I had to return the viola method I borrowed from the library, and while I can always get it out again I would rather like to own my own. The method I borrowed (Berthold Tours and Bernard Shore 'The Viola') suited me quite well, but seems to be totally out of print, and the local music shop only has books which seem aimed at a young, musically inexperienced, market.

Can anyone be so kind as to recommend a method book for a musician who is new to bowed stringed instruments, but does not need to be told how to count 4/4... I am currently playing fairly happily with three fingers (when I don't rush) and working on 4th finger intonation, so don't want a book where you get to lesson 27 before playing anything other than open strings. Probably what I want is one of the old fashioned method books with lots of exercises that are now considered too boring for the youth of today!

Yes I know, get a teacher, but I haven't got round to it yet...

You can always check ebay, I once bought a really old book. Violin pieces the world plays and it had the delightfully old-fashioned, not-so colourful cover, binding and notation. And it was really affordable too! Try and check often, you'll never know what treasures you might find there.