5 comments about Atomic Ranch: Design Ideas for Stylish Ranch Homes.

1. Atomic Ranch is a book that I would recommend. What is nice about the book is that it includes design ideas for ranch houses that are within the realm of financial possibility of "average" people. Often, it seems like architecture books only showcase the high budget projects which are spectacular eye candy. After reading the book, I found myself wishing that there were some more exterior pictures of some of the houses although there may not have been good angles from which to take them. Some plan diagrams of the projects would also help orient the reader to the photos taken in the book and get an idea of room layout. Overall, this book would make a great addition to the library of someone who is interested in ranch houses, or just house design in general.
   
   Another positive note: the pages didn't come out of the binding the first time I opened it, which I can't say for some of my more expensive architecture books.



2. A snafu, once again, with the Amazon ordering process. I received a duplicate book shipment. Now, I have to make a trip to the post office to return, at my expense!



3. By far the best book about the unique style of mid century homes I have come across. Much better source of information for 50's & 60's interior than Modern Retro or other similar publications.
   Beautifully illustrated, perhaps the only thing I would have liked to have seen was the inclusion of a few floor plans - however that is not really the intended scope of the book.



4. Really loved the houses in this book. Lots of ideas for any home, Eichler or not. Well recommended!



5. Atomic Ranch is one of the best 50's and 60's retro house/design books I have seen! Photographs are wonderful and text is interesting. A must for anyone interested in retro houses and design.

5 comments about Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan.

1. The author presents in concise fashion his own version of New York City's urban development history.
   
   One may or may not be convinced by his thesis that there is a specific New York City psyche that is reflected over time in a wide variety of constructions.
   
   But one can only be enthralled by his intimate knowledge of the City and of projects ranging from Coney Island to the Empire State Building to the 1964 World Fair.
   
   The surprising and at times bizarre illustrations add to the incredibly rich text. They include for instance a vintage photograph of famous architects actually costumed as their own creations: the Fuller Building, the Waldorf-Astoria, the Squibb Building, the Chrysler Building, etc.
   
   Written over 30 years ago and thus also a reflection of the 1970's, this work is definitely a classic well worth reading today for anyone interested in New York or in cities in general.



2. While "Delirious" has its fair share of archispeak, Mr. Koolhaas pulls off an intelligent, fun and thought-provoking take on the early 20th century building culture of New York.
   
   One of the quirkier (and frankly, awesome/bravadoish) aspects of "Delirious" is Mr. Koolhaas's analysis of Coney Island: an "incubator for Manhattan's incipient themes." As a reader, one initially questions the inclusion of such a trashy place in such a lofty manifesto. However, as the chapter progresses, you start to see Mr. Koolhaas's iconoclastic brilliance. He pays an amazing homage to "the laboratory" that was Coney Island, illuminating the vital role it played in the building philosophies that would emerge later in Manhattan.
   
   Scattered throughout "Delirious," also, are compelling supporting images that Mr. Koolhaas clearly spent a lot of time digging up. In fact, flipping through the book for the images alone makes for a near-equivalent, and fun, learning experience.
   
   However, unlike his tasteful use of images, Mr. Koolhaaas's flamboyant use of scholarly English makes his writing difficult to digest at times:
   
   "It is probably inevitable that a doctrine based on the continual simulation of pragmatism, on a self-imposed amnesia that allows the continuous reenactment of the same subconscious themes in ever new reincarnations and on inarticulateness systematically cultivated in order to operate more effectively..."
   
   Given Mr. Koolhaas's journalism background (and assumed mastery of writing), I suspect he made the conscious decision to remain somewhat inaccessible to preserve his "lofty" image. While such a decision may be understandable, his brilliance as a writer often gets overshadowed by the sheer irritation of trying to understand him.
   
   Ultimately, "Delirious" proves itself to be a very intelligent synopsis---just as delirious and congested the themes Mr. Koolhaas puts forth. For the most part, it's a pleasure to read, and it also reflects the exhaustive research on Mr. Koolhaas's end. Much like Mr. Koolhaas's buildings, "Delirious" is on the cusp of being as grand as it intends to be.



