The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison
Turnabout Tales
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Prime members: New to Audible?Get 2 free audiobooks during trial.
The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison
Buy for $5.39
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Raymond Arroyo
-
By:
-
Raymond Arroyo
About this listen
From New York Times bestselling author and news anchor Raymond Arroyo comes the first book in the Turnabout Tales series—a picture book biography of one of America’s most famous inventors, Thomas Alva Edison, and a story about never giving up.
No one thought much of young Thomas Alva Edison. He couldn’t focus at school and caused trouble around the house. But where others saw a distracted and mischievous boy, his mother saw imagination and curiosity. At only seven years old, Al, as he was called as a young child, was educated by his mother at home, who understood his potential could be unlocked with non-conventional learning, allowing him freedom to explore, dream, and be inquisitive. Those early years of encouragement, motivation, and loving guidance shaped Al’s future and formed the courageous man who would apply those valuable lessons to inventing the phonograph, the motion picture camera, the light bulb, and more.
In The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison listeners will:
- meet the larger-than-life personality of Thomas Alva Edison
- hear an inspiring tale of how taking chances, failures, and struggles can lead to success and achievement
- learn about the power of curiosity and imagination
- see the importance of the words “Never give up!”
- take a carefully researched and actively told romp through history
The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison:
- includes an annotated list of resources and suggested reading
- contains an author’s note by Raymond Arroyo, the author of the bestselling The Spider Who Saved Christmas
- makes a great back-to-school gift for young listeners and teachers
The Turnabout Tales series highlights little-known yet fascinating stories of historical figures who went from underdog to hero, and the adults who inspired them to be true to themselves and do big things that changed the world.
©2023 Raymond Arroyo (P)2023 ZonderkidzListeners also enjoyed...
-
Raymond Arroyo's Turnabout Tales Audio Set
- Thomas Alva Edison and Tad Lincoln
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo
- Length: 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Story0 out of 5 stars 0
From New York Times bestselling author Raymond Arroyo comes a very special audio bundle for fans of picture book biographies. Turnabout Tales 2 Book Audio Set includes The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison and The Magnificent Mischief of Tad Lincoln, both read by author and news anchor Raymond Arroyo.
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo
- Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2
For more than twenty-five years, Mother Angelica has dispensed spiritual wisdom and practical advice to millions around the globe through her lively broadcasts on EWTN. Now she shares with you her personal life lessons and hilarious counsel as never before. Raymond Arroyo, author of the bestselling biography of Mother Angelica, has assembled an inspiring collection of her powerful insights, comic musings, and no-nonsense guidance for everyday living.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic listen to hear Mother Angelica!
- By amanda charbonnet on 09-06-23
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
Mother Angelica: Her Grand Silence
- The Last Years and Living Legacy
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo
- Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 10
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 10
In a moving, dramatic conclusion to his four New York Times bestselling Mother Angelica books, Raymond Arroyo completes the saga of this singular nun with his most intimate book yet.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Love Mother
- By ktrain on 04-20-24
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
Mother Angelica
- The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 57
In 1981, the year after Ted Turner founded CNN, a simple nun, using merely her entrepreneurial instincts and $200, launched what would become the world’s largest religious media empire in the garage of a Birmingham, Alabama, monastery. Under her guidance, the Eternal Word Television Network grew at a staggering pace, both in viewership and in influence, to where it now reaches over a hundred million viewers in hundreds of countries around the globe.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not what I expected
- By Daniel on 11-02-24
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
Will Wilder: The Relic of Perilous Falls
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 238
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 210
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 210
Will Wilder is a mischievous, headstrong 12-year-old with an otherworldly gift - he alone can see the nefarious creatures encroaching on Perilous Falls. For nearly a century, a sacred relic has protected his hometown from the raging waters surrounding it. But when Will "borrows" the relic for his own purposes, he accidentally unleashes an ancient evil. As boats sink and hideous creatures crawl from the rising waters, Will must set things right before it is too late.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Jude loves this book.
