The Papers of Thomas A. Edison: Losses and Loyalties, April 1883–December 1884(The Papers of Thomas A. Edison)

Seeking to replicate the success of his New York electric central station throughout the United States and in Europe and Latin America, Thomas A. Edison vowed to become a "business man for a year." This bold decision began a remarkable transition period for America's greatest inventive thinker. The seventh volume of Edison's papers chronicles the profound changes in his professional and personal life, including the unexpected death of his wife. It concludes with Edison returning to the laboratory to develop new communications technology.

Table of Contents:
Calendar of Documents List of Editorial Headnotes Preface Chronology of Thomas A. Edison, April 1883– December 1884 Editorial Policy and User's Guide Editorial Symbols List of Abbreviations 1. April– June 1883 (Docs. 2418– 2476) 2. July– September 1883 (Docs. 2477– 2531) 3. October– December 1883 (Docs. 2532– 2578) 4. January– March 1884 (Docs. 2579– 2638) 5. April– June 1884 (Docs. 2639– 2691) 6. July– September 1884 (Docs. 2692– 2737) 7. October– December 1884 (Docs. 2738– 2769) Appendix 1: Edison's Autobiographical Notes Appendix 2: Edison Village Plants Appendix 3: Specifications of Dynamos Produced at the Edison Machine Works, April 1883– December 1884 Appendix 4: Edison's Patents, April 1883– December 1884 Bibliography Credits Index

About the Author :
Paul B. Israel is director and editor of the Thomas A. Edison Papers Project at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Louis Carlat and David Hochfelder are, respectively, managing editor and assistant editor for the project. Theresa M. Collins is the Edison Papers Project's associate director for outreach and development and has served as an editor since 1991.

Review :
In its superabundance of detail - steely facts and figures, great plates of text riveted with nouns and graffitied with cryptic drawings (Edison was an untrained but natural draftsman) - the book has the same kind of physical impact as that which stuns you when you enter his laboratory in West Orange, N.J. -- Edmund Morris New York Times Book Review