3. through the exhaustive historiography of the phases of congestion coney island brought to manhattan, koolhaas provides a rather cynical view of the Grid as being an ulimatley neutral zoning system of constraining ideas that represent the continual decline of a phantastically realistic civilization, represented as mutated symbols of architecture in the "void" of repeated "pregnancies."
   
   it's really well written. funny. uses, like above, a somewhat inefficient vocabulary but remains in the same vein throughout. it is also a graphic design hubris consuming every page, even the left-justified text, showing off koolhaas's interpretation of the importance to combine scholarship and marketing.
   
   buy it. it's a very good book.



4. A very inventive concept of New York's "culture of congestion" and how people are affected by the architecture they create. It is heavily researched and exhaustive, and after pretty much the third page I agreed with his concept of NY being "totally fabricated by man". What could of been a fascinating article becomes a spastic, heavy-handed read with a sledgehammer effect to your brain. (However,for those of us reading it for school, there are plenty of pictures that fill up the almost devastatingly vast 300+pages quickly.) It will scramble your brain with its thousands of nearly bumper-stickerish statements ("It hides life." "The Mountain MUST become architecture.") written with pretentious glee. However, I believe an independent scientific study has concluded that when pretending to read this book on the train people around you will assume your IQ is 40% higher than truth.



5. koolhaas is a bit over-the-top for me, but this I think is is best work. it's worth checking out if only for the story of coney island. once you get past blisteringly pretentious phrases like "coney island is a fetal manhattan", you'll find it gloriously entertaining as both a narrative and theoretical work.

5 comments about A Field Guide to American Houses.

1. I am a professional architectural historian and this is the guide that all my colleagues and I use on a daily basis. It's commonly and affectionately referred to as simply "McAlester". I am obsessive about architectural style terminology and though I have been known to ask "If McAlester jumped off a bridge, would you?" (to colleagues who think this book is the end-all be-all of terminology), I do think it is a highly comprehensive and accurate book. My only complaint is that it has such a nation-wide focus, and tends to favor the East Coast. It overlooks many regional and temporal differences of the West Coast (where I work) and so I am sometimes forced to do a little interpretation. (Also, I wish the McAlesters would write a guide to commercial styles.) All in all though, this is one of the best guides out there. I would also recommend Lester Walker's "American Shelter" and John Milnes Baker's "American House Styles".



2. This is a must have book for anyone who loves old houses or is in the historic preservation field. I don't know a single professional architectural historian that does not own a copy (or two). If you have only one book on old houses this should be it. The book is easy to use, has great illustrations, covers most of the US and most importantly is pretty accurate. The first section "Looking at American Houses" is simple to understand and yet provides valuable information on determine house styles through key elements. If you are new to identifying house styles this section will help you to look in the right section and narrow down your choices. The main style sections are easy to understand with lots of examples. A word of caution however, most professional architectural historians, (who have trained as architectural historians), do use some different terms. For instances the term Folk Houses is not used, the correct term would be Vernacular. Also the section labeled eclectic is a little miss leading; many of the styles listed would be considered revivals. I have also never seen the houses listed as "modern house" also described as "eclectic". That be said you have to remember that a lot of houses styles and terms can be subjective, especially when dealing with different regional areas.



3. Of the many books available on American residential architecture, this is THE one book you should have. It breaks out house styles in several different ways and with many illustrations and photos it makes it much easier to determine what you're looking at. Buy two books ... if you use yours as much as I have, you'll wear it out.



4. Great guide on p54 to small details on houses to be able to date them to a particular period/style. A few too many photos for me but I am not yet up on the specific detailing of the structures to be the best judge. Covers all structures from Native American to 1980s.



5. This book is sensational. The authors do a great job of clarifying various architectural styles. I highly recommend it and refer to it in my book, Designing Your Perfect House. If you like to travel and wander through older residential communities, this is the book to take along. If you're designing a new period house, this book will help you stay on course and preserve the historical accuracy of your design. If you only buy one book about American house styles, this is the one to get.

5 comments about Lost Plantations of the South.

1. Prepare to be shocked. This book and the lost houses it records are hauntingly beautiful. The effect of the presentation is both blissful and profoundly saddening.
   
   I usually avoid books like this because they upset me. I hate being shown what we could have had, with more care, more insight, more money, more intelligence. This book upsets me as well, but that's what it's intended to do.
   
