I hate science (and engineering!). Mostly, it is because I’m not smart enough to understand it the vast majority of the time. So, I decided to read Lightning Beneath the Sea by James Tabor for two reasons. First, that is just a killer title. Second, the blue on the cover truly mesmerized me. I hoped that those two things might get me engaged enough to enjoy it.
As usual, I am a ridiculous person because Tabor’s book is absolutely fantastic without the cover or the title. He tells the story of Cyrus Field. Oh, you never heard of him? That would be the point. A lot of people have not, including yours truly. There are various reasons why his name slipped from history, but I can tell you it is not because he led a boring life. I will avoid spoilers, but this book follows his attempts (yes, plural) to place a telegraph wire across the Atlantic Ocean. It still sounds insane even now.
Tabor completely understands the assignment. He keeps the narrative moving at a brisk pace. He focuses on the people and uses the science as the challenge to these people. There are triumphs, failures, backstabs, ocean storms, and everything else you can think of. Tabor even explained the science/engineering well enough that even I (mostly) understood it. If that’s not enough of a recommendation, I’m not sure what else I could say. I’d recommend this one to anyone looking for a great story.
(This book was provided as a review copy by W. W. Norton.)
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