Edison is often held up as a paragon of innovation. He and his team were responsible for some of the most significant developments of modern life. A recent book, The Wizard of Menlo Park: How Thomas Alva Edison Invented the Modern World by Randall Stross, puts doubt to this belief. It seems that Edison was a great inventor, but a lousy innovator.

Some interesting stories told by the author

• Edison’s fight with Westinghouse over AC vs DC and misunderstanding of the electric opportunity
  
• Edison’s mishandling and misunderstanding, of the phonograph opportunity
• Edison's inability to 'share the limelight' and to work with others who did just as significant work
  
• The state of Edison’s business late in his life

An article about the book appeared in the New York Times and a Science Friday interview with the author is also available

Edison made his most significant inventions in a remarkable 5 year period in the 1870's. He spent the rest of his life trying to build viable businesses from these inventions and was unsuccessful. Others captured the value and were the true innovators. In addition, Edison had a personality that was, inherently, anti-innovative. It is time to stop deifying Edison and acknowledge his true contributions but realize that he was not an innovator.