The Inventors

About the Book

Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell are among the most well-known inventors in history, but many people don’t know they were rivals.

The Inventors delves into their intense competition, which spurred each man to greater achievement. The story begins with 21-year-old Edison’s arrival in Boston in 1868, intent on becoming a full-time inventor, continues through Bell and Edison’s battle to perfect and commercialize their dueling telephones, and concludes in 1880 with Edison’s launch of his electric lighting system and Bell’s invention of a miraculous photophone that transmitted phone calls over beams of light.

The book also examines how the battle for control of the telegraph industry between robber barons Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jay Gould fueled the explosion of key inventions during the Gilded Age.

At the heart of the book lies two love stories: Edison’s passion for Mary Stilwell, which was dampened when he discovered she did not understand his work, and that of Bell and Mabel Hubbard, who steered him in the right direction time and again.

The Inventors reveals the struggles of Edison and Bell to bring their brilliant ideas alive and their amazing race to create the electrified, modern world.

I couldn’t put it down! If you enjoy David McCullough, T.J. Stiles, Stephen Ambrose, or any history that reads like compelling fiction, you will love The Inventors. It’s also a great read for any student interested in technology, entrepreneurship, business, marketing, or who just loves a great story!
—Jim Cianca, PhD, Head of School

The Inventors is a mesmerizing read. The phonograph has been hailed as Edison’s single greatest invention. Yet if Bell had not invented the telephone, it is likely that Edison would not have invented the phonograph.
—Vilim Simčić, PhD, R&D Leader

The Inventors drops you into the workshop with Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell and shows that greatness isn’t a single spark—it’s the grind. Vivid, human, and deeply inspiring. I can’t wait to see The Inventors on screen as a dramatic television series.
—Stephen Burton, Screenwriter

The side story of Gardiner Hubbard was a true surprise, without him we might not know the name Alexander Graham Bell or Bell Telephone and AT&T. Western Union, Thomas Edison, and Elisha Gray would be the names known for the telephone.
—Greg Billups, MBA, Industrial Engineer, Sales Director

The Inventors is amazing. Bell and Edison created so many of the technologies we consider necessities today. And the impact that Bell’s wife Mabel had on his work is quite intriguing.
—Charlotte McCloskey, English Teacher

It’s fascinating to learn how young Edison and Bell were when they did their most important work. They were not the white-haired sages shown on most book covers. They were bold early-career dreamers who made many naïve and costly mistakes, but they had determination and energy and kept going. Their perseverance is a great lesson for today’s would-be entrepreneur.
—Russell Peak, PhD, Systems Engineer

About the Author

Shawl Lobree is an engineer and business leader who has launched numerous innovations in the medical industry. He studied thousands of letters written by Thomas Edison and Alexander Graham Bell while conducting research for this book. He lives in Atlanta with his wife and two daughters.