre el și Edison (al cărui angajat a fost o perioadă), însă lucrurile au fost mult mai grave. Edison l-a ademenit să lucreze la compania sa promițîndu-i suma de 50000 de dolari, dar la finalizarea sarcinilor acesta a refuzat să-l plătească, spunându-i cu un cinism incredibil că nu înțelege umorul american. Întâmplarea asta l-a marcat puternic pe Tesla, mai ales că până atunci îl prețuia imens pe Edison.
Mama sa l-a numit “copilul luminii”, datorită faptului că s-a născut în timpul unei furtuni cu descărcări electrice. Cu timpul a ajuns stăpânul luminii, reușind să controleze energia electrică prin invențiile sale. Energie despre care afirma că se găsește liberă pe Pământ și în univers, sperând ca într-o zi să o ofere oamenilor fără niciun fel de costuri. Un alt vis de-al lui era tehnologia wireless, prin care aspira la o comunicare facilă și instantanee între oameni, fără restricții. Era convins că războaiele ar putea fi evitate dacă oamenii ar comunica mai mult. Așadar, iată că teoretizase o tehnologie care e acum parte integrantă a vieții noastre. A descoperit, pe lângă multe altele, motorul cu curent alternativ, radarul, transmisia de energie electromagnetică (radio-transmițătorul), bobina Tesla. Și poate ar fi fost și mai multe dacă laboratorul lui n-ar fi ars în 1895, în incendiu pierzându-se documente și note foarte importante.
În alte timpuri și locuri poate că Tesla ar fi fost un zeu cu față umană. Poate un Thor modern ori un Zeus binevoitor. Dar cu siguranță a fost un Prometeu care a smuls secretele fulgerelor și electricității pentru folosul oamenilor.
January 11, 2021
По неговите думи, стъпил в Америка, за да открие страна 100 години назад в развитието си от стария континент. В същото време, с разсъжденията по изобретенията си показва, че е поне 100 години изпреварил времето си. Плашещо точни предсказания каква технология ще се използва, но я е мислил като да може да я развие в негово време. А някои неща ги използваме масово едва в 21 век, други - още не.
Описва как е виждал целите изобретения в съзнанието си и ги е строил точно както си ги е представял, без да промени нищо.
Малко постно за биография с почти нищо извън работата. Освен няколко детски спомени. Такъв живот и дело може да запълни многотомник и да не стигне. Не ни е оставил много в тази автобиография, ала чувството пак е добро да чуеш мислите на гений. Постното върви добре преди Коледа, а с работата си човекът е оставил истинската автобиография.
Описва как е виждал целите изобретения в съзнанието си и ги е строил точно както си ги е представял, без да промени нищо.
Малко постно за биография с почти нищо извън работата. Освен няколко детски спомени. Такъв живот и дело може да запълни многотомник и да не стигне. Не ни е оставил много в тази автобиография, ала чувството пак е добро да чуеш мислите на гений. Постното върви добре преди Коледа, а с работата си човекът е оставил истинската автобиография.
September 18, 2015
"Današnji znanstvenici misle duboko, a ne jasno. Potrebno je imati zdravu pamet da se misli jasno, ali moguće je misliti duboko i biti posve lud." (N. Tesla, 1934.)
April 10, 2007
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 is also known for being a little too eccentric later in his career, trying to invent things that were impossible like wireless power.
I found this book a really good read, because Tesla is a character, and not a bad writer! He tells a lot of stories of his childhood, which were a very interesting glimpse into a great mind.
One part I liked was when Tesla was expounding on his personal philosophy of health, or 'focusing on himself'. He was frequently ill and overworked, and had to spend a lot of time working on his health. At one point he says of coffee and tea "These delicious beverages superexcite and gradually exhaust the fine fibers of the brain. They also interfere seriously with arterial circulation and should be enjoyed all the more sparingly as their deleterious effects are slow and imperceptible." He then goes on to say "The truth about this is that we need stimulants to do our best work under present living conditions, and that we must exercise moderation and control our appetites and inclinations in every direction." I think this is my new philosophy.
Tesla was also a believer that he who works harder will be successful. As someone who is starting a company (Goodreads), I'm starting to have a big appreciation for those who can believe in an idea against all odds, when everyone else believes it can't be done. It takes a special kind of person - one driven by passion in their ideas. Tesla's work schedule from college is also inspiring - he would work in the lab from 10am until 5am the next day. I've often heard lots of genius's haven't needed much sleep - I wish I could do that!
I found this book a really good read, because Tesla is a character, and not a bad writer! He tells a lot of stories of his childhood, which were a very interesting glimpse into a great mind.
One part I liked was when Tesla was expounding on his personal philosophy of health, or 'focusing on himself'. He was frequently ill and overworked, and had to spend a lot of time working on his health. At one point he says of coffee and tea "These delicious beverages superexcite and gradually exhaust the fine fibers of the brain. They also interfere seriously with arterial circulation and should be enjoyed all the more sparingly as their deleterious effects are slow and imperceptible." He then goes on to say "The truth about this is that we need stimulants to do our best work under present living conditions, and that we must exercise moderation and control our appetites and inclinations in every direction." I think this is my new philosophy.
Tesla was also a believer that he who works harder will be successful. As someone who is starting a company (Goodreads), I'm starting to have a big appreciation for those who can believe in an idea against all odds, when everyone else believes it can't be done. It takes a special kind of person - one driven by passion in their ideas. Tesla's work schedule from college is also inspiring - he would work in the lab from 10am until 5am the next day. I've often heard lots of genius's haven't needed much sleep - I wish I could do that!
August 29, 2008
Umm...I think I'm in LOVE with a dead guy! Seriously, Nikola Tesla is a pure genius and his intelligence far surpasses that of Einstein.
