by Tom Standage
The electric telegraph in the 19th century: an often overlooked innovation. But for my history-geek tastes, this book did not cover the subject with enough depth. It gives a brief history of early innovators of the electric telegraph and lists lots of amusing antidotes about how the public came to use the telegraph. (The parts I found most interesting were how telegraph operators created their own lingo and developed 'online' relationships within their profession.) Without admirable characters throughout or a unique storyline to drive the narrative (like the author's other book The Turk), this book is simply an easy-to-read overview about the telegraph. While amusing and informative, The Victorian Internet does not make history come alive. (Originally posted as SquareSpot on PaperBackSwap.com.)