- By Deano Smalley on 09-11-17
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
The Prayers and Personal Devotions of Mother Angelica
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Lorna Raver
- Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 21
Following a string of three New York Times best sellers comes the most powerful work of Mother Angelica, who shares publicly for the first time her most private thoughts and prayers. More powerful and intimate than any of her previous books, this is the book that her millions of admirers have been waiting for. In this special work, listeners are brought inside her spiritual life through her private prayers and reflections.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
most excellent prayer book
- By JimmiRae Garland on 10-23-21
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
Raymond Arroyo's Turnabout Tales Audio Set
- Thomas Alva Edison and Tad Lincoln
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo
- Length: 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 1
-
Performance0 out of 5 stars 0
-
Story0 out of 5 stars 0
From New York Times bestselling author Raymond Arroyo comes a very special audio bundle for fans of picture book biographies. Turnabout Tales 2 Book Audio Set includes The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison and The Magnificent Mischief of Tad Lincoln, both read by author and news anchor Raymond Arroyo.
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo
- Length: 6 hrs and 19 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 4
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 2
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 2
For more than twenty-five years, Mother Angelica has dispensed spiritual wisdom and practical advice to millions around the globe through her lively broadcasts on EWTN. Now she shares with you her personal life lessons and hilarious counsel as never before. Raymond Arroyo, author of the bestselling biography of Mother Angelica, has assembled an inspiring collection of her powerful insights, comic musings, and no-nonsense guidance for everyday living.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Fantastic listen to hear Mother Angelica!
- By amanda charbonnet on 09-06-23
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
Mother Angelica: Her Grand Silence
- The Last Years and Living Legacy
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo
- Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 11
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 10
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 10
In a moving, dramatic conclusion to his four New York Times bestselling Mother Angelica books, Raymond Arroyo completes the saga of this singular nun with his most intimate book yet.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Love Mother
- By ktrain on 04-20-24
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
Mother Angelica
- The Remarkable Story of a Nun, Her Nerve, and a Network of Miracles
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo
- Length: 12 hrs and 55 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 57
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 57
In 1981, the year after Ted Turner founded CNN, a simple nun, using merely her entrepreneurial instincts and $200, launched what would become the world’s largest religious media empire in the garage of a Birmingham, Alabama, monastery. Under her guidance, the Eternal Word Television Network grew at a staggering pace, both in viewership and in influence, to where it now reaches over a hundred million viewers in hundreds of countries around the globe.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Not what I expected
- By Daniel on 11-02-24
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
Will Wilder: The Relic of Perilous Falls
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Raymond Arroyo
- Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 238
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 210
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 210
Will Wilder is a mischievous, headstrong 12-year-old with an otherworldly gift - he alone can see the nefarious creatures encroaching on Perilous Falls. For nearly a century, a sacred relic has protected his hometown from the raging waters surrounding it. But when Will "borrows" the relic for his own purposes, he accidentally unleashes an ancient evil. As boats sink and hideous creatures crawl from the rising waters, Will must set things right before it is too late.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Jude loves this book.
- By Deano Smalley on 09-11-17
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
The Prayers and Personal Devotions of Mother Angelica
- By: Raymond Arroyo
- Narrated by: Lorna Raver
- Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 33
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 21
Following a string of three New York Times best sellers comes the most powerful work of Mother Angelica, who shares publicly for the first time her most private thoughts and prayers. More powerful and intimate than any of her previous books, this is the book that her millions of admirers have been waiting for. In this special work, listeners are brought inside her spiritual life through her private prayers and reflections.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
most excellent prayer book
- By JimmiRae Garland on 10-23-21
By: Raymond Arroyo
-
To Rescue the Constitution
- George Washington and the Fragile American Experiment
- By: Bret Baier
- Narrated by: Bret Baier
- Length: 11 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 137
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 117
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 117
A sweeping narrative ranging from the unsettled early American frontier and the battlefields of the Revolution to the history-making clashes within Philadelphia’s Independence Hall, Bret Baier’s To Rescue the Constitution dramatically illuminates the life of George Washington, the Founder who did more than perhaps any other individual to secure the future of the United States.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Never disappointed in the historical accounts of our countries accounts.
