5 comments about The Craft of Modular Post & Beam: Building log and timber homes affordably.

1. This book is by far the best I have read on the subject of post and beam construction. Lots of nice drawings and understandable instructions. Good advice for average person. Explains wood joinery very well



2. If you are not building your own home, I don't recommend this book



3. This book is excellent. It gave me all the information I wanted/needed plus more.



4. The other reviewers of this book allude to the fact that they will someday get around to using the information. I have already done it and wanted to add my comments here.
   
   I used this book as my "bible" to construct a 24x40 log home with a porch wrapped all the way around. It took two years, but I couldn't have done it by myself without the theories and examples in this book. My joinery isn't as pretty as the ones in the book, but I used them and wooden pegs to secure all the posts and beams in the house.
   
   I highly recommend this book to all who have their own 'library' of log home books and need some practical advice that works.



5. I first stumbled on this wonderful book in our local library. Read it cover to cover in two weeks and unfortunatly had to return it but, it is on my birthday wish list. This is the most informative book on the subject I have read to date. Mr Mitchell did an excellent job in the chapters covering the details of modular log home construction. Many of which I plan to use in the very near future.

5 comments about Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Estate Became an American Icon.

1. This book is a good means of learning about the Biltmore family, its history, notable members, the means through which the clan's wealth was acquired, and also about its magnificent chateau near Asheville, North Carolina. (An awe-inspiring place, but staffed by some of the rudest human beings who ever drew breath.) This book's flaws relate to the fact it seems padded to fill out its length and does come close to re-using the same material more than once: and sadly the most dry parts are the ones re-used.



2. I've read and studied regarding the lives of the Vanderbilt families and the Biltmore inparticular. This is truly one of the BEST books I've read. We've all learned about the house and George Vanderbilt's ideas and thinking on building Biltmore. This book describes the life of his wife Edith and their daughter Cornelia after his death and what they had to go through to keep Biltmore after his death. The research is absolutely amazing. For anyone who is interested or obsessed with The Biltmore, this is a MUST read.



3. Half way through the book it just becomes tedious. There is a fair amount of repetition. I had to purchase another book because this one lacks enough photos. We are planning a trip there in the coming weeks
   and now I think I know more than I need to know.



4. This book is intriguing for those who enjoy nonfiction. It describes how Biltmore formed a business to keep from being sold and subdivided, what happened to the family members since George's death, and the relationship between Biltmore and the city of Asheville, among other things. It is extremely interesting if you would like to know more about the history of the estate and its families.



5. There is not a whole lot of literature around when it comes to the Vanderbilts and the Biltmore. SO this book is a refreshing and very easy to read story about the Vanderbilts and their successes leading up to the building of Biltmore taking 6 years.
   
   Everyone that can find the time and is planning to visit the Biltmore should read this before going. The Biltmore is so large and there are so many things to see that a visit requires some advanced planning to get the whole picture about this family and this American marvel. After our first visit to the Biltmore during this year's Christmas lights, we bought an annual access pass (upgrade while your day pass is still valid and you save a bundle), this and a picture history book. Now we are planning to go back and be prepared to really udnerstand this marvellous site.

2 comments about The Plan of Chicago: Daniel Burnham and the Remaking of the American City (Chicago Visions and Revisions).

1. I liked the book. As someone who recently moved to Chicago, I have a lot to learn about the city's past. This book gives a good overview of Chicago and the part that the Burnham and Bennett Plan played in the formation of the city, up to its present form. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone interested in Chicago, social history, or in urban planning.



2. As an architecture tour guide, I've read "The Plan of Chicago" and know some Chicago history. Smith succinctly summarizes prevailing circumstances so the reader knows the context of the development of The Plan, but he deftly includes colorful and precise detail. The book is under 200 pages, reflecting a distinctive self-restraint by this distinguished scholar at Northwestern University. Moving from background of Chicago history and of Daniel Burnham, Smith summarizes the Plan's development, describes the other players, analyzes the Plan's effects, and brings readers quickly up-to-date with urban planning of today. This excellent narrative, supplemented with photographs not commonly seen, ends with a "bibliographic essay" to guide interested readers in their subsequent investigations.

4 comments about The Park and the People: A History of Central Park.

1. This is not just a wonderful study of the park itself but a wonderful route into the social world of 19th century new york....one of the points of the book is that the park's boundaries were never natural, however naturalistic the winning design, but were, in the broadest sense, political. What remains today in the park was always fought over and contested.



2. No park has been so exhaustively researched, photographed and documented as this 843 acre oasis. So in saying this book stands out, I'm really saying something. This history of this park is just fascinating and the photos are just wonderful, Mr. Rosenzweig does fine research and it shows, his love for the park is evident in his writing and it makes the book all the more enjoyable. Central Park is the heart of the city, and to understand New York you really need to understand the history of the park. A New York without a Central Park is just unimaginable. I highly recommend this book.



