2 comments about Wild Borneo: The Wildlife and Scenery of Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei, and Kalimantan.

1. This book provides an excellent overview of what to expect in going to Borneo. The explantions are not lengthly where one gets tired of reading and the facts are written in a lively narative. Great for one who wants to see what this interesting island offers in all aspects of it's wildlife. Because of the size you probably won't have it in your luggage when you go, but great for researching before the trip and taking notes. Glad I have it!!!



2. Nick Garbutt's "Wild Borneo: the Wildlife and Scenery of Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan" is a wonderful addition to an existing seies for the lay reader and expert alike. This series, started by New Holland Press and continued by MIT, has volumes on "Wild ....." including Indonesia, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Thailand. All were done a half dozen years ago or so. Thus this well-written and beautifully photographed book is most welcome. It is also reasonably priced for its intrinsic value. To underscore its importance, one need look no further than the name of the author of its preface, Sir David Attenborough. It covers Borneo's habitats, wildlife, people, The Heart of Borneo, fabled Mt. Kinabalu and ecotourism and conservation. Garbutt is also the author of the excellent and comprehensive "The Mammals of Madagascar."

5 comments about Style and Grace: African Americans at Home.

1. I borrowed this book from my local library for decor inspiration and because the photographs were stunning. I then purchased my own copy because I fell in love with the wonderful stories of the homeowners and the gorgeous pictures. While the majority of the homes featured are in the New York area, there is a wide range of home design on display here. My favorites were the NY townhomes as I just love the look of the woodwork and the beautiful fireplaces. Well worth it and makes a fine addition to any library or showpiece for your coffee table.



2. Style and Grace: African Americans at Home is a must for anyone that is an avid collector of diverse Interior Decorating styles. Even if you are just interested in designs for creating African interiors, or decorating styles of the artistic and eclectic, this is the one book to add to your collection. African objects mixed with art deco, classical, traditional and modern styles. The Exotic and Rustic to the Modern and Streamlined are showcased-all are a mixture of what we strive to achieve in our own homes.
   
   The rooms in this book are actual, lived in rooms of everyday homes. Nothing seems staged or fussy. Masculine or Feminine...I found all these interiors very culturally urban. Comfortable, inspirational, unique and beautiful!



3. If photographer Mick Hales' work in STYLE AND GRACE: AFRICAN AMERICANS AT HOME looks familiar, that's because his work has appeared in some top national magazines, from House and Garden to Vanity Fair. When paired with architectural historian Michael Henry Adams' work, it provides a gorgeous addition to the first survey to capture the spirit of African-Americans in their home design and decoration choices. A wide range of homes receive feature here, from that of hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons to Congressman Charles Rangel: each surveys the style, intentions and outlook of the homeowner as well as the designer or architect involved.
   
   Diane C. Donovan, Editor
   California Bookwatch



4. If photographer Mick Hales' work in STYLE AND GRACE: AFRICAN AMERICANS AT HOME looks familiar, that's because his work has appeared in some top national magazines, from House and Garden to Vanity Fair. When paired with architectural historian Michael Henry Adams' work, it provides a gorgeous addition to the first survey to capture the spirit of African-Americans in their home design and decoration choices. A wide range of homes receive feature here, from that of hip-hop entrepreneur Russell Simmons to Congressman Charles Rangel: each surveys the style, intentions and outlook of the homeowner as well as the designer or architect involved.
   
   Diane C. Donovan, Editor
   California Bookwatch



5. If you're looking for a beautiful, decorative coffee-table book to fill space in your living quarters, look no further. STYLE AND GRACE: AFRICAN AMERICANS AT HOME is a beautiful escape inside the home of African American celebrities. Showing a diversity of styles and tastes, the reader is given a glimpse of quiet elegance, sophisticated clutter, and even over-indulgent artifacts. Showcasing the houses of celebrities such as Russell Simmons and Gordon Parks to Nancy Lane and Michael McCollom, this book is resplendent, and quite an inspiration to those who can afford to hire someone else to fix up their house.

