Sprague Electric: An Electronics Giant's Rise, Fall, and Life After Death [Book Reviews]
Alan Drew · IEEE Power and Energy Magazine · 2015
The period after World War II brings expansion for Sprague Electric to other states as they prepared for the dynamics of the electronics era and the transistor. I found it interesting that, by 1933, all three sons of Frank Julian Sprague had worked for Sprague Specialties. The book explains the differences in their personalities and how those differences affected the company. This book provides some excellent information on how the transistor came into being. The background of research and development leading up to Sprague’s first integrated circuit patent in 1962 is nicely dovetailed into the subject of transistors. The nomination of Robert Sprague to be the undersecretary of the Air Force while his son John, the author of this book, was in the Navy and their interaction is nicely explained. The book did an excellent job explaining the negotiations along with the contributing factors that resulted in the strike. The book has some very interesting and informative data about the various acquisitions as the company struggled for survival after the strike. The acquisition by the Penn Central Corporation, which is well covered, including the interaction of various key executives. The book concludes with a very pleasant epilogue on Robert Sprague by author John Sprague. The back of the book contains useful appendixes, including financial tables, Sprague Electric’s planar process time line, Robert Sprague and Nuclear Deterrence, and important dates in Robert Sprague’s life.