3 comments about Islamic Art and Architecture (The World of Art).

1. Bought this book for my daughters Art class. It had all the information she needed. As alway amazon delivered quickly, with no delays.



2. As a beginner to the world of Islamic Art and architecture, I recently completed reading this book and found it a good introduction. It covers the development and major themes in architecture, ceramics, figure painting and calligraphy (textiles to a smaller extent) of Ummayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, Saljuq, Atabegs, Mamluks, Islamic Spain and Morrocco, Ilkhanids/Timurids, Safavids and the Ottomans.

   Islamic art and architecture of the Indian Subcontinent (eg Dehli Sultanate or Mughal India) is not covered at all in this book.

   It has a good sampling of pictures in colour of especially major architectural monuments. I think the strength of this book is especially strong as an introduction to Islamic architecture. Its coverage of the other areas is not bad either.




3. This book has an unbilievable combination of detail, broad coverage of various topics, ability to keep attention concentrated due to a great way the book is written. Illustrations were both artistically beautiful and helpful in understanding the topics covered. I am in love with this book and, after library reading it, I am ordering it today!!!

1 comments about Schaum's Outline of Computer Architecture.

1. Quite frankly, I was surprised at the usefulness of this Schaum's outline. I didn't think that the Schaum's outline format would work for a subject like computer architecture, but it does. All aspects of computer architecture are covered from computer arithmetic to processor design to memory systems to the advanced topic of multiprocessing. The format of the outline is a little different from the Schaum's usual formula. Each chapter consists of an "Objectives" section, followed by an introduction, followed by the various subsections of that chapter. There are examples and exercises on instruction set design, program design, block diagrams, and quite a few mathematical problems. This book is probably best suited to the advanced undergraduate or for self-study of the subject. If you are a graduate student that is using Hennessy's "Computer Architecture: A Quantitative Approach" the level of difficulty of the mathematical problems in that book is not matched by this one, and you should look for another source. Otherwise I recommend this guide for most students of computer architecture.

5 comments about Pools.

1. I, too, missed the first edition of this book and combed used book stores for years in vain. When I heard Pools was being reissued, I was delighted and preordered. When it arrived, I sat outside in bright light for my first look, expecting to be dazzled, but was sorely underwhelmed. Over the years, I have noticed lousy printing in many of Rizzoli's books and this might just be the worst. Page after page, what should be vibrant images are overly dense or dingy and end up looking sinister instead. The shadow areas are often completely black. The whole book looks like it took a gloom pill. I feel for Kelly Klein. She's done a great job of assembling a fascinating collection of images which are mostly drowning in too much black ink.



2. If you are artist or photographer,buy it.
   If you are landscape architect or pool's designer,DON't buy it
   Kamal Moneir



3. I read the few available reviews in advance of purchasing this book, and to my disappointment, the one negative reviewer was the most accurate. To one of the praisers, I agree that the book has a beautiful cover and would look great on a coffee table. However, inside the book, the images are poorly organized, and what little decription is available is at the end of the book in a short (two-page) reference. Better pool / landscape images are available in Architectural Digest and Southern Living articles. Overall, I found this book boring, repetitive, and disappointing. I haven't seen the Slim Aarons pool-themed book yet, but I would imagine it would have more interesting images and commentary / documentation.



4. Kelly Klein explains that she was inspired to create a comprehensive design reference for those wanting to complement their own backyard with a swimming pool. While the book does provide dozens of interesting and beautiful photographs of pools, water and people, it provides little, if any, inspiration for those hoping to design their own oasis. There are dozens of books that offer better photographs and design ideas for modern backyard swimming pools. In addition, there are thousands of photographs on the internet that would offer more help than most of those shown in Klein's book.
   
   If you are desperately looking for a coffee table book, you may find this one appealing. Personally I think there are dozens, if not hundreds, of better collections of photographs. Other than the quality of the paper, this pretentious volume wouldn't warrant a $12.00 price tag.



5. This book is like getting a massage for your eyes. Its photos range from anecdotal to iconic to escapist, and span several time periods and social classes. The foreword by (who else?) Esther Williams is an excellent treat. My coffee table would be bare without it.

5 comments about Architect's Portable Handbook.

1. This is a nice little reference book that is packed with useful info. It's not the definitive Architectural reference but that's not it's intent. It is a bit pricey...but pick up a used copy for $10 bucks and you'll be pleasently surprised.



2. After using the older version of this book, I was disappointed by the sequel. Not only was the shipper terrible, the book showed up sliced and with no return instructions, but the content was already outdated. It has been a disappointment.



3. book is very basic. for the home owner (or joke architect) to become familiar with the basic concepts of building. not for a contractor or engineer.



