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A Triumph of Genius: Edwin Land, Polaroid, and the Kodak Patent War

Ronald K. Fierstein

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Summary

Ronald K. Fierstein examines Edwin Land’s inventions, the growth of Polaroid and the company’s patent battle with Kodak over instant photography. He brings an insider’s view as a lawyer who worked on Polaroid’s litigation team.

The biography follows scientific discoveries, product development and the court conflict that grew from the companies’ earlier relationship. It also discusses Land’s secret work for US intelligence. The book connects an inventor’s career with the legal and business effort required to defend a product.

  • SourceAmerican Bar Association: A Triumph of Genius · Publisher description instant photography, intelligence work and Kodak patent litigation; author insider biography
  • SourceABA licensed vLex book catalogue: A Triumph of Genius · Title/author/ISBN9781627227698 and table of contents

Why read it Our view

Read it to examine how technical invention, customer experience and legal protection interact. The account gives a way to think about what patents cover, what a dispute demands from a business and how leadership decisions affect the people doing the work. Judge the value of protection alongside the need to keep creating useful products.

Written about

  • Edwin LandBiography and patent litigation
    Fierstein follows Land’s inventions and Polaroid’s patent dispute with Kodak, drawing on his work with Polaroid’s legal team.
    Source