Paul McPharlin is one of the 20th centurys most important contributors to the art of puppetry. Over a period of nine years he created some 20 productions with marionettes, rod puppets, hand puppets and shadow figures. He was also a prolific writer whose technical, theoretical and historical works contributed significantly to a puppetry revival. His book The Puppet Theatre in America is considered the definitive history of American puppetry. Though shy and aloof, McPharlin was also energetic. He had an ability to bring people together and used this knack to found a national puppetry organization, Puppeteers of America. Besides the authors extensive research on McPharlin and puppetry, the book draws on significant contributions from McPharlins wife, puppeteer and author Marjorie Batchelder McPharlin, who allowed the use of her 18year correspondence with Paul in the creation of the book. Chapters take the reader through McPharlins childhood as a loner in Detroit, his maturation and education in New York, and his early, erratic and often unsuccessful attempts at making a living. His puppeteering years, 1929 to 1937, are detailed, as are the later years that saw him first working for the WPA and then being drafted into the army to serve in World War II at age 38. He continued making important contributions to the art of puppetry until a brain tumor took his life at age 45 in 1948. Appendices present two of McPharlins plays, The Barn at Bethlehem: A Christmas Play and Punchs Circus. Another appendix details puppetry imprints, including yearbooks, plays, handbooks, worksheets and books. A fourth lists Paul McPharlins Puppeteers, members of the Marionette Fellowship of Detroit.