Thomas Edison was expelled from school for behaviour that today would label him as having Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) but his mother understood how to salvage his self-esteem and prepare him for a lifetime of success. In THE EDISON GENE Thom Hartmann shows that the creativity impulsiveness and distractibility that are characteristic of ADHD are not signs of a disorder at all but instead are components of a highly adaptive skill set utilized by our hunting and gathering ancestors. These characteristics have been critical to the survival and development of our modern civilization and will be vital as humanity faces new challenges in the future. Hartmann creator of the hunter versus farmer theory of ADHD examines the latest discoveries confirming the existence of an ADHD gene and the global catastrophe 40000 years ago that triggered its development. Citing examples of significant innovators in our modern era he argues that the children who possess the Edison gene have neurology that is wired to give them brilliant success as innovators inventors explorers and entrepreneurs. He offers concrete strategies for helping Edison-gene children reach their full potential and shows that rather than being problems such children are a vital gift to our society and the world.