- By Terri Anderson on 10-13-23
By: Bret Baier
-
The Gift of Failure
- And I’ll Rethink the Title If This Book Fails!
- By: Dan Bongino
- Narrated by: Dan Bongino
- Length: 4 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 573
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 530
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 530
In The Gift of Failure, leading conservative commentator Dan Bongino identifies failures in his life and how those failures led to bigger and better things. With the same laser-focused intensity that has made him one of America’s most popular voices, Bongino uncompromisingly cuts to the heart of failure with a collection that is inspirational, motivational, entertaining, touching, and redemptive.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
inspirational
- By cheyenne trimble on 09-12-23
By: Dan Bongino
-
You Can't Joke About That
- Why Everything Is Funny, Nothing Is Sacred, and We’re All in This Together
- By: Kat Timpf
- Narrated by: Kat Timpf
- Length: 7 hrs and 34 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 638
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 545
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 546
In You Can’t Joke About That, Kat Timpf shows why much of the way we talk about sensitive subjects is wrong. We’ve created all the wrong rules. We push ourselves into unnecessary conflicts when we should feel like we’re all in this together. When someone says “you can’t joke about that,” what they really mean is “this is a subject that makes people sad or angry.”
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Love Kat.. Great perspective, and I laughed "too"!
- By johnatakis on 04-19-23
By: Kat Timpf
-
The President and the Freedom Fighter
- Abraham Lincoln, Frederick Douglass, and Their Battle to Save America's Soul
- By: Brian Kilmeade
- Narrated by: Brian Kilmeade
- Length: 6 hrs and 42 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 861
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 767
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 767
The New York Times best-selling author of George Washington's Secret Six and Thomas Jefferson and the Tripoli Pirates turns to two other heroes of the nation: Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. In The President and the Freedom Fighter, Brian Kilmeade tells the little-known story of how two American heroes moved from strong disagreement to friendship, and in the process changed the entire course of history.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great Story and Research
- By Marla O'Halloran on 11-06-21
By: Brian Kilmeade
-
Teddy and Booker T.
- How Two American Icons Blazed a Path for Racial Equality
- By: Brian Kilmeade
- Narrated by: Brian Kilmeade
- Length: 8 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 134
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 123
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 123
When President Theodore Roosevelt welcomed the country’s most visible Black man, Booker T. Washington, into his circle of counselors in 1901, the two confronted a shocking and violent wave of racist outrage. In the previous decade, Jim Crow laws had legalized discrimination in the South, eroding social and economic gains for former slaves. Lynching was on the rise, and Black Americans faced new barriers to voting. Slavery had been abolished, but if newly freed citizens were condemned to lives as share croppers, how much improvement would their lives really see?
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
A deep look
- By Mickey on 11-03-24
By: Brian Kilmeade
-
Start, Stay, or Leave
- The Art of Decision Making
- By: Trey Gowdy
- Narrated by: Trey Gowdy
- Length: 7 hrs and 36 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 378
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 342
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 342
In life, moments arise when you have to decide your next move. When choosing whether to accept a new job, purchase a house, attend a school, or start a relationship, how do you settle on which direction to take? Trey Gowdy has found that most consequential decisions boil down to three simple options: start, stay, or leave.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great introspective book for mid-life!
