5 comments about Mary Emmerling's American Country Cottages.

1. It's a cute book with some nice photographs. A nicer addition to my collection of Mary's books. It would make a nice gift!



2. This book wasn't as large and the homes featured in it weren't as fresh and interesting as I had hoped. But I love all aspects of cottage design, from home interiors to exteriors. Thanks to another review, I picked up two other cottage books that do a great job. One is Second Home from the Better Homes and Gardens editors----------I love Second Home because it takes me on tours of cottages around the country while also giving me tips I can use for decorating or even building. It's a great book for just paging through also. Big photos, lots of information but yet it quick to read. I also like The Cabin-----------It's a beautiful book to look at but it doesn't offer the wealth of information that Second Home does.



3. This book was smaller than I expected. A small book with lots of small pictures. Kind of disappointing. Other books on cottages and second homes do the job getter. I have found these are my favorites:
   * Second Home: Finding Your Place in the Fun. This is comprehensive, large, with great shots of homes in all styles and shots of their settings too. Great to look at but filled with tips on everyting from finding a location to decorating.
   * The Cabin. Gorgeous, big pictures, lots of variety in the cabins shown. Not a lot in the way of information. But pretty.



4. We bought a small beach cottage and continually look through this book for great ideas.



5. I found this book and also American Country Details in a good bookshop in my city. I was lucky as I think they were 'one-offs' - I haven't seen them in the same shop since, never anywhere else, and I haven't seen any of the other titles by Ms Emmerling. Love both of the books. The best part is that the ideas are so entirely adaptable whatever country you live in, according to where you live, and what you like (i.e. if I liked flags, I would probably use an Australian one, not the American). However these are terrific, I especially enjoyed the notes at the back of "Cottages". The only problem is that they don't seem to be readily available in Queensland! Good work.

1 comments about Safari Style (Icons).

1. Since the Tanzanian photographic safari of which I was a part over 20 years ago, I have come to love the Safari style -- rustic yet luxurious, simple yet refined, open to the elements yet comfortable, accessible to wildlife yet cloistered and secure. I love the use of natural elements in interior and exterior design. This style makes the transition between indoors and outdoors seamless. This book is rich with evocative images, many of which one can use to inform his or her own interior and exterior design. Or just read the book to be transported to a simpler, more exotic world. It is a great value at the relatively inexpensive price.

No comments about New Entrance Design.

3 comments about Vatican Masterpieces.

1. This book was a gift, we had just been to the Vatican and thought it was a glorious way to share some of the art and beauty that we saw on tour. The book has fine photographs and shares the best of the masterpieces with the viewer.



2. What a great book! The pictures alone make this a worthwhile purchase. For those who know only the famous artists names to those who are art enthusiasts this is a must own. This book is beautifully put together with a tour of 100 masterpieces of the Vatican. It`s filled with interesting anectdotes and interesting facts about the artists and their art. Close ups of the paintings in very clear beautiful pictures. After you read this book you will be able to speak intelligently about artists like Raphael, Botticelli, Leonardo, Fra Angelica, and of course Michelangelo. Learn also of many other great but not so famous artists. A great book for occasional light reading, reference, or even as a study companion for art students. Many thanks to Enrico Bruschini. Next stop Sistine Chapel!



3. I plan on taking this book to Italy when I visit Rome. It's small enough and filled with so many details and close-ups of the paintings and other artworks. For the price, it's a remarkable find. I encouraged my students to read this book prior to our visit. I feel they will have a better understanding and appreciation for what we will experience. I highly recommend this book.

5 comments about The Garden Book (Garden Design).

1. This is a gigantic and beautiful book, and I disagree with those who find no inspiration for the small home garden in these pages.
   
   Each incredible location receives only one photograph, and at first I wanted to see more of each garden. But as I turned the pages I began to enjoy the sheer creativity and incredible variety on each page.
   
   The photos are gorgeous and the text is intelligent.
   
   True, I can't replicate these gardens with my space and money, but I find inspiration here and can improvise and scale it to size. I have learned a great deal about the greatest gardens in the history of the world, some of which are now reduced to ruin or exist only in historical record.



2. THIS BOOK SURVEYS ELABORATE GARDENS FROM OVER THE WORLD AND THOSE FOR PARTICULAR ARCHITECTURAL SETINGS. I THINK IT ASSUMES MORE THAN A FAIR AMOUNT OF GARDENING KNNOWLEDGE ON THE PART OF THE READER. SEE A DIFFERENT APPROACH Zen of Watering Your Garden



3. This book was recommended by a Landscape Architect. There was not one garden in there for the home, unless, that is, you have a multi-million dollar estate and more than 3 acres. What a waste of money for the home gardener.



4. My heavens, what a lovely book! Although my creative cathexis is primarily focused on product design and architecture, mine eyes have beheld the glory of landscape architecture as a result of this inspiring tome (as well as the fascinating biannual of modern landscaping "'Scape," which is also available on Amazon). The pictures are lush, even in a little book like this. The alphabetical organization mixes thousands of years of masterpieces from around the world, giving a fabulous feel for the astounding diversity and creativity of landscaping. And the price simply can't be beat. I can't recommend this book highly enough -- I'd give it 10 stars if I could!



5. Great book for anybody who wants to get an overview of garden designs there are, anyone who wants to have a taste of what a designer does to look up his work in depth somewhere else. Illustrations are beautiful, descriptions are short and informative. What else to wish for?

5 comments about Carving Architectural Detail in Wood: The Classical Tradition.

