author

Charles R. (Charles Robert) Gibson

1870–1931

A Scottish writer with a gift for making science feel lively and approachable, he helped generations of young readers explore electricity, photography, and the modern inventions of his day. His books turn big ideas into clear, curious stories without talking down to the reader.

1 Audiobook

The Autobiography of an Electron Wherein the Scientific Ideas of the Present Time Are Explained in an Interesting and Novel Fashion

The Autobiography of an Electron Wherein the Scientific Ideas of the Present Time Are Explained in an Interesting and Novel Fashion

by Charles R. (Charles Robert) Gibson

About the author

Born in 1870, Charles Robert Gibson was a Scottish author best known for popular science books written for younger readers and general audiences. He became especially admired for explaining complicated subjects in plain, engaging language, often focusing on the discoveries and technologies that were reshaping everyday life in the early 20th century.

Alongside his writing, he inherited the family business, Gibson Brothers & Co., in Paisley. Even while involved in business, he continued to pursue his interest in science and public education, and he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His books covered subjects such as electricity, wireless communication, photography, and chemistry, with titles including The Romance of Modern Electricity and The Autobiography of an Electron.

He died in 1931, but his work still stands out for its warmth and clarity. Rather than treating science as remote or intimidating, he presented it as something full of wonder, invention, and everyday excitement.