George Eastman | Elizabeth Brayer
Regarded as the best and most comprehensive biography of George Eastman. I bought this book to better understand the thinking of this man, who played such an important role in the great transformation that essentially created amateur photography as we know it today. Eastman wasn’t one to write or discuss photography much from a technical or cultural standpoint, so a biography seemed to me to be the best way to explore his thoughts and motivations. But the book focuses much more on the man himself, his personality, and his relationships with those close to him—whether family members or employees. It’s nonetheless interesting, and by the end, you’re left with a very vivid impression that you actually know him.
There is a wealth of information on the company’s ownership structure, acquisitions, patents, and investors, as well as the architecture of its homes and manufacturing facilities. The accounts of his extensive philanthropic work in academia, education, and dental health for children—as well as his passion for music and the visual arts—are highly detailed.There is practically no paragraph without a direct quote from Eastman himself in his correspondence, and this lends a great deal of credibility to the information presented.
But when it comes to his strategy and approach to photography, the book doesn’t explore these topics as much as I would have liked; instead, it mostly limits itself to listing facts and releases that are already commonly covered in other sources.