The Mandolin - a history has shipped

[Graham McDonald]

The copies of The Mandolin - a history that were ordered as part of the Kickstarter project were mailed from the printer on Friday. They should arrive at American addresses next week, hopefully the week after for those further afield. Book shops will have them in mid-January, but if you are desperate for holiday reading Martin Stillion (mrmando on the Cafe) has a few copies left which he can dispatch this week. I haven't seen a copy myself yet. Hopefully a couple will arrive here in the next day or do. Ebook versions in various flavours are also now available.

cheers

[Pete Braccio]

I just "flipped" through the ebook version last night. Wow! Great job! I can't wait to actually get the physical copy, sit down, and read it.

Thanks!

Pete

[JH Murray]

I am halfway through the ebook. I am very impressed by the book. Also am impressed at how much innovation and experimentation by so many different builders led to the development of this instrument. I wonder what it is about the mandolin that inspires such a willingness to experiment. Where instruments like the violin have been fixed for some time, the mandolin still seems to be evolving.

[Ranger Roger]

Wished I knew about the e version. I ordered the printed book thru martin. Amazon doesn't have the e version

[David Lewis]

Where's the e-book?

[Graham McDonald]

Where's the e-book?

Link on my website.

[Matt Vuksinich]

Graham,

I received your wonderful book yesterday--thank you, and congratulations on completing a fantastic project!

However, I received TWO copies, not just the one I had ordered. Please advise on how to forward it on.

Also: the pictures of my Vinaccias and my D'Angelico were credited to "MARK Vuksinich." I don't know if there is a Mark Vuksinich walking around on the planet. It doesn't bother me, or matter--I just thought you should know, in case there is ever a second printing, with errata noted.

Matt Vuksinich
Alameda, California

[Graham McDonald]

Sorry Matt, error noted

That makes three people who have received two copies, and I may ask you to resend it if I get someone who did not get any and refund you the postage! Were both envelopes addressed to you or just two in the one package?

Cheers

[Matt Vuksinich]

Two separate envelopes, addressed to me.

Sorry Matt, error noted

That makes three people who have received two copies, and I may ask you to resend it if I get someone who did not get any and refund you the postage! Were both envelopes addressed to you or just two in the one package?

Cheers

[Jim Garber]

Graham: I got mine the other day and flipped thru a bit. A monumental work. Very impressive and looking fwd to a long winter read.

Matt: perhaps you can share it with your evil doppelganger.

[lukmanohnz]

My copy arrived yesterday. Encyclopedic. Gorgeous. Fascinating. A mandophile's dream book. Thank you, Graham - this is a major contribution to the literature on our beloved instrument.

[Tom Wright]

Still waiting.

[EdHanrahan]

Just got back from Christmas visit to the in-laws, and was SO relieved that out catsitter didn't let it sit out in the weather. WOW!

Ha... Didn't expect to see a tamburitza in a mandolin book! Buzzy Levine at Lark St. Music, now in northern NJ, tells of the Allman Bros.' Allen Woody walking into his shop, probably when it was in Albany NY, and noting, "Hey, you have a tamburitza." Last I looked, it's still there.

[Pete Jenner]

I have a parcel waiting at the post office. Could it be...?

[Tavy]

Dare I mention that I've now read my copy cover to cover?

It's a great piece of work that will be everyone's go-to-reference for some time to come. I particularly enjoyed the HJW Tillyard quote: "...and as now the guitar, mandoline and banjo are hardly reckoned as instruments of music, so the use of such instruments in old time was a sign of declining taste".

My only complaint is that every time I turn a page my immediate reaction is "hey I want one of those!", but I can hardly blame Graham for my MAS affliction

[Tom Wright]

Yay! Received mine today.

[Nathan Kellstadt]

Just got back from Christmas visit to the in-laws, and was SO relieved that out catsitter didn't let it sit out in the weather.

This is funny, I was visiting my in-laws when it arrived, and it was our catsitter who set mine inside the door.

[Nathan Kellstadt]

Once I opened & flipped through my copy last night, I placed it beside me on the couch and started perusing the classifieds on my laptop when I happened to see an interesting looking Kay Kraft mandolin (NFI) and was thinking to myself "I wished I knew a little more about these". I then had a micro-epiphany! It occurred to me that Graham's book may actually have a section on Kay Krafts, so I turned to the index, and sure enough, on pages 153-4 there it was. Too cool. Thanks again Graham.

[Eric Foulke]

I received mine the 26th.
I'm sharing a page with a cheese wedge and could not be happier.

[LadysSolo]

Mine showed up today, I have to work tomorrow and after I get home and paperwork done, intend to use it a bedtime reading. I am looking forward to it!

[Bill Clements]

My thanks not only to Graham, but also to Martin!
Received my copy on New Years Eve. Great way to begin 2016.

[Pete Jenner]

Mine arrived. It's a work of art.

[Dale Pauline]

My copy has yet to arrive at my APO address. We get mail again in three or four days so I'm hopeful.

[EdSherry]

Got mine just before New Years. Lovely book; clearly a lot of effort went into it. Thanks, Graham!

[Graham McDonald]

Official release date was yesterday (Tues 12 Jan). Any bookshop should be able to order in a copy for you. It is certainly available from Elderly Instruments and Gruhn Guitars as well as Amazon. I sent George Gruhn a copy and I will admit to being a little pleased when he wrote back the following (and used with permission):

"I spent a couple of hours looking at the book this morning and fully intend to spend much of the rest of this week trying to digest the information you have assembled. I can easily understand why it took you as long as 6 years for this project. While I am very familiar with major American makers such as Lyon & Healy, Martin, Gibson, the Larson brothers, Epiphone, and D'Angelico, as well as a number of modern builders of bluegrass style mandolins, I found an enormous amount of information in your book regarding historical instruments, the evolution of mandolins and related instruments, and even modern builders which is entirely new to me. I find this to be absolutely fascinating information. After over 50 years of collecting and dealing instruments and establishing a reputation as a knowledgeable dealer, I find it very refreshing to encounter a book which opens new vistas for me."