Born in Vienna he spectacularly escapes from demise under the Nazi regime aged just 16 in 1940. After emigrating to the USA his rise began: Heinz now calls himself Joe, never looks back but always wants to, and will, look to the future. When he died in 1996 677 patents had been filed under his name. The Smithsonian Museum in Washington even dedicates a whole department to his exhibits.

The Inventor’s Dilemma

David Gerber has undertaken meticulous research, held innumerable interviews with leading personalities from the industries whose processes were decisively improved and often revolutionised by Joe Gerber, and has spoken to journalists and his father’s companions. Like Irving Stone in his Michelangelo portrait, David Gerber tells us eloquently and consistently what was so extraordinary about H. Joseph Gerber’s life – as a creative mind and inventor, as a family man – and also as an entrepreneur. Just a two hour’s drive away from the place he arrived at as a refugee in New England, in Hartford/Connecticut to be precise, he laid the foundation for his technology companies.

Represented in 130 countries around the globe, Gerber Scientific Inc., Gerber Technology, Gerber Products and their subsidiaries as well as spin-offs specialised in niche technology solutions count among the global market leaders in their respective fields.   Despite being the inventor’s son David Gerber has managed to strike the right balance of impartiality in his descriptions. Plenty of anecdotal reference makes us ponder and often also smile. The Inventor’s Dilemma is a volume somewhere between specialist literature and edutainment – a contemporary document for sure. You don’t have to be associated with textile processing to be fascinated by David Gerber‘s book. But for readers with a connection to this industry and with a passion for smart technologies The Inventor’s Dilemma falls into the “must-read” category and, what’s more, it is also pleasant reading. 

David Gerber's noteworthy book about Joe Gerber, about technology and the responsibility it brings, about education, innovative thinking, the power to imagine and the courage to hope, is available in English. Across Europe one can order David Gerber‘s work about his truly amazing father at your local bookstore.

Win your personal copy

Win your personal copy of David Gerber’s book about the remarkable life of H. Joseph Gerber, the founder of Gerber (Garment) Technology, to name but one enterprise: Textile Network is raffling three copies.

Simply answer the question correctly and you will be entered into the prize draw:

Please send us the solution latest until July 30th 2016 with your name and address. Good luck.