3. There are several good books about Central Park, but this book, along with Sara Cedar Miller's "Central Park, An American Masterpiece" are among the very best.
   
   "The Park and the People: A History of Central Park" is an exhaustive study, without being exhausting. Generously peppered with wonderful illustrations, the book will entice people who had never visited the 800+ acre park to see it. And it will intrigue those people who use the park every day, to look at it with a more insightful eye. This beautiful park has now gotten a beautiful narrative to complement and compliment it. And take Amazon's advice and purchase Miller's book along with this one!
   
   Rocco Dormarunno, author of The Five Points



4. "The Park and the People" is an exquisite work of scholarship. I've read much about the park but nothing approaches the depth of knowledge and insight contained in this extraordinary book. It's provocative, exciting, extremely well written, and downright readable. I learned something new on every page and simply could not put it down.

4 comments about Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

1. Thomas Jefferson's Monticello, an essay in architecture, takes readers on a historical tour of the third U.S. president's cherished home near Charlottesville, Virginia, through well-written text and gorgeous, full-color photography. The book includes floor plans and photographs of Jefferson's original architectual elevations, as well as drawings of the finished building that we are most familiar with today. It describes Jefferson as art collector and plantation life on Monticello's farms, and it explores the four seasons in Monticello's gardens. Published in 2002 by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, Inc.



2. This work successfully links the many unique qualities of Thomas Jefferson's personality to the unique qualities of the home that he designed and spent most of his life building and rebuilding. All of the intriguing features of this home are covered.
   Anyone interested in this remarkable man and his home who is unable to visit Monticello in person should strongly consider this work.



3. This is a highly informative, well documented book covering all aspects of the design and building of Thomas Jefferson's home, plus insights into why things were done the way they were done, through Jefferson's own notes, sketches and correspondence. Plus,the photographs are exquisite.



4. One of the clichés about Monticello is that few houses do so good a job revealing the personality of its builder. But clichés get to be such generally because there's truth to them, and that's definitely the case here. If Thomas Jefferson was one of the most interesting figures in American history (and I think that's unquestionably true), then Monticello may well be one of America's most interesting houses. And for this colorful book produced by the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, we are guided through the house and grounds by people who know their stuff.

   Specifically, the chapters of this title are written by Monticello's director of restoration, the curator, the director of gardens and grounds, and other experts associated with the Foundation. Large, colorful photos are accompanied by informed commentary and all the requisite history, as well as documentation of the decades of restoration work it has taken to get the house and grounds to its current condition. A book doesn't make up for a visit in person -- if anything, I wished for more photos of the interior, especially of the book room and "cabinet." But for a general overview of the house, grounds, and collection, and an insight into the man himself, this book is hard to beat. I recommend it as a souvenir, as well as a nice companion to a Jefferson biography.

5 comments about 10 X 10 _ 2 100 Architects 10 Critics.

1. The publishers did a fine job on the quality of this book. Although 10x10 was not at all what I was looking for others may find it useful. I found that it had extremely contemporary design throughout, current and old. Its focus was more on the very soul and defenition of contemporary that is shown in form. I am not a designer or architecht, but am sure that type of person would get more from the book than I did. Basically I was looking for a collection of ideas that could some how be implemented into other forms, but I was not successful. All I could see was page after page of a revolving theme that I now know does not appeal to me in its purest form..



2. Im an architecture student at the University of Florida and this book, including 10x10 are a must have. Simple as that. Full of pictures and small captions describing projects. Great for a student in design courses.



3. As a web designer, going through this book of beauifully designed homes and buildings give me layout and design ideas. Full color with large pictures and descriptions, I would reccomend this book for starting architects.



4. I am currently a design student - and this is an indispensible resource for recent and fairly obscure architecture. Has full rich photos and a wealth of information inside. Great selection of buildings as well. The photos can be used for ideas on detailing to spacial organization. I highly recommend this to anyone who needs to get a fresh breath of air and clean out the cobwebs. Everytime I close it I am ready to design.



5. I was thrilled when I received this book. Being an architect myself, I appreciated the excellent photos and disussion of the featured persons in my profession. A wonderful book that will be a worthwhile read for anyone with an admiration or even mild curiosity in the subject. Highly recommend.

5 comments about Treasury of Ironwork Designs: 469 Examples from Historical Sources (Dover Pictorial Archive Series).

1. This book is chock full of illustrations! It has gates, doors, door arches, stair railings, and fence sections. It runs the gamut from simple to very intricate designs. If you are a designer, this is a great resource. If you just appreciate design, you will enjoy browsing through it.



