No comments about Commodification and Spectacle in Architecture: A Harvard Design Magazine Reader (Harvard Design Magazine).

No comments about Complete Home Plumbing (Complete...).

4 comments about How to Build an Igloo: And Other Snow Shelters.

1. First of all my 5 and 6 year old started looking at this book and it was hard to get it back from them as they were so charmed by the pictures. They have been playing in the snow and hounding me to help ever since.
   
   Second of All I lived in Nunavut for 9 years and took lessons in igloo building from Inuit elders. I also worked with elders and teachers to create a unit on igloo building for students and teachers. I learned to make a half presentable igloo in this process! I can say with a modicum of expertise that many books on the subject are complete flops but not this one.
   
   This book is the real deal. The pictures are great and the text is as well. A fantastic and charming tutorial for playing in the snow. First rate.



2. How are blocks of ice cut and fitted to create an igloo, how can one assess snow possibilities to build one, and what are other shelter options for snowy areas? Norbert Yankielun's How to Build an Igloo and Other Snow Shelters covers all the basics, offering step-by-step insights on how to construct - and inhabit - an igloo or other snow shelter. Any collection located in an area that gets winter snow will relish this fun, appealing title!
   
   Diane C. Donovan
   California Bookwatch



3. my son got this as a gift and enjoyed the variety of snow shelter info.



4. What a truly delightful book describing both the science and the frivolity of snow structures. Dr. Why's excellent detail and evident excitement about the subject lend a depth to a subject all those exposed to the colder climes will enjoy. Make those NOT in a snow-filled area jealous... Great book for all ages and abilities!

1 comments about The Eiffel Tower.

1. I love The Eiffel Tower. I'm amazed that iron can be so beautiful. This is a must have book for anyone that feels the way I do. No stone is left unturned in this book. I now know everything about the Eiffel Tower and love it even more. Beautiful photographs. Excellent information. I love this book.

1 comments about Practical Heating Technology.

1. Couldn't find a book that was "more used" at a lesser price, but was glad to find it just the same. And it was like new.

No comments about Tiling Step-by-Step (Step-By-Step).

2 comments about Raphael Soriano.

1. Of all the important pioneers of modern architecture in southern California, Soriano was one of the most inventive and idealistic, but least successful. If he hadn't won the attention of Julius Shulman--as a photographer and client--he would probably be forgotten, so few are the surviving traces of his modest mid-century output. When he died, in 1988, poor and embittered, few took note. This self-inflicted failure (Soriano alienated Entenza, Eichler and several other key clients) challenged Wolfgang Wagener, an architect who practices here and in Germany, to reevaluate his achievement and develop a complete list of buildings and projects. (Michael Webb is the book reviewer for LA Architect magazine.)



2. This is a thorough, comprehensive monograph on a talented, yet often forgotten modernist. The book competently chronicles Soriano's career and major projects. However it achieves much more: There is an excellent introductory essay (The Postwar Dream Takes Hold) on the post WWII housing boom and specifically on the typology of the modern California House. This background introduces the reader to the spirit of the era in which Soriano established his practice.

   The second essay, entitle Pioneering Steel Houses 1935-1970 focuses on Soriano's career and his strong convictions of the steel frame used as a vehicle to meet the demand of the housing boom. The photos, mostly by noted photographer Julius Shulman are crisp and clear. While it would be nice to see recent photos of Sauriano's structures, the author is clear to point out that most of Soriano's buildings have sadly been demolished or altered beyond recognition.

   The two essays are followed by a very thorough catalogue with commentary of all Soriano's projects. The book also contains a map of Soriano's projects in Los Angeles, a Chronology of the Architect's life, and finally the typescript of Soriano's unfinished autobiography (all of about 5 typewritten pages).

   I highly recommend this book for the student of mid-century modernism.

2 comments about Living in Finland (Living In... Series).

1. This book exceeded my expectations. I wanted a book with pictures, but every page is beautifully illustrated with superb photographs. It is a splendid tour which will be a much appreciated gift. Highly recommended.
   
   One problem - the packing was partly opened when it arrived as the sticky tape had come loose on the outside, but the book was undamaged.



2. This is a beautiful and inspiring invitation to enter the seasonal lives of middle class Finns. It demonstrates how Finnish architecture, design and art draw inspiration from and are sensitive to the natural environment. The section on Finnish summer houses is superb. An up-to-date directory at the end of the book is really helpful for someone like me planning a trip to Finland later in the year. Highly recommended.

1 comments about Cool Hotels: India, Maldives, Sri Lanka.

1. Students of architecture, hotel and commercial building design, and travel will all find much to attract in Cool Hotels: India, Maldives, Sri Lanka: it features the best hotels of the region, from rustic to big city, and discusses craftsmanship, artistic d‚cor, and landscaping qualities which make each hotel exceptional. The meat of Cool Hotels lies in its full-page color photos of both interior and exteriors of featured hotels.

No comments about Glass Houses.