2 comments about Crossings.

1. webb has worked on and off for 25 years on this, and because of it the book seems a bit uneven, mixing old and new, color and B/W in a distracting way. i would highly recommend 'amazon' and 'sunshine state' by the same author before this, but all of webb's books are worthy, important additions to contemporary photography.



2. There aren't many good street photographers shooting with color film. Alex Webb is one of the best. The images in this book span 25 years and focus on the U.S.-Mexico border geographically but their impact is universal.

   Webb fills the frame with people and objects that make the viewer think and reflect about life and not just about life near the border. You will see Elvis, leather belts for sale, restaurants, the beach, a deserted bar, children playing, an elderly man on a bus, wrestlers, a father hugging his son, checker players and a wonderful image of Tijuana taken in 1999 that includes Santa Claus, the Backstreet Boys and other well known symbols of our time arranged beautifully in one image. This is life as it is -- not as someone wishes it would be -- and is also positive and uplifting. Webb is at the top of his game.

4 comments about Organic Architecture.

1. This is a gorgeous introduction to organic architecture, which paralleled, although was never as popular as, the International style, especially among architectural critics. The most famous proponent was Frank Lloyd Wright, but Hess introduces numerous other architects working in the style beginning at the turn of the 19th-20th century and continuing until the present.
   
   "Organic" architecture refers to a match between the architecture, the landscape, and all of the decoration and interior elements. To laymen, the term can reflect designs that almost seem to grow out of the earth and to follow nature. In this sense, Organic architecture often strikes me as an abstract form of Art Nouveau, with its strong lines and mixture of the natural and the machine age. Hess argues that the highly individualistic designs work very well for the particulars of the owners' personal lifestyles.
   
   The book is an introduction because it has very little text and consists almost entirely of wonderful photographs of residential buildings. The less academic among us will have no complaint about that, but others will want to follow up with items from Hess's bibliography.



2. This book offers a broad survey of American organic architecture beginning with, of course, Frank Lloyd Wright. It's chief limitation is that it skips many great architects in the organic tradition (Paolo Soleri, John Randall McDonald, Jim Hubbell, Art Dyson, etc.) and gives many others only fleeting attention. And, as an earlier reviewer pointed out, it's exclusive focus on residential designs omits great masterpieces such as Lloyd Wright's Wayfarers Chapel, Thorncrown Chapel by E. Fay Jones and Soleri's Cosanti complex. Also missing are Cuban, Indian and Hungarian architects in the organic tradition. Ideally, this should be the first of several volumes exploring the continuing relevance of Frank Lloyd Wright and organic architecture in the world of design.



3. As an avid collector of books on Organic architects and architecture, I attest there is relatively little available on the specific subject, aside from all that available on Frank Lloyd Wright. Organic architects continue to remain outside mainstream criticism and publications, notably magazines - maybe for good reason - yet there are dozens, if not hundreds, of exceptionally creative organic architects whose designs could be easily celebrated.
   
   I eagerly anticipated the release of this book and wasn't disappointed. Organic Architecture is perhaps among the most authoritative surveys on the Organic history and its attempt to present many seldom published or possibly forgotten worthy architects. Examples include work by Alden Dow, Paul Schweikher, Karl Kamrath, Charles Haertling, and Alfred Browning Parker. Unfortunately, because of so many architects who could have been included in this volume, this book falls far from encyclopedic.
   
   The book is not a perfect study of the subject, due mainly for space limitations. Despite its sweeping title, the author focuses solely on the history of the American Organic (since there is a European Organic to consider) since 1900 and presents only houses. It is a bit heavy on homes built between 1940 and 1960. I hoped more from the 1970's to present could have been included, as well as some significant Organic architects that did not appear at all, such as Arthur Dyson, Vernon Swaback, or Daniel Liebermann, among others. This lacking is not to take away from this book, but rather point out the extent to which this book could have explored. To Hess' credit, his narrative does offer much to be explored for forthcoming authors with more in depth books.
   
   The photographer is well known and many of Mr. Weintraub's photos are exceptional, particularly since photographing organic works of architecture can be difficult at best. However, some of the photos do seem affected from less-than-perfect conditions or timing, such as a "high sun" that casts too sharp of shadows on some of the subjects' surfaces. The photographer's interior shots are best.
   
   Overall, this is a 275-page "must purchase" book for those interested in Organic architecture because of its broad historical survey. I would encourage anyone to research further some of the architects profiled in this book, such as Alden Dow, Lloyd Wright, or Wallace Cunningham. Be advised that there are no illustrations in the book, such as plans and section drawings. In my estimate, this places this volume far from any serious critical acclaim from scholars and keeps it in the "nice coffee table" category. This book on my coffee table suits me fine.



