No comments about City Walks: Los Angeles: 50 Adventures on Foot (City Walks).

2 comments about Frank O. Gehry: Selected Works: 1969 to Today.

1. I am totally opposed to the other review of this book - if you are a Gehry fan or just a fan of architecture this book is hugely inspiring and a really great experience. But I must advice the potential buyer to read the title of the book: Selected works 1969 to today. This book has never promised to be a Complete works, it is nothing more than a selection of some of Mr. Gehrys works and since the book comes with a massive 600 pages the works selected for the book is very much covered in detail, with the top priority given to photographs, which are all excellent.
   Another great feature with this book is its size: It comes in a strong hardcover in a very handy format, so you can read it at the table, on the couch or take it to bed - and still manage it, unlike many large and exclusive architecture books!!
   I will recommend this book to all with just a slight interest in architecture and Mr. Gehry - I feel sure you will be satisfied.



2. I anxiously waited for this book to come out, as a Gehry fan this book promised to be the perfect addition to my large collection of Gehry publications.
   Never have I been so dissapointed. There printing quality is horrible, the photography is average, there is no indication of Gehry's working process (models) and worse of all, there are no drawings or a single Gehry sketch. the only thing close to a plan or a section are these awful collage like images which do no justice to the spaces Gehry creates. This book is not recommeneded for anyone who wants to understand his buildings. If you want to look at the pictures, its great, yet you will notice repetition of several pictures over and over through out the book. perhaps taking the effort to place an actual plan would have helped. there are key projects in his career, as is the case of his house. In order to understand Gehry's work you will need to purchase other books, so buying this books is really a waste.
   It has the potential to being a GREAT book, and one that covers all his projects, but it just fell short. I do appreciate in contrast to Francesco Dal Co.'s "Frank Gehry: The Complete Works" the immense amount of photographs yet, they appear as snapshots and do not do justice at capturing the essence of the space.
   
   If you are a true Gehry fan, you will buy the book, but be warned, you will be extremely dissappointed. If you are trying to learn about Gehry, there are far better publications out there, and this book is not it.

1 comments about Charles Randall's Designer Sketchfile: Draperies, Valances, Fabric Shades & Bedding (Book & CD-ROM).

1. If you are a veteran window designer, nothing new here. Some historical designs you can find in any period book and I was suprised to even see some design from books of Joan Willis. I was very disappointed considering the magnitude of his other books.

2 comments about Concise Townscape.

1. Too concise. Had to get copies of pictures left out from previous copy.
   
   Dorothy Ramsay



2. If Gordon Cullen's book 'The Concise Townscape' were required reading for anyone entering an architectural education, the level of discourse on design would skyrocket. Cullen puts to words and images some of the more intangible qualities of space that nevertheless affect how we view our surroundings. It is, in my opinion, a categorization of experiences... discussing things like 'serial vision' (the progression of visual experience as one moves along a path) 'outdoor room and indoor landscape', 'looking into enclosure', 'viscosity', etc. etc. This book is more than a dictionary or thesaurus of spatial terms, however. It is primarily a book on experience- getting to the heart of how a space actually feels; how it is occupied, how it CAN be occupied, and what are the qualities that make it that way. If read for what it truly is, it renders the current fashion of architectural pornography rather silly.
   
   And this, my friend, is where its true strength in Academia comes into play. Sexy renderings only take one so far, but your design professor has most likely read this book. Understanding Cullen's work will bring the discourse up, and move your work beyond a visual one-liner.
   
   But that's just my opinion, and I could be wrong.

1 comments about Basic Estimating for Construction (2nd Edition).

1. This book is ok. It can be hard to search for information that you need to in class. I think the book should be broke down more into sub sections.

No comments about Doing Art Together: The Remarkable Parent-Child Workshop of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

No comments about 50 Years of Recuperation of the Situationist International (FORuM Project Publications).

2 comments about Turn-of-the-Century Doors, Windows and Decorative Millwork: The Mulliner Catalog of 1893.

1. This is a good reference to the time period. This is not a "how to" book but rather a period catalog expertly reproduced. This book is good for someone who is interested in creating a home with elements from the late Victorian era.



2. This is apparently a reprint of one of the really great old catalogs of Victorian Millwork! It has fabulous designs for window ornamentation, verandas, brackets, gable ends, fireplace mantels and most especially doors. Black & White sketches show an impressive variety of ideas.

2 comments about Swahili Chic.

1. Delighted to receive this great book in prime condition
   and in expedient fashion.



2. I have many books on African decor and this is a great addition to my collection. In addition to showing different estates, I liked how the author showed photos of the Swahili people so that the reader does not lose touch of the originators of this design style. I can't wait to travel there!

5 comments about The Keepers of Light: A History and Working Guide to Early Photographic Processes.

1. This book is the primary source of knowledge for those who are new to alternative photographic processes. It is a must read for those who wish to know the history of photography, and who wish to dive into alternative processes. It gives a brief history of each process, and then practical knowledge to aid the reader in accomplishing each process. I would recommend this book to all my colleagues and friends interested in photography.



2. . . . And it looks it. I can't tell you how many times I've referred to this book. It is one of the most - if not the most - useful book for nonsilver photographic processes I've ever had and I have quite a collection of this type of book.
   
   I don't think you can go wrong owning a copy of this volume.



3. This is a great book it help me gain notion on the history of photography and alo show me ways to do photography the old way



4. Well, after asking endless questions to some of the "so called" self-acclaimed "experts" in the field of wet plate photography; Crawford's book was a breath of fresh air. I only wish that I could have come across this book early in my search. Instead I had to wade through BBS systems with adults who like to dress up and play "war" (i.e., the Civil War). With this book you will be able to bypass all of the fruitless searches you will have if you ask present day practitioners, who do not want to share the process (or are more likely unknowledgeable themselves). Save yourself the problems, efforts and misinformation. Buy this book!



5. I lost my first copy and just bought another. Learn the history and the how-to's of several non-silver printmaking methods. If you're interested in these processes, this book will give you an excellent overview and get you started on making your own prints.