   Photographer Mick Hales has beautifully portrayed areas both inside and outside of each house. And, while I did think the book was beautiful, it was a bit annoying that it only focused on celebrities as if to say that other African Americans do not have style and decorating abilities too. It would've been nice to see a section devoted to those who do their own interior decorating.
   
   Reviewed by Tee C. Royal
   of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

1 comments about Art Deco Architecture: Design, Decoration, and Detail from the Twenties and Thirties.

1. Let me state off the bat; I love Art Deco architecture. The artistry and the masonry that went into these buildings is a feast for the eyes. This book is very thorough and the vintage black and white pictures ooze sepia, some these buildings I had never seen photographed. The text is informative without being too scholarly or too grossly indepth. This is one of the better books on Art Deco, but still the book on American Art Deco is the best, it has recent color images and is just a much prettier book, but for what this is, it succeeds very well.

4 comments about Architecture Shapes (Preservation Press).

1. This a wonderful book with great photographs. The shapes are presented simply in black and white across from the color photograph. This helps children first learn the shape and then find the shape in the architecture. My one less star is because the depicted oval is really an ellipse. This happens often in children's books for some reason. An ellipse always has two axes of reflection; an oval has one or more. So, an egg-shape is an oval, but not an ellipse.



2. As an architect, I enjoy giving these books as gifts because they are different from your run of the mill children's books. I like how they use building pieces to teach about basic shapes and colors. It is not a book that highlights popular or historic architecture - its more about the components.



3. The book shows basic shapes through line drawings and on the facing page different architectural elements of that shape, mainly photos of windows. My twins are 13 months old and they choose this book as one of their favorites. The photographs are crisp and reality based (no cartoons), the typeface is large and clear, and the shapes are bold and basic. The twins like it read to them as well as flipping the pages themselves. We may soon need another copy as it is getting a lot of use. I would recommend this book to any small child, beginning reader, or even a little older.



4. The book shows basic shapes through line drawings and on the facing page different architectural elements of that shape, mainly photos of windows. My twins are 13 months old and they choose this book as one of their favorites. The photographs are crisp and reality based (no cartoons), the typeface is large and clear, and the shapes are bold and basic. The twins like it read to them as well as flipping the pages themselves. We may soon need another copy as it is getting a lot of use. I would recommend this book to any small child, beginning reader, or even a little older.

4 comments about American Homes: An Illustrated Encyclopedia of Domestic Architecture - A landmark reference with more than 1,000 illustrations, elevations, and palns.

1. I teach a High School architecture class and I highly recommend this book for several reasons.
   1) The black and white line drawings allow my students to focus on the specific details without being distracted by the colors of photographs.
   2) The drawings are highly descriptive of the elements of style that distinguish one period from another and one region to another.
   3) Walker breaks down the sections first by year and then by region.
   
   You are able to see how the styles changed over a period of years and focus on the phases of development.
   
   I especially liked that he devoted separate chapters to individual architects that made a significant contribution to the development of the distinct styles and Walker does a good job of picking houses that showcase these talented individuals.



2. I am interested in historic architecture -- mostly eastern coast architecture of the colonial period. And this book does a grand job of displaying it in its varied forms and regional and ethnic differences. As you can see I rated it at 4. Why not 5? Because I caught a couple of mistakes in the identification of some of the buildings -- both as to location and to period of history from which they came.
   The first mistake I noticed is the octaginal blockhouse on Davis Island in Edgecome, Maine on page 67. Mr. Walker idenitifies it as a building from the 1650's. It was in fact built in 1805 as the central fortification of an earthwork and palsade gun battery to protect Sheepscot Bay. It is one of a whole string of idential coastal fortifications designed and built by the Army Corp of Engineers the specific engineer for this series of fortifications was Moses Porter -- at that time based at West Point. I have lived most of my life within 40 miles of this building.
   The second building that I believe to be mislocated is found on page 95. It is correctly identified as an early georgian house. Where I disagree with Mr. Walker is it location. It is in fact a house that stands to this day in the city of Portmouth, New Hampshire and was the home of an 18th century merchant of that city. There is also a wooden example of the same house on route 1a just outside of the town of Newberryport, Massachusetts and another one built, 1782, in Saco, Maine.
   With these exceptions I have enjoyed reading and re-reading this book



3. "American Homes" by Lester Walker is a bargain at the price Amazon is charging. It is a lavishly illustrated (albeit in black and white) comprehensive work detailing every style of American home in drawings, sections, and elevations emphasizing the differences that make a certain home or style unique. In this way it is extremely useful for anyone with even a passing interest in architecture to learn about the varying styles of American homes.

