The Haunting of Hawking
if not for government-granted monopoly (intellectual property law) and the cruel demeanor of Mr. Edison. Nikola Tesla was working with wireless transmission of power and several other world-changing technologies, when he died. Sadly, he was a man of incredible genius who took few notes, and his ideas died with him.
Win 1 for the immigrants.
Based on my readings of this, less blame is on the shoulders of Edison (who was a cranky man, no doubt) and more on the shoulders of financiers such as J. P. Morgan, who lured Tesla out to Wardenclyffe and gave him enough to start a venture that would allow for wireless power transmission. But once Morgan found out that wireless transmission also meant meterless transmission, there'd be no way to profit from it. . .so he then pulled his funding and Tesla, then stuck with an unfinished, expensive project, spiraled down into bankruptcy.
Thanks for that addition, I didn't know! I will have to search out a book on the topic. Tesla is one compelling dude. Thanks!