Why are Tesla's experiments called "parlor tricks" as noted in the biography, Tesla, Man Out of Time?

The reason Tesla's experiments are called "parlor tricks" is not because they were fake but because they had no practical application at that time. Their greatest uses at that time would be in theaters and modern-day special-effects departments of film studios. In these special venues, some of Tesla's experiments and models that served no industrial purpose could still be used. Typically, he used these to demonstrate principles of electricity in ways that pleased and impressed guests. This theatrical quality naturally helped Tesla to secure funding and to be written about with an air of drama.