2 comments about The American Airport.

1. For those who love airports and airplanes, this is a wonderful book to have. Simple, well-written, but unpretentious, it is loaded with lots of good period photographs and illustrations that cover the historical development of airports and the growth and transformations of the passenger airline industry in the United States. It would have been great if it were not limited to airports in this country, but had also included the develoment of airports all over the world. My suggestion to the author is to try just that: a second book devoted to international airports around the world and the development of the international airline system, particularly in Europe and Latin America, and, of course, including some of the exciting and ultra modern airports built in recent years accross the globe, especially in the Middle East and Asia. I'll be first in line to buy such a book! If you are an airport and airline enthusiast like me, I am sure you will very much enjoy The American Airport.



2. From the first days of aviation--biplanes using dirt fields for landing and takeoff--to the modern state-of-the-art airports like the new one built in Denver--this book takes you on a historical and pictoral journey across the history of the American airport.

   To most travelers, all airports are alike other than the variety of restaurants and shops contained within; most people never stop to look at the amazing architectural details of many of today's American airports. From the art deco style of Regan National's updated terminals to the Native-American inspired "tents" of Denver International to LAX's futuristic Theme Building, this book gives a great overview of the distinctive styles and the functionality of our airports today.

1 comments about Farmhouse: Classic Homesteads Of North America.

1. Good book, nicely written & put together. Easily read for enjoyment.
   Not a book for learning technique, layouts, or building methods.

No comments about San Francisco: Architecture & Design (And Guides).

5 comments about Damascus: Hidden Treasures of the Old City.

1. THIS IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL BOOKS ABOUT THE OLDEST CITY IN THE WORLD, MUST HAVE.



2. About this purchase I have all the good things to remmember and now share with all the other AMAZON customers.
   First, I tried to buy the same book from another seller ( A1Books ), but they sent a wrong book and after many emails, I have NOT a single reply. After a time I contacted the AMAZON and they provided a REFUND of the book as a kind of warranty for the buyer.
   Later, as I really needed the book ( I am building a palace in Islamic style in Rio de Janeiro)I bought the book directely from AMAZON. In some days I received the book fast and in very safe package.
   In order to see what I am making check: [...]
   Thanks!



3. Photos here are exquisite, great text in pursuit of a noble cause--saving the crumbling architectural treasures in Old Damascus. Would be tragic if these are forever lost--the feeling of standing in a mosaic courtyard with trees, a fountain in the middle, where just outside the bustle of the world moves by in the suq...this book brings back memories of the place, if you've ever been there. The one comfort is that if these houses do crumble beyond repair, at least they are preserved in some way in this beautiful book.
   
   Combine Syria's architectural treasures with the warmth of its people, its great food, and you see why it leaves such an impression with visitors.



4. Affordable entertaining book if you love Damascus like i do.Excellent pictures .No big lies like some authers who are experts!!!!. buy it you will love it.Give it as gift to any friend.



5. This book is a must for anyone who loves Damascus and is concerned about its deterioration. It's a must for any Damascene expatriate's living room coffee table book collection for sure. The photographs are absolutely stunning and the text is interesting and engaging. One flaw, however is that I would have liked to see the photographs and the text regarding specific houses cross-referenced, (perhaps in the appendix of houses' names in the back of the book) as photographs and texts about specific houses are scattered throughout the book and you have to find all the references yourself--very annoying. Other than that, it is a wonderful book for showing off a unique aspect of our beloved city. Some of these houses are being used as sets for Syrian soap operas-- look closely and you might recognize some!

3 comments about Neoclassicism in the North: Swedish Furniture and Interiors 1770-1850.

1. A rich variety of houses, some grander than the others, but all well-to-do peoples dwellings. Some of the manors featured aren't very well known even in Sweden, but they certainly deserve their place here. The few I do miss are featured in "The Swedish Room" e.i. Lay-out-wise it is by now perhaps a little dated, but the auther knows his subject very well and the accompaning photos are mostly marvellous. When a Swede writes on Swedish interiors the result is accurate as this book shows.



2. This book is a treasure of neoclassicism in Sweden. It is supported by sensible (not gushy interior design talk) text and is logically sequenced.

   The pictures and additional material is excellent; although the lighting in some of the photographs is less than perfect.

   This is an inspirational reference for the topic.




3. This is another great book for Swedish decorative detail .A great asset in the decorative artist`s Library.A good source for Bolander`s beautiful wall murals. Great photography with excellent detail shots .A beautiful and knowledgable book. I am a decorative artist specializing in custom painted furniture for decorators and designers and have found this book to be a great resource and very helpful in my work.

3 comments about Building the Great Cathedrals.

1. I've just finished re-reading Follett's _Pillars of the Earth,_ in preparation for the sequel, and that got me interested again in the process of erecting the great Gothic cathedrals. I was looking mostly for good illustrations and architectural plans and drawings, and while this oversized volume has some of that, it's really not what I expected, based on the title. Icher is apparently a leading French authority on medieval crafts guilds, and much of the book is given over to describing how the stonemasons were organized, how one became a master, and so on. There's considerably less about the actual planning and construction of the buildings, and almost nothing on the evolution of the Gothic style from the Romanesque. A nice book, but far from being the best.



