The Telephone Gambit (2008)

SETH SHULMAN'S THE TELEPHONE GAMBIT An entertaining exploration into the facts behind Alexander Graham Bell's claim to have invented the telephone

Following a trail of clues discovered in Alexander Graham Bell's journals, Seth Shulman's The Telephone Gambit masterfully breathes life into a long-forgotten controversy: Who really invented the telephone? Wait, don't hang up! Shulman re-creates the desperate hours when the young, lovesick inventor most likely plagiarized a rival's idea to claim the success that would land him a wealthy fiancée He meticulously examines letters, technical drawings, and legal documents before concluding that the popular story behind ''Mr. Watson — come here'' is as trustworthy as a children's game of telephone. A