The Last Days of Night

 By Graham Moore

 It was still light outside when the Esplanade Book Group convened on August 27 to discuss “The Last Days of Night” by author Graham Moore. The book is loosely a historical novel and largely a legal thriller that chronicles the competition between George Westinghouse and Thomas Edison to patent the light bulb. A young lawyer, Paul Cravath, plays the starring role, along with Nikola Tesla, the inventor.  The discussion centered on the seemingly dry contribution of these two men, yet Moore manages to end each chapter on a cliff-hanger. The group learned many lessons learned about how electrical current works, including a graphic quote Jane dug up from anthropologist Ray Birdwhistell, that “D.C.”  is a turd, “A.C.” is chicken shit.  The book comes highly recommended, as well as the author's web site, mrgrahammooore.com.

 Jane Gould