2. This is THE book to read on cathedrals and I couldn't agree more with the previous reviewer. Lavish illustrations, detailed and in full color, appear on every page, along with incredible artwork and sketches from teh times. Side columns with primary source material offer first-hand accounts of what it was like to work on the site of such a grand project, and what impact they had on the surrounding communities. It's all here! From the origins of the bishop's throne (cathedra) to the culmination in the flying buttresses of Chatres, this is the story of Western Europe.
   
   I would also highly recommend the VHS by David Macauly, "Cathedral", which is a charming documentary/story-telling of why cathedrals have held the imaginations of millions, from their inception to the present. It is especially great for kids, since it uses some high quality cartooning in parts that really capure the personal impact the churches had on those living during their construction.
   
   Also, the DVD, "Chatres Cathedral: A Sacred Geometry" is a wonderful companion to any study of the meaning and methods of cathedral architecture. It is simply amazing how much of a mystical component is present in the plans.
   
   Enjoy!



3. When people discover I'm a veteran of the stone carving trade, they sometimes ask for the behind-the-scenes story. "Building the Great Cathedrals" tells it. The tools, the trades, the intrigues, the budget concerns, and the people are all present and accounted for; along with immersion into the dizzy, circus atmosphere of a cathedral construction site. If you wonder why so much passion was invested in completion - by those who would never live to see it - here's the answer. With hundreds of lush, full-color photos and medieval illuminations of the period. If you're building a personal collection of Gothic architecture books, make room.

2 comments about In Search Of Natural Architecture.

1. Enhanced with an informative Foreword by architectural expert and author Victor Papanek (who once worked with Frank Lloyd Wright), In Search Of Natural Architecture by London-based architect David Pearson is a world wide survey of buildings that embody the new ideas about the impact of architecture upon the ecological environment, as well as human health and spiritual well-being. Ingenious technological solutions to architectural problems ranging from the use of solar panels to sculptured designs are showcased with 300 illustrations -- 200 of which are in full color. In Search Of Natural Architecture is a seminal and enthusiastically recommended work, especially for its architecturally visionary ideas, imageries, and insights.



2. Enhanced with an informative Foreword by architectural expert and author Victor Papanek (who once worked with Frank Lloyd Wright), In Search Of Natural Architecture by London-based architect David Pearson is a world wide survey of buildings that embody the new ideas about the impact of architecture upon the ecological environment, as well as human health and spiritual well-being. Ingenious technological solutions to architectural problems ranging from the use of solar panels to sculptured designs are showcased with 300 illustrations -- 200 of which are in full color. In Search Of Natural Architecture is a seminal and enthusiastically recommended work, especially for its architecturally visionary ideas, imageries, and insights.

No comments about The National Trust Guide to Art Deco in America (Preservation Press).

2 comments about Marshall Field's (A Building Book).

1. This book is a must have for all who miss Chicago's one and only Marshall Field's, and or hate Macy's.



2. This is a SMALL book with SMALL print. I should have paid closer attention when I ordered it. I wish there had been more vintage pictures. Of course, I love to read anything about the late great Marshall Fields department store of which I have so many happy memories from childhood. There will never be anything else like it and I'm glad I can remember it so well. Shame on Macy's!!

5 comments about New Orleans: Elegance and Decadence.

1. I have been to New Orleans millions of times and this is the best all around book. The author has really, really researched and pulled up ALL kinds of interesting tidbits.
   I think that Compass guides in general are the extra travel books one buys. I wanted more than Fodor's has because I already know all the best places to go. I think that she had good choices and you could use it as your only travel guide.
   I think some readers were disappointed because maybe they were taken back by the exorbitant prices hotels charge. Hotel-wise , you don't get much for your money unless you go in summer or during Christmas.



2. One of my all-time favorite books. The stuff of dreams and nightmares too.

   This is an utterly luscious picture book. Chock full of photos of real interiors. Real homes of artists and the creative. Homes of people who love peeling wallpaper and cracked plaster; and especially those who love living in the midst of art works, or deeply personal collections.

   The homes of people who love the humid haze, moist clay-scented New Orleans.




3. One of my all-time favorite books. The stuff of dreams and nightmares too.

   This is an utterly luscious picture book. Chock full of photos of real interiors. Real homes of artists and the creative. Homes of people who love peeling wallpaper and cracked plaster; and especially those who love living in the midst of art works, or deeply personal collections.

   The homes of people who love the humid haze, moist earth-scented New Orleans.




4. This book has great interior pictures of some glorious New Orleans homes. Unfortunately when I've been there, I didn't have the opportunity to go inside to see the many interior styles. This book gives me the opportunity to see the beauty inside, that I've only been able to view from outside. Great book for those of us who love and appreciate the city!



5. We just got back from 5 days in New Orleans, and this was the only guide we took with us. It was a mistake. It's a difficult book to navigate, has limited maps, limited selection of accomodation & restaurants. If you go outside of Madi Gras & with children (two teenagers in our case) half the book is irrelevent. The restaurant '100 best' list doesn't match Zagats (always reliable). It warns against solo visits to the cemeteries (they're not safe, go on a tour), but doesn't explain why! Pity there isn't a Michelin Green Guide.