5 comments about Inside Cuba.

1. If you are looking for a book on Cuban politics and history, Look somewhere else. If you are looking for a book full of exquisit imagery and information detailing Cuban life, especially in the realms of art and architecture, this book is a must have. I own a copy of virtually every book that I've ever found on Cuban art & architecture and this is among the top five that I've ever found. Typical books of this quality sell for far more than this and often contain far less useful information.
   As a graduate architecture student with a passion for Cuban architecture, I refer to this book in my research as well as for pleasure.



2. Great book, it has very nice pictures of the architectures of the old colonial and new Cuban buildings. Unfortunately, the writer is very much infatuated with the current communist regime, and spoils all the good qualities of the Cuban art with his left wing preferences. I understand he is the writer, and he has the right to publish what he wants in his book. I do agree with some of the other reviewers, Cuba was a beautiful place at one time. However, like all the communist countries in the world you can see the awful results with the dilapidating unpainted buildings and everything else that comes with it. If you happen to be expose to the current Cuba, and find it fascinating, just imagine what it was like, many years ago before it was doomed by the current backward government. It was the pear of the Antilles! I'm sorry if I sound so right wing. But, I can't help myself. Because, I love freedom, and the good life; something that the envious ignorant left wing liberals never seem understand. The book is not bad. However, it could be much better.



3. Excellent book. Could benefit from more text and specific location information (addresses) but great coverage and good photos. My wife and I used the information from the book on a recent visit.



4. The book Inside Cuba is very different from others. It gives you a little view inside a beautiful country. Buildings, rooms, furniture everything is if you're going back into time. The regime of Castro stopped the time and you find this definitely back in this book. Almost all the pictures are of very good quality. The only negative point is the lack of political and historical information. But overall it is a good book to get another view on Cuba.



5. Great book. No supercover, do not search, and that begins the style. I do not agree, that book displays the misery, serves regime, and that is something expected to be admired by 'leftists'.
   
   For, to me, not unpainted walls, natural (though, yes, not "rich" as it is often understood) people are disastrous. Omnipresent agression of commerce IS.
   
   There is no doubt, those people are more beautiful on inside, than those, who are rather on outside.
   
   And Cuba can be land of clean, magnificent dreams, architecture and interiors for people, by people, ideas, derived from ideals - let it be imperfect, I can understand that part, still book is about departure into the other world. And that journey is impressive. With that book in my mind, I tried to compare it against many others, that were on shelves. I returned home with this book today, definite highlight of Taschen.
   
   If in doubt, open it, and you will feel quickly if it is for you, or not. Hopefully, it is.

1 comments about Gardens of Italy.

1. Sixty gardens is of course a personal selection of gardens by the author. And I miss quite a few of historic and design-wise interesting places. Le Marche is not represented at all and Villa Barbarigo is also missing, along with some smaller, but exquisite gardens scattered over the peninsula. That said, the photos are great and most of the more famous places are well illustrated. The text is not that of a deep-probing and exploring academic, it's simply describing the place with some impressions and a few facts well known from previously published books. The best book on the subject is still Georgina Massons 'Italian Gardens' from the 1950's. Very strange...

3 comments about La Tour de 300 M'Tres (Tour Eiffel).

1. I've been wanting to build model of Eiffel Tower for about 20 years. I've been drawing the main structure from bits and pieces I was able to collect over the years, and a lot of guess work. Then I came this book, and it was everything I've been looking for. It has all the dimensions and details you need to build an acurate model. It has details of the base of legs, the tower structure, original floor layouts and mechanical plans.
   This book is worth every penny, I wish I would of found it 20 years ago.



2. What can you say? You got all the original drawings, the explanations, and also the calculations.
   It is amazing the way they did things in the past.
   Also if you like history, the book is full of it.
   The book is a complete review of all the facts of the Eiffel Tower.
   You don't need to be an engineer to enjoy the book, but if you are, I bet you'll enjoy it even more.
   The pictures are excellent.



3. This is a wonderful reproduction of Gustav Eiffel's original design. Every detail of the Eiffel Tower is represented here. The book is HUGE, though, so make sure you have room for it.

