Summary
Victor K. McElheny traces the life and work of Edwin Land, the founder of Polaroid and a pioneer of instant photography. The biography covers his work with polarizing materials, cameras and film, and research into how people see color.
Land's activities extended beyond consumer products. The book also examines military imaging and his role as a scientific adviser during the Cold War, including work on aerial reconnaissance. Its portrait brings scientific research, business building, and public service together in one career, with Land's drive to solve difficult problems running through the account.
Why read it Our view
Read this for the relationship between research and product creation. Land's work invites you to ask how long a team should explore a hard problem, how much freedom it needs, and how an invention becomes something people can use.
The range of his work also makes the biography useful for thinking about focus. Consider which opportunities fit the problem you want to solve and how you would decide when to keep exploring or narrow the work.
Written about
- Edwin LandBiography subjectMcElheny examines Land’s scientific work, Polaroid, and his role in public service.Source