Bibliographical history of electricity & magnetism, chronologically arranged

A monumental reference that traces every recorded step in humanity’s fascination with electricity and magnetism, this volume walks the listener from the earliest legends of wandering ships and magnetic needles in ancient China, through Thales’ frictional sparks and medieval commentaries, up to Michael Faraday’s pioneering experiments of the early nineteenth century. Compiled with painstaking care, the author weaves quotations from original manuscripts, facsimile reproductions, and detailed citations that let the curious scholar follow each idea back to its first appearance.

The work opens with thoughtful essays by leading scientists of the day, framing the chronological list as a guide for anyone who wishes to read the primary sources themselves. Its exhaustive bibliography makes it easy to locate obscure treatises, while the clear, measured narration reveals how each generation built on the last, offering listeners a vivid sense of the slow, collective march of electrical and magnetic knowledge.