1 comments about American Barns and Covered Bridges (Americana).

1. A great book if you are into bridges

No comments about Small Private Gardens.

3 comments about Small Houses (Great Houses).

1. This book seems to mark another turn in residential architecture: creating small spaces that do not skimp on quality, but give the appearance of quantity. The book features several different houses; although some of the houses' interiors are dated, the floorplans provide a good starting point for those who want to build a house that's small in square in terms of square footage, but large in terms of character.



2. My wife and i were looking for a new house to accomodate us and our son. We went to a number of open houses of typical contractor built houses and only got sick. The houses were big, inefficient and ill-designed. They lacked character and imagination. Therefore, we are now considering designing and building a house. This book, with its numerous examples of small, well-designed houses, is both helping us find features and designs we like and providing us with inspiration. The houses in this book have character. The book is well-illustrated.

   My only critique of this book is that it does not always provide square footage and cost per square foot as Taunton's annual house edition does.




3. This book is compilation of articles from the magazine. There are 37 different projects covering a wide variety of styles and locations of houses. The articles are often written by the owner / designer and are quite thorough. Many include presentation style: sections, details, and floor plans.

   I found this book to be very interesting to read. There is a lot of content for the size and price of the book. The articles are all from the early 80's to early 90's. Which makes me look forward to the next edition.

   Anybody interested in purchasing, renovating, or designing a small house will definitely like this book.

2 comments about Theology in Stone: Church Architecture from Byzantium to Berkeley.

1. Perhaps it is because I come from the same background (Western Anglo-Catholic) as the approach from which Richard Kieckhefer comes in this text that I find such a resonance with what he has to say. 'Theology in Stone' looks at various aspects of church design, from the long tradition of church building in Christianity up to the present time. His text begins with four principle factors in basic church design, and then looks in some detail at three particular styles.
   
   The four factors highlighted are not typical architectural concerns, but rather wrapped up in spiritual, theological, and aesthetic values. How does the space work? What is the central and centering focus? Is there an aesthetic impact compatible with the intention of the church? How do symbols function and resonate? There are no universal answers to these types of questions. As Kieckhefer states, 'Response to a church [is] conditioned by culture and by cultural interaction.' Response is also related to expectations, usefulness, the people populating the church, and a number of other concerns. However, perhaps most importantly, response to a church is a learned process that generally 'requires informed reflection. The meanings of a church are seldom obvious.'
   
   With regard to spatial dynamics and centering focus, Kieckhefer states, the purpose of the building is expressed. The symbolic resonance goes to the meaning of the church, and the aesthetic impact relates to the form. Kieckhefer takes classic church architecture ideas and applies them not to the task of planning and building a church as much as to understanding how the buildings function and have meaning for those who use them now. Kieckhefer also differentiates between the issue of what a church has meant and what a church can mean.
   
   The churches Kieckhefer highlights include Beverly Minster, a church in the then second city of York (York, of course, being the second city, ecclesiastically speaking, of England, after Canterbury). The examination of this church, along with others, takes into account the surrounding community, the geography of the church's placement, and the population that peoples the church. 'The meaning of church architecture can never be read in abstraction from local ethos,' Kieckhefer states. This is also true of Chicago, where there is about as diverse a collection of churches as anywhere else on the planet. Still, there are discernable patterns here, according to Kieckhefer. 'There were three basic approaches to liturgical space in these churches: the design of Roman Catholic churches was appropriate mainly for intercession, that of Protestant churches for proclamation, and that of Eastern Orthodox churches for meditation.' Kieckhefer examines here the churches of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, 'a time just before the rise of architectural modernism and liturgical reform.' Kieckhefer's third area of discussion focuses upon the work of Rudolf Schwarz, whose strong, simple designs rely on reinterpretations of classic architectural ideas and embraces liturgical principles both ancient and modern.
   
   Kieckhefer concludes the book with a dicussion of modern issues, doing significant theological reflection, including the tension between modern and traditional designs (both from intention and actual application), movements toward increased congregational participation, and other pulls between orthodoxy and dogmatism (which Kieckhefer describes as being opposites for his purposes here). He sees great resilience in the past, which can give new life and freedom to modern designs.
   
   Kieckhefer writes well, and his arguments are interesting to follow. They tend toward the sacramental side, but has a healthy respect for different views in his presentation. His endnotes are helpful and worthwhile, but a bibliography (even as a simple list) would be helpful. There is a good index, and a number of black-and-white photographs (most done by Kieckhefer himself).
   
