Guglielmo Marconi (1874-1937)

Guglielmo Marconi is the brilliant innovator who pioneers the use of wireless transmission. His story is at the center of the history narrated in Thunrderstuck. Marconi grew up south of Bologna, Italy, and is enthralled from an early age by electricity. On reading an obituary of Heinrich Hertz, the 20-year-old Marconi is struck by the notion that it is possible to send messages using the electromagnetic waves that had been the basis of experiments conducted by Hertz.

Using patient trial-and-error, Marconi gradually increases his ability to send messages, from basic signals to complete sentences. His financial fortunes fluctuate, but he maintains a lavish lifestyle. Although his spoken English is flawless, he is perceived in Britain as a foreigner, which limits his business opportunities as well as his personal life.

The narrative places particular emphasis on Marconi's inability to put himself in place of others, a trait...