I'm re-reading Capt Corelli's Mandolin.

[marcodamusician]

OMG, The Red Violin is one of my all-time favorite films. Why they picked Samuel L. Jackson as a violin expert is beyond me? LOL. Still, the movie is great and features a lovely, younger, Greta Scacchi. The story of the violin is simply beautiful. I still cannot believe that it didn't win best picture at the Oscars.

[marcodamusician]

Tom, I guess you didn't know this but Steve Martin has been playing the banjo and guitar for years. He started out at Disneyworld as a comic and a mime. I'm told he studied, at one point, with Marcel Marceau, but I don't have confirmation of this. There is some older video of Martin playing the banjo though so don't assume he reinvented himself. Music has always been a passion for Martin just as it has been for Bruce Willis and Keanu Reeves. If you look at Hollyweird I think you'll be pleasantly surprised to see a bunch of actors also have a secret life as musicians.

[Nevin]

No mandolin content but DeBernieres wrote a fantastic trilogy that started with "The War of Don Emmanauel's Nehter Parts". That was what got me to read his other books. BTW for you dog lovers he has a lovely Novella, "Red Dog.

[Tom Coletti]

Tom, I guess you didn't know this but Steve Martin has been playing the banjo and guitar for years...There is some older video of Martin playing the banjo though so don't assume he reinvented himself. .

Oh, I did know; I've been a fan of his playing for a while now, especially his clawhammer stuff, but before that his acting work was the most prevalent and I didn't hear much about his musical side until more recently, then I delved into his older work, and in one of his videos he explained something along the lines that his comedy, acting, and music all seemed to cycle through every now and then.

And yeah, I'm becoming more and more surprised by the hidden talents in the acting world. It took me until a few months ago to find out that Hugh Laurie is an amazing blues pianist/vocalist, and I'll have to look up Willis & Reeves to see what I've been missing.

--Tom

[Dagger Gordon]

No mandolin content but DeBernieres wrote a fantastic trilogy that started with "The War of Don Emmanauel's Nehter Parts". That was what got me to read his other books. BTW for you dog lovers he has a lovely Novella, "Red Dog.

Don Emmanuel was also the first of his books which I read.

[Beanzy]

Just for background info;
Louis de Bernières is the president of the British Banjo Mandolin and Guitar Federation and does a lot of work to support it.

[brunello97]

Just for background info;
Louis de Bernières is the president of the British Banjo Mandolin and Guitar Federation and does a lot of work to support it.

Fair play to you. Here's a photo of the author with mandolin.

Mick

[parttimepicker]

There is also a movie titled 'The Red Violin' [1998] which traces the history of a famous violin its various owners over a span of four centuries and five countries. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120802/

I seem to remember that it was quite good - but it's been a time since i've seen it.

I just wanted to add a +1 for the Red Violin. Great movie!

[Tavy]

Just a note to say that Luis DeBerniers is selling one of his mandolins here. NFI obviously.