Hi - I'm 100 pages into reading this new book, and have found it 
fascinating.  Perhaps many people on this list already knows the history 
of recorded music, but I've never actually read a book about it myself, 
so I would definitely recommend it.  See:

http://www.amazon.com/Perfecting-Sound-Forever-History-Recorded/dp/0571211658/ref=pd_sxp_f_pt

- Mark