   The quality of the work--the photography, graphics and writing--is top shelf. This is no haphazardly assembled set of archives: It's a beautifully rendered contemplation on the history and fate of stolen art.
   
   The book is intended for any interested reader, but its style is not casual. Neither a photo essay nor a "coffee table" book, the author gives the work intentional academic gravity that could put off a casual reader, but will make architectural historians rejoice.



2. As a fan of historical architecture I love reading about old houses. This was a very good book, with lots a facts about different plantations. My only complaint would have been a little less facts, and a little more human interest(about the people who lived there) and maybe more pictures of the homes. Every old home has a story, it just has to be told. :)



3. This book is a wonderful record of the once magnificent edifices that have been lost through the years. It is a great work to preserve at least what is known and remains of these architectural treasures. Clearly it is not definitive, nor was is likely intended to be. As a fellow architectural researcher, I know that it is difficult to obtain materials that are suitable for publication showing every single worthy structure. However, what is included here shows information and illustrations that have not been widely published heretofore. I love this book. It is beautifully designed and is a welcome addition to my library which is already chock a block with volumes on this subject.



4. This is an outstanding book. It is both stunningly beautiful and exceptionally well researched and written. The rare photographs are haunting and absolutely breathtaking. But unlike many books in this genre, there is a substantial amount of real history to go behind the beautiful pictures. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about the plantation families and the slaves who lived on these estates. I relished the tales of Lucy Holcombe Pickens whose jaunts to Russia brought her much favor with the Czar and Cazrina, and Choctaw Chief Greenwood LeFleur who built a most impressive mansion called Malmaison. The tragic and hilarious history of Goat Castle and its insane inhabitants was wonderful, as were all of the other narratives. Dr. Marc Matrana does a great job of covering the history of lost plantations in every Southern state and provides strong and fresh ideas about preservation that can be utilized today. I hope this author will keep his great books coming!



5. I had high hopes when I heard of this tome. As someone interested in Southern Architecture, the long overdue creation and publication of a book on the lost plantations of the South met my ears with interest. I am not completely disappointed in Marc Matrana's work; it is simply too brief and uneven in coverage, often lacking in illustrations. While Texas has eight plantations in the book, Alabama has only three represented. Arkansas, although not well established in the antebellum plantation economy, just has three plantations listed with nary an illustration. Tennessee and Kentucky contain merely one plantation apiece. I realize that there can never be a comprehensive history of all the lost plantations in the South; however, more research could have doubled the number of houses found in those states. Matrana possibly knows the brevity of his book; he included a large bibliography at the conclusion of the book and suggested reading lists in the chapters. There is also a note to the reader alluding to the fact that this is not a definitive book on the subject. This is a good overview on the subject and is still a worthwhile purchase.

No comments about Cottages in the Sun: Bungalows of Venice, California.

No comments about Houston Lost and Unbuilt.

2 comments about New Classic American Houses: The Architecture of Albert, Righter & Tittmann.

1. I purchased this book from Pinson Logistics through Amazon.com. The book was not as I expected it to be (lacking floor plans of featured homes) and I requested a return with reimbursement. The seller would not provide a return mailing label and would not reimburse me for return shipping costs. I don't recommend doing business with this seller.



2. This is a fantastic book. The architecture is incredibly beautiful, inside and out. I've never seen houses quite like these; they are absolutely inspired. This is a great book for anyone who is thinking of renovating or building. Or for anyone who simply enjoys looking at gorgeous houses.

5 comments about Houses of the Founding Fathers.

1. This is a wonderful book, full of historical information as well as interesting insights into the people's lives and history.



2. This is a collaboration of various images of the homes in which many of the men that played a role in founding what is now The United States. The book does go into detail about the homes and shows pictures of the architecture. Every picture shown has a little description about what is shown. For people that have a very photographing memory this is a great book! The descriptions are well put together and get right to the point. I recommend this book for any one who is a history buff, especially someone who is into older homes.



3. A great book -- terrific photographs and informative historical background of the owners and their times.



4. In their eye-opening volume, "Houses of the Founding Fathers," author Hugh Howard and photographer Roger Strauss III, effortlessly bring each historic household to life through colorful details and well-chosen anecdotes, while taking us on a whirlwind photographic tour of 18th century residences and proprietors. "Houses of the Founding Fathers" crackles with beauty and style.
   
