David Sarnoff was born in the tiny, remote Hebrew village of Uzlian, Russia, in 1891. As a small boy he went to kheder or Hebrew school, taught by his mother’s father. Later he went to live with his great-uncle Solomon Elkind, a rabbi in Korme, who continued his early Hebrew instruction.

While David was still a small boy, his father migrated to America for his health. A few years later he sent money for his family to come to America. After a long, tedious journey, David, his mother, and two brothers finally reached New York. Along the way David became mystified by telegrams.

The Sarnoff family was barely able to exist in New York. David’s father was still sickly and David, only ten years old, had to help support the family. He finished elementary school, handicapped by having to deliver papers both mornings and evenings.

David’s first full-time job was with the Commercial Cable Company in New York, where he became curiously interested in telegraphy. Almost immediately he was eager to become an operator. He bought a dummy telegraph outfit and a copy of the Morse Code and spent all his spare time studying.

Later David obtained a position with the American Marconi Company, which specialized in wireless telegraphy. When the famous inventor Marconi came from Europe to visit the office, he asked to have David assigned to him. The two of them had many interesting talks about wireless.

In time David became an operator for the company at stations outside New York and on ships at sea. Once he went to the Arctic to help prove that wireless would be helpful to seal-hunting ships. In 1912 he won great publicity by picking up news of the tragic sinking of the S.S. Titanic.

After World War I Sarnoff helped to found the Radio Corporation of America, often called RCA. By age thirty he became General Manager and by age thirty-nine, President. In these capacities he pioneered both radio and television and helped to found the National Broadcasting Company.

This fascinating book about David Sarnoff has been written by Elisabeth P. Myers, author of five other popular volumes in the Childhood of Famous Americans Series. Here she shows how this immigrant Russian boy, inspired by a burning interest in the field of electronics and imbued with tenacious energy, attained spectacular success.

From the dust jacket