5 comments about Cathedral: The Story of Its Construction (Sandpiper).

1. Excellent book with fascinating illustration. Good for children and at the same time for universitary pupils!



2. This book lives up to my expectations of David Macaulay's books in that it's very well drawn, has an abundant amount of useful information and is presented in a clear, exciting manner!



3. Second only to his magnum opus, Castle, this 1981 book continues David Macaulay's tradition of creating intricate (but welcoming and friendly) illustrations as an accompaniment to the telling of his informative tales. Taking its place in a grand series that has included Pyramid, Mill, Castle, Unbuilding, and others, Cathedral details the design and creation of one of the great Gothic churches that came to exist across western Europe during the Age of Faith. The setting here is France during the intellectually-towering High Middle Ages, and in careful steps we come to understand firstly what motivated people to undertake a construction project on such a scale, secondly how the construction was carried out, and finally how a Gothic cathedral, truly a structure that seems to soar untethered to earth, is able to stand so proudly close to a millennium after its dedication. Most marvelously of all, unlike virtually every other Medieval building, the great worship places are still largely in use today, fulfilling their original purposes and continuing on as a tribute to and testimony of the genius of those who erected them. David Macaulay is a master and a treasure, and a book like his teaches without effort. Like all great things, his books are joys to re-visit over the course of a lifetime.



4. Words are useless to describe this masterpiece created by David Macaulay.
   
   I have visited France (more specifically Paris, Rheims, Chartres, Chambord, Versailles, Chenonceau) and went on a "cathedral pilgrimage" to see all the greatest French gothic cathedrals.
   
   After picking up this book in my local library, I was spellbound by the beauty of Macaulay's drawings. Macaulay is able to recreate the majesticness and grandeur of the cathedrals and draws you into the cathedral. You can almost hear the cathedral choir singing in the backround and the quite chanting of the people.
   
   Macaulay's drawings are first rate (no wonder this masterpiece won the Caldacot Medal!)
   
   This book should be read by everyone to show what people can achieve through determination and having a united goal.
   
   This just occurred to me.... why do man's most significant and most beautiful works of art and architecture result from their religion?
   
   David Macaulay's book is pure gold! BUY THIS BOOK, YOU WON'T REGRET IT!!!



5. Like all of Macaulay's architectural books, CATHEDRAL is ripe with vivid illustrations that are both enthralling and educational to behold. The drawings not only illustrate the cathedral's method of construction, but convey the presence and majesty of the space as well. One feels the dizzying height of the tower and the formidable strength of the foundation stones. I was always amazed at the ingenuity of the laborers in completing tasks that I would have otherwise felt impossible to attemp without power tools.
   
   While it is hard to predict whether today's children will find the book as captivating as I did in the pre-internet era, I feel that David Macaulay's books make excellent gifts to children. Not only do they stimulate the imagination, but they educate children on architecture, history and culture, and show that magnificent works can be accomplished through cooperation, creativity, planning and hard work. Not bad for a few bucks! I recommend you splurge on the hardback, because this is a book you'll enjoy literally for decades.

5 comments about Earthbag Building: The Tools, Tricks and Techniques (Natural Building Series).

1. This is our "go-to" book for very practical descriptions and diagrams of process and procedure. We are planning our new house, and are incorporating elements of off-grid solar/wind power, rainfall catchment, passive ventilation, and high-mass wall construction.
   
   Nothing beats a hands-on experience, and if you can visit either the CalEarth site in California, or the Earthships site in New Mexico, you should. You get a much better understanding of the process of earthbuilding, and also of the finished product. Then, as you begin to plan to build, gather all the information you can. "Ceramic Houses" will give you great information on design principles and on philosophy; the Earthship books by Mike Reynolds give primo information on the plumbing and electrical systems, and in particular on rainfall catchment.
   
   "Earthbag Building" however, remains our mainstay. Hunter gives such good detail, and provides excellent resource lists for materials, and also lovely line diagrams that are very clear and easy to follow. And to truly make her the Queen of Bag Building, if you e-mail her a reasonable question, she answers!



2. I first checked this book out in the local library. It's a wealth of information, so I went to Amazon and bought two copies. I can recommend it highly to anyone interested in exploring this form of construction.



