1 comments about The Works in Architecture of Robert and James Adam (Dover Books on Architecture).

1. I most say that this possible is one of the best and most inspiring books available for anyone interested in classical architecture. The Adams brothers style together with Louis XV is possibly the most modern interpretation of classical architecture. Highly recommendable and a must for anyone interested in classical architecture, beaux arts, etc.

No comments about New Perspectives: Designer Hotels (New Perspectives).

5 comments about The Art and Architecture of Ancient Egypt (The Yale University Press Pelican History of Art).

1. First things first: beautiful pictures. Leave this one on your coffee table for guests to peruse though...
   However, there is one major problem: the author's incredible penchant for run-on sentences. A seven-line paragraph without any commas, colons, or periods does not generally constitute an acceptable paragraph by anyone's standards... was the editor asleep? You decide....
   That said, the information is interesting, albeit hard to read. The author tends to diverge from his topic with astounding frequency, then jumps back to the original topic without reason or warning, let alone a connective thought... or should I say, "connexion"... apparently the letters 'c+t' in the word 'connection' were offensive to the author's eye? I don't quite understand it either...
   But it is a lovely book to look at, valuable from the artistic point of view. Buy it if you are interested in the topic, borrow it if you just think Egyptian art is pretty.



2. This is a dense book -- what I mean is that is has a lot of material, a lot of images, and it is rather small print. This version has "new materials" from William Kelly Simpson but it is currently 20+ years old so I'd not recommend it for a new class or serious study -- things do change in the study of the ancient world as new discoveries, new techniques, and new theories develop. However, if you just want basic, great images, ad chronological order to the study of art and architecture it is perfectly fine for these purposes. I used it extensively when I was studying ancient Egypt back at Columbia University.



3. As always, the reprint of this title should be warmly welcomed. This is a high-standart, much authoritative text on Egyptian art from its origins down to the sunset of Egypt's glorious pharaonic civilization. It is not only well-writen but also furnished with lavishing plates and a lot of figures, which constitute a wealth of information. Not only for Egyptologists and Egyptofans, but for anybody interested in learning seriously about the treasures of art and architecture in the Nile Valley. Highly recommendable.



4. Many art and architectural treasures survive from Ancient Egypt. This book offers 400 illustrations of such treasures from the fourth millennium B.C. to the conquest of Alexander the Great. The author examines Ancient Egyptian tombs, temples, palaces, decorations, and many other works of art. A recommended book for the interested student of art and of Egyptology.



5. This is on the reading list for my archeology course at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. As well it should be. It is informative for students and the interested layman. I felt that more photos in the book could be in colour. It is a must for those wanting to increase their appreciation of museum visits.

1 comments about Architect's Essentials of Starting, Assessing and Transitioning a Design Firm (The Architect's Essentials of Professional Practice).

1. Starting your own design firm is a scary proposition. Having a trusted advisor can help make the transition from employee to being your own boss a little less intimidating. Piven and Perkins do just that in this well written book, which covers the essentials--hey, that's what they called it--of starting a firm without getting bogged down in minutiae.
   You'll get some solid advice on planning, financing, and how to handle some of the more delicate issues of starting your own firm--such as how to represent work you did for others when marketing your new business. The book also includes model business plans and a basic (very basic) overview of accounting principles that even an architect can understand. Worth reading if you're entertaining any notions about starting your own shop.

No comments about Sustainable Healthcare Architecture.

5 comments about Tom Lynchs Watercolor Secrets.

1. in examples of work done from beginning to end. It is filled with the artist's beautiful art work and that Mr. Lynch is a very accomplished painter is definitely not in dispute. However, I found the book tedious to read. Each picture is accompanied with an explanation why the picture had achieved oomph regarding design. Most of the paintings are of urban settings, i.e. of Paris, golf clubs, etc. and I am more of a nature and flower painter. I found the book to be not a complete waste of my money, but there are definitely books I like much better.



2. "Tom Lynch's Watercolor Secrets" is a 5-star watercolor technique book for visual learners. Alas, I am not a visual learner, and so much of the impact was lost. If you are, I strongly recommend you get this book.
   