- By David on 01-29-23
By: Trey Gowdy
-
The King of Late Night
- By: Greg Gutfeld
- Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne, Greg Gutfeld - Intro
- Length: 5 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 125
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 110
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 110
Greg Gutfeld is back with a hilarious essay collection about how he destroyed the mainstream late night landscape of heavyweights and became host of the #1 late night show in all of television. With his signature wit and whip-smart humor, Greg reveals never-before-told stories of his upbringing and early career, what it’s like going head-to-head with the liberal media, and what it took to flip the script on the comedy landscape.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Coulda been a 5
- By t61l63 on 07-26-23
By: Greg Gutfeld
-
Journey of a Thousand Miles
- My Story
- By: David Ritz, Lang Lang
- Narrated by: uncredited
- Length: 6 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 31
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 33
Journey of a Thousand Miles documents the remarkable, dramatic story of a family who sacrificed almost everything - his parents' marriage, financial security, Lang Lang's childhood, and their reputation in China's insular classical music world - for the belief in a young boy's talent. And it reveals the devastating and intense relationship between a boy and his father, who was willing to go to any length to make his son a star.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Amazing and Surprisingly Sad
- By Rebecca on 01-24-20
By: David Ritz, and others
-
Saint Padre Pio
- Man of Hope
- By: Renzo Allegri
- Narrated by: Douglas James
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 289
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 256
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 254
Canonized on June 16, 2002, Padre Pio of Pietrelcina (1887-1968) was a Capuchin monk and mystic whose life was marked with miracles and wonders, but who said that his only desire was “to be a poor friar who prays.” In this intimate biography, you will see the results of this humble Capuchin's prayers and discover for yourself the source of his great hope. This updated edition contains five new chapters covering the years between beatification and canonization, St. Pio’s continued work in people’s lives, and the devotion of St. John Paul II to this extraordinary saint.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Occasional mispronunciations; otherwise awesome
- By Paul Grady on 12-22-20
By: Renzo Allegri
-
The Book of Charlie
- By: David Von Drehle
- Narrated by: David Von Drehle
- Length: 7 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 304
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 270
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 270
When a veteran Washington journalist moved to Kansas, he met a new neighbor who was more than a century old. Little did he know that he was beginning a long friendship—and a profound lesson in the meaning of life. Charlie White was no ordinary neighbor. Born before radio, Charlie lived long enough to use a smartphone. When a shocking tragedy interrupted his idyllic boyhood, Charlie mastered survival strategies that reflect thousands of years of human wisdom.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Loved it
- By Josee on 06-09-23
By: David Von Drehle
-
The Puppeteers
- The People Who Control the People Who Control America
- By: Jason Chaffetz
- Narrated by: Jason Chaffetz
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 112
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 88
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 88
When he left Congress in 2017, Jason Chaffetz still thought elections could save us. For generations, conservatives have hoped that freedom-loving congressional majorities could turn back the tide and restore America’s liberties and prosperity. But now, he says, winning elections will not be enough.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Everyone needs to read/ listen to this
- By Maggie on 06-13-23
By: Jason Chaffetz
-
Tesla vs Edison
- A Captivating Guide to the War of the Currents and the Life of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 28
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 28
Human history has seen many surprising and profound turning points. The ways that humans learned to use raw materials to create activity and resources set the stage for the most compelling and life-altering phase of the modern era, the Industrial Revolution. Born during this time on different continents but connected by similar interests, two men indelibly marked their generation and those that followed with their genius and foresight. This audiobook covers the war of currents and the individual lives of Tesla and Edison.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Arduous
- By Hasbro on 10-22-18
Related to this topic
-
Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin: Two Predator Leaders. The Biography Collection
- The Greatest People, Book 1
- By: The History Hour
- Narrated by: Jerry Beebe, Alexander G.
- Length: 3 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 35
Discover the lives and poltical history of German politician and demagogue Adolf Hitler - leader of the Nazi Party, chancellor of Germany, and führer of Nazi Germany - and Joseph Stalin, dictator of the Soviet Union.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best informative.
