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Daniel Akst

Daniel Akst is a regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal and the founder and publisher of Tivoli Books.

Great Americans: The Man Who Birthed the Skyscraper

At the 1854 World’s Fair, Elisha Otis stepped into an elevator and had its rope cut, staking his life on a safety brake of his own invention. It caught…

June 3, 2026

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