The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

WOW! Fantastic read! Of the many things we take for granted in the 21st-century electric power has to be at the top of the list. This captivating historical fiction set in New York City late 1800's, brings to life the personalities of Thomas Edison and George Westinghouse, and the battle between them to build the electrical system that would light the United States. The story is told from the point of view of 26-year-old Paul Cravath, an inexperienced but ambitious recent law school graduate who today is recognized as the inventor of the modern law firm. He was hired as Westinghouse's lead litigator in the largest patent infringement suit in U.S. history. In addition to the patent suit, a large part of the battle is the competition to win the public's perceived superiority between Edison’s direct current and Westinghouse’s alternating current.

Other players in this battle include eccentric inventor Nikola Tesla, Alexander Graham Bell, and financier J.P. Morgan. The outcome of this feud between geniuses would reverberate for generations.
The brilliant men of that era were such an influence on science and investing and will always be remembered! This is not a dry history of scientists and courtrooms, but a completely entertaining story with wonderfully drawn true-to-life characters, famous inventors and major industry players. It includes historically accurate accounts of backroom dealings, attempted murder, private spies, and even a little romance. Best of all, the majority of personalities and events are true! It is a uniquely riveting, thrilling and fast-paced read which both fiction and nonfiction readers will devour. Many, many interesting facts and history lessons. As often occurs with historical fiction, I found myself searching the internet for more information and images of all the major characters. The Author’s Note at the end provides a detailed list of which episodes are true, what changes to time or place were made and what sources were used to flesh out the novel.

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