BINOCULARS AND PEOPLE. EXTENSIVE MILITARY COVERAGE. SUPERB PRESENT IDEA

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         BINOCULARS AND PEOPLEBy Brin Best 
Illustrated in full colour throughout, 216 pages     

‘If you love binoculars, then you’re going to love this book’ Cloudy Nights review, December 2008  

This auction is for a BRAND NEW and SIGNED copy of my landmark book on the social history of binoculars. If you have any interest in the history and use of binoculars in war and peace time, I am confident that you will really enjoy reading my critically acclaimed book. It is the most comprehensive book ever published in the English language on the history of binoculars. 
The book tells the story of the war and peace time use of binoculars since their invention in the Seventeenth Century, right up to the latest advances in design currently being pioneered. 
Filling a huge gulf in the current literature on binoculars, the book is the first to tackle comprehensively the social history of binoculars, placing emphasis on how people have interacted with these intriguing optical instruments over the ages. Among the themes explored in the book include: 
The story of binocular design innovation over four centuriesThe important role that binoculars have played in military operationsThe key influence that binoculars have had on sport and leisure pursuitsThe prominent place of binoculars in the story of natural history observationFashions and trends in the binocular worldMajor parts of the book are given over to the role of the major European, US and Japanese companies pioneering binocular design, including extensive information on household names such as Zeiss, Leica, Nikon and Bausch & Lomb. Due reference is also paid to the role of several companies that no longer make binoculars, including the British firms Barr & Stroud, Ross and Wray. 
Though meticulously researched, the book is written in a highly accessible style so as to appeal to a very wide range of readers. It is of special interest to binocular collectors, military and marine enthusiasts, astronomers, birdwatchers and naturalists indeed anybody who has ever peered through a binocular and wanted to know more about the fascinating story of the instrument in their hands. 
Throughout the book, profiles of people who have intriguing, arresting and often moving stories to tell about their binoculars are showcased. Entitled My binocular story, these include Naval rating Jack Best, who was given a U-boat binocular from a captured German officer during his service on HMS Penelope during the Second World War.  
A special feature of the book is a series of highly illustrated double-page spreads profiling classic binoculars design icons, ground-breaking models and all time favourites among binocular aficionados. These provide a snapshot of the diversity and breadth of design features of binocular over the ages. The book is lavishly illustrated in full colour, with hundreds of photographs of binoculars, advertising material and associated artefacts. It is the ideal companion for anyone with an interest in binoculars.  
CONTENTS
Preface: Introducing the social history of binoculars
Chapter 1: A short history of binocularsTracing the evolution of binoculars from telescopic devices; Outlining the various influences on design over the years; Highlighting the milestones in design prisms, coatings, built in cameras etc.; The Zeiss story and the Soviet Union. Chapter 2: Military serviceOutlining the use of binoculars in military conflicts, stressing the human side of the story. 
Chapter 3: In the service of manExplaining the professional use of binoculars outside the military, for example marine use and the coastguard, in forestry and architecture. 
Chapter 4: Looking up at the skiesThe key role of binoculars in astronomy, from the first three-dimensional view of the heavens to the modern discovery of comets. 
Chapter 5: The natural worldThe place of binoculars in the story of hunting and natural history observation; Charting their role in helping to replace the gun or net as the principal tool of the natural historian; The commercial endorsement of optics by wildlife celebrities.  
Chapter 6: Let me entertain youThe use of binoculars across a broad range of other applications, illustrating the diverse ways in which binoculars have enriched peoples views of the world. 
Chapter 7: Choosing, using, repairingHow people choose and use binoculars; repairs and servicing.
Chapter 8: CollectingThe psychology of the binocular collector; Fakes and fads; The growth of collecting and role of eBay; The worlds rarest binoculars; Binoculars without optics ceramics. 
Epilogue: Conclusions and the future of binoculars. How will binoculars continue to evolve in the future and what new applications will be found for them? 
Glossary An A-Z of binocular terminology. 
Index 
The text is enriched with: 
         Boxed profiles of people entitled My binocular story, each representing an engaging real life story of how binoculars have touched their lives         Spreads on Binoculars with a history’, richly illustrated with photos of important models and advertising literature 

About the authorBrin Best is an award-winning author who has maintained a special interest in binoculars since acquiring his first high quality binocular in childhood. He has written over 20 previous books on a range of subjects, principally on environmental and education issues. Following a successful career in education, he currently divides his time between writing and consultancy work within the education arena. He is a keen birdwatcher, naturalist, astronomer and follower of sport hobbies that all allow him to indulge in his passion for binoculars. Brin is very active as a volunteer in the charitable sector and is a former trustee of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Europes largest environmental charity.

Category: Cameras and Photography:Telescopes and Binoculars:Binoculars and Monoculars
Location: Otley, West Yorkshire

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