   Mr. Walker does not visibly seem to favor any one style over another, and avoids editorializing for the most part. Instead he seems to love all the differing styles for what they are, in different ways, and for different reasons, depending of the particular house in question. In addition to specifics on certain examples and styles, Mr. Walker also gives the reader a historical perspective of housing developments in a developmental time frame, starting with Pueblo and Tipi styles to the Inflatable, Deconstruction, Brutalism, and Neomodern styles that are decidedly more recent. As a fan of creative contemporary architecture, I especially found the coverage of the International Revival movement, the quirky Silo and Yurt homes of the early 1970s, and Fantasy homes from the 1940s in the shapes of an elephant (Margate City, NJ), Mother Goose (Hazard, KY), and a pig (Los Angeles, CA), among others, to be delightful.

   This is a wonderful volume and I highly endorse it to anyone from architectural historian to collectors of Americana.




4. I really love this book - it has given me some useful information on the kinds of houses and buildings I may see all over the country - an historical education that I have wanted. And this book makes it fun & easy to learn. The illustrations are cool and the format is very helpful.

4 comments about A World History of Architecture.

1. This 2nd edition was published in 2003 under ISBN: 1856693538 [Hb] and ISBN: 0071417516 [Hb], in 2004 under ISBN: 1856693716 [Pb], and in 2008 under ISBN: 0071544798 [Hb] and ISBN: 1856695492 [Pb]. It is magnificently illustrated guide to the global history of architecture is an update to include the non-western world and works from women on 608 pages. This impressive survey includes a wealth of information, and is beautifully formatted and enhanced with 570 photographs (300 in color) and 350 line drawings. A series of maps precedes the informative and well-written text.
   This 2nd edition gives a deeper knowledge and wider perspective of traditions in architecture throughout the world--from prehistoric through modern structures. The book includes photos, plans, scales for important monuments, residences, government buildings, and religious structures, complete with photos, plans, and scales, including: The Parthenon, Cheops Pyramid, Pantheon, Hadrian's Wall, Versailles, Monticello, The Brooklyn Bridge, Boston Public Library, Rockefeller Center, Fallingwater, The High Museum.
   This book also examines the unique methods of great architects past and present. Among them are Alvar Aalto, Robert Adam, Leon Battista Alberti, Filippo Brunelleschi, Gustave Eiffel, Peter Eisenman, Antonio Gaudi, Frank Gehry, Walter Gropius, Imhotep, Le Corbusier, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Michelangelo, Glenn Murcutt, Andrea Palladio, Eero Saarinen, Koca Sinan, Louis Sullivan, Christopher Wren, and Frank Lloyd Wright.
   The 1st edition was published in 1989 under ISBN: 0874847842 and titled "A History of Western Architecture".
   BIOGRAPHIES:
   Michael Fazio is emeritus professor of architecture at Mississippi State University, an architect, and architectural historian. He holds a Ph.D. in the history of architecture and urban development from Cornell University.
   Marian Moffett earned a Ph.D. at the M.I.T. (1975) and taught history of architecture at the University of Tennessee, where she had collaborated and co-authored with Lawrence Wodehouse including the first edition (1989) titled A History of Western Architecture.
   Lawrence Wodehouse, a native of Norwich, England, received a Ph.D. from the University of St. Andrews (1980), taught history of architecture at the University of Tennessee and others, and was the author of many books and numerous scholarly articles, a registered architect in the UK, and a founding member of the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians.
   CONTENTS:
   Preface
   Maps
   Introduction 1
   Ch. 1 The Beginnings of Architecture 9
   Ch. 2 The Greek World 39
   Ch. 3 The Architecture of Ancient India and Southeast Asia 67
   Ch. 4 Traditional Architecture of China and Japan 87
   Ch. 5 The Roman World 111
   Ch. 6 Early Christian and Byzantine Architecture 141
   Ch. 7 Islamic Architecture 165
   Ch. 8 Early Medieval and Romanesque Architecture 191
   Ch. 9 Gothic Architecture 229
   Ch. 10 Indigenous Architecture in the Pre-Columbian Americas 275
   Ch. 11 Renaissance Architecture 295
   Ch. 12 Baroque Architecture 353
   Ch. 13 The Eighteenth Century 397
   Ch. 14 Nineteenth-Century Developments 419
   Ch. 15 The Twentieth Century and Modernism 475
   Ch. 16 Modernisms in the Mid- and Late Twentieth Century 533
   Glossary 568
   Bibliography 572
   Picture Credits 576
   Index 577