4. I saw this book review in a magazine, and it looked to me like the book would be much better than it is. For me, I was looking for photographs and discussion about unique homes that blend seamlessly into the environment...much like the photo on the cover. However, most of the book is dedicated to homes that, in my opinion, do just the opposite. Over 3/4 of the homes discussed are older and not at all what I expected to see in this book. I was expecting much more modern construction, unique shapes, inventive use of space and light, flawless streamlining into the surrounding landscape. Very few homes in the book can be classified in this way. Perhaps it was intended more as a historical overview of how blending homes with nature has evolved. I, however, was expecting to see new and unique ideas for home construction, interesting and environmentally friendly ways to build "into" nature instead of on top of it, and simply how to camouflage your habitat into your surroundings. Many of the interior photos were beautiful, however I was not buying this book for interior design. The majority of photos were of homes that I did not find at all unique. I wish that I would have checked this book out at the library before buying it.

5 comments about Batman: The Complete History.

1. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. As a Batman fan, I found it very interesting reading about the history of my favourite superhero - from the way he was created, through various evolutions over the years, and how he (and his comics in general) have developed into the modern style that I am most familiar with.
   
   There are plenty of pictures which are great, and help to illustrate the changes that batman has gone through.
   
   A few slight criticisms though: First, the amount of book dedicated to each era of batman seems disproportionate. As expected, there is a great deal dedicated to his origins and early days, and quite a bit on the campy batman of the 1960s TV show, however there seems to be far less focussing on the way he evolved into the modern batman, and his modern appearances. Specifically, the movies of Tim Burton and Joel Schumacher receive little more than a passing mention, when they could have been fleshed out much more to explain the Dark Knight's successes onscreen.
   
   Also, be aware that this book was written in 1999, and as such is almost a decade out of date in terms of Batman's recent appearances - the most obvious that I would have liked to hear about was the new imagining of batman for Batman Begins etc. However, this is not a fault of the book, but merely of time - but it is best to keep in mind that it is no longer a 'complete' history of Batman.
   
   All in all though, an excellent book for the Batman fan, or anyone with an interest in superheroes or the comic book industry.



2. 
   This book is very thick, nicely done, and chock full of -Holy History Museum, Batman!- lots of amazing photos and comics. It tells you everything you ever wanted to know about Batman. If Bat-History were to be a subject in school, this would be the book in all the desks.
   
   The reason that I only gave it four stars is because there is one very sick-minded and disgusting comic towards the back of the book, that's all about man/woman stuff that no kid should be reading. I tore it out as soon as I saw it, because it's a flaw in this otherwise amazing and beautifully constructed book on the Dark Knight. Also, go through this book with a black marker before giving it as a gift- there are some pictures in it of women who need to learn how to dress themselves better!
   
   All in all, a PRICELESS volume.



3. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Les Daniel's history of the Batman concept as expressed in comic books and strips, television shows (animated and live action) and movies. As a young child I took great delight in the Adam West TV show--blissfully unaware of how really campy it was--the comic books, of course, and all of the Batman paraphernalia that was available in the 1960s. I picked up this book for nostalgia's sake, and did not expect it to be a very sophisticated treatment of the subject. It just looked visually like a lot of fun.
   
   So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that Daniels takes his subject very seriously indeed. He plumbs the cultural antecedents of the Batman concept, and describes its realization in the comic book. He meticulously details the process in which the comic book stories and art for Batman were accomplished over the decades, paying particularly close attention to the key artists and writers involved in the process. He carefully explains the changes--subtle or not--made to the Batman concept over time, and reveals the business and artistic philosophies behind these changes.
   
   It's fascinating to see how this cultural icon evolved over time, like a pendulum moving back and forth from the dark and creepy to the silly and campy. Daniels reveals Batman's role in the 1950s debate over the morality of comic books, and he explains how Batman's creative team sought to deflect criticism that Batman and Robin's relationship was suspect by introducing a "family" for Batman, including a Batgirl and a Batwoman.
   
   Daniels deftly addresses both the art and writing of Batman and the hugely popular cultural phenomenon Batman has been over the decades. It might have been tempting, from a commercial standpoint, to have given a lot more attention to the live action television show and the recent movies, but Daniels treats all manifestations of the Dark Knight rather evenly.
   
   I can understand the concern, expressed by others here, that the busy layout of the book distracts the reader. Admittedly, as I mentioned above, it was that eye candy that attracted me to the book in the first place. And, for me, I did not find all the illustrations and sidebars unpleasant distractions in a book devoted to such a primarily visual topic.
   
   I highly recommend this delightful, and well researched and written book, to all readers who have an undying fondness for the Batman cultural icon.



