My heart became hot within me. As I mused, the fire burned; then I spoke with my tongue: "O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am!"

29 January 2006

Book Review - expensive boxes

It was a happy thing to find this book at a going out of business sale a few weeks ago. I had heard about it on NPR and was hoping to read it someday.

Guitar: An American Life, by Tim Brookes, is really two books in one. As he goes on the great American walkabout, the baby-boomer search for the perfect guitar, he decides to have one built for him by Rick Davis, a one-man shop who builds Running Dog Guitars. About every other chapter in the book chronicles the story of his guitar's birth. It is an indeed lovely guitar made from cherry sides and back with a maple top. As if you cared. But for me, a yet-recovering aspiring luthier, these chapters were absolutely fascinating and beautifully written. From chainsawing the cherry blanks to choosing inlays for the fingerboard, to voicing the top and finally setting up the guitar - it was all very good. And it's written in such a way that those who know little or nothing about guitars could understand him perfeclty. Hmmm, maybe I should have my wife read the book, just to plant the idea of a handmade guitar...

The other half of the book is a record of the guitar's life, especially as it relates to our fair country. It's quite the dramatic story. The guitar has fallen and risen in popularity so many times, it's like the musical equivalent of bellbottoms. These chapters helped me realize how strongly my perspective on music is shaped by the times and radio songs I grew up with; I grew up in a world where eighty percent of the most popular songs heavily feature guitar, where a band without a guitar is unthinkable, and so on. But this wasn't always the case. The guitar was pushed out of popularity for a while by the banjo - simply because it wasn't as loud. Then it came back into popularity as the favorite instrument of folksingers and bluesmen. Perhaps Elvis and the Beatles could be credited with finally cementing the guitar's place in America's psyche. For better or worse. These chapters were informative and generally interesting, but didn't quite hold me as much as the passages about guitar building.

So if you're into the guitar or into music history, I recommend this fun book. As a caveat, it is fascinating how often Brookes can find ways to insert his liberal politics into a book about guitars (more than several references to blacklisting & McCarthyism); also, the author was crass in one or two spots.


2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Honey, I don't need to read the book. I'd love to make you a guitar!

Love,
the wife

Unknown said...

abercrombie.us.com beautyWhere are some good spaces to find an Abercrombie Jeans Cologne magazine? One places is magazines. Many wellbeing and beauty magazines propose cologne and odor artifact reviews.Abercrombie Outerwear Some of them even have sample strips that you can open and actually get to smell the fragrance that they are reviewing for the invention line. Abercrombie Hoodies Another great place to find artifact reviews are Abercrombie Pant . EZines are online magazines and often sent to people in the transmit.Abercrombie Polo You can subscribe to artifact study eZines and You will find more information about the Wholesale actual belief jeans, Abercrombie Shirt many people are weird for export the jeans in fresh living.even cologne or scent eZines. Abercrombie fitch Men Many times you can demand from the editor of the eZine to do an exclusive type Shoes are very important to everyone, Our Abercrombie Tees will guard your feet. Abercrombie fitch Women of check for you.Abercrombie bag If you want to grip this effect line, you can ask them specifically to do an Abercrombie and Fitch Cologne review for you and the other readers. Abercrombie Slippers Most editors are forever looking for theme ideas and more than agreeble to help you out. Abercrombie Cap In their food. dealer, abercrombie and fitch (A&F), named the belt in a grievance. Abercrombie Scarves Employment law attorneys representing, Riam Dean, Abercrombie Shorts , cite disability discrimination in the ensemble and are claiming Dean is probable to persist for the next three living.Abercrombie and fitch, a New Albany, Ohio A&F trader, with over 300 food nationwide,Abercrombie And Fitch Jackets, is not unfamiliar with facing discrimination lawsuits. The clothing stored restrict has faced allegations in the gone for the Abercrombie Sweater giant