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).

No comments about Asian Bar and Restaurant Design.

5 comments about Painting Pets on Rocks.

1. It has beautiful painted rocks in it and shows just how easy it is to paint rocks. I am not a real good painter but, I do plan to give it a try. Instructions and ideas in this book are great even for a beginner like me.



2. I couldn't help it, it sounded so fascinating when I was invited to a "rock party". A friend held it, and all of us got together at her place. She had a bunch of field rock, (though I've heard smooth river rock is good also) and she had cleaned them all up and they sat, waiting on her front step. We took turns choosing the rock that "spoke to us" and brought it into the house for some good old fashioned gossip and a fun project with friends. Oh, yes, we had doubts! Halfway through those rocks were UGLY, and we took a few chip and salsa breaks so we could look at them from a distance (they looked better that way- Laugh!). But- amazingly enough- when we finished the last step, perfectly outlined in the book- our rocks looked GREAT!! I actually DISPLAY mine in my little rock garden, and get so many comments on their "uniqueness". What a fun idea! And takes almost no $ to get started, if you're like me, you already have the simple materials lying around from previous projects!! Great book, simple instructions, great tips and pointers- even for the novice.



3. Painting Pets on Rocks is a fabulous step by step instructional book. My students (1st through 7th grade) created fabulous rock paintings following these easy-to-follow instructions.



4. Super, these books by Ms. Wellford are illustrated so beautifully that ANYONE could paint animals and such on rocks. Her directions are not only the written word, but also demonstrated by showing the drawing from the stones to use, preparing the stones, sketching from "square one" on thru the completed reproduction. These books are a MUST for any rock painter enthusiast.



5. A new meaning to the words "Pet Rock":

   Lin Wellford has out-done herself again! I just can't get enough of her books! For those of you who have not read any of Lin Wellford's books, let me tell you, IT'S TIME TO START! In "Painting Pets on Rocks" you learn how to paint your dog, cat, fish, and even your pet bird! The book doesn't just show you one type of dog, or only one cat. Lin gives you instructions on how to create many different rock pets. From Dalmations to bulldogs, tabby cat to siamese...this book has it all.

   Even if you have never painted before, you can do these projects. The book has full color, nearly step by step photos with the step by step instructions. As with all Lin Wellford books, her instructions are written for the beginner and it is amazing how well your pet rocks come out.

5 comments about Oil Painting - The Workshop Experience.

1. In the opening of the book, the artist mentions that he dropped out of art classes because of his instructors. I think he should have continued his art classes. I don't know if his paintings are meant to be just illustrative and are not real representations of what he does because I've seen his work before and it's not comparable to what is in this book.
   If I had to pay for his instructional teaching, then I would demand my money back. The only reason I haven't returned this book is that I misplaced the Amazon invoice and packing materials. In all honesty, I must say that my first oil painting I ever painted turned out better than anything this artist has in his book, and that was without any previous or prior knowledge, and I don't consider myself to be a great artist.
   Painting is like common sense - you either have it, or you don't.



2. I have read a good number of books on painting and this one is head and shoulders above the rest. I experienced an immediate improvement in the quality of my painting after reading this book.
   
   Some of the things I found valuable were Goerschner's explanation of how he achieves color harmony through the use of four "grays," the role of dynamic and static shapes in a composition, and his annotated "paint-on" critiques.
   
   This book contains complete and well rounded instruction -- I can't recommend it enough!



3. It's more suitable for beginners. There is not much information. There are some good suggestions. The book title attracted me. It's pretty basic.



4. I've been painting off and on for 50 years. This book is the best I've read, bar none, on how to free up your artistic creativity. I've read it through twice and keep it handy as a reference. The ideas within are expressed with simplicity and great skill, making the book a delight to read. The book is definitely a keeper. I highly recommend it for any serious oil or acrylic artist.



5. I am using this book (along with Kevin Macpherson's "Fill Your Oil Paintings with Light and Color" and Charles Sovek's "Oil Painting -Develop Your Natural Ability") as a foundation for my self-directed study in oil painting.

   Goershner's understanding of design and color, and his enthusiasm and clarity of teaching makes him a must-read for serious students of painting. My hope is to become as masterful as he is in his paintings: he manages to intrigue the viewer immediately, and uses superb compositional and color methods to elate and inspire, and leave the viewer wanting more.

   Through step by step examples in the book, he explains why his paintings work so well, and how you can develop the same competence. I particularly enjoyed his critiques of 12 student paintings which he then improves and explains why they now look so much better. What a superb way to learn!

   I've definitely become a Goershner fan and will be working with this book often.

5 comments about Enchanting Woodland Birdhouses.

1. This is one of the most beautifully put together books I have ever read on the subject of making birdhouses. They look so complicated, yet she breaks it all down in easy to follow instructions and offers suggestions on making similar houses with different materials. And some of her techniques are so clever. I think it is a must have for any woodworker or crafter who likes to make birdhouses.



2. I bought this book for my husband and son. My husband is a builder and looked at the practices in the book with horror. He says that the way the author bores out the insides of the log is a good way to lose a few fingers. I am currently looking for a naturally hollow log so I can make one myself but we won't have our son attempt making any with the methods described. There is one house that is made with pipe and pebbles with no cutting that is charming and we may attempt that. Truly a beautiful book with darling little bird homes resulting -just watch out for your hands!



3. My husband saw this book at the library and he had to have it. The projects are photographed beautifully and you can see every detail. We can't wait to make our own versions of the projects. The techniques are very clever. This book has very well laid out step by step instructions with lots of pictures. Anyone into nature will love this book.



