Jung und Jung, 2023, 400 pp
Nikola Tesla, the visionary inventor whose genius often bordered with eccentricity, became a living legend during his lifetime. Born to Serbian parents in what is now Croatia, Tesla didn’t just capture the attention of New York’s high society around 1900 – he mesmerized the world with groundbreaking innovations that transformed electricity, communication, and technology. His contributions left an indelible mark on history, and his enigmatic personality only deepened the fascination surrounding him.
This story unfolds during a time of extraordinary advancements in both science and medicine, where minds like Tesla’s reshaped the world. Drawing inspiration from Goethe’s The Divine, a work Tesla greatly admired, the narrative weaves together the lives of two men – one a renowned inventor, and the other a devoted follower and medical practitioner – set against the backdrop of historical upheaval and scientific discovery. At the center of the tale is Anton, a young man from Zadar, deeply inspired by Tesla. Forced to emigrate to America after political unrest with only ten dollars in his pocket, Anton begins a new life, learning English, and working as an interpreter in the anatomical museum on Broadway. In the era of medical breakthroughs, Anton eventually studies medicine and crosses paths with Tesla, the older, isolated visionary. What begins as an admiration grows into a deep friendship, as they engage in long conversations about life, invention, and the mysteries of science. Anton’s journey takes a poignant turn when he is called back to Europe to care for his aging parents on the eve of World War II. Though reluctant to leave America, he carries with him two precious tasks entrusted by Tesla: safeguarding the plans for a mysterious “weapon of peace” and a search for a lost portrait, which would not resurface until 2006.