Tom Standage is the former technology editor and current business editor at the Economist. He is the author of A History of the World in 6 Glasses, The Turk, and The Neptune File.
"A dot com cult classic," --Wall Street Journal"I was simply
fascinated by this book. It contains parallels between the
reception of the telegraph and the Internet which I knew nothing
about." --Vinton Cerf, co-inventor of the Internet"Sparkling."
--Forbes"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective on
media Net hype, this book is for you." --Wired"A delightful book."
--Smithsonian"A fascinating walk through a pivotal period in human
history." --USA Today"An entertaining primer on a complex subject
of increasing interest." --Los Angeles Times Sunday Book Review"An
admirably efficient and concise telling of the story of the rise
and decline of the telegraph." --Henry Petroski, author of The
Pencil
A dot com cult classic, "Wall Street Journal" I was simply
fascinated by this book. It contains parallels between the
reception of the telegraph and the Internet which I knew nothing
about. "Vinton Cerf, co-inventor of the Internet" Sparkling.
"Forbes" Fascinating If you've ever hankered for a perspective on
media Net hype, this book is for you. "Wired" A delightful book.
"Smithsonian" A fascinating walk through a pivotal period in human
history. "USA Today" An entertaining primer on a complex subject of
increasing interest. "Los Angeles Times Sunday Book Review" An
admirably efficient and concise telling of the story of the rise
and decline of the telegraph. "Henry Petroski, author of The
Pencil""
Praise for "The Victorian Internet"
"A dot com cult classic,"--"Wall Street Journal"
"I was simply fascinated by this book. It contains parallels
between the reception of the telegraph and the Internet which I
knew nothing about."--Vinton Cerf, co-inventor of the Internet
"Sparkling."--"Forbes"
"Fascinating If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net
hype, this book is for you."--"Wired"
"A delightful book."--"Smithsonian """
"A fascinating walk through a pivotal period in human
history."--"USA Today"
"An entertaining primer on a complex subject of increasing
interest."--"Los Angeles Times Sunday Book Review"""
"An admirably efficient and concise telling of the story of the
rise and decline of the telegraph."--Henry Petroski, author of "The
Pencil""""
Praise for "The Victorian Internet"
" A dot com cult classic, " -- "Wall Street Journal"
" I was simply fascinated by this book. It contains parallels
between the reception of the telegraph and the Internet which I
knew nothing about." -- Vinton Cerf, co-inventor of the
Internet
" Sparkling." -- "Forbes"
" Fascinating... If you' ve ever hankered for a perspective on
media Net hype, this book is for you." -- "Wired"
" A delightful book." -- "Smithsonian """
" A fascinating walk through a pivotal period in human history." --
"USA Today"
" An entertaining primer on a complex subject of increasing
interest." -- "Los Angeles Times Sunday Book Review"""
" An admirably efficient and concise telling of the story of the
rise and decline of the telegraph." -- Henry Petroski, author of
"The Pencil"""
"A dot com cult classic," --Wall Street Journal"I was simply
fascinated by this book. It contains parallels between the
reception of the telegraph and the Internet which I knew nothing
about." --Vinton Cerf, co-inventor of the Internet"Sparkling."
--Forbes"Fascinating...If you've ever hankered for a perspective
on media Net hype, this book is for you." --Wired"A delightful
book." --Smithsonian"A fascinating walk through a pivotal period
in human history." --USA Today"An entertaining primer on a
complex subject of increasing interest." --Los Angeles Times
Sunday Book Review"An admirably efficient and concise telling of
the story of the rise and decline of the telegraph." --Henry
Petroski, author of The Pencil
A dot com cult classic, "Wall Street Journal" I was simply fascinated by this book. It contains parallels between the reception of the telegraph and the Internet which I knew nothing about. "Vinton Cerf, co-inventor of the Internet" Sparkling. "Forbes" Fascinating If you've ever hankered for a perspective on media Net hype, this book is for you. "Wired" A delightful book. "Smithsonian" A fascinating walk through a pivotal period in human history. "USA Today" An entertaining primer on a complex subject of increasing interest. "Los Angeles Times Sunday Book Review" An admirably efficient and concise telling of the story of the rise and decline of the telegraph. "Henry Petroski, author of The Pencil""
A lively, short history of the development and rapid growth a century and a half ago of the first electronic network, the telegraph, Standage's book debut is also a cautionary tale in how new technologies inspire unrealistic hopes for universal understanding and peace, and then are themselves blamed when those hopes are disappointed. The telegraph developed almost simultaneously in America and Britain in the 1840s. Standage, a British journalist, effectively traces the different sources and false starts of an invention that had many claims on its patents. In 1842, Samuel F.B. Morse demonstrated a working telegraph between two committee rooms of the Capitol, and Congress reluctantly voted $30,000 for an experimental line to Baltimore‘89 to 83, with 70 abstaining "to avoid the responsibility of spending the public money for a machine they could not understand." By 1850 there were 12,000 miles of telegraph line in the U.S., and twice that two years later. Standage does a good job sorting through a complicated and often contentious history, showing the dramatic changes the telegraph brought to how business was conducted, news was reported and humanity viewed its world. The parallels he draws to today's Internet are catchy, but they sometimes overshadow his portrayal of the unique culture and sense of excitement the telegraph engendered‘what one contemporary poet called "the thrill electric." News of the first transatlantic cable in 1858 led to predictions of world peace and an end to old prejudices and hostilities. Soon enough, however, Standage reports, criminal guile, government misinformation and that old human sport of romance found their way onto the wires. 18 illustrations. BOMC, QPB and History Book Club alternates. (Oct.)
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