- By Phyllis S Lopez on 10-25-19
By: The History Hour
-
Tesla vs Edison
- A Captivating Guide to the War of the Currents and the Life of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 28
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 28
Human history has seen many surprising and profound turning points. The ways that humans learned to use raw materials to create activity and resources set the stage for the most compelling and life-altering phase of the modern era, the Industrial Revolution. Born during this time on different continents but connected by similar interests, two men indelibly marked their generation and those that followed with their genius and foresight. This audiobook covers the war of currents and the individual lives of Tesla and Edison.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Arduous
- By Hasbro on 10-22-18
-
The Diamond Maker
- By: H. G. Wells
- Narrated by: David Ian Davies
- Length: 16 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 142
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 111
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 113
One hot steamy night in London, on a bridge looking over the Thames, a gentleman meets what appears to be a vagabond. The drifter, though looking ragged, has some class about him, and tells a story of being very successful in business. The gentleman is at first amused and then amazed when the vagrant pulls from around his neck a bag of very large diamonds.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Slightly Inaccurate Publisher's Summary
- By Lorie on 08-23-04
By: H. G. Wells
-
The Electric War
- Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Light the World
- By: Mike Winchell
- Narrated by: Greg Tremblay
- Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 21
In the mid- to late-19th century, a burgeoning science called electricity promised to shine new light on a rousing nation. Inventive and ambitious minds were hard at work. Soon that spark was fanned, and a war was under way to be the first to light - and run - the world with electricity. Thomas Alva Edison, the inventor of direct current (DC), engaged in a brutal battle with Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse, the inventors of alternating current (AC). There would be no ties in this race - only a winner and a loser - and the prize was a nationwide monopoly in electric current.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very well written!
- By Amanda McCoy on 07-17-19
By: Mike Winchell
-
I Invented the Modern Age
- The Rise of Henry Ford and the Most Important Car Ever Made
- By: Richard Snow
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 728
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 631
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 626
In many ways, Henry Ford's story is well-known; in many more ways, it is not. Richard Snow masterfully weaves together a fascinating narrative of Ford's rise to fame through his greatest invention, the Model T. A highly pleasurable listen, filled with scenes and incidents from Ford's life, I Invented the Modern Age shows Richard Snow at the height of his powers as a popular historian and reclaims from history Henry Ford, the remarkable man who, indeed, invented the modern world as we know it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Complicated Man
- By Jean on 11-23-13
By: Richard Snow
-
Strange Angel
- The Otherworldly Life of Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons
- By: George Pendle
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 669
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 572
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 575
The Los Angeles Times headline screamed: Rocket Scientist Killed in Pasadena Explosion. The man known as Jack Parsons, a maverick rocketeer who helped transform a derided sci-fi plotline into actuality, was at first mourned as a scientific prodigy. But reporters soon uncovered a more shocking story: Parsons had been a devotee of the city’s occult scene.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Finally on Audible!
- By Jason N on 05-16-19
By: George Pendle
-
Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin: Two Predator Leaders. The Biography Collection
- The Greatest People, Book 1
- By: The History Hour
- Narrated by: Jerry Beebe, Alexander G.
- Length: 3 hrs
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 36
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 35
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 35
Discover the lives and poltical history of German politician and demagogue Adolf Hitler - leader of the Nazi Party, chancellor of Germany, and führer of Nazi Germany - and Joseph Stalin, dictator of the Soviet Union.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Best informative.
- By Phyllis S Lopez on 10-25-19
By: The History Hour
-
Tesla vs Edison
- A Captivating Guide to the War of the Currents and the Life of Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison
- By: Captivating History
- Narrated by: Duke Holm
- Length: 4 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 28
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 28
Human history has seen many surprising and profound turning points. The ways that humans learned to use raw materials to create activity and resources set the stage for the most compelling and life-altering phase of the modern era, the Industrial Revolution. Born during this time on different continents but connected by similar interests, two men indelibly marked their generation and those that followed with their genius and foresight. This audiobook covers the war of currents and the individual lives of Tesla and Edison.