4. If you enjoy nature walks and love the idea of using found materials, this book is too much fun! I found the projects fascinating and yet I came away thinking "I can do this." I also appreciated the way she used some store bought materials so you don't have to live in the country to try creating some of these charming cottages. And the lovely little illustrations throughout make it a pleasure to look through even if your aren't inclined to actually make any of them.



5. Author Lucinda Macy's "Enchanting Woodland Birdhouses" is one of the finest step by step, do it yourself craft books that i've had the opportunity to use. Her excellent descriptions and pictorials make any of the projects inside a straightforward task to build on your own. Ranging from the simplest of designs, to those that will challenge even a skilled craftsman, there is something to be had for everyone. Furthermore, all birdhouses are designed to National Audobon Society specifications for their intended feathered inhabitants, making them not only beautiful, but very functional as well. Nature enthusiasts and hobbyists of all ages won't want to miss out on this treasure of a book, a great addition to any great library.

No comments about Contemporary Seaside Houses (Evergreen Series).

2 comments about Surface Architecture.

1. I am finishing my thesis at a recognized architecture school on the west coast. This book is a great read. Very insightful and contemporary critique of the role of the facade with relation to fabrication. I admittedly have not finished the text but I have enjoyed what I have read thus far. Enjoy.



2. The conflict between tradition and modernity is a
   force in contemporary architecture even in 21th century!

   Let me ask what is the way of the future of architecture? If we accept architecture as a social and cultural art, beside its technological effacts, (and we know that the culture and society have got their own new definitions in 21th century regarding the new situation of the relationship between human and technology...)we are going to chang the relationship between humans and machines (look at the really similar atmophere in the early 20th century, specially structuralism)...

   Actually, there is no much moral codes here! As Cordeiro says, we are going to live a really new terminology, Genetic engineering. Cyborgs. Artificial intelligence. Consciousness uploading. Singularity, Posthumanism etc. Even as Mark Amerika (in the AVANT-POP MANIFESTO) says: "Now that Postmodernism is dead and we're in the process of finally burying it, something else is starting to take hold in the cultural imagination and I propose that we call this new phenomenon Avant-Pop" ...

   Yes, Avant-Pop and Posthuman (or whatever you call it), and specially the new Electronic Age and the new Cultural Imagination, these are the paradigms of the future and going to define everything including the basement of the architectural design, production and culture in a transdisciplinary way of thinking...

   Maybe its the most question of our age which Mostafavi asks: "'How can design utilise the opportunities of current industrial production so that the practice of architectural representation is neither independent of nor subjugated to the domination of technology?"

2 comments about Good City Form.

1. As one who straddles the two worlds of practice and scholarship with great ease and comfort, I am struck by that rare work of craft which is at once profoundly thoughtful as well as clearly directed. Most serious scholars bend over backwards to embrace the myth of "objectivity", while most practitioners salivate over superficial "best practices". Kevin Lynch's masterpiece, Good City Form, avoids both traps while offering a template for judging the effectiveness of different types of urban form and providing a guide for successful urban design projects. His starting points, a masterful overview of models of urban form throughout history and a sensitive ode to humanist values, help establish a foundation for performance dimensions to measure "good city form": Vitality, Sense, Fit, Access, Control, Efficiency and Justice. I would highly recommend this book to reflective practitioners, scholars interested in the practice of urban design, and others simply interested in shaping the future of our cities. In addition, the book works well with two others as an excellent advanced introduction to the field of urban design: "The City Shaped: Urban Patterns and Meanings Through History" by Spiro Kostof, and "Urban Design Downtown: Poetics and Politics of Form" by Anastasia Loukaitou-Sideris and Tridib Banerjee.



2. In the world of urban design, obsessed with spectacular novelty and superficial aesthetics, this ambitious and profound work of Kevin Lynch is refreshing, yet enduring. He suggests a theory of urban design based on fundamental human values and examines how such values lead to the notion of a "good city form". His performance dimensions (e.g. access, fit, vitality) are broad enough to be interpreted and re-interpreted for specific contexts and sites. And the appendix, which briefly summarizes other theories of city form, is a tour-de-force by itself. A masterpiece which deserves greater attention and consideration, especially by those under the illusion that urban design is more or less architecture writ large!

4 comments about Landscape Planning: Environmental Applications.

1. Clearly explained wetland designations and issues. Good in preparation for the LARE exams part B.



2. This may be one of the best introductions to environmental planning for geography students interested in the application of physical geographic techniques. When inquiring minds ask how a Geography major like myself ended up doing septic plan review as a county Environmental Health Specialist I simply point to Marsh's chapter on waste disposal and describe the necessary physical parameters familiar to physical geographers (soil types and percolation rates, groundwater levels, slopes and topography, surface water, geohazards, mapping, etc). There is something for everybody in this book and you don't have to be a geography major to benefit. A very practical text.



3. I am a student in environmental planning and have found this book to be extremely useful. It address a variey of things such as watershed, storm discharge, streamflow, etc. It really gives the reader an idea of how to design with nature.



4. This book was a great tool for the beginning landscape architect. Many great tools for land planning including equations and tables and charts to determine various things like water runoff, erosion, sun exposure, and much more.

2 comments about Paint Along with Jerry Yarnell Volume Seven - Painting Perspective (Paint Along with Jerry Yarnell).

1. His artwork is good. It is helpful in learning techniques to eventually graduate in doing your own work by just looking a scene or picture. All of his books are great, predictable, but great.



2. A very straght forward and very simple to understand book on perspective. Sure there are more complex and detailed books on this subject on the market, many of which are on my book shelf, but this one is great for beginners and intermediate painters. His video on perspective makes a nice companion to this book.