The beginning of any great enterprise should be recorded for posterity. Few knew that the Children's Hour 'Uncles', Arthur, Jeff and Caractacus, were also the engineers who struggled by day to develop technical equipment - and would soon become Assistant Controller, Station Director and Organiser of Programmes for the BBC.

This is a very human account, from the dawn of radio to the attainment of a Royal Charter in the late 1920s. It tells of the struggles and frustrations of engineers in developing innovative equipment and of the great John Reith who battled with everyone to bring the BBC from a staff of four up to a Corporation of several hundred.

Brian Hennessy's book also describes the development of broadcasting equipment, the search for premises and looming bankruptcy before ending with the emergence of a firmly established Chartered Corporation, the BBC.

Meticulous research over many years, over a hundred photographs, plans and diagrams as well as 12 interviews with those who were there at the time, make this a valuable and original work for those involved in media studies, for radio enthusiasts or simply for those interested in radio and the fascinating story of the emergence of broadcasting.

The book has 456 pages including a comprehensive bibliography and index.