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Kazoo Books

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Kazoo Books · 2413 Parkview Ave. · (269) 553-6506
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View cart “The 1619 Project: A New Origin Story” has been added to your cart.
Sale!

Kalamazoo Gals

$21.95 $20.00

John Thomas. Paperback, 2013

Categories: History, Local Interest, Non-fiction Tags: History, Kalamazoo, Michigan
  • Description

Description

An excerpt from Jonathan Kellerman’s foreword:

“When it comes to music, the human factor is all. Yet so many books on musical instruments obsess on the fine points of construction while neglecting the talented people who began the process: transforming planks and slabs and slivers into masterpieces of sonic beauty. That’s understandable; many players and collectors live and breathe trivia. But it’s an approach that misses the point. In ‘Kalamazoo Gals,’ John Thomas has chosen to rise above that, fleshing out the most human of stories without neglecting the techno-stats that guitar geeks crave.

The goal John set for himself was monumental: illuminating the elusive history of a legendary group of WW II-era Gibson guitars known in the vintage trade as ‘Banners’ because of the decal affixed to their headstocks. Now recognized, nearly three quarters of a century after their manufacture, as among the finest acoustic guitars ever produced, over 9000 Banners were built during a period when, according to ‘official’ accounts, no Gibson instruments were produced because the company had shifted to churning out war goods. Even more remarkable, much of the work that went into Banners was performed by a group of young Michigan women with no prior training in musical instrument construction!

The contributions of Rosie the Riveter and her cohorts to the survival of American manufacturing during the ‘Good War,’ are well known and beyond profound. But until now the contributions of a band of intrepid, unpretentious, stunningly skillful, thoroughly American women to both the war effort and to the endurance of one of the greatest musical instrument manufacturers ever known, has gone unheralded.

Kudos to John Thomas for telling their story.”

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Parking and Entrance

We're now using our back entrance and parking lot exclusively!

Turn onto Barnard Ave at Parkview, and then left at Book Alley, which runs behind the building and is marked with a street sign.

Upcoming Events

Oct
1
Sun
all-day Banned Book Week @ Kazoo Books
Banned Book Week @ Kazoo Books
Oct 1 – Oct 7 all-day
Banned Book Week @ Kazoo Books
Come check out some of the popular banned books on display.
Oct
17
Tue
6:30 pm Metaphysical (Mind, Body and Spi... @ Kazoo Books
Metaphysical (Mind, Body and Spi... @ Kazoo Books
Oct 17 @ 6:30 pm
Metaphysical (Mind, Body and Spirit) Book Club @ Kazoo Books
A book discussion group is forming that will focus on reading books relating to Metaphysical topics that include Mind, Body and Spirit subjects.This first meeting is an organizational meeting and is open to anyone interested.
Oct
28
Sat
12:00 pm Halloween Party @ Kazoo Books
Halloween Party @ Kazoo Books
Oct 28 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Halloween Party @ Kazoo Books
Fun, games and prizes. Come join us!
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Upcoming Events

Oct
1
Sun
all-day Banned Book Week @ Kazoo Books
Banned Book Week @ Kazoo Books
Oct 1 – Oct 7 all-day
Banned Book Week @ Kazoo Books
Come check out some of the popular banned books on display.
Oct
17
Tue
6:30 pm Metaphysical (Mind, Body and Spi... @ Kazoo Books
Metaphysical (Mind, Body and Spi... @ Kazoo Books
Oct 17 @ 6:30 pm
Metaphysical (Mind, Body and Spirit) Book Club @ Kazoo Books
A book discussion group is forming that will focus on reading books relating to Metaphysical topics that include Mind, Body and Spirit subjects.This first meeting is an organizational meeting and is open to anyone interested.
Oct
28
Sat
12:00 pm Halloween Party @ Kazoo Books
Halloween Party @ Kazoo Books
Oct 28 @ 12:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Halloween Party @ Kazoo Books
Fun, games and prizes. Come join us!

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Kazoo Books is Kalamazoo’s independent, locally-owned bookstore offering a wide selection of new and quality used books and book ordering services. We have been serving the greater Kalamazoo area since 1988.

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