Customer Reviews

The ukulele : A visual history

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Now in a revised and expanded edition, The Ukulele: A Visual History by Jim Beloff is the fascinating and informative saga of this widespread and popular musical instrument. From the history and spread of the Ukulele since its origin in Portugal, to the great ukulele players, to the sagas of businesses that manufacture ukuleles, to the ukulele's impact on musical culture worldwide, and more, The Ukulele is simply packed from cover to cover with full color photographs. The Ukulele: A Visual History is a most enjoyable learning experience for anyone curious about this unique and popular instrument.

I absolutely loved this book and it fills a void with information about the 'ukulele that is not available elsewhere. The pictures are excellent and the writing is quite enjoyable. It's the sort of book that you're likely to read more than once. The only drawback is that I wish the book were bigger so that it would have lasted longer. On the less-than-positive side I was a bit disappointed that it didn't deal more deeply with the contemporary 'uke scene and glosses over some of the major players of today. Perhaps in the next new edition it will contain more of this type of info.

great book, full of colour photos, covers from the most basic to the most up-market instruments. Excellent history of the instrument and also of the well known players, such as George Formby. Discusses some of the speciallised techniques used by these people. I look on it as the ukulele enthusiast's bible. Thoroughly recommended!

I really like this book; it is truly the only book of its kind. I am always picking mine up. So, now you're wondering if I like it so much why only three stars? BECAUSE, it is a great coffee table book and very fun BUT, I wish there was more. More details on manufacturers, more photos of the various models made through the years and more details on when they were made and where. It is a great book and I really thank Jim Beloff for writing it - I just want more!

Jim Beloff's "The Ukulele: A Visual History" is the perfect coffee table companion to "Rock That Uke", the wonderfully-funky video about the ukulele subculture. Ideally, Beloff's book will inspire a question by one or more hapless quests that will precipitate viewing the video which may inspire the investment of $20 in a toy ukulele that may, in turn, serve as the gateway to a collection of real ukuleles and blissful life-long addiction. Beware tiny musical instruments that don't allow one to take onself seriously!

"The Ukulele: A Visual History" is a good book but not a perfect one. There are plenty of high quality photos of significant old instruments and famous performers. There is an adequate compliment of historical anecdotes. The book manages to cover quite a bit...not all...of the WHAT of ukulele history, but it doesn't shed much light on the WHY. It can be argued that the author expects anyone interested in such an arcane title to have figured out the WHY on his/her own. But this misses a teachable moment. More than almost any other, the ukulele is a profoundly personal instrument: quiet, unassuming, and ridiculous (in the true sense of the word). It is virtually impossible to pick one up without breaking into a self-deprecating smile or to play one (in spite of its mournful tone) without laughing. Many of the world's foremost musicians know this well and are, like George Harrison, closet uke freaks.

Bottom line: four stars. This is good niche-market book. It needs an update to cover innovative modern instruments like Applause and RISA. If/when the author opens the hood, he would do well to devote a few pages to the "psychopathology of uke addiction" that many of us are proud to suffer from. In so doing, he might help promulgate The Ukulele Conspiracy (or not). Either way, enjoy!

Very simply a MUST HAVE for any ukulele aficionado. I bought five of them and gave them to friends. Every page is a delight. As a builder, it is a Wealth of information.

If you've ever thought about owning a uke you should pick this book up and learn a little bit of the history behind it. Well worth it for the pictures if nothing else. Personally I would like some more comprehensive but until something else comes along this will have to do!