THE TELEPHONE GAMBIT; Chasing Alexander Graham Bell's Secret

by Seth Shulman

The author, a science writer, planned to write about Alexander Graham Bell, one of his heroes. He had access to Graham's detailed laboratory notes, sketches, models and correspondence. Along the way, Shulman made a shocking discovery.

His research revealed that Graham Bell, while a respected inventor, was not the first to develop the telephone. His father-in-law was a powerful businessman who expected to make money from the telephone. Through his connections with people in the Patent Office, he made it look as though Graham Bell was the first one to file a patent -- but actually, someone else beat him to it.

Graham Bell was not comfortable with these manipulations that gave him undeserved preferential treatment, but remained silent about the deception.

Shulman's documentation is fascinating. Reading this book is like reading a mystery story.