When They Hid the Fire

When They Hid the Fire examines the American social perceptions of electricity as an energy technology that were adopted between the mid-nineteenth and early decades of the twentieth centuries.

Provides a concise and interesting summary of energy use in the United States. . . . French’s book covers a lot of ground quickly in an accessible way, this makes it a good candidate for an undergraduate or introductory reading on the history of American energy technologies.

This book provides a captivating account of the challenges faced by researchers employing innovative approaches to carry out environmental history research and outlines a number of refreshing methodological opportunities ahead.

When They Hid the Fire is an important historical study that helps us understand how the electric power system—a key element of modern society's infrastructure—became invisible. The unseen nature of electricity has had profound policy implications because consumers generally have no idea that power production often results in serious environmental degradation. This book forces readers to confront their history and to think about how their energy futures might need to change.

French documents an important aspect of the historical change brought by electrification and, by connecting the history of science and technology with cultural history, makes an important contribution to scholarship on the history of electricity.

Daniel French is an adjunct professor of history at the University of Toledo, where he teaches the history of business and technology. He is also an adjunct instructor of history at Jackson College in Jackson, Michigan.