I wish he would have written a book earlier on and since this was written in his late sixties and is very short, readers are left wanting more. Among many other astounding inventions, including building an AC motor, he came up with the concept of wireless communication in the 1890's!!!
I was heartbroken when I read he died alone in a hotel room in poverty due to crooks like Edison and Westinghouse. Great read! I recommend it to anyone.
I wish he would have written a book earlier on and since this was written in his late sixties and is very short, readers are left wanting more. Among many other astounding inventions, including building an AC motor, he came up with the concept of wireless communication in the 1890's!!!
I was heartbroken when I read he died alone in a hotel room in poverty due to crooks like Edison and Westinghouse. Great read! I recommend it to anyone.
April 19, 2017
নিকোলা টেসলাকে বাদ দিয়ে তড়িৎ প্রকৌশলের ইতিহাস লেখা সম্ভব না।ফ্যানের নিচে বসে,কানে হেডফোন গুঁজে এই যে এত বড় বড় বক্তৃতা দিচ্ছি এসবকিছুর পেছনে গুরুর প্রত্যক্ষ অবদান আছে।বইটা একটু অগোছালো, বোধহয় মানুষটার মতোই। কথার ধার এতো বেশি যে আস্তে ধীরে হজম করতে হয়।
নিজের ব্যাপারে লেখা কথাগুলো খুব স্ট্রেট-কাট, নো ধানাই পানাই। তবে কোথাও কোথাও নিজের শারীরিক সক্ষমতার এমন কিছু বর্ণনা দিয়েছেন যে মানতে একটু কষ্ট হয়। যেমন ওঁনার শিক্ষাজীবনের কোন একটা বছরের পুরোটা সময় প্রতিদিন রাত ৩ টা থেকে পরদিন রাত ১১ টা পর্যন্ত টানা কাজ করার কথা বলছেন, শুক্র-শনির কোনও বালাই ছাড়াই! ৫৫০ মাইল দূরে পড়া বজ্রপাতের শব্দ তিনি শুনতে পান, যেখানে সাধারণ মানুষের ক্ষমতা ১৫০ মাইলের বেশি নয়। ওঁনার মতে তাঁর শ্রবণক্ষমতা আর মানুষজনের চাইতে ১৩ গুণ বেশি! রাতের অন্ধকারে তিনি বাদুরের মতো সামনে থাকা বস্তু (প্রায় ১২ ফুট দূরত্ব পর্যন্ত) অনুধাবন করতে পারেন, তাঁর কপালে নাকি "creepy peculiar sensation" হয়! বই লেখা পর্যন্ত তাঁর ৩৮ বছরের কর্মজীবনের প্রায় পুরোটাই প্রায় ছুটিবিহীন!
আইডিয়া তাঁর কাছে এসেছে অসীম স্রোত-প্রবাহের মতো, একের পর এক, এত বেশি যে একটা নিয়ে চিন্তা শেষ করার আগেই আরেকটা পেয়ে বসে! (আইডিয়া বড় সস্তা,কিছু বেঁটে দিলেও পারতো!)
আজকের মোটর,জেনারেটর, পাওয়ার ট্রান্সমিশন, তারবিহীন যোগাযোগ ...কীসে তাঁর অবদান নেই!
টমাস আলভা এডিসনের সাথে তাঁর মারামারি সম্পর্ক বিজ্ঞানজগতের একটা বহুল আলোচিত গসিপ। ক্রিস্টোফার নোলান তাঁর 'দ্য প্রেস্টিজ' এ এনিয়ে বেশ কিছুদূর কাহিনিও দেখিয়েছেন। ভেবেছিলাম এডিসন নিয়ে বিস্তারিত থাকবে, এক প্যারায় ভূয়ষী প্রশংসা পর্যন্তই সারা। যদিও টেসলার এককালের এই বস তাঁকে বাংলা সিনেমার সতীনের মতো জ্বালিয়েছেন, সেসব ইতিহাস সবারই জানা।
যাহোক, ধন্যবাদ নিকোলা টেসলা, সবকিছুর জন্য।
নিজের ব্যাপারে লেখা কথাগুলো খুব স্ট্রেট-কাট, নো ধানাই পানাই। তবে কোথাও কোথাও নিজের শারীরিক সক্ষমতার এমন কিছু বর্ণনা দিয়েছেন যে মানতে একটু কষ্ট হয়। যেমন ওঁনার শিক্ষাজীবনের কোন একটা বছরের পুরোটা সময় প্রতিদিন রাত ৩ টা থেকে পরদিন রাত ১১ টা পর্যন্ত টানা কাজ করার কথা বলছেন, শুক্র-শনির কোনও বালাই ছাড়াই! ৫৫০ মাইল দূরে পড়া বজ্রপাতের শব্দ তিনি শুনতে পান, যেখানে সাধারণ মানুষের ক্ষমতা ১৫০ মাইলের বেশি নয়। ওঁনার মতে তাঁর শ্রবণক্ষমতা আর মানুষজনের চাইতে ১৩ গুণ বেশি! রাতের অন্ধকারে তিনি বাদুরের মতো সামনে থাকা বস্তু (প্রায় ১২ ফুট দূরত্ব পর্যন্ত) অনুধাবন করতে পারেন, তাঁর কপালে নাকি "creepy peculiar sensation" হয়! বই লেখা পর্যন্ত তাঁর ৩৮ বছরের কর্মজীবনের প্রায় পুরোটাই প্রায় ছুটিবিহীন!
আইডিয়া তাঁর কাছে এসেছে অসীম স্রোত-প্রবাহের মতো, একের পর এক, এত বেশি যে একটা নিয়ে চিন্তা শেষ করার আগেই আরেকটা পেয়ে বসে! (আইডিয়া বড় সস্তা,কিছু বেঁটে দিলেও পারতো!)
