5 comments about A Graveyard Preservation Primer (American Association for State and Local History Book Series).

1. If you've ever had a question about preserving a single headstones or need a complete primer to fully restore a historic graveyard, this book tells how. I admit I was unaware the "Association For Gravestone Studies" existed before reading this book, but the AGS has compliled a wealth of information and photos here. The book is concise, less than 200 pages, but proof a book doesn't need be thick and heavy as a 10 Lb. bag of kitty litter to cover a topic thoroughly. The wealth of actual grave marker photos are very interesting in themselves. Dozens of actual photos illustrate, no better way to understand how correct and incorrect methods can damage or beautifully restore 18th and 19th century headstones. For projects bigger than preserving a single headstone or family plot, information is included on everything from understanding symbolism on historic markers to acquiring funding for graveyard restoration, assessment, cleaning, landscaping, rules posting, survey forms, involving voluteers, even legislation proposal. There is also an appendix of sources to contact for Contractors, Conservators and Carvers in your area. This book is well worth the money, and will not end up in your next yard sale!



2. This provides exactly the information one needs to (a) appreciate the historical and material sensitivity of gravestones/markers; and the techniques, tools, and materials available to the interested amateur as well as professional to appropriately salvage, restore and protect these sensitive, often forgotten, resources. Especially useful for 17th-19th century graveyards and markers.



3. You'd think to clean an old gravestone all you'd need is a wire brush and some bleach, right? Or maybe a sand blaster? Turns out, that couldn't be more wrong. A Graveyard Preservation Primer is the most up to date guide for those wishing to conserve the old stones in their local graveyards, without unwittingly causing more damage. Materials and techniques for safely ridding stones of lichen, molds, and just plain dirt are explained, and they turn out to be surprisingly simple. But get ready to apply some good old fashioned elbow grease. As far as conserving/repairing stones that have already incurred damage, this has now become science, and Strangstad warns that it should not be undertaken by amateurs, however well-intentioned. Suggestions for locating professional assistance are included in this comprehensive manual. Anyone interested in cemetery preservation should begin by reading this work.



4. This is a great concise, basic book on graveyard preservation - a real "primer" indeed. Anyone interested in such work should read this through at least once before ever attempting it, then it can be a quick reference after that. Covers briefly yet thoroughly all aspects of gravesite preservation, explaining what you'll have to think about even if it can't give you precise instruction. Lynnette Strangstad, writing for the Association for Gravestone Studies (AGS), does a fine job and includes bibliography and even some possible contacts for proceeding on preservation.



5. The Graveyard Preservation Primer is a must read for anyone interested in the reasons to save old graveyards and how to go about doing so in a respectful and historically accurate manner. Her book is well researched and well written. It is straightforward and simple enough for novices, yet has enough insightful information for even the most informed reader. Her topics range from how to organize volunteers to do gravestone and graveyard cleaning to photographic techniques to get outstanding records of the stones. Her suggestions for cleaning techniques are well researched and very sound. Overall, this is just a superb manual. A must read before any work is done on an old graveyard. It will also enhance the experience of the graveyard afficionado, by exposing them to a whole new set of ways to observe the gravestones and yard.

No comments about Britain's Lost Cities.

No comments about Timeless Renovations (Design).

No comments about Giving Preservation a History: Histories of Historic Preservation in the United States.

5 comments about Adventures With Old Houses.

1. I have been a fan of Richard Jenrette ever since I first saw the Roper House in Charleston. This year I had the opportunity to visit it and see all of the public spaces and admire the many changes since my first visit. Next spring I will be with a small group invited for coffee and a tour of Edgewater. I suspect that this may be the only other one of his houses that I get to see, but I feel as though I have been to all of them after reading his book. It is lively, amusing and quite informative, and the photographs are wonderful. Thanks Richard Jenrette for preserving these wonderful properties!



2. I highly recommend this to anyone fascinated w/ old houses. I enjoyed reading about Mr Jenrette's life and homes...this book is stunning.



3. I bought this book for my wife who is interested in classical American design and is a student of heritage preservation. The book is generously illustrated with large colour photographs of the exteriors and interiors of Mr. Jenrette's restored historic houses. The interior designs are neither museum-like nor a snobbish show of wealth, but impeccably tasteful, eminently liveable and absolutely applicable.
   
   The text not only explains the history of the houses, their restoration and their decoration; it conveys the love and respect with which Mr. Jenrette undertook each project. This is among my wife's favourite books, and it never stays long on the bookshelf. (As a result of reading this book, my wife has put Mr. Jenrette at the top of her "person I most want to meet" list). Highlighting American furniture styles of the early 19th century in situ at six of America's most beautiful homes, there is a strong East coast and Southern flavour reminiscent of some of the rooms at the White House.
   
   In these days of reduced heritage funding, many irreplaceable examples of fine American architecture are being lost. Mr. Jenrette has used his personal wealth to preserve endangered American architecture and antiques for future public enjoyment. Many thanks to him for sharing them in this excellent book.
   
   -- Erik Pedersen, Victoria, B.C.



