Thomas A. Edison and the Modernization of America is a captivating narrative that chronicles Americars"s most formidable inventor. Martin Melosi creates a dynamic historical narrative by relating Edisonrs"s personal history to larger cultural, political and economic trends. Melosi adeptly reveals the workings of Edisonrs"s mind as well as his inventionsrs" lasting affect on the nation. The titles in the Library of American Biography Series make ideal supplements for American History Survey courses or other courses in American history where figures in history are explored. Paperback, brief, and inexpensive, each interpretive biography in this series focuses on a figure whose actions and ideas significantly influenced the course of American history and national life. In addition, each biography relates the life of its subject to the broader themes and developments of the times.