আজকের মোটর,জেনারেটর, পাওয়ার ট্রান্সমিশন, তারবিহীন যোগাযোগ ...কীসে তাঁর অবদান নেই!
টমাস আলভা এডিসনের সাথে তাঁর মারামারি সম্পর্ক বিজ্ঞানজগতের একটা বহুল আলোচিত গসিপ। ক্রিস্টোফার নোলান তাঁর 'দ্য প্রেস্টিজ' এ এনিয়ে বেশ কিছুদূর কাহিনিও দেখিয়েছেন। ভেবেছিলাম এডিসন নিয়ে বিস্তারিত থাকবে, এক প্যারায় ভূয়ষী প্রশংসা পর্যন্তই সারা। যদিও টেসলার এককালের এই বস তাঁকে বাংলা সিনেমার সতীনের মতো জ্বালিয়েছেন, সেসব ইতিহাস সবারই জানা।
যাহোক, ধন্যবাদ নিকোলা টেসলা, সবকিছুর জন্য।
June 25, 2018
Non voglio togliere nulla al genio di questo scienziato eccentrico e controverso e all'importanza delle sue invenzioni. Però la lettura di questa breve autobiografia non me lo ha reso simpatico.
Parecchi aneddoti della giovinezza mi sembrano francamente inverosimili e forse derivano dai problemi nervosi che notoriamente affliggevano Tesla.
Riguardo alla fionda vi voglio raccontare una delle mie imprese con questo antico strumento di guerra che lascerà di stucco il lettore. Mentre camminavo con mio zio lungo il fiume, ne approfittavo per esercitare la mia mira. Il sole stava tramontando, le trote erano allegre e di tanto in tanto saltavano fuori dall’acqua, con la loro sagoma scintillante che si stagliava perfettamente contro una parete di roccia lì vicino. In queste condizioni favorevoli qualsiasi monello sarebbe stato capace di colpire al volo un pesce. Tuttavia mi impegnai in un’impresa ancora più difficile e anticipai a mio zio, nei più piccoli dettagli, ciò che avevo intenzione di fare. Avrei preso un pesce al volo con un sasso, che lo avrebbe scagliato contro la roccia con il risultato di tagliarlo in due parti. Neanche il tempo di finire di dichiararlo che già era stato fatto. Mio zio mi guardò terrorizzato ed esclamò quasi fuori di sé «Vade retro, Satana!», e gli ci volle qualche giorno prima di ricominciare a parlarmi.
Ho riscontrato una mancanza di umiltà che mal si addice a un scienziato di rango, soprattutto nell'autocompiacimento con cui egli descrive, senza ostentare alcuna ombra di dubbio, alcune invenzioni che avrebbero, secondo lui, indirizzato il destino dell'umanità tutta. In particolare, il "Sistema mondiale di trasmissione dell'energia senza fili", in cui lui credeva fermamente (occupa una parte considerevole dell'autobiografia), che avrebbe reso possibile ottenere risultati straordinari, come ad esempio la localizzazione di un qualsiasi sottomarino nemico in ogni parte del mondoo le macchine volanti che si autoalimenteranno e voleranno intorno al mondo senza doversi mai fermare.
Una lettura interessante, comunque, anche se alcune poche pagine si dilungano in particolari tecnici difficilmente comprensibili per i non addetti.
Traduzione in qualche punto discutibile:
Sebbene sapevo che forze elettromotrici più elevate si potevano ottenere con apparati di dimensioni molto più grandi, il mio istinto mi diceva che lo stesso obiettivo potesse essere raggiunto progettando in modo opportuno un trasmettitore proporzionalmente più piccolo e compatto.
Parecchi aneddoti della giovinezza mi sembrano francamente inverosimili e forse derivano dai problemi nervosi che notoriamente affliggevano Tesla.
Riguardo alla fionda vi voglio raccontare una delle mie imprese con questo antico strumento di guerra che lascerà di stucco il lettore. Mentre camminavo con mio zio lungo il fiume, ne approfittavo per esercitare la mia mira. Il sole stava tramontando, le trote erano allegre e di tanto in tanto saltavano fuori dall’acqua, con la loro sagoma scintillante che si stagliava perfettamente contro una parete di roccia lì vicino. In queste condizioni favorevoli qualsiasi monello sarebbe stato capace di colpire al volo un pesce. Tuttavia mi impegnai in un’impresa ancora più difficile e anticipai a mio zio, nei più piccoli dettagli, ciò che avevo intenzione di fare. Avrei preso un pesce al volo con un sasso, che lo avrebbe scagliato contro la roccia con il risultato di tagliarlo in due parti. Neanche il tempo di finire di dichiararlo che già era stato fatto. Mio zio mi guardò terrorizzato ed esclamò quasi fuori di sé «Vade retro, Satana!», e gli ci volle qualche giorno prima di ricominciare a parlarmi.
Ho riscontrato una mancanza di umiltà che mal si addice a un scienziato di rango, soprattutto nell'autocompiacimento con cui egli descrive, senza ostentare alcuna ombra di dubbio, alcune invenzioni che avrebbero, secondo lui, indirizzato il destino dell'umanità tutta. In particolare, il "Sistema mondiale di trasmissione dell'energia senza fili", in cui lui credeva fermamente (occupa una parte considerevole dell'autobiografia), che avrebbe reso possibile ottenere risultati straordinari, come ad esempio la localizzazione di un qualsiasi sottomarino nemico in ogni parte del mondoo le macchine volanti che si autoalimenteranno e voleranno intorno al mondo senza doversi mai fermare.
Una lettura interessante, comunque, anche se alcune poche pagine si dilungano in particolari tecnici difficilmente comprensibili per i non addetti.
