I can mildly recommend "Banvard's Folly: Thirteen Tales of People Who Didn't Change the World" by Paul Collins, that includes a chapter on N rays, and is mentio

I can mildly recommend "Banvard's Folly: Thirteen Tales of People Who Didn't Change the World" by Paul Collins, that includes a chapter on N rays, and is mentioned in this article. I don't love Collin's writing style, but the stories are as interesting and fascinating as this one.