   This is a text that will be of interest beyond the architectural crowd, but to any who seek to understand the way in which church architecture has meaning and can mean for the community.



2. Kieckhefer has done an admirable job trying to create a convincing scholarly narrative for the evolution of church architecture. This work adds to the growing body of texts on religious architecture and stands as an important contribution to the field. My reservations about the book come from its lackluster choice of "illustrative" examples. Kieckhefer has a wealth of examples to choose from and rather than picking the rule picks the exception. This demonstrates the valuable spirit of experimentation and development the field has come to expect of architects, but only scratches the surface of the wealth of architectural patterns that are evident today.

4 comments about Concert Halls and Opera Houses: Music, Acoustics, and Architecture.

1. That's a very good book! A complete book, specially if you want to know about concert hall. All plans are in scale



2. The author of this book greets us with an endearing smile on the back flap of the dust cover, and has every reason to. Imagine spending a significant part of your life touring concert halls and opera houses all over the world, sitting in on concerts (often changing seats in the course of the program), in order to assess the acoustic properties of the venue at hand. Fortunately, dr. Beranek has been kind enough to lay down his findings in this scholarly yet enchanting book. It offers invaluable insights into the workings of acoustics and the many factors that determine a hall's aural properties. It does so by elucidating the general principles of acoustics, and by addressing topics like building materials, hall shapes, balconies, etc., separately. But the bulk of the book is taken up by a kind of gazetteer describing in detail 100 concert halls and opera houses from around the world. Each of the descriptions includes data on all significant hall properties, as well as plans, cross sections, and (black and white) photographs looking from the auditorium towards the stage and vice versa. Yet you need not fear a dry, scientific inventory; on the contrary: the writing is never anything less than engaging, and the author never forgets that in the end it is all about the joys of music, which he clearly savours himself. The text is strewn with anecdotal quotations from conductors, players and reviewers alike - the author is acutely aware that a hall's reputation rests as much on the writings of critics and the overall audience experience as it does on quantifiable acoustical qualities. For those who like hit parades, yes, there is a top 20, though dr. Beranek is too much of a scientist to present it without heaps of caveats (though it is clear throughout the book that Boston Symphony Hall is his acoustic Walhalla).
   Of course, a book like this can never be quite complete, and though I encountered the two halls I'd expected to see from my own country (the Amsterdam Concertgebouw again featuring as one of the world's top three), I was inevitably slightly disappointed to see my own town's hall disregarded, even though it is generally acknowledged to surpass the Concertgebouw when it comes to classical and early romantic repertoire. In a more general sense, the question is how random the selection was. You will find all the great halls you would expect in a survey like this (though Russia is conspicuously absent), but like me many readers are bound to be aware of hidden gems undiscovered (or at least unaddressed) by Beranek. London and Japan seem to be disproportionately represented (no less than 9 Tokyo halls are listed!), nor did I find all the US entries equally compelling (one wonders also why all countries are listed alphabetically, but after the US?). It should be noted, too, that the images serve to give a general impression of a hall, but are mostly of moderate quality, and sometimes quite bad. Finally, and then I'll stop complaining and resume the praise, opera houses are very much underrepresented and almost seem like an afterthought; they might as well have been left out, the focus is clearly on symphonic concert spaces.
   None of this detracts in any significant way from the wonders of this unique book, which is, by the way, beautifully produced, featuring smooth, glossy paper. Whether an acoustic scientist, a regular concert goer or an architecture buff, this book will be fascinating reading for you. It may, indeed, even help you select the best available seat when you're booking a ticket in a hall you've never visited before (avoid those three back rows on the Boston Symphony Hall middle balcony!).



3. FYI - I just wrote a review of the book and it got lost in cyber space. So this is my abreviated second attempt.
   
   1- This is more thorough than Auditoria by Forsyth. It is focused soley on acoustics of the spaces, not the architecture.
   2- There are 18 to 21 acoustic metrics reported for each of the halls.
   3- The last sections on acoustics of concert halls and opera halls is up to date and discusses key concepts & criteria in realtion to existing facilities.
   
   The appendices are wonderful. Appendix #2 lists additional acoutical data that is availble on the concert halls reviewed in earlier chapters. Typically this additional data inlcudes RT by octave, and may include ITDG, G (strength) & IACC.



4. This is a classic reference for students and practitioners working in the field. It is the most complete compendium available of acoustical and architectural data on concert and opera halls throughout the world. Each building is meticulously detailed with photographs, line drawings and technical data.

2 comments about Structure Systems.