2. It is an outstanding book for aspiring architects who want to gain more knowledge about the history of what they study and practice. From the Egyptians to the modern architects like Frank Gehry, this book explains how, why, and where the great structures of the world were built. It is an excellent research material to use.



3. I have always admired architecture. I love wandering through cities, marvelling at their skyscrapers, and travelling to Europe to see older buildings. I bought "A World History of Architecture" so that I could better understand not only the beauty of these buildings, but their place in architectural history. "A World History" exceeded my expectations.
   
   Its sixteen chapters describe the characteristics and innovations of architecture's major movements. You will learn what makes Gothic architecture Gothic, and Romanesque Romanesque. "A World History" also explains how these styles developed from eachother. Although appearance might suggest otherwise, today's skyscrapers are the descendants of the Parthenon and Pantheon.
   
   Not all chapters describe western styles, however. There are long, interesting sections about Egyptian, Indian, Chinese, Islamic and Pre-Columbian American architecture. The authors explain how these types influenced Western architecture, something I never realized. It is fascinating to read that Islamic mosques were the source of many concepts found in medieval cathedrals, and that Mayan buildings inspired some of Frank Lloyd Wright's work.
   
   The book is well written and full of beautiful pictures that illustrate the ideas described in the text. I don't think there is a single page devoid of pictures, which alone make the book interesting to leaf through.
   
   My only complaints concern the hefty price and bulky size. This is more of a textbook than bedroom reading. I found it uncomfortable to lay down on a couch to read this, or even sit in an armchair. It is best read sitting at a desk, like your chemistry textbook in high school.
   
   Otherwise, "A World History" is perfect. Having read this, I feel like I have completed an architectural class. This book gave me a knowledge architectural history that I cant wait to use on my next vacation.



4. Professors Fazio, Moffet, & Wodehouse have assembled a book which is impressive in its scope and thoroughness. It covers each subject with a depth appropriate for an academic environment, but remains approachable to the average reader. The photographs and plates are numerous and richly illustrate each topic throughout the volume. Expect this book to become a standard text in the field.

2 comments about The Way We Live by the Sea (Way We Live (Rizzoli)).

1. This is a beautiful book for anyone who loves the sea. In looking at it I was immediately transported to ocean locations - very relaxing and pleasurable. There is a lot of variety in the book and I enjoyed the ideas for sea based furnishings which can be used as much in the city as by the ocean. The only additional thing I would suggest for future editions would be to incorporate images from a wider choice of countries.



2. This beautiful book will transport you to the sea of your dreams. The photographs are evocative and dreamlike. Whatever your sea dreams are, you will find them in this book.

2 comments about How to Start and Operate Your Own Design Firm, Second Edition: A Guide for Interior Designers and Architects.

1. Any interior designer or architect who has dreamed of operating a design firm needs the second updated edition of this classic which covers all the basics of establishing such a business, from developing a plan and financing an office to setting fees, locating clients and marketing design services. Both general and design firm-specific tips are blended together making this an invaluable guide for any collection catering to businesspeople or designers alike.



2. Very good book if your looking to get started on your own. Everything you need to know. Nothing is left out!!!

1 comments about Greece Style: Exteriors, Interiors, Details (Icons S.).

1. Marvelous pictures with some helpful hint on technique painting and achieving the looks presented in the pictures. I would have liked more information on where to obtain some of the accent items. If you like photo journal books, you will enjoy this publication.

