5 comments about Landscape Design: A Cultural and Architectural History.

1. Excellent excellent text- very thorough, good pictures. Even if you're not in a class, good reading!



2. As the founding president of the famous Central Park Conservancy and of Cityscape Institute, Elizabeth Barlow Rogers summarized her experience, research and observations and her extensive training in art history and city planning in "Landscape Design: A Cultural and Architectural History."
   
   "Landscape Design: A Cultural and Architectural History" covers architecture, landscape architecture, conservation, city planning, earthworks, and other landscape designs in many different cultures from dawn of humanity to present, such as Stonehenge, ancient Egyptian royal cemeteries, gardens of Renaissance, Baroque Europe, English naturalistic Landscape, the Forbidden City of Beijing, Versailles, and New York's Central Park, etc.
   
   For many years, "The Landscape of Man: Shaping the Environment from Prehistory to the Present Day" used to be the only comprehensive book covering landscape architecture at a grand scale, with striking bird's eye view photos showing how brilliant human beings can be. "Landscape Design: A Cultural and Architectural History" can supplement "The Landscape of Man: Shaping the Environment from Prehistory to the Present Day" since it provides more in-depth discussions.
   
   "Landscape Design: A Cultural and Architectural History" has 544 pages and 633 line drawings and dazzling interior photographs (many of them are color). It is a valuable landscape design history book for landscape architecture students, seasoned design professionals and ordinary garden lovers!



3. This is one of the most tedious books that I've ever read. It focuses more on historical, cultural and politcal influences than actual garden design. I wouldn't recommend it, unless you're in need of a good night's sleep.



4. This is a great book. It is very readable, and even if you are not particularly interested in landscape design/architectural history, Elizabeth Barlow Rogers will inspire you. This book follows landscape and cultural architecture through history and makes me wonder why all schools - from elementary on up - don't attack history lessons from such a practical and fascinating point of view.
   Also, compared with other landscape Arch books this is much less narrow and really weaves in many many threads of cultural and historical interest.



5. I had to purchase this book for my LA class and it's a bug squasher. While the pictures are impressive, and the coverage of the subject in-depth, the author can be long winded. What she covers in a page could have easily been said in a couple of paragraphs. I also don't care for the glossy pages. While they make the pictures look nice, reading the fine text that it's printed can give one a headache.

5 comments about For an Architecture of Reality.

1. Unlike poetics of bordom this one is short and sweet. Simple concept told with pictures and very little narrative. I read it on a train ride. Thanks.



2. Even though this book was written a while ago (by fashions standard) it is completely relevant today. Benedikt nails down what I've been looking for and inarticulately talking about for a while: the "realness" of buildings. I'm tired of flash and fashion and this essay is a call to arms for architects to re-engage fundamental concepts about how our designs relate to space and time. A must read, preferably in masters years...



3. Mr. Benedikt writes with good intentions but a pretentious flare that I feel undermines the very statement he is making with this book. If one is to get from the beginning of an idea to the end of that idea with efficiency and clarity, one should probably do so without excessive quotes, brackets and interstitials like "I think." This call to arms is reduced to an academic brain tease, muddles its point, and probably wastes a lot of black ink. How "real" is that? Covering one side of each bleached-white page with black ink? Excellent points are made, but there is much too much of Mr. Benedikt between each.



4. I'm in the middle of an M.ARCH degree right now and this book has been the most influential thing I've read so far. It reminds me why I'm in school and what I'm supposed to be learning how to do. You can make sexy images and wonderful compositions that pretend to be sections and plans, or, you can think about the actual presence of the building. It's the difference between Hadid's work - which is incredibly beautiful on paper and in her paintings and yet often disorienting in real life - and Kahn's work which has fairly boring plans and sections (to me), but is powerful beyond words in actuality.



5. 10 years ago I borrowed this small book to a friend who liked it so much I never saw it since. The thoughts on the essence of realness in architecture, though a reaction to postmodernism, have made a lasting impression, and I was happy to regain the book. It is a reminder that architecture sometimes, just by being there, defines a _here_ and _now_ for us. No references, no games, no pretending. Pure existance. Thoughtprovoking and challengeing.

2 comments about India Contemporary.

1. I have a number of design books and was excited to order this one to add to my range. What a disappointment. The title is misleading. It should be called India Bad Taste. It is full of gaudy over the top rooms and there are only brief shimmers of good design. The best shot by far, is the one on the cover.



2. Featuring a thoroughly 'reader friendly' text that is enhanced with 261 colored illustrations, "India Contemporary" by Henry Wilson is a compendium of commentary and examples of interior designs and design elements that are breathtakingly beauty in their exotic compositions. These are samples and examples of interior design that are radically modern while hauntingly traditional, evoking the traditional crafts of the Indian subcontinent and wonderfully demonstrate the international appeal of uniquely Indian design sensibilities. As informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring, "India Contemporary" should be considered 'must' reading for student designers, and a highly recommended reference for professional, academic, and community library Interior Design collections.

