Philipp Reis: Inventor of the Telephone A Biographical Sketch

"Philipp Reis: Inventor of the Telephone" by Silvanus P. Thompson is a biography from the late 1800s that tells the story of Philipp Reis, an inventor whose work on early telephone tech went largely unnoticed. It seeks to honor Reis's work and give an honest look at what he added to how we communicate. The story starts with Reis's childhood in Gelnhausen and his education, which sparked his love for science and languages. It follows his path from a baker's son to a creative inventor, pointing out important moments that shaped his ambition. The narrative then describes his experiments and his idea for a device that could send sound across distances, which led to his invention, the "Telephon", introducing us to his work and how it was received by scientists.