Traduzione in qualche punto discutibile:
Sebbene sapevo che forze elettromotrici più elevate si potevano ottenere con apparati di dimensioni molto più grandi, il mio istinto mi diceva che lo stesso obiettivo potesse essere raggiunto progettando in modo opportuno un trasmettitore proporzionalmente più piccolo e compatto.
February 20, 2023
Назив ,,Моји изуми" је толико неприкладан јер о њима пише свега 10%, остатак дела је ,,оооо видите како сам генијалан, је л' даааа, видите како сам осетљив, видите како бацам хејт на Лигу народа и милијардерске фуље, видите к��ко сам духовит, је л' да да то нисте знали". IT WAS A BLAST THO. Would hang out with this guy.
November 26, 2016
Nikola Tesla (1856-1943) was a genius inventor, engineer, physicist, and futurist best known for designing of AC electricity supply system. He first caught my attention (of course as an engineer I had studied about the IS unit of the strength of a magnetic field named after him) in Nolan’s movie “the prestige” in which he was pictured as a kind of magician who could easily duplicate a cat or magically light wireless lamps. I wanted to know more about him and now reading his autobiography I find him as a naturally talented genius with a bit of vanity but otherwise brilliant.
In the book, he mostly talked about himself, his family and friends and generally more human topics than scientific ones. He manifested his early sparkles of innovation and described his incentives and aims. He also told us about some of his magnificent inventions in details. He had ideas about future, as well and predicted a good deal of occurrences meticulously.
He predicted a great scientific advance in which some of his inventions will be the basis: The Tesla Transformer, The Magnifying Transmitter, The Tesla Wireless System, The Terrestrial Stationary Waves which will result in many things he predicted amongst which are internet, wireless phones, GPS and many other phenomena so usual for us. He described his works too far ahead of time and thought that the world wasn’t ready for them.
He is the most important and effective inventor of the 20th century. He was also new-fashioned in many ways as he was anti-racist, vegetarian and …
“Peace can only come as a natural consequence of universal enlightenment and merging of races, and we are still far from this blissful realization, because few indeed, will admit the reality that God made man in His image in which case all earth men are alike. There is in fact but one race, of many colors. Christ is but one person, yet he is of all people, so why do some people think themselves better than some other people?”
In the book, he mostly talked about himself, his family and friends and generally more human topics than scientific ones. He manifested his early sparkles of innovation and described his incentives and aims. He also told us about some of his magnificent inventions in details. He had ideas about future, as well and predicted a good deal of occurrences meticulously.
He predicted a great scientific advance in which some of his inventions will be the basis: The Tesla Transformer, The Magnifying Transmitter, The Tesla Wireless System, The Terrestrial Stationary Waves which will result in many things he predicted amongst which are internet, wireless phones, GPS and many other phenomena so usual for us. He described his works too far ahead of time and thought that the world wasn’t ready for them.
He is the most important and effective inventor of the 20th century. He was also new-fashioned in many ways as he was anti-racist, vegetarian and …
“Peace can only come as a natural consequence of universal enlightenment and merging of races, and we are still far from this blissful realization, because few indeed, will admit the reality that God made man in His image in which case all earth men are alike. There is in fact but one race, of many colors. Christ is but one person, yet he is of all people, so why do some people think themselves better than some other people?”
August 2, 2011
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 and his ideas on the automatism of life, (which I’m still trying to wrap my head around), but many of his anecdotes cracked me up—harnessing the energy of June-bugs, the 5 men it took to place a light bulb, posing as Steve Brodie...and so many more.
I just wish he had elaborated on certain events!
For instance, I thought it interesting that he suddenly recovered from cholera after his dad promised to allow him to study engineering, or was it the peculiar bean that did the trick? And what bean was that?
I also wanted to know what led to his nervous breakdown. Was it the result of having the pursuit of his passion interrupted? And how did his friend assist him, I wondered, when Tesla wrote:
“Can anyone believe that so hopeless a physical wreck could ever be transformed into a man of astonishing strength and tenacity, able to work thirty-eight years almost without a day’s interruption, and find himself strong and fresh in body and mind? Such is my case. A powerful desire to live and continue the work and the assistance of a devoted friend and athlete accomplished the wonder.”
And why did he not provide more details on the never-completed “World System”? Did it simply not work? Was it too expensive? Or, as some sources suggest, did the financiers withhold their funds for the same reason they resisted his bladeless turbines? When they discovered that Tesla’s invention might not only transmit signals, sound, and images, but also electricity, did they not like the fact that it would render worthless the existing electrical infrastructure? And how would they meter electricity that was transmitted wirelessly?
So I’m left with the question, could Nikola Tesla have “wirelessly electrified the entire earth”? From what I’ve heard, it’s only a matter of time (and completing the Maxwell equations) before his dream is finally realized.
A fascinating read that leaves me wanting to know 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 and his ideas on the automatism of life, (which I’m still trying to wrap my head around), but many of his anecdotes cracked me up—harnessing the energy of June-bugs, the 5 men it took to place a light bulb, posing as Steve Brodie...and so many more.
I just wish he had elaborated on certain events!
For instance, I thought it interesting that he suddenly recovered from cholera after his dad promised to allow him to study engineering, or was it the peculiar bean that did the trick? And what bean was that?
I also wanted to know what led to his nervous breakdown. Was it the result of having the pursuit of his passion interrupted? And how did his friend assist him, I wondered, when Tesla wrote:
“Can anyone believe that so hopeless a physical wreck could ever be transformed into a man of astonishing strength and tenacity, able to work thirty-eight years almost without a day’s interruption, and find himself strong and fresh in body and mind? Such is my case. A powerful desire to live and continue the work and the assistance of a devoted friend and athlete accomplished the wonder.”
