My Father, Marconi

Guglielmo Marconi was a boy genius who was unable to gain admittance to university. Instead he set up a laboratory in the attic of his father's house and unravelled one of the great mysteries of the universe. The result was the invention of wireless communication - the radio. Often disparaged by the scientific community of the day, he persisted - spanning the Atlantic, circling the world. More than any other man, Marconi made the twentieth century possible.
In My Father, Marconi his daughter, Degna, recounts his scientific achievements. More important, she gives an intimate portrait of his turbulent personal life. The single-minded dedication that changed the world played havoc with the lives of those around him. His marriage ended in divorce, followed by an annullment from the Roman Catholic Church. His children became outcasts in their native Italy, totally estranged from their father and disinherited by him. The result could have been bitterness. However, as this book reveals, there was forgiveness, warmth and understanding.