1. This is ASTRONOMICALLY THE BEST architectural structures book of all time!! This is the second book for a serious architecture student or architect to buy after Deplazes' foundation book. My structures education was so frustrating because it was not VISUAL. I longed for a book like this 20 years ago!! But better than I could have ever imagined, this book is intensely visual, almost no numbers, instead an encyclopedic catalogue of structural spanning options in a maniacally ordered logic, drawn with a sweet German version of Ching's style. Just skimming this book several times will aquaint you with the logic, the systems, the options, and the breathtaking possibilities this great book throws at your feet. "Take that", it says, "and go do something great!"



2. This is almost the only graphically illustrated book on structural principles for architect.
   
   Most of the structure book concentrate on calculation which are more important to structural engineer than to architect. However, this book put emphasis on structural principals and structural typology. The author uses very clear drawn illustration + table + text to illustrate different structural types.
   
   This is a helpful resources if readers are architects interesting in structural design. The book could be more complete if real building examples are illustrated together with the diagrams.

1 comments about Introductory Landscape Architecture (2nd Edition).

1. This book is the base for the practice and teaching the Enviromental Drawing. There are essays and study cases about the necessity of considering the city health and the ecological processes when planning the Landscape. Taking the man as the principal subject, he tells a little bit about the Lanscape Architecture - since Olmstead, and and earlier intentions of treating the landscape that came from the first civilizations through the time. It's also rich considering the elements of the ecological cýcles that composes the enviroment - like the microclimate, the human and the natural actions, focusing on each important agent of the landscape, and giving examples of "how to feel" each case study, as an example for other situations.

5 comments about Hello World: A Life in Ham Radio.

1. I bought this book because it was about ham radio. I was impressed at how well the storyline was. You actually felt as though you were there watching this story go on. A must read!!!



2. I know nothing about ham radio and loved this book. It is beautifully constructed, has amazing graphics and a great story that Gregory has reconstructed about one man's passion. It's a book about communication, and humanity, and art and how small the world really is. Gorgeous.



3. I was given this fantastic book by my neighbor and friend here in New Jersey, who is a longtime Ham Radio afficionado (and Police Officer by occupation). Truth be told, I have always wondered about Jim's (my mentioned neighbor/friend) hobby/pastime, especially given his tower and antenna systems, which are large and visible and hard to ignore! I did not know much about the hobby, other than 'people talk around the world much like CB'ers talk locally'. I now realize how utterly wonderful, fascinating and riveting this hobby is! Not to mention critical in times of regional or national emergencies! The authors take you on a FASCINATING journey through the ham radio life of an engineer named Jerry Powell, an actual FCC licensed 'Ham' operator from Kansas who moved to New Jersey early on in his career and spent decades on the air from his humble home, communicating with Hams everywhere from all kinds of economic and ideological backrounds. The book is replete with interesting vignettes and descriptions of what Ham Radio is all about, and the true passion and wonderment of engaging in all aspects of this hobby shared by millions around the world. The graphics are first rate, with a veritable 'world tour' of colorful QSL cards, which reflect many of Jerry's contacts with other Ham Operators from every conceivable corner of the world! After reading this book and 'taking in' the wonderful graphics, I even picked up a few entry-level study guides from the ... site (National Amateur Radio organization) on the advice of my neighbor Jim, and I am excitedly planning on obtaining my entry 'Technician' license! I can't wait to get on the air! Just a superb, SUPERB book!!!



4. This is an outstanding book which is beautifully illustrated primarily with QSL cards from a ham's 70 year love affair with his hobby that also serves to explain what amateur radio is to the newcomer. I have QSL cards on my wall from the fifties and received my first call in 1955 so to me this book is a real find. Any ham or person curious about ham radio will find this book a true gem. 73s, Jim, K4CFA



5. With the rise of "personal" electronics--think Internet, tiny cell phones & other wireless connection tools--the world of ham radio seems to have been passed by, forgotten, or otherwise relegated to the basement, or worse. But this hobby holds on, fascinating & attracting those wanting more, some means of talking, chatting, meeting & interacting with the world at-large. Who want something besides giant corporations (ultimately concerned only with P&L)& sometime silly can-you-hear-me-now keyboard manipulations. Something beyond the anonymous nature of what we call commercial radio.

   Hams, by & large, remain a curious lot--curious about how & why radio works. And curious because how is it possible to sit in your room & talk with someone else halfway around the world, without wires or other connections? Curious about the nature of communication itself, about who might be on "the other end" of that circuit. And curious about who & what they might be & do. The process occurs thousands of times, day & night, spanning everything, from continents to cultures to countries to crazy dreams & ideas. There's a romance to it, listening to signals that are all around us, unseen or felt, until we hook up a radio & detect them. Ham radio lets you put your own message out there, into that vast ethereal space, seeking something only you know about, something only you want.