5 comments about The Complete Yurt Handbook.

1. Excellent pictures. Good overall introduction to Yurts. Quick read. Not a lot of stupid info.



2. One of the best books I've found with concise building instructions. It also gives the historical context and more period method of construction as well. Great book for a beginner, which I am.



3. This book is an invaluable source of information on the history, building and use of the portable felt structures called Gers. Well researched and clearly written, the book covers all the detailed procedures needed for building one of these structures including authentic plans for a variety of sizes. There is a good glossary of terms and many helpful suggestions for the sourcing of materials.



4. None of the chatter, just good info on how to build yurts and gers. Forget the other larger books. Simple and to the point. Most of the drawings are freehand and not cad, but nothing is lost in the process.



5. It's amazing how much information is in this rather small book. You could keep it in your pocket as you built your own functional yurt. The writing is to the point and very informative. I've checked out many books on building yurts and this is the best. High points of this book for me: clear patterns, listing of materials and tools needed, time estimates for building, vocabulary of yurt parts, basic history of the people who use yurts, their various regions, and yurt variations. Get this book if you really want to build a yurt and do it right.

5 comments about Watercolor, You Can Do It!.

1. I can not believe that Amazon does not carry Tony Couch's books.
   He is an awesome teacher that gets his points across to the novice.
   His advise is easy to follow and he uses his colour in a pure and simple way



2. The early chapters on handling paint and the brush seems to really get to the point. The section on "moisture control" really is a must read for anyone still struggling with this aspect of watercolor painting. I recommend this book all the time to anyone who asks about good reading material. Too bad it is out of print. A must for the watercolorist library!



3. This is a great book that addresses problems that I haven't seen addressed in other books. He is also encouraging to the painter who may not feel they have a lot of talent but still want to paint. He feels that all people with the desire can do it. I got the book from the library, and loved it so much I purchased it. I've heard his videos are great too.



4. This is one of the best books teaching watercolor painting. I've bought many. He stresses that the journey (learning) is more important than the goal (being a great painter). He's an excellent teacher and his step by step illustrations are some of the best. A great help to me.



5. After reading at least 30 watercolor instructions books, this one goes to the top of my list. Couch covers everything from the basics (from equipment to how you actually get paint on to the paper) to the essential guidelines of design and composition. These (sometimes boring) subjects are covered in an easily-digestible, easily-usable manner, making it exciting to get to your next painting and apply what you have read. The book includes a really good description of how the painter is a "shape maker, symbol collector and entertainer" and numerous step-by-step examples of painting basic landscape components (trees, sky, rocks, water). The book is upbeat with a wonderful sense of play and humor running through it -- plus the reader is given dozens of examples of Tony Couch's own marvelous watercolor paintings, as well as examples from eight other superb watercolorists. The gallery of paintings alone is worth the price of the book (which, by the way, is about 30 pages longer than most watercolor instruction books -- so you really get your money's worth!)

1 comments about MVRDV: Works and Projects 1991-2006.

1. The photo pictured is not the cover image, nor is the title accurate; but the content is first rate. Unlike MVRDV's own publications in which the pages number into the thousands, this book is simple and short. The image quality is very high; an excellent snapshot of MVRDV's works.

5 comments about Good Green Homes.

1. This is an excellent book for those seeking an introduction to environmentally sound home building. There are many good general points and examples of green homes. It is short on details for actual designers but good for home builders who need to read this information desperately and stop building mega-mansions with 5 bedrooms for families with one kid.



2. Doesn't give a detailed analysis of anything, but is a great tool for people wanting a basic understanding of green building, energy efficient techniques, etc.



3. This book no doubt makes a lovely addition to my coffee table. I feel so inspired and now.. how do I do it?? I was looking for more practical advice that addressed all my reasons for wanting to remodel green - protecting my family's health and our planet's natural resources and my financial savings. If the intention was to create a stunning, inspiring book - great job. If it was to really explain what green is and exactly how to do it, I think I'd look to books like "Green Remodeling" by Johnston and Master or read Environmental Building News....



4. "A recent poll revealed that an astounding 96% of consumers are willing to pay more for green features in a home, and 91% feel that energy-efficient features in a new home were extremely or very important."
   
   If you are planning to redecorate or remodel, Good Green Homes offers ideas, real-world advice and lots of inspiration. Jennifer Roberts is a freelance writer who specializes in sustainable building, energy efficiency and corporate social responsibility. She helps people make choices that encourage positive change in their living environments. She answers the following questions:
   
   How does having a "green" home actually save money?
   How can someone who rents their home make significant changes?
   What are some ways to protect and improve the quality of air inside our homes?
   What are "rapidly renewable sources?"
   How can you afford a green home on a limited budget?
   