   All lessons are displayed mainly in comparison pictures: the same scene done two ways, once without the recommended technique, and once with the recommended technique. This is the "salvage paintings" stuff that other reviewers mention. These painting comparisons are scattered throughout the book and cover all topics. The comparison pictures are very effective pictoral representations of the technique lessons described herein.
   
   For myself, I don't like landscapes and I wasn't particularly impressed by the author's painting style. Still, this book has a lot of useful advice on painting technique. You might also consider Painting What You Want to See (Practical Art Books), which is the best watercolor technique book I've found.



3. When you get into reading this book to learn his "secrets," some of the information is really thin. It has some really great parts that give insight, like his section on color. It opened my eyes to new ways of painting -- outside of the box! With many of the pictures, a few step by step "in progress" points would have been super helpful -- that's where it just misses. If you have a lot of skill, you may be able to read "the picture" and see things from other chapters and get the deeper concept. I, being new, can NOT even begin to do that yet, so it is a great read and gives good insight, but it is a book to read after reading some of the conceptual walk-you-through-it books that exist. So, not allllll of his secrets really are revealed. :-)



4. A great concept with wonderful illustrations by Tom Lynch but lacking descriptions of the techniques and pigment use employed. Like the other reviewer I found the secrets still secrets and not revealing enough information. This publishers books seem to follow this pattern as with Alvaro Castagnet book Watercolor Painting with Passion (beautiful and inspiring illustrations by Castagnet but lacking decent text of the techniques and use of pigments used).

   However, aside from the lacking technical information, Lynch's work is wonderful and inspiring.




5. THIS BOOK NEEDS MORE DETAIL AND TECHNIQUE IN MUCH BETTER FORM. I APPRECIATE GOOD ART BOOKS AND THIS ONE COULD BE A LOT BETTER..

5 comments about Light Up Your Watercolors Layer by Layer.

1. The artist is a master a lighting up watercolors. Easy to follow instructions, informative and enlightening. Suggested great reading for the novice watercolorist and exceptional reading for the master.



2. Enamoured by the beautiful watercolor paintings in this book, i purchased it as a learning resource. The concepts of color theory & using color, & light, explained here are useful. However,instructions with more details would definitely have helped understand the artist' technique, as well as further my painting experience.



3. It is very important to me as a serious artist to be able to understand thru detail of how am image is painted. Why buy and spend the money for a book unless it is completely useful. I can look at pictures all day and try to figure out how to paint it but if I buy a book to show me, I expect to learn a lot.



4. I LOVE Moyer's work, unfortunately the mini lessons provided in the book, while useful, will not lead to a rendering of images anywhere close to those you'll drool over in this book.
   I enjoy just looking at her work and aspiring to paint in this style, but this book is not in-depth enough or step-by-step enough to get you to this level of work.



5. I used this book as a resource. Her techniques are very different from the relaxed teachings of my earlier days. I am more able to see the effects layering will have on my final results. I am able to better see the end effect of layering several colors over one another in my mind since completing these lessons. Much of it is admiring the beautiful and observing "mini lessons" which really do need to be full lessons. I would recommend at least some painting experience for this book.

5 comments about Sir Banister Fletcher's A History of Architecture. ( Twentieth Edition ).

1. I purchased this book for my daughter as a Christmas gift. She works for an architecture firm and specializes in historic preservation. She has wanted this book for years but it is pricey and she did not feel she could purchase it for herself. She is extremely pleased with book and would recommend it to anyone that is interested in the history of architecture.



2. Without a doubt, this text is the Quintessential Gold Standard for introductory Western Architecture. A must have for anybody who is serious about learning about how Western Architecture has evolved over time, and with little if any bias. Its only weak area is with architectural development in Asia and South/Central Meso America. Other than that, this is my third copy of the text and it just keeps getting better. Believe me when I say, this is one book you may never want to loan out, for it may not get returned. I know, it's happened to me once already.



3. Mine is a new 1975 edition (which was a small fraction of the new price). It is as much a history of the world--and an incredibly detailed one--as a history of architecture. It opens each of its 40 chapters with a discussion of a civilization or era, then describes the buildings very matter-of-factly. Sometimes opinions emerge: Louis Kahn is cited as an example of a flash-in-the-pan; FLLW's Guggenheim is criticized as impractical.
   
   The photos are top quality B/W, often very old. Its real strength is early architecture; by chapter 35, it is only finishing up the Renaissance. The authors are so knowledgeable, the writing so polished after 18 editions, all others pale by comparison.
   