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Arduous
- By Hasbro on 10-22-18
-
The Diamond Maker
- By: H. G. Wells
- Narrated by: David Ian Davies
- Length: 16 mins
- Abridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 142
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 111
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 113
One hot steamy night in London, on a bridge looking over the Thames, a gentleman meets what appears to be a vagabond. The drifter, though looking ragged, has some class about him, and tells a story of being very successful in business. The gentleman is at first amused and then amazed when the vagrant pulls from around his neck a bag of very large diamonds.
-
3 out of 5 stars
-
Slightly Inaccurate Publisher's Summary
- By Lorie on 08-23-04
By: H. G. Wells
-
The Electric War
- Edison, Tesla, Westinghouse, and the Race to Light the World
- By: Mike Winchell
- Narrated by: Greg Tremblay
- Length: 5 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 22
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 21
In the mid- to late-19th century, a burgeoning science called electricity promised to shine new light on a rousing nation. Inventive and ambitious minds were hard at work. Soon that spark was fanned, and a war was under way to be the first to light - and run - the world with electricity. Thomas Alva Edison, the inventor of direct current (DC), engaged in a brutal battle with Nikola Tesla and George Westinghouse, the inventors of alternating current (AC). There would be no ties in this race - only a winner and a loser - and the prize was a nationwide monopoly in electric current.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Very well written!
- By Amanda McCoy on 07-17-19
By: Mike Winchell
-
I Invented the Modern Age
- The Rise of Henry Ford and the Most Important Car Ever Made
- By: Richard Snow
- Narrated by: Sean Runnette
- Length: 12 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 728
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 631
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 626
In many ways, Henry Ford's story is well-known; in many more ways, it is not. Richard Snow masterfully weaves together a fascinating narrative of Ford's rise to fame through his greatest invention, the Model T. A highly pleasurable listen, filled with scenes and incidents from Ford's life, I Invented the Modern Age shows Richard Snow at the height of his powers as a popular historian and reclaims from history Henry Ford, the remarkable man who, indeed, invented the modern world as we know it.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
A Complicated Man
- By Jean on 11-23-13
By: Richard Snow
-
Strange Angel
- The Otherworldly Life of Rocket Scientist John Whiteside Parsons
- By: George Pendle
- Narrated by: James Langton
- Length: 11 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 669
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 572
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 575
The Los Angeles Times headline screamed: Rocket Scientist Killed in Pasadena Explosion. The man known as Jack Parsons, a maverick rocketeer who helped transform a derided sci-fi plotline into actuality, was at first mourned as a scientific prodigy. But reporters soon uncovered a more shocking story: Parsons had been a devotee of the city’s occult scene.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Finally on Audible!
- By Jason N on 05-16-19
By: George Pendle
-
Who Was Steve Jobs?
- By: Pam Pollack, Meg Belviso
- Narrated by: Rob Shapiro
- Length: 1 hr and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 54
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 45
Steve Jobs, adopted in infancy by a family in San Francisco, packed a lot of life into 56 short years. In this Who Was...? biography, children will learn how his obsession with computers and technology at an early age led him to cofound and run Apple in addition to turning Pixar into a groundbreaking animation studio. A college dropout, Jobs took unconventional steps in his path to success and inspired the best and the brightest to come with him and "change the world".
By: Pam Pollack, and others
-
This Is Chance!
- The Shaking of an All-American City, a Voice That Held It Together
- By: Jon Mooallem
- Narrated by: Ray Porter
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 175
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 147
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 146
In the spring of 1964, Anchorage, Alaska, was a modern-day frontier town yearning to be a metropolis - the largest, proudest city in a state that was still brand-new. But just before sundown on Good Friday, the community was jolted by the most powerful earthquake in American history, a catastrophic 9.2 on the Richter Scale. This Is Chance! is the thrilling, cinematic story of a community shattered by disaster - and the extraordinary woman who helped pull it back together.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
amazing story
- By Dani L on 02-07-21
By: Jon Mooallem
-
The Last Lone Inventor
- A Tale of Genius, Deceit, and the Birth of Television
- By: Evan I. Schwartz
- Narrated by: Eric Jason Martin
- Length: 10 hrs and 16 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars 28
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars 20
-
Story5 out of 5 stars 21
In a story that is both of its time and timeless, Evan I. Schwartz tells a tale of genius versus greed, innocence versus deceit, and independent brilliance versus corporate arrogance. Many men have laid claim to the title "father of television," but Philo T. Farnsworth is the true genius behind what may be the most influential invention of our time. Driven by his obsession to demonstrate his idea, by the age of 20 Farnsworth was operating his own laboratory above a garage in San Francisco and filing for patents. The resulting publicity caught the attention of RCA tycoon David Sarnoff, who became determined to control television in the same way he monopolized radio.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Thank you, Philo.
