Flash of Genius: And Other True Stories of Invention
John Seabrook
A book-length account for readers who want more detail.
1964–1995 · Detroit, Michigan
Robert Kearns & the windshield-wiper patent
Science, education & exploration
Inventor Robert Kearns fought automakers over the use of his intermittent windshield-wiper technology. His long patent dispute placed an individual inventor against large manufacturers. Flash of Genius dramatizes the litigation and its strain on his family; John Seabrook’s collection includes the reporting behind the film.
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The Story
When1964–1995
WhereDetroit, Michigan
In this collection4 resources
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Flash of Genius (2008)
Film / television guide
A dramatized interpretation; compare it with the reporting.
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Blogs & Essays
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Blogs & essays
1 itemsAbout these sources
Outside essays and reading guides reflect their authors’ perspectives. Compare claims with reported and primary sources.
Paul Luvera Journal
ROBERT KEARNS INVENTOR OF THE INTERMITTENT WINDSHILD WIPER – Paul Luvera Journal
A lawyer’s blog reflects on Kearns’s invention, patent litigation and the film Flash of Genius.
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Books
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Books
1 itemsJohn Seabrook
Flash of Genius: And Other True Stories of Invention
A collection containing Seabrook’s story about Kearns. Only part of the book concerns the events adapted into the film.
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Movies & TV
Movies
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Film / television guide
Flash of Genius (2008)
Dramatized portrayal of these events. Film information and availability are provided by the linked source; dialogue and chronology may differ from the historical record.
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Audiobooks
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Flash of Genius: And Other True Stories of Invention
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Fiction Work
Fiction Work
Browse all →Scripted stories and fictional inspirations. Scenes, characters, and dialogue can differ from the record.
Film / television guide
Flash of Genius (2008)
Dramatized portrayal of these events. Film information and availability are provided by the linked source; dialogue and chronology may differ from the historical record.
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Social Media
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News & Reading
More Reading & Audio
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Google Books · Catalog / Availability
Flash of Genius: And Other True Stories of Invention
John Seabrook. Related reading for Robert Kearns & the windshield-wiper patent. Book information and any pages made available by Google Books; this is not a promise of full-text access. This collection includes other stories as well as coverage relevant to this case.
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Reading Access Notes
Search reviewed 2026-09-16. Sources searched: Google Books, Internet Archive, Open Library, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Magazine, The Atavist Magazine, Google Books (case/title search), Scribd, Everand, OverDrive and hoopla (combined title search). Search indexing is incomplete; this is not an exhaustive list of the web. Access can change by edition, country and library membership. Library loans may require sign-in or a wait. Everand titles may need a paid subscription; a trial is not permanent free access. Scribd documents are third-party uploads, with uploader details noted where checked. We link to source pages and write our own descriptions rather than reproducing copyrighted books.
A separate Texas Monthly search was blocked by the publisher’s automated-access rules and could not be verified.
News & reporting
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Newspaper clippings
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Court & Files
Court records & documents
1 itemsAbout these sources
Documents are labeled by type and scope. Allegations in filings are not findings of guilt. This collection is not the complete case file.
Court document
Kearns v. Chrysler, 32 F.3d 1541
The Federal Circuit’s 1994 opinion addresses issues in Kearns’s patent litigation. An actual published opinion, not a new law or the complete litigation docket.
Historical source
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Positive Outcome
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