   I don't think there's much of a market for these books outside of libraries, but those who read it will marvel at its erudition.



4. For over a century, this has been THE classic study of the history of architecture. It is a work of art in it's own right and worth owning simply for the joy of hefting it's not inconsiderable weight and browsing once in a while - even as a layman. The text is extraordinarily readable and the illustrations are a delight. It's so packed full of information - believe me, even if you have only a limited interest in architecture you will learn a great deal that will surprise you from this book! Enthusiasts for classical and other older branches of architecture may wish to consider purchasing second-hand copies of older editions - they're somehow nicer, and devote less space to the debased modern form of the art. (Yes, I'm biased and proud of it!:) Of a reasonable collection of architectural history books, (including several larger-format, beautifully-illustrated coffee-table books in the modern style)this book is easily my favourite. It has class, style and above all, character. Buy it!



5. If there ever was a book on the history of architecture this is it! So very well documented with numerous pictures and chronologies. Wow! the mother of all architecture books-well worth the price.

5 comments about Records of the Medieval Sword.

1. If you're into swords, this is a must have book. It's more than a catolog of styles of medieval swords but also explains the developement of the weapons and how swords and armour influenced each other. It also explains the difficulty in dating a weapon by the style of blade and hilt.



2. Ewart Oakeshott was unsurpassed in his understanding of medieval swords. Unlike the majority of weapons curators who focus exclusively on the hilt and try their hardest to pretend that the sword was never a practical tool, he appreciated the whole sword. Oakeshott's typology is based on blade shape, i.e. on how the sword handles and what it can be used for. Because of this Ewart was loved by re-enactors and historical swordsmen who view swords as a beautifully designed tool that comes to life in their hands.
   
   I feel very fortunate to have had the chance to work with Ewart just before his death (editing a paper he submitted to the anthology Spada). Just as he reminded museum curators that the sword was a practical tool, not an art object, he reminded swordsmen that the sword was an important symbol of just might, not just a tool.
   
   Records of the Medieval Sword is the best available book describing medieval swords (though his earlier book The Sword in the Age of Chivalry is also well worth picking up). It has clear photographs of the whole sword, and lists blade lengths. If only it had a few more measurements (weight, blade width at various points, point of balance, centre of percussion etc.) it would be a perfect resource for people who make and use swords but who rarely have the opportunity to hold genuine originals and feel their handling characteristics. Even with this minor omission, this book deserves pride of place in the library of anyone interested in the medieval sword.
   
   Stephen Hand
   Author, English Swordsmanship, Medieval Sword and Shield
   Editor Spada, Spada II



3. Ewart Oakeshott in this pictorial guide takes you by the hand
   in a enjoyable trip along the classification created by him
   on the european medieval sword: The Oakeshott Typology. You'll be delighted by the pictures of dozens of vintage pieces and you'll be inspired to forge your own swords based on the different pieces depicted in this book. A useful reference for the advanced sword enthusiast and an excellent introduction to the novice.



4. Records of the Medieval Sword is a remarkable volume, representing a body of work in the subject area with no equal.

   Although the information is provided in an extremely authoritative manner, it is written in a very personable way, leaving this reader with a desire to know (have known?) the author.

   If I were to attempt to be overly critical of this book, I would mention that there are a few minor, but still rather annoying, typographical errors and mis-numbered illustrations that detract somewhat from the otherwise masterly scholorship presented in the volume.

   Also, in my opinion, a reference such as this should be provided in a hard cover edition, with full color plates wherever possible.

   I will treasure this addition to my library.




5. This book contains a life-time's work and research of the sword. All the way from the early Scandinavian sword to the swords of the Renaissance and gives full in-depth summary and description on each piece. The author, Ewart Oakeshott is the leading expert of medieval swords and has taught me plenty (if not more) from his previous works. I am satisfied with the latest one here. "Records of the Medieval Sword" is well suited for a sword expert as well as for beginners and is for all to enjoy. The only thing I have to complain is that the binding of the book isnt done very well, but then again it could just be mine only. But then again, it should stop you from purchasing one.

1 comments about Swatt Architects: Livable Modern (House Design).

1. I was very pleased with this book in every respect.