5 comments about The Urban Design Handbook: Techniques and Working Methods.

1. this a firm way of working
   just one way of doing things



2. This book is a rare but insightful look into the practice of one of the New Urbanist legends. UDA began the pattern book revival a decade ago (and also has a book out describing the process of writing one.) They also are one of the pioneers of the New Urbanist revolution, which, by discarding the fictions of Modernist planning, have rediscovered existing methods and have discovered new methods of creating compact, mixed-use and walkable neighborhoods that were always the basic cellular structure of cities from the dawn of time until just before World War II. We have understood the basic principles again for some time. What this book shows are some of the mechanics of how to do it again.



3. The architects at Urban Design Associates use war stories and bold illustrations to provide detailed instructions on how to transform a blighted urban area into an aesthetically pleasing community. This Pittsburg-based firm created the architectural plans for city redevelopment in communities from Cincinnati, Ohio to Winston-Salem, North Carolina to Riverside County, California. The book shares UDA's time-tested, 10-part "charrette process."

   The charrette brings together local residents, government officials, real estate developers and other stakeholders to guide the design process. Using the existing community's "best addresses" as an ideal, UDA produces a unique pattern book that describes preferred neighborhood building arrangements and architectural styles. The plans emphasize the area's natural features by making parks and public space an integral part of each project.

   UDA has one cardinal rule that guides these working sessions: "No matter how many encounters you may have with participants, the first time you meet people, you are asking questions, not giving answers." Judging from the work presented in this full-color manual, they are asking the right questions. Their designs are scaled for pedestrians and they incorporate building sites that can accommodate single-family homes, multi-family residences, civic buildings and commercial space.

   The book is stuffed with specifics--everything from consensus building tips to digital filing guidelines. Architects, engineers, planners and developers are the obvious target audience for this trade book. But, new urbanists and city enthusiasts everywhere will also enjoy it as an entertaining and instructive reference.




4. The Pittsburgh-based firm Urban Design Associates has been in practice for nearly 40 years, over the decades accumulating quite a lot of experience in urban design. This is UDA's in-house training manual, polished and augmented for public use. If you are starting out in the urban design field, or are just curious about the methods of a successful firm, this is a good place to begin your investigations.

   The first section introduces some basic principles and organizing concepts. Ideas like the "Urban X-Ray" and "Urban Assembly Kit" are easy to understand but at the same time provide a powerful means of evaluating locations and organizing the design process.

   The second section, taking up one-third of the book, is a case study of the design process from beginning to site plan. It's really the heart of the manual. This section takes you through information collection, analysis, charrettes, preliminary design, negotiation, and final presentation. UDA can be justifiably proud of their work here, as the site (a housing project in Winston-Salem) was extremely challenging, yet the final plan was quite good from a number of perspectives. You get some idea of the politics, persuasion and patience necessary when working with established residents, officials, engineers and developers.

   The following two sections cover pattern books and architecture. These sections are mostly about basic concepts and the firm's standardized methods, which can be dry reading. The information is sound, but presented in a rather generic way, and so is less engrossing than the earlier section. It will be of interest to students wanting to understand how one firm tackles contextual residential design.

   In the extensive appendices, the roots of the manual become more apparent. These cover everything from filing system notation to line weight (how to draw a block of houses). Mainly of interest to those wanting to compare office administration procedures, students, and new UDA employees.

   The Urban Design Manual delivers the goods in a concise format, focusing on UDA's methods rather than trying to encompass a variety of possible approaches. The illustrations are a treat to look at, and convey at least as much information as the text. The writing is clear and professional, yet also conversational and even a bit lighthearted. Mini "war story" vignettes in the margins bespeak the writers' understated humor. It is the first step-by-step manual of urban design (hopefully the first of many by various authors), and is valuable resource for students and practitioners.




5. Gindros and Company at UDA distilled the stuff they do every day (-designing buildings, neighborhoods and towns), into a manual for their own new hires. Then they expanded this information into a handbook for publication. The book presents an excellent framework for design work at several scales, from the individual building through the building blocks of great neighborhoods, the street, the block, the public spaces.