   Jennifer is also a merchandising manager for the Marina Green stores and joys introducing consumers to the joys of stylish clothes made from organically grown cotton, healthy paints, energy-efficient light bulbs, tableware made from recycled materials and environmentally friendly alternatives to everyday household products.
   
   Featured Homes Include:
   
   A Delightful Cottage
   An Ecofriendly addition to a historic home
   A Trio of Healthy and Green City Homes
   An Artist's studio on a Wooded Island
   A Vacation Retreat in the Wine Country
   A Neighborhood of Homes
   A Remodeled Victorian Flat
   
   It is rather shocking to learn that the air inside our homes can be five times more polluted than the air outside. One look at your energy bill might convince you to read this book.
   
   These homes don't really look all that different, but there are features like skylights to save electricity or there is a home that is naturally cooled, heated and lit. Some homes have solar water-heating systems for the summer and a unique solar power system blended right in with a backyard trellis to generate electricity from the sun.
   
   The section on air quality was of interest to me because I am always moving my Austin air filter about the house.
   
   The "Wine Country Retreat" looked like a house I could live in because it even has a tower. Well, the pools also looked rather inviting.
   
   ~The Rebecca Review



5. This book is a gift to the Earth and to so many of the people who inhabit it! Good Green Homes is educational and practical in an amazingly palatable way...that is to say, it is most enjoyable reading; and at the end one is so much wiser than when one began. It is a visual feast. The concept of environmentally sensitive choices in every aspect of the home is brought to the whole spectrum of the population, from new construction to renters to "what can I do with what I've got." This book is beautiful, user friendly and, above all, inspirational. I kept saying, "I can do that! I can take that action. I can make a difference, and I want to!" Bravo!

No comments about Managing Sport Facilities.

2 comments about Illustrated 2006 Building Codes Handbook (Illustrated Building Code Handbook).

1. This book was purchased for our office and we are using it constantly. We bought it for the lowest price and we are happy with the condition and the timeliness arrival of the purchase.



2. This handbook is a plain English guide to the Building Codes that are used (more or less) across the United States.
   
   More or Less - means that the individual codes are used by most places, but not all. Some areas have enhanced the codes to strengthen particular areas. When new codes come in, it takes time for them to get approved all across the country, so some places will have the older version, some the newer.
   
   Plain English - means that the codes themselves are written in what's called 'code text.' This is a quasi legal kind of writing that is intended to minimize errors in intrepretation, but which doesn't exactly succeed except that it succeeds in being difficult to read.
   
   This book presents the code in an easy to understand format. It is much easier to read, but lacks the legal precision of the code itself. Use this book for understanding what the code means. Use the code itself if you are going to court, and reference this book if you're having to explain it to a jury.
   
   This is an excellent approach, and the book is very well written and cross referenced to the code itself.

5 comments about Fulcanelli: Master Alchemist: Le Mystere des Cathedrales, Esoteric Intrepretation of the Hermetic Symbols of The Great Work (Le Mystere Des Cathedrales ... of the Hermetic Symbols of Great Work).

1. Alchemy and Hermeticism, along with the Qaballah and numerous other esoteric disciplines are all part of the "Great Work". This great work is the ongoing study of the ancient philosophy of Egypt which they received at the hands of the Celtic Bards and Druids. This ancient philosophy sought to train the mind so that the conscious mind could interact freely with the subconscious mind. The purpose of this discipline was for the aspirant to gain mental abilities which today are seen only in autistic savants. The process of acomplishing this is not easy. The adept discussed the various steps in the process by using symbolic code which they referred to as Cant, the Green Language, the Language of the Birds, the True Celtic Language, etc. Interpreting this code is very similar to dream interpretation except that the masters further confused its images by using sometimes hundreds of different sumbols to refer to one single item. Herein lies the basic problem with Fulcanelli's book.
   
   I rated this book five stars becuase of the rarity of modern Alchemical treatises. The style of writing is very easy to read but sadly, not very informative. All Hermetic authors subscribed to the requirement for secrecy. This is where the term: "Hermetically sealed" comes from. However, Fulcanelli takes this ancient admonition to greater lenghts than did even most of the ancient authors. His use of the Green Language is so abstruse that it took me some time to actually convince myself that he was the real deal and not just a wanna-be pretending to understand the code.
   