And why did he not provide more details on the never-completed “World System”? Did it simply not work? Was it too expensive? Or, as some sources suggest, did the financiers withhold their funds for the same reason they resisted his bladeless turbines? When they discovered that Tesla’s invention might not only transmit signals, sound, and images, but also electricity, did they not like the fact that it would render worthless the existing electrical infrastructure? And how would they meter electricity that was transmitted wirelessly?
So I’m left with the question, could Nikola Tesla have “wirelessly electrified the entire earth”? From what I’ve heard, it’s only a matter of time (and completing the Maxwell equations) before his dream is finally realized.
A fascinating read that leaves me wanting to know more.
September 1, 2013
Nikola Tesla was wonderfully weird. His autobiography is testament of a strange life indeed, but with his amazing mind, who'd expect it to be normal? I liked the anecdotes about his mother, who, he writes, invented and constructed all kinds of tools and devices, and from whom he seems to have inherited his creativity and imagination. And who'd have known that, in between his experiments and demonstrations, he found the time to read all the works of Voltaire?
Some interesting quotes:
“My mother was an inventor of the first order and would, I believe, have achieved great things had she not been so remote from modern life and its multifold opportunities. She invented and constructed all kinds of tools and devices and wove the finest designs from thread which was spun by her. She even planted seeds, raised the plants and separated the fibres herself. She worked indefatigably, from break of day till late at night, and most of the wearing apparel and furnishings of the home were the product of her hands. When she was past sixty, her fingers were still nimble enough to tie three knots in an eyelash.”
“I counted the steps in my walks and calculated the cubical contents of soup plates, coffee cups and pieces of food, otherwise my meal was unenjoyable. All repeated acts or operations I performed had to be divisible by three and if I missed I felt impelled to do it all over again, even if it took hours.”
“I had a veritable mania for finishing whatever I began, which often got me into difficulties. On one occasion I started to read the works of Voltaire, when I learned, to my dismay that there were close to one hundred large volumes in small print which that monster had written while drinking seventy-two cups of black coffee per diem. It had to be done, but when I laid aside that last book I was very glad, and said, “Never more!””
Some interesting quotes:
“My mother was an inventor of the first order and would, I believe, have achieved great things had she not been so remote from modern life and its multifold opportunities. She invented and constructed all kinds of tools and devices and wove the finest designs from thread which was spun by her. She even planted seeds, raised the plants and separated the fibres herself. She worked indefatigably, from break of day till late at night, and most of the wearing apparel and furnishings of the home were the product of her hands. When she was past sixty, her fingers were still nimble enough to tie three knots in an eyelash.”
“I counted the steps in my walks and calculated the cubical contents of soup plates, coffee cups and pieces of food, otherwise my meal was unenjoyable. All repeated acts or operations I performed had to be divisible by three and if I missed I felt impelled to do it all over again, even if it took hours.”
“I had a veritable mania for finishing whatever I began, which often got me into difficulties. On one occasion I started to read the works of Voltaire, when I learned, to my dismay that there were close to one hundred large volumes in small print which that monster had written while drinking seventy-two cups of black coffee per diem. It had to be done, but when I laid aside that last book I was very glad, and said, “Never more!””
October 6, 2019
Loved Tesla, hated the superficial approach. I would have liked to find out more about his life and career. This just felt like a small brochure. Informative, but definetly not enough for curious minds.
February 7, 2017
Никола Тесла разказва за живота и изобретенията си: http://knigolandia.info/book-review/m...
Импулсивната покупка на книги е тръпка, от която отърване няма – без значение дали у дома те чакат стотици непрочетени, а в офиса си заринат в още повече потенциални и бъдещи заглавия. По принцип подминавам такъв тип книги, леконравни жълтуревини за “забранени” открития, конспирации и загадки са интересни, като си под или около 20-годишен, но ако продължаваш да си с “отворен” ум и насетне, значи по-вероятно мозъкът ти е изпаднал някъде по пътя (или поне умението да мислиш критично). И все пак си взех “Моите изобретения” на Никола Тесла, макар липсата на посочен преводач да ме озадачи неимоверно. Сетне наличието на куп грешки ми напомни защо не си купувам книги от тоя порядък, но няма значение, самият текст си струва четенето. Книгата няма да допадне на тези, които искат да вярват, че Тесла е бил жертва на заговор от лошите (правителство, конкуренция, сами изберете какво), които са искали да му попречат да осигури вечна безплатна енергия за цялото човечество. Но в нея има прекрасни неща, част от които дори преписах, за да онагледя.
издателство "Веси"
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/m...
Импулсивната покупка на книги е тръпка, от която отърване няма – без значение дали у дома те чакат стотици непрочетени, а в офиса си заринат в още повече потенциални и бъдещи заглавия. По принцип подминавам такъв тип книги, леконравни жълтуревини за “забранени” открития, конспирации и загадки са интересни, като си под или около 20-годишен, но ако продължаваш да си с “отворен” ум и насетне, значи по-вероятно мозъкът ти е изпаднал някъде по пътя (или поне умението да мислиш критично). И все пак си взех “Моите изобретения” на Никола Тесла, макар липсата на посочен преводач да ме озадачи неимоверно. Сетне наличието на куп грешки ми напомни защо не си купувам книги от тоя порядък, но няма значение, самият текст си струва четенето. Книгата няма да допадне на тези, които искат да вярват, че Тесла е бил жертва на заговор от лошите (правителство, конкуренция, сами изберете какво), които са искали да му попречат да осигури вечна безплатна енергия за цялото човечество. Но в нея има прекрасни неща, част от които дори преписах, за да онагледя.
издателство "Веси"
http://knigolandia.info/book-review/m...
