The World's Friendliest Instrument

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for all you collectors out there, I noticed this morning a new hardcover book just released, dedicated to all things uke and with gorgeous glossy pics. Cheap at twice the price. Maybe a nice complement for your library to sit alongside Jim Beloff's 'The Ukulele: A Visual History".

here is a link: http://www.amazon.com/Ukulele-Friendliest-Instrument-Daniel-Dixon/dp/1423603699

Text includes writing on the history of the instrument, contemporary makers and players. I have found it available on amazon and fleamarketmusic, and thankfully, for the acutely socially, politically and morally conscious, the cover has no women in bikinis!!! :p
 
Aloha Eugeneukulele,
Mahalo for the heads up, I'll look into it. NO BIKINI GIRL? AAHH MAAAN!! hehe, sorry couldn't resist...............BO.............
 
Ah; but there is a large amount of exposed female flesh dipicted inside and you couldn't read it on the train
 
Thanks for this, I love books :D
 
Always good to know some history of our best friend the uke. And at a very good price.
 
eugene ukulele said:
f for the acutely socially, politically and morally conscious, the cover has no women in bikinis!!! :p
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LOL! Oh dear, I guess we had that coming. Maybe it's just that I think ukuleles are sexier ;)

You always seem to be particularly talented at ferreting out good ukulele history, thanks for the heads up on this!
 
Picked up a copy of this book yesterday. All-colour printing, nice gloss stock. Lots of photos, but not as many of ukes as I had expected. Nary a bikini-clad lass, either, unless you count the hand-drawn covers of the hula girls from the 1920s' song sheets. Began reading it last night - seems a light read, the history section is not John King, but entertaining. Several interviews and performer bios. A chapter on making a Kamaka uke. An easy weekend read.

Will post a review when I've had more time with it.
 
ichadwick said:
Picked up a copy of this book yesterday. All-colour printing, nice gloss stock. Lots of photos, but not as many of ukes as I had expected. Nary a bikini-clad lass, either, unless you count the hand-drawn covers of the hula girls from the 1920s' song sheets. Began reading it last night - seems a light read, the history section is not John King, but entertaining. Several interviews and performer bios. A chapter on making a Kamaka uke. An easy weekend read.

Will post a review when I've had more time with it.
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thanks for the overview Ian. much appreciated. sounds like well trodden ground but still nice to see another uke book out there. I'm guessing there'll be a few more yet...
 
It's a nice looking book, and a fun, albeit sometimes uneven read (from an editor's point of view especially), but it has a few notable flaws...

1. No index. That's a major flaw, and is inexcusable. (I was a book editor and to me an index adds credibility, and the lack of one discredits a work).
2. Short shrift given to the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and James Hill. Okay, personal taste but both deserve more than a couple of lines. And there are others who get no mention at all... Ralph Shaw among them.
3. Poor list of resources for further research or learning. Three clubs (all in California), four Web sites (including UU) and four manufacturers (all American). Simply inadequate and suggests bias.
4. No books, magazine or reference material are cited, which makes some of the claims made in the text open to question.
5. Nothing at all on J. Chalmers Doane and his efforts to merge ukuleles with musical education, or the continuing program to bring it back.
6. Not enough international coverage. I know it's written and printed in the USA, and Americans are likely the biggest market, but the writers seem blind to almost anything or anyone outside their own borders. Nothing at all about the Japanese, nothing about the Chinese manufacturing explosion, about the German makers, Canadians or even George Harrison and the Beatles... a bit too parochial for my taste.
7. Banjo ukes are almost entirely ignored (I can only find one reference - to George Formby - and no pictures).

I hope these will be corrected in a subsequent edition, should one be printed.

The chapter on Kamaka noted previously, leads to another on DaSilva's production, with more depth. But since 95% of all ukes are made in China, you'd think you'd see at least a picture or two of one... a Mainland, or Kala or Lanikai, or Oscar Schmidt or even a Fender...
 
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ichadwick said:
It's a nice looking book, and a fun, albeit sometimes uneven read (from an editor's point of view especially), but it has a few notable flaws...

1. No index. That's a major flaw, and is inexcusable. (I was a book editor and to me an index adds credibility, and the lack of one discredits a work).
2. Short shrift given to the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain and James Hill. Okay, personal taste but both deserve more than a couple of lines. And there are others who get no mention at all... Ralph Shaw among them.
3. Poor list of resources for further research or learning. Three clubs (all in California), four Web sites (including UU) and four manufacturers (all American). Simply inadequate and suggests bias.
4. No books, magazine or reference material are cited, which makes some of the claims made in the text open to question.
5. Nothing at all on J. Chalmers Doane and his efforts to merge ukuleles with musical education, or the continuing program to bring it back.
6. Not enough international coverage. I know it's written and printed in the USA, and Americans are likely the biggest market, but the writers seem blind to almost anything or anyone outside their own borders. Nothing at all about the Japanese, nothing about the Chinese manufacturing explosion, about the German makers, Canadians or even George Harrison and the Beatles... a bit too parochial for my taste.
7. Banjo ukes are almost entirely ignored (I can only find one reference - to George Formby - and no pictures).

I hope these will be corrected in a subsequent edition, should one be printed.

The chapter on Kamaka noted previously, leads to another on DaSilva's production, with more depth. But since 95% of all ukes are made in China, you'd think you'd see at least a picture or two of one... a Mainland, or Kala or Lanikai, or Oscar Schmidt or even a Fender...
Click to expand...

