Dave's Hobby Shop Book Department  

Title: Marconi

Author:  W.P. Jolly
Edition: NA
ISBN: 0-8128-1507-6
Date: 1972
Publisher: Stein and Day
Binding: Hard Cover
Size approximately (inches): 6-1/2 x 9-1/2
Pages: 292

Book Condition: Good. Previously owned.  Page toning from age.

Special Notes: NA

About the book*:

Marconi by W. P. Jolly (1972):

📘 Marconi by W. P. Jolly

W. P. Jolly’s Marconi is a well-researched, accessible biography that chronicles the life and scientific legacy of Guglielmo Marconi, the Italian inventor and pioneer of long-distance wireless telegraphy. Published in 1972, this book offers a narrative that blends technical insight with historical context, aimed at both general readers and those with an interest in the history of science and communications.

The book begins with Marconi’s formative years in Bologna, Italy, where as a young man he became fascinated with the emerging field of electromagnetic waves following the experiments of Hertz and Lodge. Through methodical experimentation in his family's attic and garden, Marconi laid the foundations for a practical wireless communication system.

Jolly tracks Marconi’s move to Britain, where he gained early backing from the British Post Office and commercial investors. The biography recounts how Marconi's fledgling company evolved into a global wireless empire, with wireless stations set up around the world. Jolly pays particular attention to Marconi’s role in maritime safety, most famously during the Titanic disaster, where Marconi wireless operators were key in sending distress signals.

The book also delves into Marconi’s scientific rivalries and patent disputes, notably with Nikola Tesla and Oliver Lodge, and discusses his later-life alignment with Benito Mussolini’s fascist regime, a complex and controversial period in his legacy.

Throughout, Jolly presents Marconi not just as an inventor, but as a shrewd businessman, a visionary of global communication, and a cultural icon of his time. Supplemented by photographs and clear technical explanations, the biography offers a rounded view of both the man and the significance of his work in shaping the modern wireless world.

Key Themes:

• The early scientific development of wireless technology

• Marconi’s transformation from inventor to international entrepreneur

• The global impact of wireless telegraphy

• His personal relationships and public image

• Intersection of science, politics, and nationalism in the early 20th century

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*AI is used to present modern description content. Subject to review and possible inaccuracy.