2. I enjoyed this very much. I wish there could have been more photographs, but that would have been a different book. This is almost exclusively line drawings.

   Very helpful and informative. Warning: trying to duplicate these in decorative metal today is *expensive*. Architectural salvage might be more affordable than starting from scratch.




3. I have a different use for this book than perhaps the typical buyer. I bought it because I love adapting these iron designs into borders or patterns for my pen and ink drawings and paintings. Each page was such a delight when I discovered this book I bought it immediately. You need not use it as a home furnishings book. It works just as well as an inspiring art book.



4. I've worked in the Ornamental Iron business for 3 years as a designer and business manager. I use this book more than any other for generating some fresh, usually more elaborate design ideas. There are a number of styles represented in the many drawings. If you are interested in seeing unique and interesting wrought iron designs you will not be disappointed.



5. This is the most comprehensive collection of beautiful designs for gates, rails, fences, walls, pillars etc. From my personal opinion, there are some designs within the book that might be even more beautiful than the ones shown on the front cover. The various styles range from quite simple to very complex (flowery type). With over 400 designs, one is sure to find a few that matches his or her own tastes. A great book for homeowners and others. Probably some of these designs could even be used in graphics and other works apart from architecture.

3 comments about Small Bungalows.

1. Found this book very interesting. There were pictures and plans of the houses featured. There were also explanations of features inside and outside the houses. Enjoyed reading this book. One of my favorites



2. I believe the value (value for money) to be good. I got some very neat ideas for the house we will be building from this very book. The setup of the book is high quality and the photography is awesome, the lay-out is clear and an easy read. I also need to state that some of the material has absolutely nothing to do with bungalow style interiors A (Kelly green computer room with sixty-ish style blue purple figures?)



3. This is the perfect book for me. I am a big fan of Arts & Crafts homes and I love to look at home plans. This book has both. The plans have all the details one looks for in a bungalow, plus a modern open floor plan. I want to build them all.
   
   Janice
   in the Sierra

5 comments about New Directions in Tropical Asian Architecture.

1. This book was given to me as a birthday gift from my mother-in-law. I absolutely love this book. There are many beautiful photos. There are places and subjects that I never knew had so much beauty. Because I am already a huge fan of art and architecture, it was fun to learn about the many influences to Filipino style. I liked it so much that I had to buy a copy for my father (Born in Las Pinas - Metro Manila, Philippines)



2. I'm an Architectural Designer that lives/works in Jamaica and Bermuda and I'm also a fan of modern/contemporary architecture. I own a number of books on the subject, but few tend to address basic climatic issues that we in the Tropics face (and rightly so, since they are about projects north of the tropics). I've just received the book from my freight forwarder and had a chance to browse thru it. It really looks interesting and certainly provides inspiration for projects that can be successfully executed in our hot, humid climate.
   The inclusion of architectural drawings (Plans, Sections, Elevations) is also welcome - too many books on Architecture neglect this very important point. I think this may be the telling factor for deciding whether this is to be another one of my coffee-table books, or a serious informative reference for ideas and inspiration. For now, I'm leaning to the latter.



3. This book is a great book for young Filipino Americans who need some inspiration. As a Filipino American growing up in USA, I never really felt any connection with the Philippines. I was brought up by knowing only the stereotypes that sometimes make a Filipino American want to shy with embarrassment. Stereotypes are everywhere within any culture. By reading this book and flipping through the pages, I saw that Philippines is a beautiful place. Everyone needs take a look at this book. It's a great eye opener for Filipino Americans who have problems accepting their own skin.



4. I bought this book for myself. It's a true treasure trove of visual treats. Have you wanted to know how the homes of the rich and/or famous in the Philippines look? The variety of materials available for buidling and furnishing homes in the Philippines is astounding--rich woods, a wide spectrum of fabric, ethnic carvings and woven work. Linger over the detailed photographs in this book! Now I know what to get for my sisters and in-laws for Christmas!



5. Finally, a book on Traditional and Contemporary Philippine Interior Design by a reputable author/photographer. It will give the reader a good sense of Native Interiors to Traditional influences of Spanish-Colonial Interior Design and Architecture. Very superb photographs. Beautiful renderrings in the Furniture Dictionary.

3 comments about The Interior Design Business Handbook: A Complete Guide to Profitability.

1. Clear, well written, with astute comments about the business side of this interesting profession. This lady knows what she is talking about, having been in this area of consulting for many years. You can tell her expertise easily by reading this book! A must for all interior designers.



2. Great ideas for any design firm, as well as practical methods
   for someone wanting to start out on their own.



3. An excellent guide book for newly established interior design company.