4. If you believe in reincarnation and love old houses, you would surely want to "come back" as Richard Hampton Jenrette! (Who knows, maybe HE is the reinarnation of Alva Erskine Smith Vanderbilt Belmont, a peer, certainly, in the collection of wonderful houses.)

   This man has the most exquisite taste, a passion for historic houses and the decorative arts, and the means to indulge a lifestyle that can simply be described as sublime.

   This book is NOT a "how to" manual. It is an elegant recollection of a number of houses he has owned and obviously loved over the course of many years.




5. You can read glowing priase for this book and profiles of Mr. Jenrette's in House Beautiful (May 2000); Architectural Digest (March 2000); Southern Accents (July/August 2000); Old House Interiors (March 2000); Antiques Magazine, Preservation Magazine and Veranda (April 2000).

5 comments about A-frame.

1. As a kid I remember these things going up. I remember helping others build their vacation home but never got the opportunity to help build an A-frame. When I saw this book, it became the next best experience to building and/or living in one.
   
   The author does a good job capturing the history of A-frames. Of interesting note is R.M. Schindler's A-frame house of 1922. Schindler worked on Frank Lloyd Wright's Hollyhock House. You can see the FLW influence in the elevations.
   
   The author also does a good job of explaining the decline of A-frames: The evolution of American lifestyles to make the jump from a "second home" to the consolidation of the permanent home with the vacation home.
   
   The biggest complaint I have is the size of this book. If you buy this book, make sure your bi-focal prescription is current. I found myself having a difficult time reading the tiny little words from this little book.



2. I don't remember where I got this..sorry, not from Amazon. I don't have an A-frame but I have a casual interest in architecture. This book is just exceedingly well done. As many have mentioned, the cover and design have a retro 50/60's look which is very eye-catching. Inside, the images are again fabulous. The whole book is logically and well written with the author delving into the origin and then history of the A-frame to its apogee in the 60's and beyond to today. Interspersed are period photos and advertisements. At the end are plans for an A-frame.
   
   This is not a coffee-table, glossy picture, no substance kind of book. A fascinating fun read and it does look good on our little coffee table. I sincerely hope Mr. Randl delves into similar subjects in the future.



3. big beautiful book, lots of pictures, an easy read, lots of interesting history. I was hoping for something a little more technical, with details for a do-it-yourselfer to actualy build one but its not here. A fun book if you're interested in a-frames.



4. I live in an A-Frame so this book has much meaning for me. I loved reading about the history and seeing many A-Frames from around the world. I certainly would have let the author come to my house. It's a bit larger than most in the book - 2,800 sq. ft. I highly recommend the book to anyone with interest in the subject.



5. A wonderful survey of the A-frame, including many photos and plans of architect-designed versions. Included are interesting designs from those many Modern lovers will know. Rudolph Schindler was the first to have designed one, back in the 1920's. There is also a refreshing and very modern design by Campbell & Wong, and the one by Robert Broward in Florida from 1960 whose front end cantilevers over the sandy beach is exceptional. The rendering portrays its drama. Broward's design was one of the few structures along the Ponte Verde beach to survive Hurricane Dora in 1964.
   
   But Mr. Randl does not stop at architect-designed A-frames. He carefully traces the historical development of the A-frame and how it became an icon in post-war America, weaving it with plenty of photographs, construction drawings, ideas on variations, and vintage advertisements from magazines to demonstrate its high popularity between the 1950's and 1970's.
   
   The author does well to support the premise that the A-frame became an American icon, making its way from vacation homes to restaurants and motel designs as well as religious buildings. He cites its influence upon Googie's (Lautner) and the Unitarian Meeting House in Shorewood Hills, Wisconsin (Wright). Even the now popular Lindal Cedar Homes of today grew out of Mr. Lindal's first design: an A-frame.
   
   If I had a critical wish for this book, it would be a much larger size, an oversize that perhaps presented many more architect-designed A-frames. I am sure more modern and organic architects have done them and it would be interesting to see those designs. Randl has in fact inspired me to consider one for a country retreat in my own home state. With this book's small size as the only demerit, I give Chad Randl's A-Frame an "A".

2 comments about Scotland's Lost Houses.

1. This is a very well produced book on Scotlands great lost estates. The text is highly informative and the images are fanstastic. It is so disgraceful that so many of these great houses were so underappreciated, they were torn down like dilapidated public housing: it's tragic. The great Robert Adam house Bardelie was the worst lose, how anyone could tear down this masterpiece is unfathonable. The book is a joy to peruse, but you can't help but have a touch of meloncholy for the ease at which the philitines pulled so many of these great houses down. Be assured, you'll never see the likes of these houses again.



2. As a fan of Scottish country houses I found this book to be very interesting reading. There are many particularly fine photographs detailing the history of these fine buildings which unfortunately became victims of changing times.

1 comments about Living Barns: How to Find And Restore a Barn of Your Own.

1. This book is informative and offers some good advice. The photos are encouraging and nice to look at.
   
   I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in converting the wonderful open space of a barn into a residence or use commercially.
   
