Simply Electrifying

Selected for J.P. Morgan's 2018 Holiday Reading List   Imagine your life without the internet. Without phones. Without television. Without sprawling cities. Without the freedom to continue working and playing after the sun goes down.

Electricity is at the core of all modern life. It has transformed our society more than any other technology. Yet, no book offers a comprehensive history about this technological marvel.

Until now.

Simply Electrifying: The Technology that Transformed the World, from Benjamin Franklin to Elon Musk brings to life the 250-year history of electricity through the stories of the men and women who used it to transform our world: Benjamin Franklin, James Watt, Michael Faraday, Samuel F.B. Morse, Thomas Edison, Samuel Insull, Albert Einstein, Rachel Carson, Elon Musk, and more. In the process, it reveals for the first time the complete, thrilling, and often-dangerous story of electricity’s historic discovery, development, and worldwide application.

Electricity plays a fundamental role not only in our everyday lives but in history’s most pivotal events, from global climate change and the push for wind- and solar-generated electricity to Japan’s nuclear accident at Fukushima and Iran’s pursuit of nuclear weapons.

Written by electricity expert and four-decade veteran of the industry Craig R. Roach, Simply Electrifying marshals, in fascinating narrative detail, the full range of factors that shaped the electricity business over time—science, technology, law, politics, government regulation, economics, business strategy, and culture—before looking forward toward the exhilarating prospects for electricity generation and use that will shape our future.

"Well written and extremely accessible, Simply Electrifying provides a comprehensive history of this life-changing discovery and is a fascinating and deeply engaging look at how we live today and where we may be headed in the future." —Booklist Starred Review

“Simply Electrifying is an inspiring book about the pioneers and visionaries who brought the transformative technology of electricity to all of society. . . . A thought-provoking and comprehensive examination of the challenges and evolving opportunities surrounding the electrification of our economy. The book also underscores the critically important role that electricity plays in powering our lives and our future.”—Tom Kuhn, president, Edison Electric Institute

“Simply Electrifying is as impressive as it is engaging and informative. Documenting the comprehensive history of one of humanity’s greatest achievements is no small feat, but Craig R. Roach has given us an elegant book that provides an excellent review of electricity and the utility industry in this country.” —Joshua W. Martin III, director, Southwest Power Pool

“If you have any interest in learning about the roles that science, governments and private enterprise can play in determining the economics and choice of new technologies for social benefit or harm, read Craig’s book on the US electricity market. It is a comprehensive, balanced and very informative analysis of the history of this essential product." —Ken Hendricks, Laurits R. Christensen Distinguished Chair, Department of Economics, University of Wisconsin-Madison

“This incisive work connects advances in electricity technology and uses to the broader sweep of scientific progress, while also framing the transformative consequences of the democratization of electricity in economic, regulatory, and environmental terms. Dr. Roach's outstanding book, by explaining how electricity became fundamental to modern life, allows us to better understand where the industry will go next.” —Kenneth M. Simon, partner (ret.), Latham & Watkins LLP

“This book should fill a prominent place on anyone’s bookshelf as a reference to one of man’s greatest achievements.” —Alan R. Schriber, PhD, former chair of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio

“A history buff’s delight! Step into the incredible story of the origins of electricity like never before. It’s fascinating to see how far we’ve come and consider what the future may hold. Simply Electrifying is a gem and a must-read for anybody that has ever reached for a light switch." —Kent Parsons, energy and electricity lawyer