The book is a history of the ferrotype, or tintype, in American photography, from its origin in the 1850s until 1880. The heart of the book is the extended accounts of the improvements in the presentation of the images and of the inventors and businessmen who made the improvements and advanced their careers. These accounts are brought together by the wonderfully interesting reproductions of actual tintypes. The author's writing is intelligent and engaging. Her enthusiasm for the topic, which shines through the text, carries the reader along with her.