Empire of the Air

"Lewis's book, which relates the civil wars between the principal figures in the invention and development of radio, is an achievement in its own right: finely detailed, engagingly written, and... unexpectedly dramatic."

Boston Globe

"[Lewis] has all of the skills and instincts of a historian, a gift for clear description of complex technologies and a real passion for detail."

Los Angeles Times

"A compelling tale... takes readers back to another era and shows us how our lives were transformed forever."

Washington Post

"The lives of the two innovative technologists (Lee DeForest and Edwin Armstrong) and the entrepreneur (David Sarnoff) whose work led to the success of radio provide the basis for this well-researched and superbly written volume."

Publishers' Weekly

"Empire of the Air is indispensable for anyone curious about the beginnings of broadcasting,... there is more than enough personal drama and social and political history to make the book entertaining and informative for the general reader."

Globe & Mail

"Alternating between the technical wizardry, personality quirks, and feuds of these men, and the story of the growth of the industry itself and its influence over American life and leisure, the book is fast-paced, fun reading and doubles as a useful teaching tool for teachers of American history and culture, science, and mass communication."

Library Journal

"The story of our breakaway times cannot be properly told or understood without the story of radio, and the story of radio has never been better told than in Empire of the Air."

David McCullough