September 4, 2016
Tesla narrates various anecdotes from his rather eventful life and career giving readers glimpses of his remarkable mind, acute senses, amazing ability to visualise, curiosity, indefatigable working capacity, and inventive tendencies, besides his rather remarkable family. These qualities and abilities (some, at least) were both a blessing and a curse allowing him to see and dream of things that ordinary mortals can’t but at the same time which did not let him have the most comfortable of existences. And if astounding his readers with his feats weren’t enough, Tesla shows in an instance or two that he can also bring a smile to our faces.
February 6, 2018
Tesla'nın kendi dilinden epey teknik de olsa icatlarını dinlemek güzel. Hayatı boyunca çektiği sıkıntıları ve hastalıkları odaklanmaya çevirebilmiş olması muazzam. Yalnız çeviride bir şeyler eksik gibi ama bunun sebebi biraz teknik bir eser olması olabilir.
February 21, 2016
I enjoyed this, if I was smarter I would've enjoyed it even more
April 20, 2019
tesla yazarken biraz fazla özgüvenli bir dil kullanmış, ama kesinlikle yanlış bir şey yok. sadece ben onun yerinde olsaydım büyük ihtimal bu kitabı böyle yazmazdım.
tabi ki bu kitapta değerlendirmemiz gereken tesla'nın dili değil. onu da çok iyi biliyorum. icatları, düşündükleri, çalışmaları beni benden alan bir insan zaten. hayatı düşünerek geçmiş.
örnek aldığım, örnek alınması gereken insanlardan biri.
tabi ki bu kitapta değerlendirmemiz gereken tesla'nın dili değil. onu da çok iyi biliyorum. icatları, düşündükleri, çalışmaları beni benden alan bir insan zaten. hayatı düşünerek geçmiş.
örnek aldığım, örnek alınması gereken insanlardan biri.
September 24, 2016
I didn't think it was possible for me to love Tesla more than I already had. After reading his thoughts in his own words, I feel that, in some way, I know him now and certainly love him all the more for every page.
My favorite part of the book was Tesla's ranting about the wireless. Its potential was so clear to him. Freeing ourselves from wires, and harnessing the waves in the air around us, would not only lead to advances in technology that were at that time unimaginable, but for Tesla, wireless meant that we could finally connect everyone in the world. According to Tesla, wires meant we could only connect to our small area (unless we went to great pains to bury wires under the ocean floor, which we did-- and still it had constraints), but wireless means we can connect to anyone, anywhere in the world. If we can connect so readily to other cultures, Tesla reasoned, then we can understand other cultures. Once we understand and stop subscribing to ingroup and outgroup thinking, we can finally attain peace. Tesla suggested, as do many people in our current day, that when anyone in any part of the country can connect to any other part of the country and gain knowledge from that, the weakest groups will gain power and not be dependent on the powerful as much as they are now. He saw not only an end to wires but an end to ignorance and war.
In reading this, I felt as if I really understood the mind of Tesla. What it all boiled down to was always solving the distance problem. What I mean by that is that in figuring out AC (to replace DC) and in trying to figure out wireless, Tesla overcame the constraints caused by physical wires that are held in place, constrained to one physical area. In the case of DC (Edison, in his limited vision, was a fan of direct current) every house was required to have their own generator because DC will only travel so far. When AC came along, cities could have one generator that supplies the multitudes of houses (like we have now in our society). Wires, whether vertical or buried under ground, are limited to where the physical wires are. With wireless, the signal can be sent to far more tethering spots (towers or even smartphones and tablets in every home!). In each case, the signal can reach far beyond a wire, solving the distance problem.
Sadly, Tesla could not develop the wireless in the way he wanted to. It was too new of an idea and even the experts, according to Tesla, could not see its value. This caused him great anguish.
Other parts of the book were more amusing to me than profound. Early in the book I had to laugh hardily because I had just finished reading another author's take on his nervous breakdown and then I read Tesla's own take on it. It seems to me that inventing is similar to childbirth not only in that the inventor brings something new into the world, but also because there can be amnesia for the pain of the birthing process. It is often said, and I believe it to be true, that many women only have more than one child because they selectively forget the negative aspects of pregnancy and child birth and magnify their memories of the positive aspects.
After reading Tesla's description of his life, I was dumbfounded. The reality is that Tesla had a mental breakdown following his work on attempting to invent the wireless telephone*, in the 1800s no less. The breakdown was so severe, Tesla was in bed for months and suffered complete amnesia for the entirety of his past, including the knowledge of how to invent anything at all. Yet looking back in his autobiography, Tesla wrote that even though many people who work have to sacrifice their life-energy, he had never had to make such sacrifices, stating, "On the contrary, I have thrived on my thoughts."
It seems his amnesia was not just limited to those months in bed. He had selective amnesia for what seems to be the remainder of his life. He loved his inventions, and the inventing process, so much that he magnified the positive aspects, feeling a swelling of involuntary love, while seeming to completely forget the absolute torment it caused him at times.
I had heard about Tesla's visions and delusions but hadn't appreciated them fully until hearing his own take. He said the people he imagined were as real to him as any real person. People portray him as non-social. It seems he was very social, with the envisioned people who visited him regularly. He made it extremely clear though, that he understood full well that the visions of people and things were not real. He held disdain for those who believed in the paranormal, which I found so interesting considering the fact that he had constant visions. I am still trying to understand how he could have such a firm grip on reality. One funny story he related about psychics goes as follows. Men in powerful positions from the ford company came to visit him. They told him how impressed they were that everything he had predicted had come true. He was elated and wondered if they were there to talk about his inventions, invest in them, or even use his turbine engines in their cars. Alas, when asked how he could be of assistance, they said they were starting a psychological society that focused on psychic phenomenon and said he would be an extremely valuable asset to them. He said, "These gentlemen never knew how close they were to being fired out of my office!"
