The story of The Uke Book Illustrated begins in the workshop of Master Luthier John Weissenrieder. He has been building classical guitars for over 15 years. Sarah Greenbaum, a painter from New York, met John in Italy and expressed her fascination and interest in the construction of musical instruments. Over a couple of cappuccinos, an idea sparked: to create a beautifully illustrated book about how a musical instrument is made. Not just a manual, but also an artistically conceived and executed book that portrays the poetry and mystery of this ancient trade, showing innumerable practical aspects of the preparation and selection of materials, assembly and construction, the tools and jigs, and how to approach the work. Fundamentally, The Uke Book Illustrated is about the process of the construction of a ukulele. But what makes it so special, and so groundbreaking in the woodworking and craft category, is that it clearly explains every step of the process through concise notes and informative drawings in the format of a graphic novel. Anyone who wants to use this book as a guide or manual, will be able to proceed chapter by chapter and drawing by drawing during the realization of his or her own instrument. Anyone wanting to gain insight into how a musical instrument is made will appreciate the clear and informative line drawings and the beautiful watercolor illustrations that fill every page of The Uke Book Illustrated. In the end, this book is not just for crafters and woodworkers, but for musicians, artists, and anyone who enjoys a good story or is fascinated by the process of creating something with one’s own hands