   Well-written and illustrated in three parts, "The Colonies Unite", "A Time of War", and "The Federal Era," Strauss and Howard's book is a probing examination of the great homes of early America during perhaps its most fascinating period.
   
   Gorgeous photographs of the houses monopolize the pages, but the author does feed the reader tidbits of information in his lively commentary.
   
   Some of Strass and Howard's best pages are colorful portraits of the nation's elite. We learn that Virginia Speaker of the House George Whyte's coffee was intentionally poisoned with yellow arsenic. From his deathbed, upstairs, the signer of the Declaration of Independence cried out, "I am murdered!" -- Three days later, he was dead. Whyte's nephew was acquitted of the murder when the key witness -- a slave -- could not by Virginia law testify against a white man.
   
   As in Natchez: The Houses and History of the Jewel of the Misissippi and Thomas Jefferson: The Built Legacy of Our Third President, the author's astute presentation of grand houses shows us why these domiciles of the founding fathers have so nobly survived to our own times.
   
   The best parts of the book occur when Hugh Howard shows us America's less celebrated treasures -- like General Knox's Montpelier in Thomson, Maine, the Matthias Hammond House of Annapolis, Maryland and the Vassall-Craigie-Longfellow House of Cambridge, Massachusetts.
   
   This is a compelling and moving real estate album, and Hugh Howard is an author of proven qualities. He can write beautifully. Photographer Roger Strauss III has an eye for an image and a gift for capturing a view, such as the majestic setting of George Washington's Mount Vernon overlooking the Potomac River. His subjects are grand on the world-class scale. While the houses are familiar, they rarely have been documented in such interesting detail.
   
   What more could one want to know about Germantown, Pennsylvania's Cliveden? Benjamin Chew's Georgian-style summer retreat was a classic five-bay, double pile, two-and-a-half story house, with a unique place in history. The strong stone mansion was transformed into a fortress by British troops during the Battle of Germantown on October 4, 1777.
   
   The book is a must for anyone claiming a love of historic houses, but it is also the perfect antidote for anyone who still thinks a clean chamber pot should be stored under the bed instead of its rightful place in the kitchen. As you peruse Mr. Howard's entertaining and surprising text, you will never look at a ceiling medallion, an overmantel or a compass window, not to mention a great hall sporting all of the above, in the same way again. You will realize that you are looking, according to Mr. Strauss; at a combination of craftsmanship and style you will not find anywhere else.
   
   In "Houses of the Founding Fathers," Hugh Howard provides a mesmerizing discourse covering everything and anything about the homes of the men that guided the American Revolution. We get the Corinthian columns, the carved mantels, the ornate ceilings, the Palladian windows, the twisting balusters, the shield-back chairs; the magnificence of it all.
   
   What makes this book worth reading, however, is not the author's compilation of the varieties of architectural styles. Instead, its importance lies within the chapters; the author sketches the lifestyles of the households that dwelt there, the architectural expressions of the period's elite, and tells the fascinating tales of the transformation in the fortunes of the elite. Clearly, he is there to show us a real sense of just who were William Wipple,Silas Deane and Sarah Livingston Jay.
   
   "Houses of Founding Fathers" is a skillful, absorbing, often moving contribution to the popular understanding of one of the few episodes in history to live on untarnished and undiminished in our collective memory; and rightly deserves preservation.



5. I found this book to be very interesting and one which told me more about people with whom I am acquainted and, importantly, people important to me about whom I knew little. The photography is stunning.

No comments about Jim Olson Houses.

4 comments about Forgotten Modern: California Houses 1940-1970.

1. Lots of hidden away gems. I really enjoy this book though some of the pictures are little bit dark. But that's nit picking. Recommended.



2. This is a great book. I figured this book would somehow relate California modern architecture to the more "newer" Palm Springs style. I was confused but however found this book to be different. This book exposed me to a "modern" style that I was not familiar with, not my cup of tea but great information and great pictures.



3. This book has some great photos but the content is very middle of the line. Some of houses included really don't need to be in the book. I was hoping to find more relevant examples of structures that qualify as "Modern" or as part or as part of the modern movement.



4. Modern is not new. It has a history and this book remind us about it.
   The language of Modern Architecture change in time but au fond remains the same. The book is nice, good photos and has many examples of old modern.