3. This is a must book for anyone who is considering to undertake the task of building an earthbag structure. There are many tips and suggestions, the result of long practical experience, that will help the inexperienced builder to avoid many: "if I only had thought of this earlier..." moments.



4. Earthbag building, a method developped by Nader Khalili, is a wonderful innovation in building. It means that a building be built from materials found on site, even if those materials are too poor for rammed earth or mud brick. I've already used the techniques in this book to detail two public buildings! The trick is now to convince the structural engineer and councils...



5. This book makes a good gift to those who are planning or are fascinated by alternative house building.

2 comments about Robert A. M. Stern: Houses and Gardens.

1. I thoroughly loved his first residential book "Houses." With the amount of work he has done I expected this book to focus on new work but many of the same projects and pictures from the first book were used in this one.



2. This book on Robert Stern, the latest in a series, is very well executed. Mr. Stern really has a knack for anachronistic grand homes, they are a throw back to another time, but with all the modern luxuries money can buy. Stern has a real feel for the kind of gardens that complement each type of home, and the interaction between the two is often quite breathtaking. The images in this book are first rate and the homes are amazing. If you appreciate excellent photography, elegant architecture, and spectacular homes and gardens then you will love this book

5 comments about Walks Through Lost Paris: A Journey Into the Heart of Historic Paris.

1. Walks Through Lost Paris: A Journey Into the Heart of Historic Paris
   
   This is a wonderful book, except for one thing. It is so small that the maps are almost unreadable, and the print is not so easy to read either. I've been to Paris twice and walked through all four areas in the book before, but the book opened my eyes to a lot of history and details I'm looking forward to seeing first hand. I am taking it to Paris in a couple weeks, and I'm looking forward to the walks, but I'm going to have to blow up the maps so I can read them without a magnifying glass. This book would be far more enjoyable in a larger format.



2. I received the book in very good condition and came very well wrapped and quickly. I am very satisfied with it.



3. Whether one takes the recommended walks or just reads the words, this is a great little book, full of wonderful then and now photos (I especially like the photo of the people in the boat on Rue Jacob during the flood of 1910--see the hats!) and interesting discussions of how Paris came to be what we see today, how sections of the city were saved by those who loved them, and how other sectors were changed and updated. I have a number of walks-around-Paris books, some written for Parisians themselves, and I think this is the best and most interesting. It entertained my husband when he recently spent a week in the hospital. It is not especially touristic, and not a book for those dropping in for a day or two to see the highlights of Paris. This is a book to wallow around in. I found the English version first, but will look for the French, as I'm suspicious of translations.



4. If you love Paris (and who doesn't?) you'll appreciate this book. It takes us over well-trod streets, past ancient buildings, and brings them alive by examining their past. Atget documented Paris as it was; this book predates that.



5. Beautifully produced book with superb use of 19th century & current photos to show changes in Paris locations pre & post Haussmann. A great read for anyone who loves & knows Paris, and doubles as an "advanced" and specialized walking guide for those lucky enough to be on site.

5 comments about The Barefoot Home: Dressed-Down Design for Casual Living.

1. Couple quick notes:
   Most homes featured are new, few are retrofitted. Most done by architects in a modern style.
   
   For a barefoot home, it seems unusual that most floors are concrete. Very few rugs, I didn't see any carpet.
   
   I would've liked to have seen the rest of the property or at least how the house sits on the site. Driveways are not addressed. Nearly every house has a large lot and amazing views (which most of us do not have). Does not really address how to achieve a barefoot home with a nominal budget.



2. We live in temperate Australia and hesitated long before buying this book. We have shelves of excellent architecture reference books from around the world and have been owner builders. Was it going to be just glam coffee table eye candy? The architect has worked with Sarah Susanka (Not So Big House etc), so we decided to take the plunge. This is a very good book. There is so much to look at, contemplate, re-visit. Brilliant resolution of details, houses that flow, small exquisite spaces, sound materials. We have had hours of enjoyment from this book and have been happy to share it with others to extend their knowledge of good architecture. Enjoy!



3. On first glance I agreed with many of the other reviewers: 'the book was slick', 'it was disingenuous', 'sure, if you live in a sunny climate, most, if not all, of the time'.
   
