Books About Tesla Films About Tesla Tesla Study Materials

Books About Tesla

My Inventions, by Nikola Tesla, Electrical Experimenter Magazine, 1919 (available in book form edited by Ben Johnston, 1982). The words of the master. The tone of Tesla's language in this autobiography gives a true sense of the personality of the man himself. Take a look at the opening paragraph: "The progressive development of man is vitally dependent on invention..." and the complete text that follows, on this website.

Prodigal Genius: The Life of Nikola Tesla, by John J. O'Neill, 1944. O'Neill, as a young man, first met Tesla in 1907. He went on to become a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter. He wrote the first official biography of Tesla, based on his personal experiences of Tesla and the events surrounding his life. He is thorough in his description of Tesla's science, and unstinting in his praise. But there are no footnotes, and little reference to sources.

Tesla: Man Out Of Time, by Margaret Cheney, 1981. This biography gives more information than O'Neill's about Tesla's life, especially his relationships with others, and sources are cited. The prose is deft, and the story well-told, like a good novel.

Wizard, The Life and Times of Nikola Tesla: Biography of a Genius, by Marc J. Seifer, 1998. By far the most comprehensive, Seifer's biography is extremely detailed with excellent footnotes and bibilography, yet eminently readable.

Films About Tesla

Tesla, Master of Lightning, PBS documentary by New Voyage Communications, Director/Co-Writer Robert Uth, 2000. This highly recommended film is a superb compendium of facts about, and photos of, Tesla and his times. Available as a local video rental or purchase direct from PBS.

The Secret of Nikola Tesla, a 1980 Yugoslavian movie, not the greatest but might be worth a look. Helps to know Tesla's story beforehand.

Tesla Study Materials

Tesla, Master of Lightning is the PBS website built around the documentary film. It is a treasure trove of Tesla information and graphics, including: