5 comments about Discoveries: Petra: Lost City of the Ancient World (Discoveries (Abrams)).

1. I bought this book for my parents who will be visiting Petra this year. This is a small but extensive book which packs in a lot of information about Petra: the history of the region, a guide to the city and what makes it unique. It is lavishly illustrated (in color throughout) and the pages are glossy and of high quality. It is also compact enough to pack neatly into a handbag or large pocket.
   
   Having said that, a few critiques:
   - The writing is dense and clunky. I don't know for sure if this is the case, but it reads like a poor translation from another language. I notice that the "look inside this book" facility doesn't include any of the actual text and I wonder if this is why. I found it a struggle to read this book. The content is interesting, but the way it is written makes it hard going.
   - The text is also quite small in size - smaller than an average book. Not ideal for older eyes!
   - Finally, the book is heavier than its small size would lead you to expect - presumably due to the high quality paper. It's still light enough to travel with, but it weighs twice as much as you would expect from such a slim volume.
   
   In spite of these shortcomings, I'm still happy with this purchase and my parents were very pleased to receive it. It is a beautiful and high quality book and the photographs are outstanding.



2. My husband and I bought this book before we visited Petra last year. It was a good primmer on the area but in no way can prepare you for what you are about to see.



3. Even though it lacks the details of bigger books such as Udi Levy's "The Lost Civilization of Petra" (a hardback book), it doesn't mean it lacks details altogether! I found this book to be a great source of information while I was travelling since it is small and stocked full of info on Petra, the Nabateans, and more.

   This book is loaded with colorful well-photographed pictures and lithographs, and lively-written text which makes reading it a breeze. I fit this book in my back pocket while in Petra and pulled it out to get details on things like the great cisterns and the waterway through the main siq. The section at the end of the book on modern plans to try and preserve Petra's vulnerable sandstone is very interesting... Electophoresis?!?! Wow!

   The book wraps up everything with a chronology at the end and a list of Nabataea's kings. A very enjoyable and informative read considering its small size... Big things do come in small packages!




4. Semitic name, Reqem or Raqmu, is said to mean 'striped,' or 'multicolored,' a reference to the extraodinary range of colors of its sandstone. Monuments carved into living rock may seem indesructible, yet the site is threatened by natural erosion nd by the neglect of centuries. Today, remedies are being explored to halt this deterioration."(Page 114). What a way to complete the most detailed history of Petra, by indicating the preservation needed to protect Petra for posterity.
   Putting the "cart before the horse" I just have to marvel (before I neglect to mention) that this book includes a helpful chronology of events at the very back of the book.
   "Petra...the name is said to come from the Greek word for stone, or rock, since the city itself was hollowed out of the rock. But it may just as well have come from the Arabic batara, meaning to cut or hew, since the city was actually carved from rock... perhaps this is even the better etymology, since this was a place cut off from the rest of the world. --Nabil Naoum, Le Chateau de la princesse (The Castle of the Princes), from Petra: Le Dit des pierres (Petra: The Stones Speak), edited by Phillippe Cardinal, 1993."(Page 96.)
   The book begins with Petra emerging from obscurity with the first archaeological missions. The book comprises the history of Petras peoples; lengthy revelations of The Nabataeans (and their other cities, too); "location, location, location!"; part of the caravan route and its participation in international trade; nomadic to stationary living; city planning; housing; temples, sanctuaries; and anatomy of forms of architecture. "It is Petra's funerary architecture, most famous in its rock-hewn form, that best reflects this dual cultural identity, Eastern and Hellenistic. Interest has focused on the facades that mark the entry to a funerary chamber excavated directly into the rock. These can be understood as a monumental form of the nefesh, an erect stele that indicates the presence of a deceased, just as a baetyl indicates the presence of a divinity. The facade shows the importance of the deceased and of his or her family..."(Page 84). Such rich architectural fetes are revealed to us within the framework of this work! Do take time to study the water system of Petra.
   "...due to a series of earthquakes, especially one in the 8th century, construction seems to have come to a halt there earlier than it did in regions farther to the north. We know little about Petra between the 7th and 10th centuries. By the Middle Ages, it may have been virtually deserted. We know that in the 12th century, one of the Crusader kings of Jerusalem, Baldwin I or II, built a castle at al-Wu'eira, in the Valley of Moses. Few medieval documents refer to the city, but a confused memory of its ancient rank as the capital of a far-reaching kingdom livd on. Oddly, traces of its old Aramaic and Babataean name, Arken or Reqem, meaning 'the Multi-colored,' survived. In 1217, a German pilgrim named Thetmar passed very close to a place he called 'Archim, formerly the metropolis of the Arabs.' The Arab chronicler Numeiri (1279-1332) gives a short description of the site as it was when the Mamluk Sultan Baybars I of Egypt and Syria saw it is 1276. He mentions the tomb of Aaron, the ruins of a fort, and the 'marvelous' ornate houses cut into the cliffs, but he does not name it. Neither writer says anything of its inhabitants. The Nabataeans themselves, and the Greco-Latin name Petra, remained lost until the rediscovery of the city by the first Western travelers of the 19th century. The enthusiasm aroused by this discovery has not faded, and the work of exploration and recovery is nowhere near to being finished. Nearly two hundred years of research, in fact, have raised more questions than answers. New avenues of investigation emerge daily. Most of the city still remains to be excavated and the civilization of Nabatea finally revealed." (Page 94-95).
   Thank goodness the Jordanian people have someone like Queen Noor who can appreciate the importance of Petra, who as a patron of architecture, thanks to her background in this field, is a proponent to its preservation.
   The staff of The Harry N. Abrams, Inc., publishing house have created a masterpiece in "Petra: lost city of the ancient world." The many books I have read with regard to Biblical architecture/archaeology, have seriously been lacking good arial photography, and the people at Abrams certainly satisfied my ravenousness desire for pictures of Petra!



5. This book has been done in a style similar to a National Geographic magazine. It combines a history of the city and its excavations with exquisite photographs and drawings. This book was well researched and does an excellent job describing the ancient city which was carved entirely out of the cliffs which make Petra unique. I reccomend this book to anyone who has an interest in the history of the Fertile Crescent, Jordan, archaelogy, or the 7 wonders of the ancient world (This book asserts that Petra is considered to be an eighth wonder).

5 comments about Bungalow Kitchens.

1. When I was getting ready to restore the kitchen in my 1922 California Bungalow I had no clue where to start. The previous owners had gutted the original kitchen for commerical property use and had put in Pay N Pak cabinets and almond color formica to sell the house. After 13 years living with the new kitchen I decided to put in a period kitchen. Jane's book gave me the courage, inspiration and most important, the clues on where to begin.
   
   My contractor had met Jane at a workshop and respected her expertise. I was able to contact her through her business website. She was so excited and supportive for my project. She is a wonderful person with a great sense of humor as well as history of how our bungalow homes can help us live more healthy and fulfilling lives. And Linda's photos are marvelous.
   One in particular helped me decide to use the six black glass cabinet knobs I found left in the basement. I highly recommend this book for anyone who loves their old bungalow. For those building a new bungalow you will find the bones in this book and you might think twice about corian or granite countertops.



2. Being on the extremely limited budget, the idea of restoring our 1923 craftsman kitchen to the obsessive original is not even an option. This fabulous book gives you numerous ideas/ paths as to what a $100,000 restoration would encompass, and then provides compromises that the 'normal' home owner can accomplish with great results. It definitely made me re-contemplate several ideas that we had already set in stone, and I think ultimately will save us investment money. My favorite aspect of this book? Unlike several bungalow magazines (which will go unnamed) that feel the need to pretentiously describe the 'color of fumed oak' and ten million other things that the average home owner will never afford or see, Jane Powell is down to earth and able to 'talk' to you like your neighbor next door.



3. If you want to be historically accurate, this book is for you. The author gives examples of "Obsessive Restoration" and a "Compromise Solution" for each element of restoring a bungalow kitchen. However, even the compromise was too obsessive for me. In addition, the author wasted way too many pages discussing the history of kitchens, which is irrelevant to me. Her companion book, "Bungalow Bathrooms" is much of the same. I just built a new Craftsman home, and my goal was to build a new home with historic influences, so what I was hoping for were suggestions on how to incorporate modern materials and modern conveniences to achieve a bungalow look. Obviously that was not the author's goal -- she's all about keeping the historical accuracy. For me, "The New Bungalow Kitchen" by Peter LaBau was much more useful. It shows how you can bring bungalow style to your home without it looking outdated and old. And the photos are gorgeous.



4. I've been toying for years with plans to fix up the kitchen in our 1923 American Foursquare house, but last year when both my nonagenarian grandmothers moved into Assisted Living Facilities, I found myself clearing out their kitchens. When I brought some of their vintage kitchen equipment into my own kitchen, it suddenly came clear that my own kitchen re-do simply had to honor the history of my house and more importantly, the histories of my grandmothers' kitchens.
   
   I am in no way interested in obsessive restoration, but I really needed to see what kitchens of my grandmothers' childhoods and young married lives would look like. What might my own kitchen have looked like when it was first built? There are charming Craftsman details elsewhere in my home... under the barn-red paint and 1970's "country primitive" wallpaper, what was the feel of this room?
   
   This book is like a stroll through a neighborhood-full of kitchens from this era, wonderfully photographed and clearly explained. While my kitchen renovation will be a relatively simple project, I am thrilled to have such a lovely resource on which to base my search for the kitchen that lies beneath all that paint!



5. I can't even count the number of times I've reread this book or just leafed through and admired the fabulous pictures. As the owner of a 1920 foursquare, nothing makes me sadder than to see an old house that's been "improved" by someone with no sense of history or vintage style. This book celebrates vintage kitchens in painstaking detail, describing the form and function of every single surface, nook and cranny. If you're using this book as a "how to" guide, the authors are realistic enough to give you several levels of authenticity from which to choose -- for instance, are you going to go all the way and have a vintage icebox? Can you not live without a microwave and dishwasher? What kind of screws should you use on your cabinet hinges if you want to be "period authentic?" The companion bathroom book is great, too, but this book is my very favorite and inspired me to replace my brand new (but characterless) gas stove with a yellow and green 1920's model with shapely long legs!

No comments about Marmol Radziner + Associates: Between Architecture and Construction.

1 comments about Moorish Architecture in Andalusia (Taschen 25th Anniversary Series).

1. I am not doing this review to acquaint readers with what this book covers, for the above editorial review does that well. Rather, I want to make sure that readers know that in spite of selling for so little, this book offers all one would expect from a book published by Taschen: superb colored photography, line drawings, maps, a glossary of terms and, of course, good writing/explanations. Marvel at your good fortune at finding such a bargain, and be assured that the coverage of Cordoba's Great Mosque and the Alhambra is superb.
   
   Incidentally, I discovered just how much of a bargain the above edition is when I ordered a copy for a gift. Although I'd paid $25 for a new paperback of the pre-anniversary edition, Moorish Architecture, several years ago, it now starts at $39.89, even though the only difference between it and Taschen's special edition is the shortened title and in the picture on its cover.

3 comments about 100 More of the World's Best Houses (100 World's Best Houses, Vol. 3) (Architecture).

1. I am not an architect and I have no artistic talent. But architecture is my favorite art form. I buy a lot of architectural books. This is one of a series of three (hopefully more will come) that is excellent for its photography, its selection of things to photograph and the floor plans presented for most home, allowing the reader to conjure up a good picture of each of the masterpieces. The only downside is that when I lay the book aside, I suddenly realize that I am back in my own home. Well, it keeps the rain out.
   
   I have bought the first three and hope for more in this series.



2. Very good, but for my, maybe to much big spaces. Good photos and ideas!



3. This book is the third instalment of this book series. This book continues impress me with its unique and impressive designs around the world. This book shows that there's more to resedential design than cookie-cutter homes.

5 comments about The Ghosts of Berlin: Confronting German History in the Urban Landscape.

1. 'The Ghosts of Berlin' was a great overview of the urban history of Berlin. The main argument of the author is that German history is apparent in the urban landscape of Berlin. The book was easy to understand and had a lot of relevant photos and maps to show Berlin throughout the ages. A turnoff about this book for me was that Ladd was repetitive on some points and really drove home his opinions on the many roles the Berlin Wall served (a whole chapter doesnt seem like much on such an important subject, but most of the chapter seemed to repeat and restate the same information). However, in general the book provided a great start for researching the complex history of architecture, city planning, and urban spaces in Berlin. I chose to read this book as research for an architecture project I am designing in Berlin & it proved to be a very good decision. It is especially helpful if you have been to the city and have seen first hand some of the spaces he describes. I would recommend it to anyone with interest in Berlin, architecture, history, or urban design.



2. I read The Ghosts of Berlin for a college course. When Americans say "this place has such a rich history," it brings a chuckle from me and is reinforced by books such as this.
   
   The book focuses on the last 125 years or so of Berlin's extremely diverse and chaotic past. Ladd writes in a very detailed, yet concise manner. Berlin has had virtually every type of government known to man rule over it and an entire chapter is devoted to the most vital eras in the city's history; namely, the Imperial City from the late 19th century until the end of WWI, the Weimar republic in the '20s, Nazi Germany from 1933-1945, the divided city during the Cold War (with an entire separate chapter dedicated to the the Berlin Wall), and the capital of a reunified Germany. The focus is as much on the changing architectural styles as well as the social and political outlooks of the day. There is much symbolism in the buildings Ladd writes about and we get a great interpretation of what they mean. Ladd illustrates his work with some nice black and white photos, so we do not have to rely on his descriptions alone.
   
   While this book isn't quite a tour book reagarding which restaurants to visit or tourist attractions to avoid, it is a great book to learn about one of the most prominent European cities. So why only four stars instead of five? Well, I did have a deadline to meet and had to rush through this book in about 2 days. Maybe I didn't appreciate as much as I should have.



3. This book was required reading for my university geography module "Geographies of the European City". I thought it would be long, dull and confusing. I was very wrong! It is one of the first academic books that i just couldn't put down!

   Intresing, mind opening and detailed, yet written in a simple and accessible manner. I learnt not only a lot about the history of Germany and Europe and the Second World War but also about how we view cities, how they are formed and their role in the world today.




4. This book was on the short list of texts my German language/culture study abroad course required. As far as the architectural culture went, this book was all you needed to taste the essence of the capital. It was better than any guide book out there, especially relating the tulmultuous past with what you were seeing with your own eyes as an urban landscape.

   Berlin is complex, historically and culturally - from its imperialist days to Hitler's capital to the scarred divided city just now seaming together. Germany is the embodiment of ambiguity - which is made abundantly evident by its very structures throughout the wide city. Brian Ladd's photography is unobtrusive and tasteful, illustrating his thoroughly researched work. He compares an old photograph to one taken recently by him to study, at one point, how unchanged some parts of the city have been in the midst of constant upheaval in the last century.

   It is remarkable how entertaining the book is, as well as its vitality in its examination of Berlin. It was, quite simply, such a pleasure to read. The Ghosts of Berlin takes in the large picture, of a country uniting, political ideologies - past and present, and the significance of massive structures - standing and ruined. It also encompasses details in exquisite ordinariness, like street corners, department stores, and public transportation. All this is told in an appealing style that is accessible (so you don't need any background in Germany or Berlin), but not overly casual (Ladd is informed and comprehensive).




5. This is a brilliant book that looks at a remarkable city after the fall of the Berlin Wall and asks the question: How to come to terms with the monuments of the past? The Brandenburg Gate? Hitler's Bunker, etc. Should they be torn down, the stories they embody erased? Or should they stand as a legacy of German culture, however tainted it may be. A remarkable book about a remarkable city. Do read it.

5 comments about Bauhaus 1919-1933 (Taschen 25).

1. If you want a comprehensive historical information as well as tons of full color photos of all sorts of Bauhaus inspired works -from architecture to practical objects - this is the book you should have. Open it and read a single article, think about it and close the book. Or browse through the photos and marvel at the teapots, the furniture, the architectural style.
   