   Then I went back and looked at the book again, and read the opening passage: he does not strive to be disingenuous, he tells us he himself doesn't live in a barefoot home, nor a barefoot neighborhood, but he is trying and the manifesto of the book is to entreat all of us to be more informal in our primary living space -- our homes.
   
   Open the house up as soon as you can, get rid of all the stuff you don't need, make your home as casual as you can, and then enjoy it.
   Think informal thoughts, and live in all the spaces available to you: the patio, the deck and never forget how good it feels to have sand between your toes!
   
   He provides blue prints to the homes and he even lists the architects. Enjoy and live well!



4. This book is great for conversation and ideas. I leave mine on the coffee table for periodic inspiration...that of myself..and of others!



5. I don't exactly get the barefoot concept. If the author had seen these homes in the wintertime, would he still consider them barefoot homes? Barefoot seems far-fetched and contrived in this book.
   
   This book is a nice compilation of casual homes mostly in the country or at the beach. It's similar to other books on getaway homes. Beyond that, I didn't see anything particularly new or inspiring. It almost seems like the author (or Taunton?) was more interested in pushing the barefoot concept than providing new ideas.

5 comments about The Phaidon Atlas of Contemporary World Architecture.

1. I bought this book as a gift for an architecture student, couldn't be more perfect.Its size may be a plus but it also makes it sometimes hard to look at. Still is a must have for all architects.



2. This is really a first rate book Even though it has been out for two years it offers the most comprehensive account of world architecture yet.



3. It is a good book not only in content but on the fact that it is one of the few (atlas) dedicated to contemporary architecture



4. i fell in love with this book couple of years ago
   back in poland i could only dream to have it
   if you have anything to do with architecture you know you have to have it



5. i am really very pleased with this book. i think it is a -must have book- for every architect. this is one of the finest collections of contemporary architecture. as it says on the book; it is really the only source of its kind. - when you have the book in your hands (it is very difficult:)) you forget the problems about the delivery.
   
   ayse gokbakan yildiz, architect

5 comments about Building Green: A Complete How-To Guide to Alternative Building Methods Earth Plaster * Straw Bale * Cordwood * Cob * Living Roofs.

1. My daughter and I purchased this wonderfully complete volume for a granddaughter who with her husband is moving to Oregon to build an eco-friendly home on a plot of land. This well-illustrated handbook should help a lot.



2. What a wonderful book! I love the way it is set out in two sections... the theory and the practical. The conversational style of writing means that I feel like I have a friend on hand, ready to talk me through the whole process, explaining terms, concepts and methods in a clear, concise way.
   I'd say if you are only planning to buy one book on alternative building methods, this should be the one.



3. This book is an excellent reference on how to build while taking the environment into consideration. I was really impressed with how they integrated traditional building techniques with Green Building techniques. The book covers what to think about before you even break ground, site work, foundation work, non chemical termite prevention, walls, windows, doors, roofing, flooring, and landscaping considerations. Where Green products make the most sense, they are used. In places where the authors chose a more traditional method (concrete in the foundation, small amounts of rebar, a mass produced new door, and timber roof trusses) they go into detail about why they chose that method (long term energy efficiency outweighing the initial energy cost of the raw materials). While grey water systems, rain catchment systems, composting toilets, and solar power systems are encouraged, they are not covered in any detail in this book. The demo house being built throughout the book is a tiny one room guest cottage, instead of a home that a family could live in (composting toilet outside) so that's why I only gave 4 stars. I would have loved to have seen a whole family home built, but maybe that would be several books.
   Not everyone can move to an ecovillage and live in a 200 sq ft cob home (even if they dream about it). This book brings green building into the reach of many more people and shows how to build a home that is much more likely to pass code and be a real possibility in today's society. I plan to use it as a guide when I build my own home in the future.



4. Myself, being in the building industry, really appreciated that there was a believer and a skeptic to write this book and build the house using the thoughts they had. I like the honesty of the authors and how they worked thru to a common goal, and shared each step along the way. I even found it to be a great book on general engineering, helpful in reminding me of things I already know, and reinforcing them in less conventional ways.
   This is a very hand's on book with loads of pictures and illustrations and for all of us with "pie in the sky" ideals, there is the balance of reality in time, costs, and functionality of green building.



