4 comments about The Elements of Style: An Encyclopedia of Domestic Architectural Detail.

1. This book is an invaluable resource for restoration work and new construction, where clients want something that 'authentic' to a particular era.



2. This book contains many beautiful pictures, which are key to defining period style furniture adn architecture. The chapters are clearly defined and arranged in a logical, easy to use manner. It is a must for anyone seeking a career in Historical Preservation.



3. i am taking this oppurtunity to let you know that i never recieved this book. i have emailed amazon several times but have heard nothing back, maybe you can help me
   thank you
   
   john robinson



4. Great historical reference book detailing period styles of everything from windows to fireplace mantels. Lots of photos - many of them in color. Also includes useful drawings. I found this book to be EXTREMELY helpful, and I reference it often; worth every penny!

5 comments about Art of The Stonemason.

1. This is an excellent book, a stonemason myself, it really does give a true insight of the art or skill involved in stonemasonary. The illustration are excellent, with several cross sections to show the reader how stone walls are built.



2. I became interested in the art of stone masonry a couple of years ago. This book is by far the most excellent one I have seen, and I have researched back as far as the 1870's. Mr. Cramb is definitely an artisan beyond compare.
   
   If for aesthetic value alone, this book would be worth every penny.



3. As I am the son of the author,and also the stonemason who's work is featured in some of the pictures in the book ,I have to give the book the highest rating possible.I know my father spent at least 10 years drafting , planning and trying to find a publisher, and now that the book is out of print it is astounding to see how much its value has increased.I have the original drawings my father made (all framed of course) and also the original draft and photos that are featured in the book. I am very proud to have been a small part in what was a very succesful publication.Maybe one day I'll write a sequel !! might call it "the craft of the stonemason",but thats something I'll have to sit down and think about.



4. The author provides hard and fast do's and don'ts derived from his experience of many years. If you want to learn how to build a traditional mortared stone wall this is the best book around. With or without the color photos, buy it.



5. Another good book on traditional stone masonry. I wish there was some some colour photos in it. It does have some information that is not found in other stone mason books. Add it to your Stone Masonry library.

5 comments about Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Estate Became an American Icon.

1. This book is a good means of learning about the Biltmore family, its history, notable members, the means through which the clan's wealth was acquired, and also about its magnificent chateau near Asheville, North Carolina. (An awe-inspiring place, but staffed by some of the rudest human beings who ever drew breath.) This book's flaws relate to the fact it seems padded to fill out its length and does come close to re-using the same material more than once: and sadly the most dry parts are the ones re-used.



2. I've read and studied regarding the lives of the Vanderbilt families and the Biltmore inparticular. This is truly one of the BEST books I've read. We've all learned about the house and George Vanderbilt's ideas and thinking on building Biltmore. This book describes the life of his wife Edith and their daughter Cornelia after his death and what they had to go through to keep Biltmore after his death. The research is absolutely amazing. For anyone who is interested or obsessed with The Biltmore, this is a MUST read.



3. Half way through the book it just becomes tedious. There is a fair amount of repetition. I had to purchase another book because this one lacks enough photos. We are planning a trip there in the coming weeks
   and now I think I know more than I need to know.



4. This book is intriguing for those who enjoy nonfiction. It describes how Biltmore formed a business to keep from being sold and subdivided, what happened to the family members since George's death, and the relationship between Biltmore and the city of Asheville, among other things. It is extremely interesting if you would like to know more about the history of the estate and its families.



5. There is not a whole lot of literature around when it comes to the Vanderbilts and the Biltmore. SO this book is a refreshing and very easy to read story about the Vanderbilts and their successes leading up to the building of Biltmore taking 6 years.
   
   Everyone that can find the time and is planning to visit the Biltmore should read this before going. The Biltmore is so large and there are so many things to see that a visit requires some advanced planning to get the whole picture about this family and this American marvel. After our first visit to the Biltmore during this year's Christmas lights, we bought an annual access pass (upgrade while your day pass is still valid and you save a bundle), this and a picture history book. Now we are planning to go back and be prepared to really udnerstand this marvellous site.

5 comments about Creole Houses: Traditional Homes of Old Louisiana.

1. I thought the book was supposed to be new, I may have got that wrong, but it was not new nor wrapped, but in pretty good shape.



2. A very nice book on a beautiful architectual style. These houses fit perfectly into the Southern Louisiana landscape, they were built for balmy humid climate of the region. I found the history of the people that built these homes very interesting, the text was imformative and the images nicely produced. If you are interested in this style i highly recomend the book on Hays Town, he was a modern master of the venacular.



3. This book is not what you expected; it is a book on southern houses and their interiors, but not about the stuffy designer places that you usually see. The interiors are even more sophisticated and tastefull than any you have seen in such books. It is the first time you have seen the beautiful Louisiana-made chairs and armoires in their native environment.
   
   It seems like the photographers really searched hard to find just the right houses to elucidate the Creole style. It is a house style that seems like one you would want to recreate and live in today



4. This book brings important attention to the existence of these historic Creole homes in a part of the country that has been shattered by natural events in recent years. Fortunately, these homes are survivors: of their glorious past, of the ravages of weather, economy and time. The photographic vision of Gross and Daley is a brilliant dedication to documenting places as they are and not how we might want them to be. OLD HOUSES, one of their first books, set a precedent for their evocative style of artistry in what they choose to photograph from our architectural and domestic past. They continue to seek the forlorn, the forgotten, the poignant and the unusual. Their latest book, CREOLE HOUSES, is further revelation of their aesthetic message--of how old places and ways can be both beautiful and resonant in our modern, complicated world. CREOLE HOUSES is both record, homage, and a visual and written poem to historic Louisiana architecture.



