The Art of the Puppet

251 pp. Bil Baird, a master puppeteer of our time, recounts the history of his art, from its remotest yesterday to its bright and promising tomorrow. Along the way, he examines the famous and outrageous Mr. Punch, the raucous Karaghioz, the noble knights of the Orlando legend, the lovely shadow plays of Asia, the unique Bunraku puppets of Japan, and the exciting developments in today's puppetry around the world. To which we would like to add: There has never been any book to compare with this one. It remains the classic text on the history of puppetry around the world. It has dozens of amazing photographs, and a very lucid text written by one of the great master puppeteers of our time.