   In spite of their propensity for obsfuscation most authors would bend the rules of secrecy in one or two specific areas thus being able to add some insight into the "Great Work" without revealing too much of the whole. A good example of this is in Eudoxus' "Six Keys" where he emphasizes the sequence of events prior to the Rite and the necessity of understanding the Fire symbol. Fulcanelli does this also in two areas. The first is when he mentions that the rule of secrecy is strictly enforced because Alchemists did not wish to disrupt the cause-effect flow of world destiny by revealing too much too soon and thereby negating the prophecies predicted for the end of the age. I have not seen this explanation in any other Hermetic document. The second revelation he makes is in emphasizing that there are two forms of the Rite, a damp method and a dry method. The Damp Method is a voluntary induction into the Lucid Dreaming state to break down the barrier (symbolized by Fire) between the conscious mind and the subconscious mind while the Dry Method was a forced induction that was a short cut that did not require the dedication and long years of study to understand the profound philosophy of the ancients.
   
   All in all it is a valuable book but i would rather recommend Mary Atwood's "Suggestive Inquiry" which is a more difficult read but emminantly more informative and promises far more insight if seriously studied.



2. An alchemist Master, Fulcanelli, was a mysterious figure of early 20th century. His name became known to the world when his first work, "Le Mystere des Cathedrales," became published in 1926, only few years after Fulcanelli disappeared. This remarkable book revealed the purpose of phonetic cabala within the alchemistic works as well as the process of the Great Work. It showed the alchemical tradition and techniques as hidden yet seen on the very walls of Cathedrals, including the famous Auch Cathedral. When one reads this book, one will experience either a strong difficulty in understanding the words or one will find the greatest secrets that lie within.
   
   In the early 1920s, Fulcanelli embarked a task upon his only disciple, Eugene Canseliet, to publish his three works, "Le Mystere des Cathedrales," The Dwellings of the Philosophers, and "Finis Gloria Mundi." However, "Finis Gloria Mundi" was later withdrawn by the Master due to its untimely nature and millennialic content.
   
   If one wishes to seek the true identity of Fulcanelli himself, one would only seek out the ground-breaking work by Patrick Riviere, who was the student of Eugene Canseliet, who was a mentioned disciple of Fulcanelli himself. Riviere holds a strong credence to his work, which is Fulcanelli - His True Identity Revealed.
   
   Finally, it would be my honor to recommend "Le Mystere des Cathedrales" to those who heed the calling and to those who are seeking the hidden meanings, either in mystery or alchemy, that lie within the ancient stones of the cathedrals. Even to those who are just simply curious about the gothic works. There is more to this book than meets the eye.



3. A classic in its own right. The occult philosophy that lies within the construction of the Great Cathedrals.
   A wonderfully written book; however in order for one to fully comprehend this works meaning, one must be symbolically literate.



4. I got this from Adventures Unlimited several years ago, and actually read it. The main problem I had with the book is that it is extremely cryptic, i. e. I had great difficulty understanding what Fulcanelli was talking about. This difficulty was in fact so great that I still don't understand most of it. I think that this book would be highly useful to someone who had spent a great deal of time studying alchemy, but for those (like me) with only a passing (or less) familiarity with the subject, it amounts to an exercise in mystification. If I knew more about alchemy, I might give this a higher rating; I give it the rating I did, because I have the feeling that Fulcanelli is giving an accurate account, but this rating is no higher because of the sheer incomprehensibility of the text. Also, the publication of this work may have had some purpose other than that of informing the reader; if so, I haven't divined this purpose, and thus cannot tell if the book was successful in it. My rating is therefore in the middle of the road.



5. The Fulcanelli book lifts a heavy lid covering the deep mysterious world of the builders of great gothic cathedrals in Europe to shed some light on what can be hidden from a profane eye, but is open book to the one who posesses a certain knowledge. Fulcanelli is very cautious not to lift the cover too high, he always stops himself at certain point, saying that he is not at liberty to say more. Fulcanelli, a full fledged alchemist, respected and admired by many, and no question feared by many more, had an access to the knowledge so serious that even one millionth of that whole could in the hands of a profane lead to the destruction of the world. Very few can even imagine what is hidden in that vault to which door Fulcanelly and his colleagues whose names we would never know. They keep their secrets well guarded. In comparison to their world, the fictional world of Brown's "Da Vinic Code" is as a speck of dust to the mount Everest.
   Such people as Fulcanelli have been hunted throughout the ages, as late as during the last world war. They, however, managed to escape the sweeping search by the Nazis who spared no money and resources to find them. Lucky we, the Nazis weren't successful, otherwise we would be living today in a completely different world.
   Now, when you know what kind of people Fulcanelli belonged to, and will appreciate a token of that great knowledge revealed to us by him when he leads us step by step to his humble but nevertheless powerful revelation.
   In conclusion I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in obtaining at least some understanding how one should read a great books written in stone and become hungry for more knowledge without which no man can consider himself a complete person. Good luck, and enjoy the book.