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Sull’s Manual of Advanced Penmanship

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JanisTX:
I bought the book and have started to work through it!  It’s very, very good, although a bit overwhelming!

Janis

Erica McPhee:
I agree @JanisTX - it can be a bit overwhelming because there is so much information in it. Best to work through it slowly and bit by bit as you are doing to be able to take it all in. I usually dive right into a book full force and try out things here and there but with this one, I am reading it through like a novel first and will then start practicing each technique.

Zivio:

--- Quote from: Erica McPhee on November 12, 2023, 01:46:37 PM ---
… I usually dive right into a book full force and try out things here and there but with this one, I am reading it through like a novel first and will then start practicing each technique…

--- End quote ---

@Erica McPhee This comment above made me smile … I am a person who will first read guidebooks as novels to kind of set the learning stage, then get into technique. Well, and not just books, but user manuals for any new products I’ve purchased! My wife finds it amusing that I take almost more joy in the “reading materials” that come than with the products themselves.  ;D But like you, she’s a “dive right in” kinda person.

Just had to post that I’ve received my copy of the book, and what a gem! I’d seen the very negative Amazon review that I’d felt you may have gently challenged in your own review, and I agree with your comments. I think the reviewer was somehow put out by what they’d seen as some sort of quality deficits, but I totally disagree. OK, maybe the black and white imagery is not as beautiful as some other “coffee table books”on calligraphy, but the CONTENT! Even my cursory flip through has left me with anticipatory excitement! I’d also personally benefitted so much from Sull’s “Learning Spencerian Script” which may appear similarly, well humble, that the images the negative reviewer posted just didn’t bother me at all.  Did I mention CONTENT?   ;D

Along the same lines, c’mon, this book was only about $25 USD. When I consider the author’s efforts and expertise, if I’m able to glean only one good idea from this work, the return on investment is fabulous. From what I’ve seen, there will be many, many more, and this guide has the potential to inform my practice way beyond my current abilities and likely through the end of my remaining lifetime.

Another beautiful surprise was that the Amazon description said “spiralbound.” The “Learning Spencerian …” is also of this format, which has been great for study. But unlike that very small volume, I had little expectation that this new volume would’ve come with a very nice binder style hardcover. I probably could’ve figured based on the size and number of pages it would pack a wallop, but once again I feel like it is a true bargain! I remember decades ago telling my daughter about the huge value of a used book we’d once purchased when I described it in terms of entertainment hours per dollar! Likewise, when I think of the hours of a master penman’s attention per dollar for this work?  Priceless. 

For anyone with an interest in Spencerian script, you just can’t lose with this purchase.

JanisTX:
Very well said, my friend!  The book is brilliant and I hope that I may someday master the techniques from the book!!

Janis

Erica McPhee:
Oh great review @Zivio ! I am very glad you are finding it worthwhile. I too was quite surprised at the price and the hardcover binder. I priced those for my book and the price was outrageous! More than I paid for my first house! So it really is quite a bargain.

Funny - I’m also a user manual reader. My husband said I am probably the only person to have ever read my car manual cover to cover. Haha! But you learn so much!

And yes, I was saddened by that other review. They even said they didn’t bother to look through the book after the first couple of pages. So they are clearly missing out.

Thanks for sharing your perspective!  :)

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