Reply #3: The Fire of His Genius: Robert Fulton and the American Dream [View All]

[Viva_La_Revolution]

On Saturday, September 30 at 6:00 pm
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fire of His Genius: Robert Fulton and the American Dream
Kirkpatrick Sale

In "The Fire of His Genius," historian Kirkpatrick Sale depicts the early days of inventor Robert Fulton's life and his numerous inventions. Some of his patents include an inclined plane, a rope-maker, a submarine, an underwater cannon, and a steam frigate. Mr. Sale points out that while Robert Fulton did not invent the steamboat, his knowledge of machinery and an ability to incorporate the inventions of others into his own work led to the development of the first truly workable steamship. The author explains that Robert Fulton's North River steamboat, that made a successful four-day round-trip to Albany, ushered in the Industrial Revolution and transformed nineteenth-century America.

Kirkpatrick Sale is a contributing editor of The Nation and the author of several books, including "Conquest of Paradise: Christopher Columbus and the Columbian Conquest," "Dwellers in the Land: The Bioregional Vision," "The Green Revolution: The American Environmental Movement 1962-1992," "After Eden: The Evolution of Human Domination" and "Rebels Against the Future: The Luddites and Their War on the Industrial Revolution."