1 comments about Great Villas of the Riviera.

1. WOW! The photos in this book are excellent. Johnston and Schezen have really captured the essence of the Riviera. This magnificent display of architecture and landscape is one of a kind. What a great coffee table book and conversation piece!

No comments about Inigo: The Troubled Life of Inigo Jones, Architect of the English Renaissance.

2 comments about Made to Last: Historic Preservation in Seattle and King County.

1. If you are into historic preservation, or if you are interested in Seattle and King County landmarks, you have got to have this.

   It is a well presented, well organized book and is also a pretty good general reference. The more useful items include the Seattle and King County Landmarks inventories and preservation district descriptions. This is the kind of thing you wish you had whenever you walk or drive through an historic area; I'm still looking for others like it for other cities, such as Portland OR.

   Although I'm not sure it is that important, I agree that better, bigger and more abundant architectural photos would be a nice touch. As it is, though, this is a nice primer for interested folks to keep on the shelf.




2. This is a great book that is very well written and researched, packed full of important information that is valuable to the longtime resident as well as the first time visitor. The old photos and written information on Seattle's history was not what I expected, it's a much more modern city. One only wishes that the third edition will have many more photos of the landmarks and have them in color, the are so beautiful as evidenced by the cover. This is the only drawback but there are many more photos here than anywhere else. When its not raining, Seattle has great views. Kreisman certainly has a passion for his subject and based on the bio, lives it everyday.

No comments about Building Shanghai: The Story of China's Gateway.

4 comments about Malibu: A Century of Living by the Sea.

1. I thought that the book was "outstanding" Particulary liked the history part and the progression of Malibu over the years.



2. Despite reading the "Nice, but not Nice Enough" comment by one reviewer, I purchased this book and considered it for myself. I'm so glad I did. The reviewer misses the point. It's an architecture-oriented lifestyle book about the history of living in Malibu, not a technical book. Which explains why there are no floorplans. It's about the photos that take you thru each decade and each house, and they are gorgeous. The introductory text/concise house-specific texts are well-written and informative. The featured houses are mostly private, which explains why no addresses are provided. The 2 or 3 houses in the book that are open to the public are well known in this area, easily findable for those who have a yellow pages.



3. The photography was excellent and commentary was okay. Very few detail images, no floor plans and few, if any, construction details. I'm interested in the details and how to replicate features or at least the materials used....but nothing in this book to help much. There was absolutely no street addresses of the houses mentioned, other architect books do---why not here??? The author did manage to keep very good track of the years of birth and death of the people involved.



4. I got my copy today... and roared through the pages and images... Beautiful and fascinating images of Malibu's past... Paradise Cove in 1890, the Malibu Ranch, The Adamson House. So many interesting stories and images... and lives! And... some great surf shots too. This is a perfect blend of the many lifestyles here in Malibu... all in one book. Educational and informative and with some good humor too. I know what I'm giving for Christmas presents now!

1 comments about American Architecture, Vol. 2: 1860-1976.

1. I am in the process of reviewing textbooks for use in a general History of Architecture course. This book seems comprehensive, well-organized, and provides clear illustrations. For the price, it is a good value. Additionally, it will serve well as a textbook (alongside the other volume by the same title). I know of several other instructors who use these volumes and although their students respond that it isn't the best book - I recommend it for the price and the amount of material it covers. Vol. 1 - 1607-1860; Vol. 2 1860-1976. --- Specifically, I do not like: some of the chapter titles: (Vol. 2) specifically "Proud and Soaring Things". Also, there are no color images; although this is a small inconvenience (and again, the price makes up for this problem). Yet, as an instructor needing to make slides, it's helpful to have a color image with high resolution to make reproductions for use in class.

1 comments about Plantations of the Carolina Low Country.

1. I enjoyed reading through this book, although it is as much a coffee table book as anything, it did a good job of showing SC country plantations.

No comments about Resort Hotels of the Adirondacks: The Architecture of a Summer Paradise, 1850-1950.

3 comments about Edifices de Rome Moderne (Reprint Series).

1. it is stellar book. However, this reprinted version reduces quality of original version.
   In the original version all plates were printed on one side only so there is no see-through problem. Original version is printed on much larger paper size so your visual treat are more fulfilled.
   
   anyway, with this price what can we ask for more.



2. This is by far the most impressive book in my collection. Afeast for the eyes, this book illustrates some of the most beautifularchitecture of all time. The exacting detail, and vast collection of drawings make this book a true work of art. I had seen it years ago, and have been searching for it to add to my library ever since. A MASTERPIECE!!!



3. I found a paperback copy of Letarouilly's Edifices De Rome Moderne in my local library - now out of print - after a vacation to Rome. Nothing has captured the feelings of awe I felt since that trip quite like this new publication. The book itself is a work of art. It should be framed, mounted or placed on an alter, or in a family shrine; "Edifices De Rome Moderne" is the most beautiful book I own. The attention to detail from the original etchings is remarkable. Any Roman Historian of the renaissance or lover of great architecture will not want be without this book. Princeton Architectural Press has a masterpiece with this publication.

1 comments about London Art Deco.

1. The best of London Deco captured by Arnold Schwartzman and in the same style as his previous excellent Deco LAndmarks: Art Deco Gems of Los Angeles. Both books work well because he took all the photos and so there is a consistency of color and composition. I thought one of the strengths of the LA book was the many photos of architectural detail work, whether inside a building or out and the same applies to this London edition.
   
   All types of Deco buildings are covered though very little of residential buildings, apartment blocks in the city and individual houses in the suburbs, a good selection of these in the capital can be found in The Modern House Today. London Transport rightly gets a good showing with twenty photos and cinemas have a fine selection of detail that I bet passers-by never notice. One of the great Deco buildings in Britain is the Hoover Factory on the western outskirts, opened between 1932 and 1937 and now a supermarket, though the owners Tesco thankfully took the trouble to preserve all the original features. The amazing entrance suggests it might be the headquarters of Aztec Airways.
   
   Overall a handsomely produced book and a lovely tribute to London Deco.
   
   ***FOR AN INSIDE LOOK click 'customer images' under the cover.