Who Was Thomas Alva Edison?

Who Was Thomas Alva Edison?

About the Book

One day in 1882, Thomas Edison flipped a switch that lit up lower Manhattan with incandescent light and changed the way people live ever after. The electric light bulb was only one of thousands of Edison’s inventions, which include the phonograph and the kinetoscope, an early precursor to the movie camera. As a boy, observing a robin catch a worm and then take flight, he fed a playmate a mixture of worms and water to see if she could fly! An accessible, appealing biography of the inventor.
Read more
Close

Listen to a sample from Who Was Thomas Alva Edison?

Who Was? Series

Who Is Rita Moreno?
Who Is Vera Wang?
Who Is
Who Was Cleopatra?
Who Is Beyoncé?
Who Was Vincent van Gogh?
Who Was Katherine Johnson?
Who Was Wilma Mankiller?
Who Is Willie Nelson?
Who Is Carol Burnett?
View more

About the Author

Margaret Frith
Margaret Frith is the author of numerous children’s books, including several titles in the Who Was? series, such as Who Was Thomas Alva Edison?, Who Was Louis Braille?, Who Was Franklin Roosevelt? and Who Was Woodrow Wilson? She lives in New York City. More by Margaret Frith
Decorative Carat

About the Author

Who HQ
Who HQ is your headquarters for history. The Who HQ team is always working to provide simple and clear answers to some of our biggest questions. From Who Was George Washington? to Who Is Michelle Obama?, and What Was the Battle of Gettysburg? to Where Is the Great Barrier Reef?, we strive to give you all the facts. Visit us at WhoHQ.com More by Who HQ
Decorative Carat

About the Author

John O'Brien
John O’Brien has held writing fellowships at the University of Iowa and Stanford University, and he was the recipient of a National Endowment for the Arts fellowship. His work has appeared in Hudson ReviewMassachusetts ReviewTriQuarterlyCountry JournalHarrowsmith, and Gray’s Sporting Journal. He lives with his wife, Becky, in Franklin, West Virginia. More by John O'Brien
Decorative Carat

By clicking submit, I acknowledge that I have read and agree to Penguin Random House's Privacy Policy and Terms of Use and understand that Penguin Random House collects certain categories of personal information for the purposes listed in that policy, discloses, sells, or shares certain personal information and retains personal information in accordance with the policy. You can opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information anytime.

Random House Publishing Group