Simply Electrifying: The Technology that Transformed the World, from Benjamin Franklin to Elon Musk

No technology in history has changed things like the discovery, taming, and regulation of electricity. It connected us all, modernized the world, brought light to the darkness, and continues to feed new innovations to this day. Its history is a history of humanity’s ambitions and advancement, and Craig R. Roach gamely attempts to chronicle that epic story in Simply Electrifying.

It’s quite a journey to cover, ranging from Ben Franklin and Thomas Edison to Nikola Tesla and Elon Musk, sprawling across the fields of science, history, governmental policy, business, and recreation. He finds lessons to be learned, names to be celebrated (and vilified), and above all, he explains how the energy crisis is both simpler and more complicated than we realize, with roots that stretch back surprisingly far.

Roach brazenly divides his narrative into various ages, and it’s an intriguing choice that reveals the author’s sensibilities, even while he remains (for the most part) objective in his recounting of events. It’s a curious balance that serves the book well, allowing readers to learn a great deal while still drawing their own conclusions.