No comments about Magic Facade: The Austin House.

No comments about Historic Preservation & the Imagined West: Albuquerque, Denver, & Seattle.

2 comments about Historic Preservation: Curatorial Management of the Built World.

1. The content is, of course, excellent, and deserves 5 stars. The editing, however, is shoddy and annoying. It's a pity Fitch couldn't see a professional copy of his classic work before he died.

   There are misspelled words: "ideed" vs. "indeed," p 13; "pressence" vs. "presence," p 55; "centure" vs. "century," p247; "Sienna" vs. "Siena," p 329, and others). Wrong dates are given: "...completely reconstructed to an assumed date of 1976" vs. 1776, p 275. Different information is given regarding the same process: ("flourescent dyes had to be added," p 338 vs. "had to be stamped with a metal die," p 342). LeMoyne is referred to as "LeMoyne" and as "Lemoyne," pp 17 & 18; Anne Cunningham is referred to as both "Anne" and "Ann," pp ix, x, 89, 90. Comma and semicolon use is weak, the use of italics with foreign words is inconsistent.




2. A very fine book and is used in my graduate "Philosophy of Preservation" course at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Georgia. We are the largest undergraduate and graduate preservation program in the country and this book is of the quality that we demand.

No comments about Dressed Stone: Types of Stone, Details, Examples (Detail Practice).

No comments about Thatch and Thatching (Shire Library).

5 comments about New Orleans.

1. I have been to New Orleans millions of times and this is the best all around book. The author has really, really researched and pulled up ALL kinds of interesting tidbits.
   I think that Compass guides in general are the extra travel books one buys. I wanted more than Fodor's has because I already know all the best places to go. I think that she had good choices and you could use it as your only travel guide.
   I think some readers were disappointed because maybe they were taken back by the exorbitant prices hotels charge. Hotel-wise , you don't get much for your money unless you go in summer or during Christmas.



2. One of my all-time favorite books. The stuff of dreams and nightmares too.

   This is an utterly luscious picture book. Chock full of photos of real interiors. Real homes of artists and the creative. Homes of people who love peeling wallpaper and cracked plaster; and especially those who love living in the midst of art works, or deeply personal collections.

   The homes of people who love the humid haze, moist clay-scented New Orleans.




3. One of my all-time favorite books. The stuff of dreams and nightmares too.

   This is an utterly luscious picture book. Chock full of photos of real interiors. Real homes of artists and the creative. Homes of people who love peeling wallpaper and cracked plaster; and especially those who love living in the midst of art works, or deeply personal collections.

   The homes of people who love the humid haze, moist earth-scented New Orleans.




4. This book has great interior pictures of some glorious New Orleans homes. Unfortunately when I've been there, I didn't have the opportunity to go inside to see the many interior styles. This book gives me the opportunity to see the beauty inside, that I've only been able to view from outside. Great book for those of us who love and appreciate the city!



5. We just got back from 5 days in New Orleans, and this was the only guide we took with us. It was a mistake. It's a difficult book to navigate, has limited maps, limited selection of accomodation & restaurants. If you go outside of Madi Gras & with children (two teenagers in our case) half the book is irrelevent. The restaurant '100 best' list doesn't match Zagats (always reliable). It warns against solo visits to the cemeteries (they're not safe, go on a tour), but doesn't explain why! Pity there isn't a Michelin Green Guide.

No comments about Repairing Old and Historic Windows: A Manual for Architects and Homeowners.

1 comments about Buildings of Virginia: Tidewater and Piedmont (Buildings of the United States).

1. What you get here is the architecture of Virginia and the expertise (and lovely writing style) of Richard Guy Wilson. Really, what else could you ask for? The ensemble of structures covered here is diverse and distinguished. The critical skill of the author is unmatched. As far as architectural guides to historic structures go, this is about as good as they get. A truly outstanding ensemble of historic structures skillfully analyzed by THE authority in this particular field. I only wish he'd gone further west. Winchester! Lexington! Roanoke and Lynchburg! And of course, little Fincastle. There's so much left to be done!
   
   Three cheers for the comprehensive survey of Richmond, a gem of historic architecture.

3 comments about New Solutions for House Museums: Ensuring the Long-Term Preservation of America's Historic Houses (American Association for State and Local History).

1. I expected a book of reference quality; sturdy binding, quality paper.
   The general quality is cut rate. Printed in China.
   This book arrived damaged, probably related to the quality of the binding.
   Will be returning.



2. I am interested in historic houses. This book serves as an excellent reference book as it details the current challenges facing those engaged in the house museum "business" and the solutions which are available to successfullly navigate these problems. Ms. Harris' writing style is very smooth and her scholarship is outstanding. The footnotes and bibliography provide and excellent source of information for those interested in pursuing this topic further. I recommend this book to anyone studying this field on the graduate school level as well as professionals in the house museum field.



3. This is an excellent book about the impending crisis in the preservation of house museums, evidenced by fewer visitors and the sale of Carter's Grove by the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. The book offers several creative ways to adaptively reuse house museums while continuing to preserve them. Clearly and concisely written, the book offers everyone who loves house museums an opportunity to rethink how they will be used and preserved in the future.

1 comments about Adobe Conservation.

1. If you are about to restore an abode building, or just curious about adobe building methods, history, and tradition, I recommend that you read this book first.
   It covers solutions to every possible problem you might encounter. The Cornerstone Group has been restoring historic adobes, mostly in New Mexico, for more than twenty years. They have successfully restored historic buildings that most would have considered beyond repair. Their approach is aimed toward long-term survival of the restored building using appropriate styles and historically correct materials wherever possible. Everything written about in this book has been done in the real world and works. Writing and illustrations are clear and concise. Adobe construction styles and history are also clearly illustrated, and many building terms are given in both English and Spanish. Both traditional and modern methods of conservation are discussed. Valuable old oral tradition is also recorded here, such as repair of large cracks in adobe with lime water, animal bones, and adobe mud. Necessary subjects that I have not seen written about elsewhere are included, such the proper method of cleaning and conserving dirt-floor attics under tin roofs. I recommend this book as the best possible introduction to the subject, and a most useful reference regardless of one's level of knowledge and expertise. It is very readable and entertaining, even if you never intend to build with adobe. It is also a great introduction to understanding the spirit of early builders.