   "Hello World" introduces readers to some of that romance, to some of what kept Jerry Powell (whose collection of QSL cards form the basis of the work) doing it for 70 years. To some of what fascinated him, & continues to fascinate millions of others around the world. It's a graphical treat, & a rare look into radio from the amateur's point of view. Hopefully, some youngster, somewhere, will see it, & want to learn more--about radio, the world, & communicating with it via radio.

   And Jerry Powell's legacy will live on...and on....

5 comments about Historic Millwork: A Guide to Restoring and Re-creating Doors, Windows, and Moldings of the Late Nineteenth through Mid-Twentieth Centuries.

1. This books was exactly what I was looking for. I do work on Victorian houses and this book puts everything in perspective. I can now tell what woodwork belongs in what house and not guess anymore. I can explain to customers what they have or had in their house and give a brief history behind their mill work. After reading this book you will be able to act as an authority on restoration work. When giving bids or discussing potential jobs with a client I can speak confidently and sell my services much more effectively. If you work on old houses the knowledge you will gain in this book will set you apart from the average modern day carpenter. The price is small compared to the education you will get from this book. If you love Victorian woodwork as I do, this book is a must have. It would take 20 other carefully selected books and numerous hours of research to arrive at the same depth of understanding of historic mill work as this book gives you in one long afternoon of reading. This author saved me a lot of time and confusion by producing such a book; my personal thanks!



2. Reading other reviews, I'm not sure why we have the overall impression that highly specialized references such as this should be bargain basement priced - the costs of writing and producing a book such as this are not inconsiderable, so I feel compelled to defend the author and publisher in that respect.
   
   That being said, I'm perhaps the ideal customer for this book in that my home - former military quarters - was built in 1910 and re-fitted by the military at least twice during its life. Trying to figure out what is original and what is retrofitted is very challenging and this book provides an excellent guide for my purposes.
   
   If you want pure gratification from a text with lots of color pictures you should know this is not a coffee table book, likewise, it is not a catalog. Nevertheless, I think the serious restoration-minded reader will be very satisfied, as I am.



3. Like several other reviewers, I found the book to be overpriced. The book provided neither extensive and in depth narrative history NOR extensive patterns. ...and I don't believe there was one color photograph to be found. Don't buy it until you've had it in your hands.



4. As you try and make a decision about this book I wanted to give an explanation as the author. I noticed the reviews above and wanted to clarify the purpose of the book. I don't want you to spend $70 dollars on a book that doesn't help.
   
   First, if you are looking for an old millwork catalog, this may not be your book. I wrote this book for architects trying to specify the correct doors, windows and moldings for historic buildings. I wrote this book for homeowners trying to figure out the millwork in their home and the subtle differences that take place during each architectural period. I wrote this book for contractors trying to restore an historic building with the proper details.
   
   1870-1940 is a unique 70 year period in which there are numerous architectural changes that effect the moldings and millwork details of a building.
   
   This book was written to help clarify how historic millwork was produced, who the major players were, how architectual and stylistic differences revealed themselves in the moldings and millwork of the home. I have broken out chapters by topic like windows or doors and then traced the changes in these products from 1870 to 1940. Hopefully, by reading this book you will be able to easily distinguish; a Victorian 5 panel door from an Arts and Crafts 2 panel, understand when colonades were popular and how they change, identify a Queen Anne sash, and recognize Victorian millwork from others.
   
   I hope this helps you get a clear picture of what you are buying.
   
   Thanks
   
   Brent Hull
   
   PS. I had to rate the book in order to submit this review.



5. This book is quite overpriced relative to similar books. Better titles are available from Dover (Universal Millwork Catalog), Lee Valley (Home Interiors of the 1920s), Linden Publishing (Modern Practical Joinery), Fredionia (Modern Carpentry) that cover the information and provide more information at about 1/3 to 1/4 the price for each book. It looks like that many examples are out of these books commonly available. Furthermore, this book has relatively few examples for each catagory. Before you spend the money on this book, check it out from your library or have them get it through interlibrary loan along with the other books mentioned.

1 comments about Living Barns: How to Find And Restore a Barn of Your Own.

1. This book is informative and offers some good advice. The photos are encouraging and nice to look at.
   
   I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in converting the wonderful open space of a barn into a residence or use commercially.
   
   Thank you,
   
   Cheryl Erb