Telephone Gambit

Seth Shulman's Telephone Gambit: Chasing Alexander Graham Bell's Secret, relates a first person view of his investigation into Graham Bell's precedence over Elisha Gray's telephone patent. I vaguely remembered pieces of the much repeated story, how Bell's patent was filed just hours before Gray's. Bell got the recognition and riches, though he had to endure seemingly endless patent challenges.

Shulman starts by discovering the close similarity between a page in Bell's lab notebook and a confidential document that Gray filed with the patent office. He makes the case that this was the first time that Bell ever mentioned the specific technology approach that was eventually used in his patent.

His theory is that a patent official revealed Gray's confidential document, either to Bell or his attorneys, that gave him a hint for a workable next step. Good read, which includes some additional background into a number of others that were looking at the concept of the telephone at the time, who also deserve more recognition for its development. Also a peek into how history is formed and re-formed, including the famous Bell and Watson 'aha' moment, now dutifully included in every history book.

Another thing learned from the book was the term Whiggism, defined as writing history 'assuming knowledge that historical subjects would have lacked', or in a more compact way: 'reading history backward'. Important thought for those looking at the history of technology. Good story, compelling read, though since Shulman is not a professional historian, may get some criticism in that realm.

I thought Shulman's argument was persuasive, but not everyone agrees. There is an article in the WP about the controversy that takes another view, placing the Gray precedence in the realm of conspiracy theories. Because Bell spent much of his life in Canada, this has also become an issue of national pride.