My dearest wife has just [last week] given it to me as a birthday present ~~ she's a poppie rather than a folkie, but supports my interest [she's a good techno & is the establisher & maintainer of my u-tube channel]: I thought it a wonderfully thoughtful choice.

I find it [uncharacteristically for me, who am in general a non-skipper] a book rewarding to dip into ~~ I just turned at random and found some halfway-thru most cogent remarks on Shirley & Dolly Collins' relations with David Munrow, Christopher Hogwood & the Early English Consort ~~ having got fed-up with the early preoccupation with the, no doubt phenomenologically fascinating but to me intensely boring, Vashti Bunyan, Nick Drake & the Incredible String Band.

I will read it right thru eventually ~~ promise!!; but I am at present enjoying dipping & skipping; &, having worked out enough of the nature of his thesis, finding many local insights of value: a course some who find the book a bit unwieldy as a gestalt might like to try.

~Michael~