The Violin Maker

"An impassioned account...shows what magic is secretly being practiced behind many nondescript doors." -- New York Times

"Marchese is engaging and funny and he uses his substantial skill to tell a story worthy of his subjects." -- Newsweek

"A deeply descriptiveand appreciative look at a slow, exacting craft. Marchese is a skilled writer." -- USA Today

"Strikes a high note, with rich overtones on the themes of art, creation, and the power of music. -- Entertainment Weekly

"A beguiling journalistic meditation on the links--and tensions--between art, craft and connoisseurship." -- Publishers Weekly

"You don't have to be a fiddler to enjoy this small gem of a book. A fine, informative read." -- Santa Fe New Mexican

"Well researched...an appreciation for the ability and dedication of a man working with his hands." -- Hartford Courant

"An edifying adventure from hewn log to work of art. On pitch reporting documents an inspiring craft." -- Kirkus Reviews

"Honest, witty and dramatic. A thoroughly gripping read." -- The Strad

"Informative. Insights (into) why classical music's most analyzed instrument retains so many mysteries. -- San Diego Union-Tribune

"Entertaining...(Marchese) shows a talent for engaging turns of phrase, and his accessible style and dry humor commingle well." -- Library Journal

"Like The Piano Shop on the Left Bank, THE VIOLIN MAKER is easy, entertaining, and uniquely informative reading. -- Booklist

"A magical, profound and elegant look at the continued need for high quality in our throw away society." -- Douglas Brinkley, Professor of History at Tulane University and author of THE GREAT DELUGE

"Engaging...[In] the tradition of John McPhee and Tracy Kidder, John Marchese wittily deconstructs the capacious lore of violin-making." -- Ben Yagoda, author of About Town: The New Yorker and the World It Made and When You Catch an Adjective, Kill It: The Parts of Speech, for Better and/or Worse