Thomas Edison Thomas a Edison

Thomas Edison

Thomas a Edison and the Modernization of America

Martin Melosi, author of Thomas a. Edison and the Modernization of America, has written many books on historic figures, political problems, cultural issues, and other important concerns. In this book, Melosi speaks of Edison and addresses just how much Edison contributed to modernizing the United States of America. As one of the most prolific and famous inventors in history, Thomas Edison contributed the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and the incandescent light bulb, in addition to making improvements on the telephone and telegraph, showing what a strong influence he had on life and society as it moved from one age into the next. Melosi showcases this as he talks about the 1,093 patents that Edison acquired in his 84 years of life. He also points out one thing that many people do not realize, which is that Edison was also successful as a manufacturer and a businessman, and he marketed many of his inventions to the public.

Early on, Edison was not a good student, and his mother took him out of school and taught him at home. Years later, he said that "My mother was the making of me. She was so true, so sure of me, and I felt I had some one to live for, some one I must not disappoint" (Melosi, 1990, p.8). He worked different jobs, never really settling down, and lost almost all his hearing at the age of 12. However, he did not allow that to slow him down, and he went right on working and doing what he felt he needed and wanted to do. He was always good with mechanical things, but solitary and shy when he dealt with people. He married and raised a family, as well, but it appeared that his first love was always his work.

Melosi's book, while about Edison, also tells a story of perseverance, care, and great dedication. It is these kinds of themes that are most prominent in the book, and they are what are important to talk about. Edison was a great man, and the work that he did undoubtedly changed history, mostly for the better. However, it was not just the fact that he created many things and improved on others, but the kind of person that he was and the way that he lived his life, as well as what he did for society. It appears as though Melosi wished to show that the modernization of America came at the price of hard work and dedicated individuals that were willing to take the time to improve society for everyone.

The book is written in a very upscale manner, and might be difficult for some people to read and understand clearly. However, it is still a very good book. It is full of information on Edison, and also on what he did for society and the country, which is much more important to the tone and feel of the book than information on his background or his life in general. While some of his life must be addressed in order to understand the significance of what he did, the most important issue in the book is how America has changed because of the inventions that were created and improved upon. It is no secret that these inventions have been further changed and improved upon since Edison's time, but without his vision and guidance, America might be much less of a civilized society.

The way Melosi writes about Edison, it is clear that he believes in what he is saying, and that he believes in the ability that Edison had and what he saw as a vision for America. This is not to say that Edison had a complete understanding of every impact that his inventions would have, but only that he did understand that he was working for the betterment of society as well as the good of his family and those that he cared for, and that mattered to him. He was not selfish in that he was creating inventions solely to make money, but rather for the good of others, both during his time and in the future.

One of the best things about the book is the way that Melosi includes family situations and personal issues that Edison dealt with, as well as business challenges that he faced. There are several points that the book makes that indicate these issues were very valuable in Edison's business life. The first of these is a paradigm shift. This involves changing the way someone feels about how the world works and the position they have in it, as well as the perceptions of what the world contains. By taking readers through the way that this change occurs, Melosi helps individuals to learn better ways to look at the world and the ideas that are often presented by others that are interested in changing the world - like Edison. These kinds of skills include positive thinking, management of time, and ways to act that deal with productivity. Through his discussion on Edison, Melosi teaches people how to act and take the initiative as opposed to only reacting to something that happened, which is how Edison lived his life.

By doing this, he indicates how business life could be changed by proactive individuals and this concept would be extremely helpful in business, especially in today's global society, which is something that Edison likely never envisioned. People that are proactive realize what is going to happen in their specific area of skill and they look at these areas and attempt to make changes that will coincide with the up and coming trends rather than wait for the trends to get started and then follow up on them at a later date. Edison was ahead of his time in the sense that he was already looking ahead and patenting items that would be useful some time in the future with adaptations and modifications.