"[A]n eclectic and affectionate ode to the tuba and those who devote their lives to it . . . Quinones finds in the tuba and those who play it a surprisingly moving symbol of tenacity in today's hectic, destabilizing world . . . Attesting to the tuba's central place in American music, this exuberant love letter resonates" --Publishers Weekly

"Fascinating, often moving ... The Perfect Tuba will prompt readers to cheer ... Mission harmoniously, joyfully accomplished." --BookPage, Starred Review

"Lively . . . A sprightly, entertaining hodgepodge of all things tuba." --Kirkus

"Quinones reflects on the musical instrument, its sound, players, and culture." --Library Journal

"Inspiring . . . focuses on the players, makers, instructors and innovators who elevate the big brass instrument that provides the ballast to marching bands and orchestras across the nation." --The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

"Sam Quinones is one of my favorite writers. No matter the topic, his storytelling pulls you in! Also, he uses commas in all the right places, which I find very soothing." --Molly Shannon, SNL alum and author of HELLO, MOLLY

"The Perfect Tuba is a delightful jaunt through the history of this ungainly, thoroughly demanding instrument and the quirky, lovable folks who play it. With this book, Quinones reminds us to look to outsiders who show us how to forge inspiration from persistence and hard work. I was especially moved by Tuba Fats and Linda Young and could have read a whole book about those two." --Anna Lembke, New York Times bestselling author of DOPAMINE NATION

"In this fascinating and deeply enriching book, Quinones turns an everyday instrument into a window into American life today. Against a tide of addiction and distraction, The Perfect Tuba finds the people striving, with discomfort and devotion, back toward resilience, meaning, and community." --Michael Easter, New York Times bestselling author of THE COMFORT CRISIS

"Sam tells stories of priceless treasures, selfless dedication, long-term collaboration, transcendent meaning and human excellence. You read that right, all this is in a book about the tuba." --Lucas Cantor, two-time Emmy Award winning composer and author of UNFINISHED: THE ROLE OF THE ARTIST IN AN AGE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

"An instrument produces more than a sound. In the right circumstance, as Sam Quinones convincingly demonstrates in his wonderfully engaging book, an instrument calls forth a community. By association the most ignoble and clumsy horn, butt of innumerable fat jokes, so unwieldy that it often obscures its handler, the tuba is in fact not only the anchor of music in diverse genres, it's the central node in a web of extraordinary individuals whose storylines Quinones masterfully follows, uncovering a surprising undercurrent of optimism, commitment, and self-determination." --John Corbett, author of PICK UP THE PIECES: Excursions in Seventies Music