Based on more than three decades of experience assisting puppeteers with their first marionettes, Kurt has focused his simple, little book on the topics most frequently misunderstood and the most common mistakes made by beginners with marionettes. A range of topics to be considered when creating a marionette are covered; design, joints, string placement, controls, stringing, movement and untangling. Recommendations: I love It! There are so many very good suggestions. You have covered all or most of the potential pitfalls and how to avoid them when starting marionette work. I would have found this work very helpful when I was a beginner puppeteer, but even as a seasoned profession I enjoyed seeing all the points so clearly stated. - Phillip Huber, internationally acclaimed marionette artist This charming and deceptively "simple" book is chock-a-block full of tips and techniques valuable to all levels of marionette practitioners, presented with clarity and a clear affection for the craft. Kurt has created a manual worthy of any puppeteer's library and workbench, one I wish I had when I was beginning. Small but mighty fine, this book is a delight. - Ronnie Burkett, another internationally acclaimed marionette artist It is a concise treasure trove of hard-earned knowledge and should be an essential reference for all practitioners of marionettes. - Luman Coad, award winning puppeteer and author of "Marionette Sourcebook"