   You can savor this one slowly (and I think you should) rather than trying to read it through all at once. If you do that, you'll start to get a sense of the Bauhaus style and how it fits into the particular period when it came into being - and how it grew and evolved from there.



2. While this book offers an excellent collection of images related to the Bauhaus, it traces the history and the development of the Bauhaus comprehensively as well.
   This book, alongwith Eva Forgacs' Bauhaus Idea and Bauhaus Politics can give you a general idea about what the institution was all about.
   
   Its an amazing read.



3. You can know lots of new details. It helps you to study not only design but art itself.



4. This book has great studies. Lots of new details for me are in it. It helps you to study design and art histry.



5. Bauhaus was one of the most important movements in design-history.
   Magdalena Drosta describes the ideas, the people, the work and the spirit of the Bauhaus. The best thing: It is never boring. The book does not only concentrate on the art taught at the Bauahaus but also describes its political problems.
   A lot of excellent pictures in a good priniting quality (especially in relation to the price) make this a book, you always like to look at.

4 comments about Mies Van Der Rohe: 1886-1969 (Basic Architecture Series).

1. it' nice to have it in your colection or a travelling pack. you can starts to explore his works and get a idea about him. its ideal for the students, but if your looking for more minimalist details and plans you better find a another.



2. this books introduce lots of important works of Mies Van Der Rohe
   If you're his fan or like the art works of the Bauhaus
   this book is a good option to know the artist



3. I wish I had more floor plans and pictures and also more buildings.
   Not bad though for the price.



4. Mies Van Der Rohe is one of the father's of Modern Architecture. He began his career in Germany before the Great War and ended it in the United States in the late 1960's. Not only did he design some of the most iconic buildings and furniture of the Twentieth Century, Mies was also a teacher who deeply influenced generations of architects. We see his influence in cities throughout the world.
   
   The volumes in Taschen's Basic Architecture Series are a must for anyone interested in the history of architecture. At $9.99 a volume, they are an affordable and attractive introduction to the works of the most influential architects of the past century. The sole hesitation I have with this volume is Claire Zimmerman's writing style. She writes in a flowery academic style that is off putting. However, at $9.99 a volume, you cannot go wrong. Recommended.

No comments about Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles.

5 comments about Clay Characters for Kids.

1. Fantastic book. It was hard to tell what it was like when ordering so I took a bit of a punt. But it was all I wanted and more. Fun clay characters for kids to make with polymer clay, with step by step instructions and clear photos, showing you how to make each element and then put them together.



2. This book and one other were birthday gifts for my 15 year old grandson, so I e-mailed him to get HIS opinion.
   He was very concise,"I'd say both rate around four stars out of five, or an 8 (scale of 1 - 10)"
   I had seen some of Maureen Carlson's work so I figured the book would certainly be a good introduction to clay figures.



3. This was my first polymer clay book. I got it because my 8 year-old daughter had a play date with two other girls, and it was raining "cats-and-dogs". I found that, with my supervision, the girls were able to make figures that they were really proud of. No previous practice! But, Oh Oh(!), by the end of the play date the girls were watching mom make figures of her own, and shamelessly ignoring the little ones! That was over two years ago, and polymer clay has become one of my passions. This book is great for introducing the fun and versitility of polymer clay, and is great for kids with adult supervision!



4. My 8 y.o. daughter and I are on cat #3 in her planned family of 5. I agree with other opinions that there could be a little more details, but we're adaptable sort of folks, so we just ran with it and used our imaginations. Other figure books are too detailed in sculpting for kids so I think this is a great place for a kid to start especially as a project to share with a grownup.



5. It's rather difficult to grasp what the author is talking about, due to the fact that she does not include very many details on how to put the characters together, or how much clay to use. It's pretty difficult for kids since the projects are very specialized and involve A LOT of clay for anyone who's not a "professional" hobbyist. It's good for getting ideas or checking the basics but I would not recommend this book for the projects or for a novice, like me.