4. This book chronicles in great detail the history of the Dark Knight, from his comic book debut in 1939 to the various media incarnations of today. While this book does not include Batman Begins or the Justice League animated series, everything that came before is laid out in vivid detail, with some excellent photographs by collector Chip Kidd, who previously collaborated with author Daniels on Batman: Collected, a book about the various Batman products that have been marketed and sold over the years. This is an excellent item to own for fans of Batman of any age (reading skills desirable). Final grade - A



5. This is a real tough book to describe. It's packed with great comics art, paintings, photos, animation art, rare interviews and information. There's a ton of Bat-material from every media, and a comprehensive chronology of the Caped Crusader's comic chronicles. BUT--the layout is strictly a frenzy of "look what I can do with Quark!" Copy jumps several pages at a time to accomodate ridiculously enlarged Bat-heads and sidebars, completely derailing the reading experience. I know some may consider this chaos trendy and artistically modern, but its just the same old "pop art" condescension towards "kiddie books." Obviously readers cannot cope with page after page of words and relevant illustrations, so the "Award Winning Designer" has pumped up the volume with lots of big cropped images and 7-inch wide columns of copy in reverse-type sidebars (the nuns should whack his knuckles with a ruler for that alone--"BAD, BAD, designer.") Content is definitely A+. Presentation is strictly art school C-. This book is worth it for the rare and exciting artwork, but it really could have been so much better. When will the comic companies stop being so ashamed of their product? Books like this just contribute to the presumption that comics are hyperactive adolescent trash and the readers are unsophisticated cattle with the attention-span of gophers who will buy any incomprehensible crap that insults them. Wait a minute...
   
   DC also released a calendar book using the same design aesthetic. Guess what? Same cluttered, crappy, childish look. My advice? Don't buy either product and let them choke on a couple thousand copies. Problem is, they won't blame the design, and will just assume that the Batcraze is over. You really can't win, because the "designer" probably has an MA, and we're all just stupid comic fans. Guess who can't be wrong?

2 comments about Programming for Design: From Theory to Practice.

1. Edith Cherry provides a very comprehensive overview of a subject that tends to be overlooked or neglected by many individuals in the architectural field. This is a must read for every architectural office regardless of office size or scale of work. Understanding and implementing Programming is an essential component in the architectural process that can not be overlooked.



2. In July 2002, UIA agreed to promote their criteria on Architectural Education, worldwide. Among various criteria, we can clearly find necessity of teaching the architectural programming in school. With understanding this situation, I can recommend this as the BEST TEXT BOOK among others in this field,
   compulsory for students and educator.

4 comments about Painting Watercolor Portraits That Glow.

1. I've seen copies of this book priced at over $100. Before you spend that kind of money, be aware that:
   What I consider the most valuable advice in this book on portraits is repeated in Painting Beautiful Watercolors from Photographs, also buy Jan Kunz, and available at a much more reasonable price.
   Roberta Carter Clark's How to Paint Living Portraits, which covers oil and watercolor, and charcoal, is a better book over all. Two examples are, how to paint hair, and a much clearer presentation of value in painting. Clark's book even has a better index.
   I'm not saying Painting Watercolor Portraits that Glow isn't worth looking at, but borrow it from the library, and make sure before you shell out $100 to buy one.



2. One of the last things I wanted to learn in painting watercolor was painting portraits because quite honestly, I didn't care for it mainly because I didn't know how. But after reading this book, I no longer feel apprehensive about painting portraits. Jan Kunz's book is a terrific instructional guide on how to start, as well as what colors to use and where to use them. The book even includes some step-by-step samples based on real-life models Ms. Kunz has used that you can start off first as a guide.

   For beginners, this is a very good book to use to get started.




3. This is the one portrait book I would recommend for artists at ANY level of expertise and for all media., but especially for watercolor artists.



4. Jan Kunz has written a thoughtful, well-organized, presentation on how to paint watercolor portraits. Her realistic style of painting still manages to be expressive due to her emphasis on careful planning of how the image will be painted beforehand, allowing the artist's brush to put in correct values and hues with freedom and control at the same time. It's where I look whenever I get in trouble painting a portrait.

2 comments about The Mathematics of the Ideal Villa and Other Essays.

1. Colin Rowe's essays are exceptionally insightful and truly enlightening. These essays were written decades ago but they're still enormously valuable and still very fresh. The first essay, from which the book takes its title and probably Rowe's most famous, is an analysis of the geometrical and proportional similarities between Le Corbusier's villa at Garches and Palladio's Villa Malcontenta. A brief but dense tour de force. Perhaps his next most famous essay is "Transparency: Literal and Phenomenal," written with Robert Slutzky. Also a real eye-opener. In other essays he discusses the curious relationship between the Chicago frame and modern architecture; neo-classicism and modern architecture; mannerism and modern architecture; La Tourette; 19th century thinking about architectural character and composition; and the architecture of utopia. These essays make you think, look at things differently, look at things you hadn't noticed, and they ultimately enlarge your understanding of architecture and your architectural field of vision. I'm grateful to Colin Rowe for that. After reading this book I bought his three-volume collection of essays, "As I Was Saying." I just had to have more. The essays in this book put your mind to work but Rowe's writing is also quite engaging. He's a genuinely independent thinker and a rigorous one too. These are wonderful essays and the book is highly recommended.