5. recieved product within one week great book thinking about building using all natural products

5 comments about Hardwood Floors: Laying, Sanding and Finishing.

1. Overall, this book will give you the information you need to install and finish a new hardwood floor or re-finish an existing hardwood floor as painlessly as possible. The subject is covered thoroughly, from choosing lumber types and patterns to types and methods of finishing. However, I strongly suggest that one hint made by the author be ignored completely. On page 111 and perhaps other pages of the Sanding and Finishing chapter of the 1990 edition of the text, the author proposes the use of a floor buffer to fine screen between coats of finish to take the tops off and help successive coats of finish adhere. What this did for me, even with the finest grit screen available, was leave lots of spider web type scratches in the finish that reflected artificial light in every direction at night, and made what was supposed to be a high gloss polyurethane finish look dull in the daylight. This tip wasted two coats and two days of finish work. My suggestion is to use a drywall pole-type sander with 220 grit or finer sandpaper and always sand in the direction of the grain. This method takes much longer than the buffer method, but won't produce the spider web scratches that the buffer does. One other suggestion the author makes is to mix fine sanding dust with a water-based filler base called Wood Stuff to make perfectly matched filler. I thought that this was a great idea, because you'd get the closest match and you could mix a huge batch of filler right on the floor and trowel the entire space very quickly. I wanted the water-based Wood Stuff because I was using a water-based polyurethane to finish. The problem was that I couldn't find Wood Stuff or any comparable water-based product online or in any hardware or woodworking store. I ended up using several one-pint batches of Famowood filler hole-by-hole, which took days because my salvaged hardwood was full of tack holes. I'm just commenting on the suggested product's availability, here, which is not the author's fault. Maybe the book is a little out of date. Ultimately, with the other information in the book, my floor came out great. I just wish I used the floor buffer for the final wood sanding only (not on the finish).



2. Author Don Bollinger stares in, writes, or is quoted in just about every video or book about installing, sanding and finishing hardwood flooring. I came across his video 15yrs ago while researching my first hardwood project. Of the four books I checked out from the library on the topic he was pictured and quoted in all of them. He is a master of his trade and in this book he lays out the very basic and clear steps to a beautiful floor. I read this book again before every flooring project and finely I just bought it. It takes all the uncertainty (but none of the hard work) out of laying and finishing a hardwood floor. Like most do-it-yourself books this one covers the basic principles and standard practices for the first timer as well as instructions and ideas for the adventurous. What sets this book apart from the others is the focus on common and not so common mistakes that will always result in a expensive disappointment. Once you nail down a wood floor you will realize it's never coming up again. That's a bad time to discover you should have read this book first.



3. I bought the book and the DVD and both provided information very useful for my first DIY install of hardwood flooring.
   
   Like many projects it's the prep work that pays off in the end and it's also true with installing hardwood flooring. A sub-floor that is flat and secured to the joists along with that straight first row goes along way in ensuring a successful install.



4. This book is very informative. If you are going to lay flooring then this will be very helpful.



5. An informative book, but I merely learned how to install hardwood flooring in the author's house after reading it and watching the DVD (extra $). Really important topics, such as initial measuring and layout, were skimmed over.
   
   I wound up hiring a professional to install my flooring instead. ugh!

2 comments about Tom Kundig: Houses.

1. In a world of inflated egos and misplaced priorities, Tom Kundig rushes in with a clear view, a warm heart and an undisputable eye for beauty. His whimsical but exact and gorgeuos designs display a playfulness that catagorizes a true professional who does not "take himself too seriously" and works to infuse joy in his client's life.
   I had the same exhuberant reaction to his work that I had the first time I saw a Jean Michel Basquiat painting up close and personal in 1987...a true artist, an undisputed original.



2. I own many books dedicated to a single architects work. Often times these type of books display two or three rooms of a house and never get into the nitty gritty of a project. "Tom Kundig: Houses" is different. This book leaves little to the imagination, offering sometimes up to 15-20 pages to a single project. The pictures are very clear and tell a lot about the concept of a house as a whole. The only knock I'd say is that every project is so similar to the next that it becomes hard to differentiate. But if you admire his style, that shouldn't be much of a problem.

