Christopher Priest

An electrifying genius

The pioneer of alternating current was far ahead of his time. But his eccentric behaviour, verging on madness, repelled those who should have backed him

issue 30 June 2018

  • Tesla: Inventor of the Modern

    Richard Munson

    Norton, pp. 306

Nikola Tesla, the man who made alternating current work, wrote to J. Pierpont Morgan, the industrialist and banker. It was 1902 and Tesla was broke. ‘Am I backed by the greatest financier of all time? And shall I lose great triumphs and an immense fortune because I need a sum of money? Are you going to leave me in a hole?!! Financially, I am in a dreadful fix.’

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