I have also gotten a chance to look at this book now and I agree with these criticisms completely. I found the complete lack of any references shocking. The book makes many assertions and references to historical events, but doesn't quote a single source. Put that together with the lack of index, and that pretty much kills any possibility of taking it seriously. It's a shame.
 
I agree that there is a lot left out of this book, but I also don't think that it was written to be a definitive reference. It's a cute little book about ukuleles, and although it has it's flaws, it great to have something new to flip through. I would reccomend it to anyone who loves the ukulele.
 
Just a rejoinder here on this ol thread:

I received my copy in the mail yesterday.

It's a wonderful little book!!! It really is. Layed out in similar fashion to Jim Beloff's, 'The Ukulele: A Visual History'. Beautiful, glossy pictures scattered all through it, information on the history of the instrument, makers, phases or stages of popularity, modern and old time players featuring the usual suspects, and even a bit of introductory stuff on getting started as a player.

As Ian said, sure the text is a little lightweight, but it's just a very cute, cuddly and diminutive little book, like it's subject. For the very reasonable price, it's money well spent!!!
 
ichadwick said:
$18 in Canada. For that I expect more than happy fluff.
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Fair enough.

For me, I think it is what it is. Too me that is a good thing. Nothing pretentious about it, from the cover in: it's a fun, lighthearted coffee table book that is full of beautiful coloured pictures and stock uke info that many new to the ukulele will appreciate and really enjoy I imagine. Happy fluff? Mine will be shared between myself and my children, which is just perfect as far as I'm concerned. My daughter and I sat down last evening to read about the history of the uke together and that was awesome foir me. I'm also a sucker for cool uke pictures. Happy fluff? Well, I don't think it's pitched at learned, scholarly literary uke afficianados, as that market is perhaps too small a target. More realistically, it seems to be pitched more at the growing market of new uke converts.

Sorry to hear you're disappointed Ian. Here in Australia, $16 paid for the book and for the shipping. You can't by any book in Australia for that price. I'm rapt. I believe most uke lovers would consider this money very well spent, with a cover price of just on $10!
 
But couldn't we use some pretentiousness from a book? The majority of the world doesn't count this as a real instrument. A half-baked book doesn't exactly swing the opinion.

I wrote the above opinion without reading the book or without any references. Where's my 5 bucks? :)
 
Plainsong said:
But couldn't we use some pretentiousness from a book? The majority of the world doesn't count this as a real instrument. A half-baked book doesn't exactly swing the opinion.

I wrote the above opinion without reading the book or without any references. Where's my 5 bucks? :)
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you really need to see the book and read it before writing that. What do you mean 'couldn't we use some pretentiousness from a book?' Why? What purpose would that serve? I think you're missing the point totally. Half-baked? very unfair and I doubt you would describe it that way if you'd read it. It is much more comprehensive than the Beloff book which is more picture than text. It also shows the stages of building a uke, as well as the history of the instrument, as well as current trends, performers etc etc. There is more detail to it than any other Uke book on the market, save perhaps for 'The Ukulele Players Guide' which is very strong on specific details re uke care. I say wait till you've read it before passing judgment, is all.
 
Despite mixed reviews, I just ordered a copy of it on Amazon. I'm such a Kamaka fangirl that you had me at the chapter on Kamaka. I look forward to reading it on the plane ride to Hawaii next week. :)
 
eugene ukulele said:
you really need to see the book and read it before writing that. What do you mean 'couldn't we use some pretentiousness from a book?' Why? What purpose would that serve? I think you're missing the point totally. Half-baked? very unfair and I doubt you would describe it that way if you'd read it. It is much more comprehensive than the Beloff book which is more picture than text. It also shows the stages of building a uke, as well as the history of the instrument, as well as current trends, performers etc etc. There is more detail to it than any other Uke book on the market, save perhaps for 'The Ukulele Players Guide' which is very strong on specific details re uke care. I say wait till you've read it before passing judgment, is all.
Click to expand...

Reading the earlier criticisms in this thread, I still don't feel like it was wrong to write an opinion. It's missing information on famous players, missing brands, missing an entire genre in the banjo uke. Someone who's a bit pretentious (just a tad!) might use references and research a little more. That's all I meant. I didn't mean to offend you.
 
savagehenry said:
I agree that there is a lot left out of this book, but I also don't think that it was written to be a definitive reference. It's a cute little book about ukuleles, and although it has it's flaws, it great to have something new to flip through. I would reccomend it to anyone who loves the ukulele.
Click to expand...

I got it & despite its faults, its informative in some parts, quirky in others, certainly not exhaustive - in short, its a lot like the uke itself!
 
Plainsong said:
Reading the earlier criticisms in this thread, I still don't feel like it was wrong to write an opinion. It's missing information on famous players, missing brands, missing an entire genre in the banjo uke. Someone who's a bit pretentious (just a tad!) might use references and research a little more. That's all I meant. I didn't mean to offend you.
Click to expand...

From my understanding of those word meanings, 'pretentious' and 'a little more research' don't even approximate meaning the same thing.

No offence taken at all. Hey, you're opinionated and so am I. We're just chatting about the book's relevant merits or otherwise. Cheers!

To potential buyers: If you're after an exhaustive reference on all matters ukulele, then this is obviously not the book for you, as the cover itself would make very clear. If you want something that looks great, is easy to digest and lots of fun, then jump on board. :)
 
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