1 comments about Gas Stations Coast to Coast.

1. A fine book on the American Gas Station. But pales in comparison to "Pump & Circumstance" by Margolies. Witzel's book contains no less than 61 photos of present-day abandoned gas stations, or rusting forlorn gas pumps. A few of these photos would be appropriate in this type of book. But 61! It really makes the book depressing to read. Gas station fans want to see colorful period photos of the stations in their prime.

No comments about Kitchens.

5 comments about The House to Ourselves: Reinventing Home Once the Kids Are Grown.

1. Typical of its kind with lots of great photos of fabulous makeovers, requiring extensive remodeling and an architect. But it does have some concrete ideas that push it up a notch over the competition.



2. What an outstanding resource for empty-nesters looking to redefine their lives! The house is yours again, what do you want to do with it for the second-half of your life? I can't wait until the last child leaves so I can put so many of these examples to use. Well, I'll enjoy the time left and just use it to plan. The attractive photo of Todd Lawson is an added benefit.



3. When I picked up this book, I thought it was for empty nesters and retirees who wanted to downsize or "undecorate" the kids out of their former rooms. Not so! These homes are for people who have lots of living and big plans for themselves. There are only a couple of places I would call "retirement" homes. The rest include homes with offices to make work life go along with home life,homes with studios for the fulfillment of dreams and even homes with guest wings and guest houses to welcome whole troops of extended family. Absolutely brimming with ideas.



4. I purchased this book for my parents who are planning on building. They absolutely loved it! It has lots of great ideas.



5. We purchased this book hoping to find new ideas to fit our needs. It was obvious the authors researched the material at length and offered a variety of solutions that could be adaptable to any lifestyle. Lots of illustrations which helps visualization. We are able to incorporate many of the suggestions in this book to our remodeling projects. Now the hard part - tackling the hammer and nails.

1 comments about Country Houses of England: Landhauser in England = Les Maisons Romantiques D'Angleterre (Specials).

1. This book is a very nice compilation. It has the usual high "Taschen" standard of photography and is nice and heavy on the pictures. The other great thing about the book is that it shows a series of very "lived in" sort of interiors (unlike the really contrived sort you so often see in design books). Overall, a really enjoyable read for anyone interested in seeing how the other half lives.

1 comments about Toward a Simpler Way of Life: The Arts and Crafts Architects of California.

1. When I began studying architecture, many of my favorite architects were designers in the Arts & Crafts style. They were my favorites before I even heard of the Movement. This book is not only a must have for students of architecture and Arts & Crafts fans, but a valuable resource for history scholars in general who want to learn more about the people who shaped the region and the way we live here. The book is nicely photographed, showing buildings in their early surroundings, as they exist today, a variety of good close-up details, etc. All photos are black and white, some with an authentic sepia tone look. Some color photos would have been nice. I wish that a book like this existed for the architects of each state. Each essay is well written by a variety of different authors, many of which are familiar names to Arts & Crafts enthusiasts.

   J. Wheeler

   San Francisco Bay Area Arts & Crafts Movement

   http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Orchard/8642/

1 comments about Private Towers: Expanded Edition.

1. This beautiful album has also a slight technical touch. It begins with one page introduction, and ends with one page list of architects. In between, each of 12 chapters - dedicated to one tower - begins with one page description followed by the best possible photos on 10+ pages, and 2 to 4 pages with floor plans, sections or sometimes elevations, site plan, model, axonometric view, sketch. Everything is beautifully published on a glossy paper, and looks spectacularly.

No comments about Romance of the Taj Mahal.

2 comments about Life in the French Country House.

1. If you are interested in architecture, this book gives you a fascinating perspective on the use of houses, buildings and property as well as how people lived in French country houses. The book traces French country houses back to the Middle Ages and brings one up to current times, with an explication of how houses changed to meet standards of the times.



2. What a delightful surprise to learn that Mark Girouard has written about France. I have enjoyed his books about English houses and towns for years -- returned to them again and again. His new book on the French country house has delighted me with the same mix of historical knowledge with social insight and architectural connoisseurship. All his books are full of the most interesting insights and details, and he writes like and angel. Nice pictures too. (My only wish is for more pictures, plans and diagrams.) This books is a lovely equal to his "Life in the English Country House."

No comments about Dream Homes Northern California: An Exclusive Showcase of Northern California's Finest Architects (Dream Homes).

No comments about City by Design: Chicago: An Architectural Perspective of the Chicago Area (City By Design series).