A triumph of genius : Edwin Land Polaroid and the Kodak patent war Land is perhapts the most important yet least known inventor and technology entrepreneur in American history. A Triumph of Genius tells the incredible story of the reclusive genius who as a teen invented the plastic polarizer which is still used almost a century later in countless popular applications including our sunglasses and LCD screens. ... A Triumph of Genius also chronicles in an unprecedented inside account Polaroids landmark legal battle with one time mentor Eastman Kodak the outcome of which continues to influence the protection of technological innovation well into the 21st century.