Let's be honest, the name 'Siemens' probably makes you think of kitchen appliances or maybe a subway train. But before it was a global brand, it was one man with an idea so big it sounds like science fiction: using electricity to talk across oceans and power entire cities. This book is his story.

The Story

The book follows Werner von Siemens from his childhood in a struggling family to his final days as an industrial titan. We see him as a young army officer, tinkering with early telegraphs and getting his first patent. The heart of the story is his fight to make people believe in his ideas. He's not just battling technical problems—he's battling a world that thinks electricity is a parlor trick. He founds a tiny company with a workshop, takes huge financial risks, and personally oversees projects laying telegraph cables across deserts and under seas. Along the way, he deals with the death of partners, the politics of a unifying Germany, and the challenge of turning his small workshop into an empire without losing its innovative soul.

Why You Should Read It

I loved this because it reads like an origin story for our world. Fürst doesn't get lost in technical jargon. Instead, he shows you the personality behind the patents. Siemens was a fascinating mix: part brilliant scientist, part shrewd businessman, and part stubborn dreamer. You feel his frustration when a cable snaps at the bottom of the ocean, costing him a fortune. You share his triumph when his electric train stuns visitors at a Berlin exhibition. It's a story about conviction. He believed in a future no one else could see, and he literally built it, wire by wire. It makes you look at every light switch and phone call differently.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone who enjoys a great true-life adventure about innovation and grit. You don't need an engineering degree. If you like stories about underdogs, inventors, or the messy, human side of history, you'll get swept up in this. It's for the curious reader who wants to know the names and faces behind the everyday wonders we completely take for granted. A solid and inspiring read about the man who helped pull the world out of the steam age and into the light.