City of Light

Jeff Hecht is a well known authority on fiber optics. Both engineer and journalist, he has written technical manuals and social histories on the topic. This 1999 book is the only complete history of the technology that I could find, and it is comprehensive.

As every endless story must begin somewhere, this one begins with the telegraph and the laying of cables. Exploring the history of how commercial and scientific goals collided in the mid-19th Century Europe, Hecht builds a story of how fiber optic technology developed. He then records a very (very, very, very) detailed account of the various men that added one or another piece to the puzzle that eventually led to fiber optic and laser combinations that make fast internet a reality today. This includes some anecdotal moments alongside more linear lists of achievements by teams around the world working on optics, data transfer and lasers.

I read this because I am studying the history of fiber optics as part of an art project. I am not a specialist. But even with Hecht's well crafted storytelling and care not to over-focus on Western sciences, the story does get convoluted and a little dry at times. The book is also completely male-dominated, with only one female scientist referenced that I can remember. This is likely a sad reflection of gender exclusion in the field of optics in physics, rather than an oversight by the author. If you can allow for these points, the book is a fascinating and deep study of a technology that has a profound impact on our daily lives, and as comprehensive a history on fiber optics as I expect exists.