2. This collection of essays by Prof. Colin Rowe is considered to be among the most important analytical essays on architecture in this century. Prof. Rowe has won the Gold Medal in Architecture from Queen Elizabeth and was Professor of Architecture at Cornell for over 25 years.

2 comments about Historic Arts & Crafts Homes of Great Britain.

1. The "Historic" part of the title must be taken seriously. All of the houses are very big and open to the public. This is not a book for anyone wanting to duplicate Arts & Crafts style. There are much better books for that purpose. The book is fine, but a minor glitch occurs on pages 134-135. The same painting shown in two photographs shows that one of the photos is mirror-image.



2. This is a beautifully illustrated book depicting ten magnificant houses from the Arts & Crafts period in Great Britain. These homes dating from the late 1800's and early 1900's reflect a time that seems quintessentially England. You almost expect to find Sherlock Holmes or perhaps Lord Peter Wimsey to come around the corner.
   
   The homes are architectually impressive, but this book is mainly on the interior style and decorations. In many cases, such as Red House, the architect designed everything about the house from the structure itself down to the dining room table and the candlesticks and glasses to put on it.
   
   Needless to say, these houses were not built for the common ordinary people, but were the country homes of the very well to do. Most of them were not royalty but successful businessmen. Just to think of cleaning them now seems like a great deal of effort.
   
   As an added benefit, all of these homes are open to the public, and information is given as to how to visit.

No comments about Hospital and Healthcare Facility Design.

1 comments about The Writings Of Marcel Duchamp (A Da Capo Paperback).

1. I cannot recommend this "as a read". It has value if you have a significant level of interest in this type of art.

5 comments about The White House: Its Historic Furnishings and First Families.

1. What a great addition to my collection of WHITE HOUSE books and memorabilia. This well-written, well-researched and beautifully photographed book gives the detail that is sometimes missing in the more general WHITE HOUSE history or antecdotal writings. It is a good "stand alone" and would be a great "living room" collection book in any case, but for those who enjoy the rich history of D.C. this is a jewel. I recommend it.



2. The White House is just an amazing facility, it's a museum, the President's Residence, and the embodiment of the Executive Branch. This book is exhaustively researched, and the photographs are well done. Though it is really not a history of the first families, the book really consentrates on furnishings, and the changes made to the structure over the centuries. The White House serves so many duties and thanks to Jackie O, the historic furnishing have returned and subsequent first ladies and curators have continued her pursuit of historic period furnishings. This book does a wonderful job of highlighting the best of the White House Collection. If you like books of this sort then you will enjoy this book dedicated to one of the iconic symbols of democracy.



3. This is a beautiful book with exquisite layout and photographs. However, the title gives the impression that we will find information on the First Families, which certainly is not so. It is a very good coffee table book on interior design, design, furnishings, architecture, etc. but since I expected photos and information on people, I was somewhat dissappointed with its contents. But it is a work of art.



4. Betty Monkman, the White House Curator and photographer Bruce White (from the Metropolitan Museum of Art) have collaborated to create an invaluable text on the history of the furnishings of The White House. Wonderful stories lie within...most famously, the story behind the Resolute Desk, the desk used by Presidents Kennedy, Carter, George H. Bush, Bill Clinton, and now President George W. Bush in their respective Oval Offices.

   On June 1st at 6PM, Ms. Monkman will deliver a lecture on The White House as part of exhibition presented by the John F. Kennedy Library and The Metropolitan Museum "Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years-Selections from the John F. Kennedy Library and Museum". The exhibit will begin May 1, 2001 until July 29, 2001. This will be a great opportunity for one to hear Ms. Monkman's expertise in person. Go to the lecture and buy the book!




5. Once again Betty Monkman has given us WHITE HOUSE FANS a magnificant chronicle! What a glorious, beautiful absolutely stunning work of art! Betty has included everything in this piece! Bruce White's photography cannot be topped! Looking at the old photos of days gone by and then seeing the "latest versions" of those historic rooms is truly a treat! The details on the historic furntiure, art pieces, glassware, china and more within those walls is fascinating! During this - the 200th Anniversary year of the White House getting it's first occupants, this book is really a treasure and a great addition to anyone's library to help mark this historic anniversary! I thought I knew a lot about the White House - once again Betty Monkman has taught me more! Thanks Betty! :-)