4. As a portable handbook and quick reference it contains some useful information if you need something to carry in your pocket, beyond that I feel if you have a graphics standards or building construction illustrated you are better off. The cost estimation is a bit simplistic but useful, but does not offset the lack of information. Plenty of areas are covered with only the most generalized and basic information. Reason for two stars: should be a 10 dollar notebook.



5. I have had the First Edition of this book since 1993, and have used that as a reference almost daily throughout my education and well into my professional practice. I decided to purchase this revised edition since the original book was becoming worn and flat out-of-date. This new version (a good 200 pages heavier than the first edition) includes new building code information (specifically IBC 2000), and provides revised cost estimate numbers. To this day, it is still the ONLY book worthy enough to reside on my desk.

   This book is an excellent source for the student and professional alike. Basic concepts, construction methods, and principles for design considerations are organized and indexed for easy reference and all attempts have been made to make the content easy to understand. Rules-of-thumb and graphics are provided throughout the text as well as commonly used tables, charts, graphs, maps, etc. Guthrie has also managed to develop several clever little checklists, which assist in making sure all issues have been addressed.

   The book is getting a little thick, and the distinctive oversized laminated cover has evolved into a standard size cover (it's not spiral bound - it's a paperback). The price is a little high, but I think the information found in this tidy little book is well worth it.

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 The Farmhouse: New Inspiration for the Classic American Home.

1. I am a Manhattan city dweller struck by childhood nostalgia about what it is like to live on the country side. For types like me, interested in farm-house inspired modern architecture, this book offers a great visual feast. If you are looking for real farm houses, however, look elsewhere.



2. Written by an architect for the layperson, Jean Rehkamp Larson makes you feel the elbow room of the farmhouse and surrounding countryside without being too technical. Showing several house styles from historical to contemporary, Larson teaches us what characteristics make the American farmhouse a house style that is as ingrained in our minds as baseball and apple pie.



3. This book is a valuable resource as my husband and I plan our "farmhouse" that we intend to build next year beginning in February. It gives examples of restorations, new construction built to look like the old classical farmhouses across the midwest, and amazing interiors. I love the shaded boxes of information, emphasizing the importance of features such as shape, the color white, porches, etc. It is a lesson book for those wanting a basic education on how to talk farmhouses. We bought three books, and this one is far superior to the others.



4. One of over $1,000 worth of books I ordered prior to starting our remodel, The Farmhouse is above and beyond the best book I bought for our tastes, and is the primary resource I have given to our architect. No country shabby chic here -- the style is spare, warm, and elegant. Great photos and text. This book will save us thousands by beautifully getting across our ideas for our new Boulder, Colorado home. Those who like this book would also like Jeremiah Eck's The Distinctive Home.



5. An informative book with good examples and photos.

5 comments about Ceramic Houses and Earth Architecture: How to Build Your Own.

1. If you are interested in learning more about the beautiful structure pictured on the cover of this book, don't bother buying this book. The book provides no additional photos and only two pages of text that covers this structure at a high level - and no similar structures are covered either. Obviously these two pages were tacked on in one of the recent editions. I feel cheated.
   
   Buy the much better "Earthbag Building: The Tools, Tricks and Techniques (Natural Building Series)" by Hunter and Kiffmeyer instead.



2. It's important to understand that what is truly new and fresh can't be responsibly reduced to a cookbook. Building a house is a major undertaking, and different parts of the earth have different climates, different needs, and different earth underfoot to build from.
   
   Khalili inspires his readers to think more openly, he urges experimentation while sharing what is known. His buildings are gorgeous, with an openness and simplicity that inspires us to question the standard boxes most of us live in.
   
   Also inspirational is his obvious deep humanity; his love for both building AND people has enabled him to leave the usual paths and use the best qualities of the old, while infusing it with modern understanding to create wonderful new, achievable designs. I am awed. I've read this book twice, I'm building the models he recommends so I can more fully understand the structures of arch and domes, and hope to take his workshop next summer.
   
   This is life affirming as well as life-changing.



3. This is a great book. I haven't read it page for page yet, but in it goes with my favourites. It concentrates on Khalili's monolithic fired ceramic houses and has a lot of detail. It leaves no stones unturned if you want a building of this type.
   
   Sadly, the book was published before Khalili invented Superadobe or Earth Bag building. For a good book on Earthbag, I recommend "Earthbag Building: The Tools, Tricks and Techniques"
   by Kaki Hunter. Another book - which is more general is "Alternative Construction; Contemporary Natural Building Methods" by Lynne Elisabeth and Cassandra Adams.



4. awesome resource and "how-to" book for those interested in this earth friendly type of architecture



5. The author is obviously a person of great vision and enormous generosity of spirit. The book is very good, and I hope that a rating of three stars isn't some insult where no insult is deserved. I was very disappointed because I expected a serious discussion of superadobe techniques, which I regard as possibly more practical than the ceramic constructions. The book has only seven pages treating superadobe. Those are pasted as an afterthought, right at the end. They don't constitute a detailed and serious discussion. As much information can be found on the calearth.org web site. So, I felt that the advertisements of the book were a little misleading.