- By JPALJ on 03-29-20
By: Evan I. Schwartz
-
Chief Engineer
- Washington Roebling, the Man Who Built the Brooklyn Bridge
- By: Erica Wagner
- Narrated by: Jo Anna Perrin
- Length: 14 hrs and 14 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 47
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars 40
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 39
His father conceived of the Brooklyn Bridge, but after John Roebling's sudden death, Washington Roebling built what has become one of American's most iconic structures - as much a part of New York as the Statue of Liberty or the Empire State Building. Yet, as recognizable as the bridge is, its builder is too often forgotten - and his life is of interest far beyond his chosen field. It is the story of immigrants, of the frontier, of the greatest crisis in American history, and of the making of the modern world.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Monumental
- By charles mueller on 07-09-19
By: Erica Wagner
-
Oil!
- By: Upton Sinclair
- Narrated by: Grover Gardner
- Length: 19 hrs and 47 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 876
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 662
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 669
As he did so masterfully in The Jungle, Pulitzer Prize-winning author Upton Sinclair interweaves social criticism with human tragedy to create an unforgettable portrait of Southern California's early oil industry. Enraged by the oil scandals of the Harding administration in the 1920s, Sinclair tells a gripping tale of avarice, corruption, and class warfare, featuring a cavalcade of characters, including senators, oil magnates, Hollywood film starlets, and a crusading evangelist.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
an outstanding book
- By Gregory on 05-18-08
By: Upton Sinclair
-
The LEGO Story
- How a Little Toy Sparked the World’s Imagination
- By: Jens Andersen
- Narrated by: Peter Cross
- Length: 11 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 56
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 50
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 50
It’s estimated that each year between eighty and ninety million children around the globe are given a box of LEGO, while up to ten million adults buy sets for themselves. Yet LEGO is much more than a dizzying number of plastic bricks that can be put together and combined in countless ways. LEGO is also a vision of the significance of what play can mean for humanity.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
Great book! Don't miss this
- By hgpilot - MM on 04-27-23
By: Jens Andersen
-
The Hidden Habits of Genius
- Beyond Talent, IQ, and Grit - Unlocking the Secrets of Greatness
- By: Craig Wright
- Narrated by: Fred Sanders
- Length: 10 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 352
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 308
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 305
What is genius? The word evokes iconic figures like Einstein, Beethoven, Picasso, and Steve Jobs, whose cultural contributions have irreversibly shaped society. Yet Beethoven could not multiply. Picasso couldn’t pass a fourth grade math test. And Jobs left high school with a 2.65 GPA. The Hidden Habits of Genius explores the meaning of this contested term, and the unexpected motivations of those we have dubbed "genius" throughout history, from Charles Darwin and Marie Curie to Leonardo Da Vinci and Andy Warhol to Toni Morrison and Elon Musk.
-
2 out of 5 stars
-
Click-bait title, minimal substance inside
- By James S. on 11-27-20
By: Craig Wright
-
Thinking Small
- The Long, Strange Trip of the Volkswagon Beetle
- By: Andrea Hiott
- Narrated by: Suzanne Toren
- Length: 15 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 70
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 62
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 62
Sometimes achieving big things requires the ability to think small. This simple concept was the driving force that propelled the Volkswagen Beetle to become an avatar of American-style freedom, a household brand, and a global icon. The VW Bug inspired the ad men of Madison Avenue, beguiled Woodstock Nation, and has recently been re-imagined for the hipster generation. And while today it is surely one of the most recognizable cars in the world, few of us know the compelling details of this car’s story.
