No comments about Lighthouses (Norton/Library of Congress Visual Sourcebooks in Architecture, Design & Engineering).

1 comments about Simplified Design of Concrete Structures (Parker/Ambrose Series of Simplified Design Guides).

1. This is a decent introduction to reinforced concrete design, but I do not like the way the material is presented. Ambrose has done a poor job in picking up Parker's work.

   First and foremost, Ambrose does not appear to be a very good writer. The text is written in the first-person, which I find awkward and unprofessional for such a topic. There are numerous typograpical errors. The first six chapters of the book are largely qualitative and superficial discussions on concrete uses, production and so forth. Earnest problem solving doesn't start until Chapter 7.

   Parker's 3rd Edition of Structural Steel design has been a trusted companion of mine for many years. The information is concise and the presentation robust without a lot of nonsense. I was hoping to get that same treatment out of Ambrose with this edition of concrete design. Ninety dollars later, I discovered that I have not.

1 comments about The Accessible Home: Easy Ways to Improve the Safety, Practicality, and Value of Your Home.

1. I would not classify this as a paperback book. It is more of a phamplet...the type you normally receive for free. This one was so small that I almost threw it out with the other paperwork within the package. The price should be much cheaper for this kind of item.

No comments about Rooftop Architecture.

1 comments about Sheds, Gazebos & Outbuildings (Black & Decker Home Improvement Library).

1. I purchased a copy of Sheds, Gazebos & Outbuildings from Amazon this summer with the intent to build a shed as a fall project. While not a journey-level carpenter, I have built decks, added a room and so on. Buying the book seemed a good way to get a basic plan and have guidance on construction tasks unfamiliar to me. The first part of the book gives general start-to-finish construction tips (with good photos) and the second part contains 8 sets of project plans (no photos, only drawings and plans). I read parts of the book in detail, scanned other parts and, with some slight modifications, followed the basic garden shed plans. Right now I'm putting on the roof and am pleased with the overall results. Did the book play an important part? Yes and no. Yes, in that it did give some useful guidance and filled in some information gaps. No, in that lower cost plans are available through resources such as your agricultural extension service or local library. Too, the general building techniques section had photographs of a shed quite similar to the basic shed plans. This caught me when constructing the rafters and I think it might for others who attempt to use the book. The shed rafter design in the general part is not the same as used in the basic garden shed plans. Unless the book is carefully read it is easy to be thrown into a quandary as to which method to follow. Upon reflection, I'm a bit suspicious that there are no photos of completed structures for the 8 projects. I wonder if the plans were ever used to build the 8 structures (only drawings are used to illustrate them for the reader). I wrote the publisher to ask why two different rafter designs were shown. I received a prompt, technically correct, and courteous answer. However, there are any number of ways to construct the different parts of a wood structure and thus it doesn't make much sense to include a design that doesn't seem to directly apply to the plans in the book. The publisher's answer avoided that issue; that made me uncomfortable. I fear that if I tried the some of other plans that I might run into similar problems. In sum, I can't recommend that you buy this nice, but obfuscating book

No comments about Adv in Autoclaved Aerated Concrete.

No comments about Converting Old Buildings Into New Homes.

5 comments about A Cabinetmaker's Notebook.

1. Not a practical cabinet making how to book, but not intended to be. This is a wonderful book of philosophy and idealism designed to inspire artistry in wood. It is easy to see and catch Krenov's passion for producing beauty.



2. As woodworking books go, James Krenov's "A Cabinet Maker's Notebook" is an anomaly. What you won't find is any detailed plan on how to build Krenov cabinets. On fact, what you will find is the reason why you won't find step-by-step instructions. This is as close as woodworking comes to a philosophy book. Krenov is sharing the inside of his head, and his head doesn't quite work like anyone else's. It is a chance to look at the why's, not the how.
   
   Krenov's life has been a serendipitous one, living in Siberia, Alaska, Sweden, and parts in between. And holding a number of jobs while he was at it. The result is a woodworker who has had so many influences that his style has become unique and often imitated. But imitating James Krenov is a lost task unless you are willing to work and think the way he does. And, as truth would have it, if you would do that you would be a fine craftsman, but your work would be different from Krenov's, and that would be the point.
   
   Krenov the woodworker is a careful meticulous man who does much of his work with hand tools. One who accumulates wood and makes it part of the family, waiting patiently until idea and material gel in his mind. Then, with a few rough sketches in hand, produced another of his pieces that he will be quick to tell you are unobtrusive, soft, and friendly. They are also unmistakably Krenov's in their subtlety and total commitment to craftsmanship.
   
   This book is about many aspects of Krenov's like - his love for wood and cats, his personal history, and his philosophy. There is one sizeable section where he talks about several of his pieces - quick tours that may very well leave you stunned when you realize the completeness of his vision. If I just once accomplish something as beautiful as a Krenov cabinet what a proud wood shaper I will be.



3. I just read the book. It is a personal statement, and an inspiration to those who wish to do fine woodworking, and learn attitudes that will help you excel at whatever you do. Just as weightlifting helps your strength overall, this book helps you improve your outlook on life, your work ethic, and most importantly, how to deal with the struggles of frustration and finishing long difficult projects. I was surprised to read that he was plagued by self-doubt regarding his ability for many yrs. He talks here about his childhood, parents, and how he met his wife, so it's more personal. His cabinet work is astounding in its attention to detail, and he can literally work with thousandths of an inch by hand...as well as design beautiful pieces, work with wood grain, types of wood, etc. This book covers the personal, emotional, ethical, environmental, and even spiritual aspects of fine craftsmanship and personal fulfillment. Does it have all the answers? No, he himself says he can't tell you whether or not to "sell out" and do fast, cheap, commercial work. But his insights, intelligence, and experience can go a long way to help you work out these issues for yourself, as we all must do at one time or another. Read this book, then "The Fine Art of Cabinetmaking" which discusses details of how to sharpen planes, chisels, select wood, etc. A must-read for any thoughtful craftsman....



4. Another of the essential books for woodworkers. Even if you don't like the style of Krenov's work you can't help but be touched by his philosophy and be a better woodworker because of it. This is the authors most philosophical work but don't let that scare you - there's noting dry or academic here - just good advice on loving what you do. Another classic.



5. The most influential modern book on cabinetmaking, July 9, 1998
   Reviewer: A reader
   First published in 1975, The Cabinetmaker's Notebook is a modern classic for those who wish to pursue cabinetmaking as a mode of sensitive self-expression. That may seem like a mouthful, but you either build cabinets because you need to store things, or for some less practical reason. As Red Green says "If your wife doesn't find you handsome, she should at least find you handy". That is one reason beyond the practical, A kind of I want to impress people stage. But when you get beyond that; the house is full of furniture, and your wife actually wishes you would come in from the shop once in a while, what keeps you out there? If it is a desire to do your best work, with the best tools and wood you can find then this book may be for you.
   Why do I call it the most influential book of its kind? Well partly because it influenced me, but it also struck a cord when it first came out in the seventies and the woodworking revival was underway. It is pretty much as valid today as then. Krenov, who grew up in the U.S., wrote these books while living in Sweden. They proved so popular that a school was created stateside at which he still teaches. Krenov's insights are of some use to people who pursue other crafts.
   
   The most likely volumes to share shelf space with this and other Krenov books are; George Nakashima The Soul of a Tree (worth it for the pictures alone) and Sam Maloof Woodworker (ditto)

No comments about Featherweights: Light, Mobile and Floating Architecture (Architecture in Focus).

No comments about Prisoners of Museum (RIEAeuropa Concepts Series).