CRYSTAL FIRE The Birth of the Information Age

CRYSTAL FIRE focuses on the development of the transistor and its impact on society (telephones, radios and computers). Riordan and Hoddeson trace the development of the transistor from the mid-1800's with Bell and Edison to the revolutionary advances of scientists at Bell Labs in the 1940's. McKee relentlessly reads the minutiae of the scientific notebooks and experiments. McKee is so interested in what he's reading, you can hear him fussing ceaselessly with the pages of the book throughout the nine tapes. In addition, the volume changes, sometimes within the same paragraph, making it sound as though there is a second reader. Regardless of the distractions, this book of "history in the making" fascinates. M.B.K. © AudioFile, Portland, Maine [Published: FEB/MAR 00]