-
5 out of 5 stars
-
book is a history lesson
- By Michael miller on 10-02-12
By: Andrea Hiott
-
The Radioactive Boy Scout
- The Frightening True Story of a Whiz Kid and His Homemade Nuclear Reactor
- By: Ken Silverstein
- Narrated by: Jonathan Todd Ross
- Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 48
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 45
-
Story4 out of 5 stars 45
Growing up in suburban Detroit, David Hahn was fascinated by science. While he was working on his Atomic Energy badge for the Boy Scouts, David's obsessive attention turned to nuclear energy. Throwing caution to the wind, he plunged into a new project: building a model nuclear reactor in his backyard garden shed. Posing as a physics professor, David solicited information on reactor design from the US government and from industry experts. Following blueprints he found in an outdated physics textbook, David cobbled together a crude device that threw off toxic levels of radiation.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Interesting story
- By Kevin Gunter on 07-16-19
By: Ken Silverstein
-
The Wright Brothers
- By: David McCullough
- Narrated by: David McCullough
- Length: 10 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 13,971
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 12,465
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 12,427
Two-time winner of the Pulitzer Prize David McCullough tells the dramatic story behind the story about the courageous brothers who taught the world how to fly: Wilbur and Orville Wright.
On December 17, 1903, at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, Wilbur and Orville Wright's Wright Flyer became the first powered, heavier-than-air machine to achieve controlled, sustained flight with a pilot aboard. The Age of Flight had begun. How did they do it? And why?
-
1 out of 5 stars
-
Disappointing
- By Sara on 07-10-16
By: David McCullough
-
The Girls of Atomic City
- The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II
- By: Denise Kiernan
- Narrated by: Cassandra Campbell
- Length: 12 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4 out of 5 stars 2,913
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,623
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,612
At the height of World War II, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, was home to 75,000 residents, consuming more electricity than New York City. But to most of the world, the town did not exist. Thousands of civilians - many of them young women from small towns across the South - were recruited to this secret city, enticed by solid wages and the promise of war-ending work. Kept very much in the dark, few would ever guess the true nature of the tasks they performed each day in the hulking factories in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
Important story of this secret city
- By CBlox on 11-14-13
By: Denise Kiernan
-
The Formula
- Unlocking the Secrets to Raising Highly Successful Children
- By: Ronald F. Ferguson, Tatsha Robertson
- Narrated by: Cynthia Farrell
- Length: 10 hrs and 4 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 128
-
Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 109
-
Story4.5 out of 5 stars 109
In The Formula: Unlocking the Secrets to Raising Highly Successful Children, Harvard economist Ronald Ferguson, named in a New York Times profile as the foremost expert on the US educational "achievement gap," along with award-winning journalist Tatsha Robertson, reveal an intriguing blueprint for helping children from all types of backgrounds become successful adults.
-
4 out of 5 stars
-
would recommend
- By Marcia on 02-25-20
By: Ronald F. Ferguson, and others
What listeners say about The Unexpected Light of Thomas Alva Edison
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 01-25-24
This story is different than other stories I’ve read about Thomas Edison
I really enjoyed the book as well as the author, reading the book and I enjoyed the talk afterwards
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall5 out of 5 stars
-
Performance5 out of 5 stars
-
Story5 out of 5 stars
- Kindle Customer
- 03-28-23
thankful
This is a wonderful book, I will listen to it again and share with my grandchildren.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall1 out of 5 stars
-
Performance4 out of 5 stars
-
Story4 out of 5 stars
- Richard Massey
- 12-14-23
Little more than a paragraph
Where is the rest of the story? Very disappointed in you Raymond, you can do better
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!