Thomas Commerford Martin 
Edison: His Life and Inventions [PDF ebook] 

PRIOR to this, no complete, authentic, and authorized record of the work of Mr. Edison, during an active life, has been given to the world. That life, if there is anything in heredity, is very far from finished; and while it continues there will be new achievement.

The book throws a remarkable insight into the life of Edison starting from his childhood days. Edison genius was in the extraordinary effort that he put into all his inventions combined with his eye for detail and uncompromising desire for perfection. The book is a long read since it goes in to a lot of technical details of his inventions, however all the same brings out Edison’s character very clearly.

A good book to read if you know little about the extraordinary Thomas Edison. Published in 1910 and written by Frank Dyer, one of Mr. Edison’s patent attorneys while Dyer was employed by Mr. Edison, the book is an uncritical homage to Mr. Edison. Still there are wonderful stories told here, particularly of the young Tom Edison and particularly those stories told by Mr. Edison himself, which keep this book informative and entertaining.