Heroes of the Telegraph

audiobook

Heroes of the Telegraph

by John Munro

EN·~8 hours·22 chapters

Chapters

22 total
1

HEROES OF THE TELEGRAPH

0:01
2

By J. Munro

0:28
3

PREFACE.

0:19
4

CHAPTER I. THE ORIGIN OF THE TELEGRAPH.

18:33
5

CHAPTER II. CHARLES WHEATSTONE.

31:57
6

CHAPTER III. SAMUEL MORSE.

54:45
7

CHAPTER IV. SIR WILLIAM THOMSON.

1:05:26
8

CHAPTER V. CHARLES WILLIAM SIEMENS.

48:54
9

CHAPTER VI. FLEEMING JENKIN.

52:31
10

CHAPTER VII. JOHANN PHILIPP REIS.

15:07

Description

The book weaves a lively narrative of the electric telegraph’s birth, tracing its roots back to the ancient curiosities of amber and lodestone that first hinted at invisible forces. It follows a cast of inventive minds—physicists, engineers, and daring experimenters—who each added a crucial piece to the puzzle, turning scattered insights into practical communication. By treating the invention as a growing organism, the author shows how countless trial‑and‑error experiments helped the idea mature into a working system.

Beyond the technical milestones, the work offers vivid portraits of the people behind the breakthroughs, from the early philosophers who first noticed magnetic pull to the 19th‑century pioneers who finally linked distant stations with humming wires. Their stories are presented with clear, engaging prose that makes complex science feel accessible, inviting listeners to appreciate the perseverance and collaboration that made instant messaging across continents possible. This is an ideal listen for anyone curious about the human drama behind one of modernity’s foundational technologies.

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Details

Language

en

Duration

~8 hours (462K characters)

Publisher of text edition

Project Gutenberg

Credits

Produced by An Anonymous Volunteer, and David Widger

Release date

1997-07-01

Rights

Public domain in the USA.

About the author

JM

John Munro

1849–1930

Best known for early science fiction such as A Trip to Venus, he also spent decades teaching engineering and writing lively books about electricity and technology. His work sits at an interesting crossroads of Victorian science, education, and imagination.

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