5 comments about Architecture of the Absurd: How "Genius" Disfigured a Practical Art.

1. I bought this book because I storngly dislike the work of architects like Frank Gehry and Daniel Liebeskind, and I thought it would be refreshing to hear an intelligent person handily dissect and dismiss these absurd blights on the profession. I haven't even gotten to the fun part yet and I'm already disappointed.
   
   A quote:
   "The drive toward absurdism in art has accompanied a decline in standards of taste in popular music and movies and the prevalence of tattoos and body-piercing ornamentation..."
   
   He also goes on to attack numerous works of conceptual art such as Smithson's "Floating Island" and Doug Michel's "Cadillac Ranch."
   
   The argument against these conceptual works as well as body art in general has almost nothing to do with the merits of good architecture and does very little to support his general argument. Rather, they expose this man to be what he almost certainly is: a somewhat dull, crotchety old person with a narrow vision of what art can and should be. I can see already that his arguments against these architects are not going to be at all interesting, as he has already bored me half to death.
   
   I bought the book on Amazon and I will most likely be selling it back. Don't buy it unless you would like to have your own boring sensibilities buttressed by a fairly un-influential, pseudo-designer's rants...



2. Silber clearly demonstrates one of the internal discussions of the profession of architecture: is it a "practical science" or is it more akin to "fine art"? His experience clearly tilts him toward the "practical science" aspect but he has picked his examples with a closed eye to all the issues with each of the projects he portrays.
   For example, the Sidney Opera House, which he loves -- took 12 years and was 800% over budget when finally built -- the delays caused by the inability of the engineers to build the thing. Bilbao (which he hates) was built on time and on budget and has been credited with revitalizing an economy of a previously dwindling seaport. In fact, magazine articles are written about "The Bilbao effect" of a stunning piece of architecture to revive an economy.
   He speaks to the practical aspects of architecture -- and those are many. (he uses Sert as an example of an architect too closely identified with his Spanish origins to understand the Boston climate). He doesn't address the spiritual aspects of architecture, though, and in some cases, those are equally important as the practical aspects. Gehry, who he reviles, has been equally praised in the book "The Architecture of Happiness" for his joyful designs. (I agree that no one said that about Cobusier). Holl has been praised for his solemnity; Liebeskind for this thought-provoking designs. People travel to see the work of these architects. He also does not discuss the work of Holl, even though he is mentioned as one of the "absurd" triumvirate.
   
   Note that Boston College (where Silber administered the building program) has never been praised for its campus or architecture.
   
   There is work-a-day design, which is appropriate for a Costco store or Best Buy, but there is design that challenges and is thought provoking -- and Silber seems to want the best of each, when he decides it is appropriate.
   
   This is a one-sided screed that never should have been made into a book. When someone makes a film of the "architecture of Boston College" perhaps I will alter my opinion.
   
   
   I gave it two stars because the photos are rather nice.



3. Seeing Gehrey's work on the jacket of the book piqued my interest since I saw Sidney Pollack's movie about Gehrey. I just have to say, I never "got" Gehrey, so reading Dr. Silber's "rant" (as other posters have described the book), I feel better knowing I'm not the only one with a problem with Gehrey.
   
   I think Dr. Silber's book is thoughtful. I think the photos are very representative of the issues he discusses. If I were monetarily responsible for building great buildings, then I would certainly first read Dr. Silber's book to appreciate what NOT to do.



4. This is a bad book. Don't buy it. We set up an "Architecture Book Club" and share opinions about our readings. "The Architecture of the Absurd" was the worst pick so far. The ideas are poorly expressed and thinly researched. The writing is... well, how to put it? The writing will make you want to throw the book accross the room. It's hard to agree with anything he says. If you NEED to buy this book, make sure you buy it second hand... so, at least, you save some trees.



5. No, I have not yet read John Silber's book, but he has always been an excellent BS detector, encouraging people to use their own sense of the world to challenge the Sophists of our time. I first encountered his challenges when he was my undergraduate advisor in philosophy at the University of Texas. Silber can be controversial and even wrong, but he always catalyzes clear thinking in the service of social action in the gadfly tradition of teachers throughout history. I recommend a look at his book on the basis of his history as a philosopher engaged in life and education rather than in intellectual pretensions.