This month five lucky readers have the chance to win a copy of The Vest Pocket Kodak & the First World War, courtesy of Ammonite Press.
The Vest Pocket Kodak & the First World War is the first in a proposed series of books documenting the relationship between conflicts and the iconic cameras that were used to record them.
Launched in April 1912, the Vest Pocket Kodak (VPK) was one of the world’s first compact cameras. About the size of an iPhone, it was small enough to fit in the pocket of a military waistcoat (the American ‘vest’). The VPK was advertised as the ‘Soldier’s Kodak’, and the pictures the troops took with the camera offer us a remarkably personal viewpoint on the First World War.
The first half of the book looks at how the Vest Pocket Kodak was developed and advertised, and tells the story of its significance in creating a unique account of the Great War. The second part is a commemorative album of images taken with the VPK – a moving record of a lost generation, and a tragic reflection of the manufacturer’s advertising byline: ‘Kodak pictures never let you forget.’
The book was written by Jon Cooksey, a leading military historian, editor of Stand To! magazine, and author of more than 20 titles. His work has appeared in military magazines, national newspapers, and on television and radio.
Images reproduced with the permission of Jon Cooksey. The Vest Pocket Kodak & the First World War is available from Ammonite Press, RRP £7.99, either online or in bookshops.
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