   The book itself is an education on classical earth construction and the improvement produced by firing it. As a person unfamiliar with architecture and construction, I had hoped to find something like a cookbook. Just tell me how to build a nice house easily, and I'd be happy to do it. Part of the education is to realize that things aren't quite so simple. Many issues arise, and, at the time of its writing, not all of them are well understood or totally settled. In particular, the details of firing a house into its ceramic status is not only explained in a partial way, but clearly more work is required to get a full understanding. The author could successfully fire houses himself, but the process was not reduced, at this writing, to entirely simple formulas for the use of lay persons. In that sense, each person working from the book would need to take on some considerable personal responsibility. It might not all work correctly. Consequently, I don't consider this book to be an especially good guide for a novice or amateur builder. That doesn't mean it isn't worth reading. However, I wouldn't read it, put up my own dome adobe house, and then sit down for tea underneath my own dome. The thing would probably fall in.

4 comments about Restoring a Home in Italy.

1. Since we live in the southwest, but don't particularly want to decorate SWestern ..I like this book because it uses the same materials found here but in a different way... Wood, stone, tile..flagstone for the patios..
   They use simple uncluttered lines in their decor inside and out..
   There is a type of tranquility built in. Something we look for in this complicated world.



2. What a great book! The author Elizabeth Minchilli has done has superb job in creating this wonderful book. Although she's not Italian, she now lives in Italy after marrying an Italian architect. Her love and passion for Italy is obvious and the wealth of information that she has gathered is priceless to anyone thinking or planning to buy and/or restore a home in Italy. Her informative writing is beautifully coupled with fantastic photos from the well known photographer Simon McBride. The setting of some of these homes is spectacular! There are many books out there on Italy, but this is truly a must for any fan of Italy or old rural architecture. I highly recommend this book even if you don't have any intention in restoring a home in Italy.



3. After our house burned in San Diego county, during the waiting time for the insurance company, the architect, the engineer, and the city approval, we purchansed MANY books on Tuscan design and architecture, as that is the style we want to emulate. Restoring a Home in Italy provided may examples that helped us though the selection process.



4. While this book may look more like a coffee table piece - and it could very well be - I read it cover to cover. The stories were very informative, telling of the beauty and the challenges of restoring one of these fine homes. After each of the functional sections there was a great write up on the details of the topic, such as; roofing, swimming pools, heating, etc. Naturally, you can tell I loved it and would recommend it to anyone interested in fine Italian home. I hope the author reads this and realized what a great job she did. ....

3 comments about The Country Houses of Robert Adam: From the Archives of Country Life.

1. The illustrations are an estimated 95% black and white, and had I known that I would never have purchased the book. I ordered it based on an article in The English Home which showed all pictures in color - the book itself is not.
   
   This is a book that needs color plates and I would have paid any price if it had them. Publishers' catalogues usually list detailed information regarding illustrations, including the number of pictures and whether they are black and white or color. It would be very helpful if the Amazon specs contained that information.



2. Excellent superb photography a classic informative book, a must for those interested in interior design / architecture recommended highly



3. Robert Adam was one of the most influential architects and decorators of the 18th century. His work influenced Hepplewhite and Sheraton to just name a few. This book does a fine job of making the reader understand the influence and the range of Adams work. The text is highly informative and well researched and the images are crisp and vivid. This book is expensive, yes, but if you have any interest whatsoever in this subject I can't imagine you being disappointed. Great book to buy, if you have the means to buy it.

4 comments about Ultimate Bathroom Design.

1. Hi,
   
   I Finally purchased this book from amazon.com as its 50% cheaper then where i lived Bali.Indonesia, I am one of stone and copper bathtub manufacture, this book has inspired me and give me much idea about bathroom..all the picture quality is good and the bathroom picture is sooo beautifull...I hope with this book will inspired me more and more so then I can make our bathtub quality and design better.thanks alot



2. Very thick book of photos, looks more like a text book. If you are looking for ideas to redo a very very old bathroom or creating a very modern bathroom, this book would probably help. It's not very helpful for the more traditional bathrooms that most people are utilizing today.



3. Buying this book I was looking for some ideas to decorate my bathrooms. I did not find a single one in the book. This book is for those who like minimalism.



4. These are all designer bathrooms. they are mostly (all?) european. Every bathroom is elegant. Every bathroom is different.
   
   Sourcing is very light and a lot of the work is custom ($$$), but there is a list of designer websites at the end.
   
   I'm using these ultimate books to communicate to my architects what kinds of things I want, not as a guide to which kind of kohler fixtures to buy. It's ideal for my use, less useful as a fixture buying guide.