Synopses & Reviews
Thomas Edison holds over 1,000 patents, including those for the light bulb and the phonograph, but he is broke. To the rescue rides the "world's banker," J. P. Morgan, with his offer of almost unlimited cash for the two men to join forces to illuminate America and revolutionize in the way the world does business. Captivated by Morgan's glittering vision, Edison accepts, only to find the two men embroiled in the War of the Currents, pitting their Direct Current electrical system against the Alternating Current system promoted by George Westinghouse and Edison's former assistant, Nikola Tesla. Ever more enmeshed in Morgan's personal life, Edison becomes infatuated by a world of privilege and power, where duty, desire, faith, and immorality are thrown into conflict, ultimately threatening his own spiritual and creative survival. As a result, Edison descends from his status as the godlike inventor of electric light to that of someone complicit in the invention of the electric chair. Brilliance brings to life the birth of the modern era, providing an indelible portrait of the times in which we now live.
Review
"Anthony McCarten's sharp, dazzling novel about the inventors and millionaires who colluded to bring electric light to the world is more than a great, entertaining read it's also a sly, contemporary take on the complicated often corrupting effect of money, marketing, and hype on creativity." Karen Karbo, The Gospel According to Coco Chanel
Review
"A truly remarkable book!" Historical Novel Society, UK
Review
"McCarten's Lively prose style is pleasure to read." The Times Literary Supplement
Review
"You can be sure that Brilliance will appear at a screen near you. In the meantime, read." E&T Magazine
About the Author
Anthony McCarten's debut novel, Spinners, won international acclaim, and was followed by The English Harem and the award-winning Death of a Superhero, and Show of Hands, all four books being translated into 14 languages. McCarten has also written 12 stage plays, including the worldwide success Ladies Night, which won Frances Molière Prize, the Meilleure Pièce Comique, in 2001, and Via Satellite, which he adapted into a feature film and directed, premiered at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival. Also a filmmaker, he has thrice adapted his own plays or novels into feature films, most recently Death Of A Superhero (2011) which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. Anthony divides his time between London and Los Angeles.