Binoculars and People by Brin Best £24.99

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By Brin Best 

Illustrated in colour throughout, 216 pages    

• The story of binocular design innovation over four centuries

• The important role that binoculars have played in military operations

• The key influence that binoculars have had on sport and leisure pursuits

• The prominent place of binoculars in the story of natural history observation

• Fashions and trends in the binocular world

Major 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 will also be 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 of Binoculars: a social history

 
Preface: Introducing the social history of binoculars

 
Chapter 1: A short history of binoculars

Tracing 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 service
Outlining the use of binoculars in military conflicts, stressing the human side of the story. 

Chapter 3: In the service of man
Explaining 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 skies
The key role of binoculars in astronomy, from the first three-dimensional view of the heavens to the modern discovery of comets. 

Chapter 5: Focus on nature
The 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 you

The use of binoculars across a broad range of other applications, illustrating the diverse ways in which binoculars have enriched people’s views of the world. 

Chapter 7: Choosing, using, repairing

How people choose and use binoculars; repairs and servicing.

Chapter 8: Collecting

The psychology of the binocular collector; Fakes and fads; The growth of collecting and role of eBay; The world’s 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. 

About the author Brin 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 – Europe’s largest environmental charity.

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