1. This book was great. It has information I have not been able to find anywhere. I loved it so much I purchased his other one.



2. Frederick Wilbur is the American Master Carver of our time. In this book, written with scholarly erudition, Frederick Wilbur finds the plain words to show us how he works and how we can hope to improve our own carving. This book is indispensable for every wood carver's library. Read it now and refer to it for years. William Tapia



3. This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it. It is quite large, very thorough, is loaded with colour photos (every second page?) and as well, colour diagrams. It covers everything (that I can think of) with almost step-by-step instructions and many examples from both real life (pictures of buildings, doorways, windows) and the workshop (finished items on the table). I find the colour photos very useful, as they give a good indication of the kind of beauty you can aim for, and the photos of work in progress also very useful. I don't think black and white photos are as good for this kind of book, so I was very happy to see so much vivid colour.
   
   I would say you would need to be a bit beyond beginner to get the most out of this, perhaps early novice would be enough.
   
   Overall a very useful book, well worth the money and the best I have seen for carving these kinds of things, and I have the Taunton books (which often seem lacking, somehow).



4. Just what I was looking for. Thanks



5. This work is very descriptive in both word and picture of architectural detail. It demonstrates methods of calculating the plan or measuring the details to permit you to lay out elegant but traditional carving projects. It has been a wonderful source of learning for me and a guide to several carving motifs. The author is publishing a second book that I am anxious to see.

No comments about Hardscape: Innovative Hard Landscaping Materials for Gardens.

4 comments about Sustainable Homes: 26 Designs that Respect the Earth.

1. Sustainability is something that seems to defy definition at this time. Personally, I believe that part of it has to do with lifestyle. I think it is terrific that when pallacial homes are built they bring efficiencies into play. There are many good ideas in this book. Some of them have already been incorporated into projects I am building. That does not make them "Designs that Respect the Earth". Most of these structures are not what I would call sustainable. I would, however say that they are more effecient than they could have been.
   
   Dont get me wrong, I am glad that these are being built the way they are. It is just that the title makes a bold claim I call to question.
   
   They are, in some cases beautiful and as I said, some of the ideas are being incorporated into current projects of Eco-Con Building Systems, Inc.



2. This is a book of sumptuous photos and graceful, though scant, commentary. Featured are sophisticated homes in beautiful, sometimes dramatic settings. Yet contrasting with the title, the brief description of each house seems more to emphasize aesthetics than "sustainability." Dennis Wedlick's forward succinctly lists a few elements like super-insulation, and non-toxic materials; but too little along these lines is discussed in Trulove's text in relation to the specific houses. Occasional fundamental or innovative details of construction, siting, or materials do show up, but more often the discussion is about traditional architectural concerns (like interior space and extensive windows) and stylistic considerations (like exterior cladding, and interior paneling). Besides the photos, the floor plans and roof-line illustrations are informative (though small). And occasionally the text and the photos come together nicely to reveal an interesting design feature - as when an extensive overhanging roof used in an especially sunny climate provides shade for windows (presumably reducing air-conditioning needs). But this book is nowhere near as intensive in its investigation of its featured homes, nor of sustainabile-home concepts or tech, as numerous other available books on the same topic (such as David Pearson's The Natural House).



3. James Grayson Truelove rides the gravytrain of bait-and-switch coffee table fare. His chosen form lures the reader in with promises of topics we long to LEARN about, and a few succulent photographs, only to find the actual product, when delivered, bereft of content...frustrating, unsatisfying calories for an audience truly hungry for information and knowledge. read the reviews for all of his books and you will notice a recurring theme...we've seen most of these houses (even the same shots) in magazines before...readers were hoping for more detail...many people seem really ready for information about how to buck the degrading tide of mainstream housing, how to do it artfully, efficiently, and affordably. it seems almost cruel to cheat such a group of eager, open-minded, ahead-of-the-bellcurve people whose attempts to thwart the destructive housing industry are going to provide answers for the future. what a wasted opportunity. I think Mr. Truelove has the ABILITY, and he obviously has the resources, to do much better.



4. I love to collect books of house plans and blueprints and I especially like those that are environmentally friendly. Some day my family wants to afford to build such a nice house so these give us ideas. However, that only really works if we have full information -- like what types of materials are used, layouts of the floors that we can read, etc. Several, about 40% of the designs in this book lacked understandable or complete basic blueprints for the structure. Only a page or two about the building and the philosophy behind it were included. Primarily this is a pretty picture book and for $30 it should be more.

3 comments about Contemporary Asian Living Rooms (Contemporary Asian Home Series).

1. This book is ok. Not as interesting as others I have but it is a good reference for modern asian design



2. 
   Great buy! Got Almost all the contemporary books series.
   Arrived on time!



3. Brilliantly illustrated with full-color photography throughout, Contemporary Asian Living Rooms is a virtual tour of fifty living rooms, homes, and hotels in Bali, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. Styles ranging from minimalist to luxurious are captured in brilliant detail with postmodern flair. Brief commentaries discuss the finer points of decor, color scheme, and other features in each living space, but the bulk of Contemporary Asian Living Rooms allows the majestic photography to speak for itself. A recommended and welcome source of inspiration for interior decorators seeking a classy touch.

1 comments about Recombinant Urbanism: Conceptual Modeling in Architecture, Urban Design and City Theory.

1. If you want the book on urban design, one piece of work that covers it all and gives you depth, insight and outlook on this field like no other - then this is for you! A book that will become a classic in this field. Absoluetly with no competition!