It seems as though he spent his life trying to control his visions. He said he controlled most visions but could never control the bright light and fire visions he had. Those sounded like seizures to me. He also said he could simply visualize equations. It seems far more than merely possible that Tesla had synesthesia. The neurons in brain seems to have been not only hyper connected, as is the case in synesthesia, but connected in such a way that it caused high output but then short circuiting, causing a seizure. How I wish his brain were around to study.
My favorite part of the book was Tesla's ranting about the wireless. Its potential was so clear to him. Freeing ourselves from wires, and harnessing the waves in the air around us, would not only lead to advances in technology that were at that time unimaginable, but for Tesla, wireless meant that we could finally connect everyone in the world. According to Tesla, wires meant we could only connect to our small area (unless we went to great pains to bury wires under the ocean floor, which we did-- and still it had constraints), but wireless means we can connect to anyone, anywhere in the world. If we can connect so readily to other cultures, Tesla reasoned, then we can understand other cultures. Once we understand and stop subscribing to ingroup and outgroup thinking, we can finally attain peace. Tesla suggested, as do many people in our current day, that when anyone in any part of the country can connect to any other part of the country and gain knowledge from that, the weakest groups will gain power and not be dependent on the powerful as much as they are now. He saw not only an end to wires but an end to ignorance and war.
In reading this, I felt as if I really understood the mind of Tesla. What it all boiled down to was always solving the distance problem. What I mean by that is that in figuring out AC (to replace DC) and in trying to figure out wireless, Tesla overcame the constraints caused by physical wires that are held in place, constrained to one physical area. In the case of DC (Edison, in his limited vision, was a fan of direct current) every house was required to have their own generator because DC will only travel so far. When AC came along, cities could have one generator that supplies the multitudes of houses (like we have now in our society). Wires, whether vertical or buried under ground, are limited to where the physical wires are. With wireless, the signal can be sent to far more tethering spots (towers or even smartphones and tablets in every home!). In each case, the signal can reach far beyond a wire, solving the distance problem.
Sadly, Tesla could not develop the wireless in the way he wanted to. It was too new of an idea and even the experts, according to Tesla, could not see its value. This caused him great anguish.
Other parts of the book were more amusing to me than profound. Early in the book I had to laugh hardily because I had just finished reading another author's take on his nervous breakdown and then I read Tesla's own take on it. It seems to me that inventing is similar to childbirth not only in that the inventor brings something new into the world, but also because there can be amnesia for the pain of the birthing process. It is often said, and I believe it to be true, that many women only have more than one child because they selectively forget the negative aspects of pregnancy and child birth and magnify their memories of the positive aspects.
After reading Tesla's description of his life, I was dumbfounded. The reality is that Tesla had a mental breakdown following his work on attempting to invent the wireless telephone*, in the 1800s no less. The breakdown was so severe, Tesla was in bed for months and suffered complete amnesia for the entirety of his past, including the knowledge of how to invent anything at all. Yet looking back in his autobiography, Tesla wrote that even though many people who work have to sacrifice their life-energy, he had never had to make such sacrifices, stating, "On the contrary, I have thrived on my thoughts."
It seems his amnesia was not just limited to those months in bed. He had selective amnesia for what seems to be the remainder of his life. He loved his inventions, and the inventing process, so much that he magnified the positive aspects, feeling a swelling of involuntary love, while seeming to completely forget the absolute torment it caused him at times.
I had heard about Tesla's visions and delusions but hadn't appreciated them fully until hearing his own take. He said the people he imagined were as real to him as any real person. People portray him as non-social. It seems he was very social, with the envisioned people who visited him regularly. He made it extremely clear though, that he understood full well that the visions of people and things were not real. He held disdain for those who believed in the paranormal, which I found so interesting considering the fact that he had constant visions. I am still trying to understand how he could have such a firm grip on reality. One funny story he related about psychics goes as follows. Men in powerful positions from the ford company came to visit him. They told him how impressed they were that everything he had predicted had come true. He was elated and wondered if they were there to talk about his inventions, invest in them, or even use his turbine engines in their cars. Alas, when asked how he could be of assistance, they said they were starting a psychological society that focused on psychic phenomenon and said he would be an extremely valuable asset to them. He said, "These gentlemen never knew how close they were to being fired out of my office!"
It seems as though he spent his life trying to control his visions. He said he controlled most visions but could never control the bright light and fire visions he had. Those sounded like seizures to me. He also said he could simply visualize equations. It seems far more than merely possible that Tesla had synesthesia. The neurons in brain seems to have been not only hyper connected, as is the case in synesthesia, but connected in such a way that it caused high output but then short circuiting, causing a seizure. How I wish his brain were around to study.
November 5, 2015
Tesla zamanının ötesinde bir insan. Bizim zamanımızın bile ötesinde bana kalırsa. 100 yıl önceki öngörülerinin anlaşılamaması da şaşırtıcı değil aslında.
Herkesçe malum dehası dışında benim açımdan Tesla'yı özel kılan; hayata bakışı, olayları değerlendirme tarzı ve doğası itibariyle muhteşem bir insan oluşu.Bu kitap da Tesla'nın icatları dışında yetiştiği ortam ve yaşam felsefesi hakkında da kendi kaleminden önemli anektodlar içermesi bakımından önemli.
Tesla'nın çok yönlü bir insan olduğunu bilirdim ancak şu satırları okuyunca kendisine hayranlığım katlandı;
" Başladığım şeyi illa bitirmek gibi bir saplantım vardı. Bir keresinde Voltaire'in eserlerini okumaya başlamış ve o canavarın gün boyu yetmiş iki fincan sade kahveyi devirerek yazdığı, küçük harflerle basılmış yaklaşık yüz kitaplık bir külliyatı olduğunu öğrenince gözüm korkmuştu. İlla ki okunacaklardı ama son kitabı bitirip masaya koyduğumda çok memnun olmuş ve " Bir daha asla!" demiştim.
