Nikola Tesla Books
IN SEARCH OF NIKOLA TESLA ing its movements. We used to joke that all the secrets of nature were contained within that waterfall. If we could only grasp the meaning of its eddies and currents, if we could describe the patterns of its flowing, then we would have discovered a clue to the central mystery of the universe. Now, several years later, we looked down into the same waters and were no closer to understanding them. Dave broke a stick and allowed small pieces of wood to fall into the river below. He watched intently as they were gathered up by the water and flung far down into the boiling confusion of the falls. 'It's funny about Tesla, isn't it?' he asked eventually. I nodded and he had no need to look up at me. 'There was something about his obsession," he went on; 'I think that it even got to you in the end. That picture of the future and all the power and confidence of his writing. I think that's why he's attracted so many people.' We were silent for a little as we watched the segments of wood drop into the water. Some were swept away in seconds, others became trapped in an eddy for several minutes until they too joined the fast-flowing river. 'But look how he ended up, a recluse just walking the streets,' I said. 'He spent his whole future. He patented hundreds of inventions but look how he ended.' Dave stopped working at this stick and looked at me directly: 'I believe that it's not too difficult to let yourself get obsessed by something. You get eaten up by it and spend your whole life pitting yourself against something...it becomes the only meaning to existence. I don't think most people even realize that it's happened; they keep going until they drop.' The conversation seemed to be taking a depressing turn so we began to walk. I recalled that many times in the past Dave's analysis of hopes and ambitions had suddenly taken on an atmosphere of sadness. This time I found myself trapped in this sadness as well. 'You know, I had some intimation about all this when I first read his life story,' I explained. 'It talked about him dedicating his life to science - he wanted to embrace pure reason for the good of the human race and he was determined to cut out the emotional side of his nature. At the time I had the feeling that it would lead to his destruction.' 101
