George Eastman: Bringing Photography to the People

While history books consider George Eastman to be the father of photography, most people are unaware that his contributions to the world extended far beyond his multimillion-dollar company, Eastman Kodak. A banker by trade, his determination to improve and simplify his weekend hobby led to discovering cutting-edge photographic technology and the birth of his own business. A shrewd and principled businessman, he was a pioneer in customer service, employee relations, and worldwide product distribution. A generous philanthropist, his donations helped build universities, improve healthcare, and advance scientific research. His fascinating journey is deftly chronicled in George Eastman: Bringing Photography to the People, where readers will be inspired by a man whose invention and passion improved the lives of millions of people and the pictures they took. Now available in paperback.

Praise for George Eastman: Bringing Photography to the People

Every once in a while a special book comes my way and I want to celebrate it… here’s one I couldn’t resist featuring. . . . Lynda Pflueger wrote a thorough, fascinating biography about Eastman. There are new opportunities for learning with non-fiction texts that I adore lately: the back matter of the book. I was thrilled to find an area called “Digging Deeper” which tells you about websites to explore further and videos to watch about Eastman. Read more.

—Debbie Alvarez, The Styling Librarian

“Bravo! Mrs. Pflueger has done a wonderful job integrating all of the main sources on George Eastman in her book for young people.  Her story is well-written, accurate, and a balanced look at the founder of the Eastman Kodak Company’s life.”

—Kathy Connor, the Creator of the George Eastman Legacy, at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York

Thomas Nast: Political Cartoonist

Thomas Nast was an ordinary child with an extraordinary talent. Never one for writing or arithmetic, his immigrant parents feared he would not even get through school with passing grades. Then they discovered an artist lived within him, and enrolled him in art school. There, he honed his talent until he was fifteen years old and needed to work to support himself and his family. It was then he walked into the offices of Frank Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper and asked for a job. A storied career was had just begun.

In the mid-nineteenth century, America was a land full of newly arrived immigrants coming to New York City to work and live. Many did not know how to read or write English. Political cartoons were a very big and powerful way to reach out to people and express ideas and beliefs about the government and the way of the world. Thomas Nast became a voice of justice through his political cartoons. He became famous for his depictions of the Civil War, his political party illustrations, and even helped develop the now-popular image of jolly old Saint Nick. But his biggest battle came in his own hometown, where he decided to go up against William “Boss” Tweed and his Tammany Hall collaborators—notoriously crooked leaders of New York City, bribing and laundering money into their own overstuffed pockets. Though they tried, Nast was never intimidated by threats and he never backed down, even when his life was threatened. Through his political cartoons he made a difference, and it helped bring the Tweed Ring to justice. Thomas Nast: Political Cartoonist illustrates the power of art and conviction and the journey of this American icon.

The ebook Thomas Nast is now available.