   Thank you,
   
   Cheryl Erb

No comments about Preservation of Modern Architecture.

4 comments about Stanford University (The Campus Guide) an architectural tour.

1. This is another volume is the Princeton series on U.S. universities, using a similar format: the campus is divided into "walks," with each chapter covering one walk and commenting on each building. As one reviewer here did not seem to understand, this is not the insider's guide to Stanford, nor even a full history of the University. That said, the reviewer made a telling criticism: in a campus defined by its setting, showing the buildings without showing the surrounding trees and open areas gives a false sense of the appearance of the place.
   
   When compared with other volumes in this series, "Stanford" is a little better than average. The entries are brief and factual, without the rather elliptical architecture speak that characterizes some of the Ivy League volumes. Most buildings are represented by a small photograph. There are a very few full page pictures.
   
   Based on the date of publication, this book was not written for the Princeton series, but was adapted for it. The maps appear to have been added more recently, and the method of presentation is different from the other volumes. Here, the buildings are considered not by location but by period, starting with the original structures (including ones destroyed in the 1906 quake) and proceeding up to the present. This means that adjacent entries are adjacent in date of construction, not location. Building 71 may be half a mile away from building 72. In the original publication, written for a Stanford audience, this was not a problem, but it may be difficult for those who do not know the campus. There are a number of errors in the maps, with some buildings not listed or not marked on the maps. Finally, a few entries seem wrong: Toyon hall is listed a dormitory for 150 men. Hmm... that's what it was when built, and perhaps (I doubt this) it is today. When I lived there 20 years ago, it was a dorm for about 230 men and women. Nice picture though.
   
   In fairness, the chronological approach is more logical, even if it makes it harder to read the maps. It allows the reader to see how building one structure can change the look and the traffic patterns of a large part of the campus.
   On the whole then, I recommend this book as a good way to see Stanford, so long as you understand the limitations of this kind of history. Just don't look for pictures of the tree or LSJUMB!



2. This is the worst book on Stanford that I have ever seen. The pictures are small and faded . . . I have photos taken in 1975 with a cheap camera that look better than what you'll find here. (Ah, but the cover pic looks awfully nice, you might think. Yes, it does. Fine bit of hucksterism from Princeton Architectural Press.)



3. Let's face it. Most of us will never get to study at, or be hired by this prestigious Bay Area institution. That doesn't mean that we can't enjoy the beauty of its grounds and buildings. Stanford, in addition to being one of the very best universities on earth, is also one of the most beautiful.

   Institutional histories tend to be excessively pedantic affairs. I know of no history of a university yet written that is an exception. They're generally dull, tedious things written for people who want to be sure that THEIR college is the best. And as another reviewer has noted, the style of writing is usually over-refined and staid. This book is no exception to those rules. But that said, it gives us a portrait of a university and its history through the grounds and buildings, bringing it to we who have no other chance to learn about Stanford but with our own eyes. So, the book may be dry and incomplete, but the university itself is gorgeous. That's what saves the entire effort.

   Stanford started out life back in 1885 as an idea not unlike the ideas John D. Rockefeller had for the University of Chicago. And while Chicago became a world-class university directly out of the box, it took some decades for Stanford to catch up. It wasn't for lack of good buildings, as this book will prove. There are really two things that make Stanford exceptional in this regard. First, it transformed itself from a somewhat troubled early design, strapped by the heavy hand of the founder's wife and a devastating earthquake in 1906, into one of the world's great universities in less than 50 years. Second, when the vast majority of colleges and universities in the United States (and the world) were always seeking to make themselves into carbon-copies of Oxford and Cambridge, Stanford and its designers dared to try something new. Look at this book and then go to the university to see for yourself.




4. When I accepted an admission offer from Stanford, I wanted to learn all I could about the environment into which I would be entering. Having read the book, I developed expectations about the culture of Stanford, expectations which, upon arriving on the Stanford campus, I found to be errant.

   This book is quite a disappointment. Suffering both from poor editing and omission of crucial facts, the contents do not flow smoothly. The text is presented in a somewhat offensively over-refined and pretentious manner, the kind one finds in art museum catalogs or as introductions to Penguin Classics. The reader gains little sense of the beauty of the campus, as only a few of the photographs depict the excellent landscaping, the detail of Quad buildings, or the quality of materials and construction of the buildings. The foothills of the Stanford campus, and the trails leading up to the Dish aren't even included -- an omission that reflects poorly on the editors. Equally poor editorial judgment can be found in the photograph of the Hoover Tower appearing in one of the chapters -- this famous landmark is shown in its early construction, as an unsightly steel frame amid a dirt field.

   To the credit of the authors, they give an engaing account of the history of the variously defined Stanford master plans, and of the culture which gave rise to the different stages of the campus' expansion.

   In general, the reader's labors are not rewarded with fresh perspectives, or a sense of the spirit that habituates Stanford. If one toured the Stanford campus before reading the book, one might wonder what drove the editors to present such an excellent environment so vapidly.