5 comments about Environmental Land Use Planning and Management.

1. this is a useful book for environmental planners and people who are concerned with environmental planning. its full coverage of environmental issues can help to understand these problem well.



2. Not exactly what I was expecting, but will be used for desk reference.



3. A refreshingly different perspective on the environment, how planners and water resources engineers relate to it, and land development.
   
   A must have just because.



4. When I was to order a book on Environmental Land Use Planning and Management, there were plenty on Amazon.com! Then I found, Butlers notes on this book, which leads me to purchase.
   This book is a great one in this topic. For almost all environmental planning questions that you can find an answer in it. The book is rich in literature survey and is clearly written by a teacher; as the material is highly digested and understandable. I think, only a "Master" Can Explain things with simple words.
   Of course, with this much explanations on the enviromental landuse planning and management, you should not expect the details of several methodologis, But for sure you can find a reference to find your answer when details are necessities.



5. There is little doubt that this book is the result of decades of experience, research, and teaching on the part of its author. John Randolph has compiled a fantastic resource that is the first place I turn when thinking about, writing about, or doing research on land use planning and its impacts on the natural environment. The book provides a foundational understanding of ecosystems, landscape ecology, soil characteristics, hydrological systems, habitat, and more and then clearly explains how land use choices impact the natural world. Through numerous real world examples, easy to follow exercises, and in depth exploration of his topics, Randolph also guides us toward more responsible land use choices. The dozens of full color maps and pictures further enhance the quality of this informative text. It is a pleasure to read and promises to serve as one of the top references on this subject for years to come.

1 comments about VJAA: Vincent James Associates Architects.

1. Through splendid photographs and insiteful text, this book explains the special approach that VJAA brings to architecture. The general style of their designs fits into the modernism but with more of a sense of oneness with the site, not only its physical attributes but the sociological and cultural aspects of the site.
   
   The buildings cover a range of uses from single family residences and a unique house for twin brothers who want to be close to each other but retain their privacy and different life styles, to multi family structures, to institutional buildings for a wide variety of purposes. The smallest units are some apartments in New York, the largest is 200,000 square feet of mixed-use housing.
   
   The range of buildings is striking, even though they could all be called modern, the individual appearances are as different as can be imagined and serve to illustrate the freedom from 'standards' that VJAA uses in their designs.

1 comments about Havana Deco.

1. While Miami Beach is the world capitol of Art Deco, it really doesn't compare to Havana. Here are 175 pages of everything from world class, French inspired Deco to modest streamlined structures.
   
   But wait, there's more. In fact, there is so much Art Deco in neighborhoods like Vedado, that this is but a sample. And that's just Havana! Take the Autopista in either direction and you will find many Cuban cities have more Art Deco. (Also a smaller amount of beautiful Art Noveau).
   
   Professional quality photos, too. Sharp and highly detailed, with the buildings standing up straight. They sure picked a bland building for the cover though. Why not Edifico Bicardi or the Baro-Lasa house?

1 comments about Designing the Good Life: Norman M. Giller and the Development of Miami Modernism.

1. 
   It is Norman M. Giller's vision that fundamentally influenced Floridian architecture during the decades that followed the end of World War II. His perspective came to be known as 'Miami Modernism' or 'MiMo' for short. Now in collaboration with Sarah Giller Nelson, Norman Giller has written a personal account of the architectural movement associated with himself and with Florida in "Designing the Good Life: Norman M. Giller & The Development Of Miami Modernism", a 176-page, nicely illustrated (76 color photos, 80 black-and-white photos), informed and informative story that will be read with interest by architectural students and professionals, as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in Florida's architectural history and development. Enhanced with an appendix and an index, "Designing The Good Life" is an important and seminal addition to academic library American Architectural History reference collections.

No comments about Perrine's Story and Structure.

No comments about Patios and Walkways Idea Book (Idea Books).

No comments about Facility Design and Management, for Health, Fitness, Physical Activity, Recreation, and Sports Facility Development.