The author extends his gratitude to Thomas Alva Edison for taking time away from his experimental laboratory to give much of the personal history which is found within this work. This book is not an exhaustive life of Edison, considering at the time it was written Edison was around 60 years old and had swore he had quit the inventing business, devoting himself to pure science. Jones takes the reader on a journey from Edison's birthplace to his travels in Europe. Handsomely illustrated.