Tavsiye: Yolunuz Belgrad'a düşerse Nicola Tesla Museum'a gitmemezlik etmeyin.
p.s: Evlilik sözleşmene "İşbu sözleşmede adı geçen ABC hanım, gebeliği süresince "minnoşumu nasıl büyütmeli" vb. matbuatlar yerine Nicola Tesla "İcatlarım" matbuatının özellikle fen konularına dair olmayan cüzlerini okumakla mükelleftir." maddesi eklet. Zira burada hazır büyümüşü, nasıl büyüdüğünü anlatıyor.
Herkesçe malum dehası dışında benim açımdan Tesla'yı özel kılan; hayata bakışı, olayları değerlendirme tarzı ve doğası itibariyle muhteşem bir insan oluşu.Bu kitap da Tesla'nın icatları dışında yetiştiği ortam ve yaşam felsefesi hakkında da kendi kaleminden önemli anektodlar içermesi bakımından önemli.
Tesla'nın çok yönlü bir insan olduğunu bilirdim ancak şu satırları okuyunca kendisine hayranlığım katlandı;
" Başladığım şeyi illa bitirmek gibi bir saplantım vardı. Bir keresinde Voltaire'in eserlerini okumaya başlamış ve o canavarın gün boyu yetmiş iki fincan sade kahveyi devirerek yazdığı, küçük harflerle basılmış yaklaşık yüz kitaplık bir külliyatı olduğunu öğrenince gözüm korkmuştu. İlla ki okunacaklardı ama son kitabı bitirip masaya koyduğumda çok memnun olmuş ve " Bir daha asla!" demiştim.
Tavsiye: Yolunuz Belgrad'a düşerse Nicola Tesla Museum'a gitmemezlik etmeyin.
p.s: Evlilik sözleşmene "İşbu sözleşmede adı geçen ABC hanım, gebeliği süresince "minnoşumu nasıl büyütmeli" vb. matbuatlar yerine Nicola Tesla "İcatlarım" matbuatının özellikle fen konularına dair olmayan cüzlerini okumakla mükelleftir." maddesi eklet. Zira burada hazır büyümüşü, nasıl büyüdüğünü anlatıyor.
October 14, 2017
Nikola Tesla is a pure genius and his intelligence far surpasses that of Einstein.
He traveled to America to make the world a better place, but America always makes sure to grind down anyone that cares for the betterment of humanity.
He wanted to make free wireless electricity for the whole world, designed a laser powerful enough to destroy anything (he destroyed his design because he didn't believe humans could use it wisely), he game up with a lot of war patents that belong to the US today, came up for the idea of a phone in the early 1900's, automaton, the X-ray, the radio, the remote control, the induction motor, the light bulb ...
In 1884, Tesla was hired by Thomas Edison and was told that "there was $50,000 in it for him" if he could redesign Edison's inefficient motor and generators. When Tesla did so, Edison laughed and said, "Tesla, you don't understand our American sense of humour".
so schools teaches us shit,Tesla was a great man deserves more praise than he gets. Edison was just a greedy business man, and a great douche.
He traveled to America to make the world a better place, but America always makes sure to grind down anyone that cares for the betterment of humanity.
He wanted to make free wireless electricity for the whole world, designed a laser powerful enough to destroy anything (he destroyed his design because he didn't believe humans could use it wisely), he game up with a lot of war patents that belong to the US today, came up for the idea of a phone in the early 1900's, automaton, the X-ray, the radio, the remote control, the induction motor, the light bulb ...
In 1884, Tesla was hired by Thomas Edison and was told that "there was $50,000 in it for him" if he could redesign Edison's inefficient motor and generators. When Tesla did so, Edison laughed and said, "Tesla, you don't understand our American sense of humour".
so schools teaches us shit,Tesla was a great man deserves more praise than he gets. Edison was just a greedy business man, and a great douche.
May 15, 2021
4.5 stars.
This was a very interesting book. Tesla was indeed a brilliant inventor and scientist, and after reading this book I can see how his brilliant mind, discipline, and vision made him build and imagine a world where wireless transmission of energy and flying devices would make significant improvements in the development of systems to make life better for humankind.
While reading this book, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking how he would feel about seeing someone reading his own book in an electronic device and then writing a review about it on an intelligent telephone and being able to share with a community through a wireless form of transmission, just like he had envisioned...
I also appreciate his vision of how inventions and science should be used for making the lives of millions better, and as tools to better administer the government and communications.
This was a very interesting book. Tesla was indeed a brilliant inventor and scientist, and after reading this book I can see how his brilliant mind, discipline, and vision made him build and imagine a world where wireless transmission of energy and flying devices would make significant improvements in the development of systems to make life better for humankind.
While reading this book, I couldn’t stop myself from thinking how he would feel about seeing someone reading his own book in an electronic device and then writing a review about it on an intelligent telephone and being able to share with a community through a wireless form of transmission, just like he had envisioned...
I also appreciate his vision of how inventions and science should be used for making the lives of millions better, and as tools to better administer the government and communications.
January 29, 2022
Cartea contine multe informatii interesante despre viata, personalitatea si inventiile lui Tesla.
Cuvantul inainte din carte este fix degeaba: nu face decat sa repete ceea este mai apoi prezentat ca fragmente din autobiografia inventatorului. Nu am inteles deloc aceasta decizie a editorului.
Cuvantul inainte din carte este fix degeaba: nu face decat sa repete ceea este mai apoi prezentat ca fragmente din autobiografia inventatorului. Nu am inteles deloc aceasta decizie a editorului.
January 30, 2018
Tesla’nın anlatımıyla hayatını okumak güzeldi. Müzesini gezdikten sonra merak ettiğim bir kitaptı. Tavsiye ederim.
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