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This book describes the stage-by-stage creation, from the mid-nineteenth century to the present, of one of the greatest human artifactsthe world communication, broadcasting, and information technology systems which are essential to modern life and which will transform the ways in which people live and work in the future. The significance of each innovative step is shown in terms of its impactin scale and relevance on today's communication world. A final chapter looks to the future and considers the ability of information technology and information superhighways to improve rural, urban, and national economies. The author presents his account of the dramatic advances in telecommunications and broadcasting as essentially a human story. Bray takes a compelling look at the brilliant minds and personalities who helped launch the electronic revolution. He provides remarkable accounts of the early scientists and mathematicians such as Ampere, Faraday, Maxwell, Hertz, and Planckexploring their backgrounds and motivations. In giving us this perspective, John Bray has a unique advantage. As a world-renowned scientist and pioneer in British telecommunication technology, he himself was a principal player in the subject of his narrative. It would be hard to find any person more qualified to undertake a task as monumental in scale and importance.