5. I have over the years acquired a couple dozen books on old New Orleans and Low Country architecture, none has captured the true feeling of that fading glory like Creole Houses. Photos are superb, text is authorative, end sheets are a delight, and the binding first rate. This book is a peek inside antebellum Creole country from plantation houses to servant's quarters.
   
   Lets hope these folks do more such volumes. My suggestion would be the 18th century Georgians of the Mid-Atlantic states.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   g

1 comments about Keeping Time: The History and Theory of Preservation in America.

1. Very good review of preservation in the United States. An easy read.

5 comments about Case Study Houses (Jumbo).

1. I think this book is an incredible value. Wonderfully satisfying photos for the price. The designs are still very inspirational for Mid-Century Modern fans. I love the series and intend to buy the other editions in the near future.



2. The Case Study Houses -- The Complete CSH Program 1945 - 1966 by Taschen is a wonderful, comprehensive study of some of the best of the archetectural projects created from this time period. The principal photography by Julius Shulman is breathtaking and some of the original, vintage photos are presented on two pages within the huge book. When open, this jumbo edition is almost a yard across and at 34" is nearly overwhelming...and by some, too large to handle.
   The text is well written, informative and easy to comprehend. It describes, in detail, the development of these ultra modern homes located in the Los Angeles area of California which mostly use metal, concrete and glass. All of the materials were derived from various industrial usages and were considered new in the home building area, and innovative to say the least.
   Combined with the text and the extraordinary photographs, this book is destined to become a collector's item in the future and well worth the investment.



3. Ok, Ok, there's a beautiful, gigantic, definitive book on the Case Study Houses at $136. Then there's this small, slick little book, presenting each and every case study house, in order, editorially excellent through and through. An outstanding summary of an under-documented era of modern architecture, one with a crucially democratic agenda. $9.99. The book itself represents the case study ethic--great design at a price VERY within reach.
   Not a difficult choice. Highly recommended.



4. This is visually interesting as well as informative. Those interested in mid-century architecture will enjoy this concise book.



5. Optimism is the prevailing theme of the Case Study Houses. The unerring faith that the future is the brightest it can possibly be. Each house profiled in this book shouts this theme loudly and proudly! Taschen has put together a loving yet compact introduction to the Case Study Houses. If you love architecture, design or mid-century modern style, this book is a must have for your collection.

2 comments about A Richer Heritage: Historic Preservation in the Twenty-First Century.

1. The book arrived just on time and it was as great as they describe it. I would choose this seller anytime.



2. This was a recommended book for my thesis class. I have not finished it yet, but it seems an appropriate book for those in their Master's program for Historic Preservation.

2 comments about Sears House Designs of the Thirties (Dover Books on Architecture).

1. I felt this book had too many interior drawings & that the plans were all too similar. While I know this book is a reproduction catalogue, other books from this genre have more varied styles illustrated in their floor plans.



2. Dover Publishing (God bless 'em) reprinted the 1926 Sears Modern Homes catalog many years ago and that reprint (apparently) enjoyed quite a bit of success. And that book - the 1926 reprint - was one of the books that turned me on to Sears Homes.
   
   This is another reprint of a Sears Modern Homes catalog, specifically the 1932 catalog. In their description, Dover calls it a "rare" catalog and it's not as common as the others but I don't know that I'd call it RARE.
   
   The only downside is the lack of color. The 1932 catalog was a beauty with lots of bright colors but that's a minor point here.
   
   I'm delighted to see this catalog reprinted. It shows the Sears Modern Homes program from a slightly different angle, with their "special order" homes featured. These fine and fancy homes were far cries from the kit bungalows that made Sears famous.
   
   It also has several testimonials and lots of cool trivia. For the Sears Home Aficionado, this one is worth the money.
   
   Rose
   author, "The Houses That Sears Built"
   and co-author, "California's Kit Homes"

5 comments about Creating a New Old House: Yesterday's Character for Today's Home (American Institute Architects).

1. My husband and I are thinking about building a colonial revival home. I was hoping this book would give more examples of what it really takes to make a new house old. What I found was that there was one BRIEF example of each different architectual style with a very general description. There wasn't much to sink our teeth into. The pictures were pretty, but
   the information was too general.



2. My husband and I are just beginning the process of building a custom home, and this book has been a wonderful resource for me. It is helping me to learn what it is that makes an old home feel so established, and how to achieve the same permanence in a new structure. The photos are gorgeous, and the accompanying text is useful (unlike the frou-frou text of many home design books). If you don't mind that all of the homes were clearly built with extravagant budgets, this book provides fodder for beautiful fantasies...and some nuggets for inclusion in a more modest home, as well.



3. Great book on how to update older or run down homes. The pictures are beautiful. It is a book on fine taste in home building.



4. When building our new house; we turned to this book for inspiration.
   The brand new homes in this book feel rooted to the ground. They have quirks and nooks like an old house full of character would have.
   There are rooms with a brick wall, hinting at an addition built on over time, although it's a new house.
   The subtle character that gives an old house its charm, is on full display with this beautiful book.
   I couldn't recommend this book more!



5. This book was very interesting to look at. The pictures were great if you like old style homes. The title is deceiving. I was looking for a more modern looking style but this book is still a looker but if you're looking to modernize an old home, I would recommend Colonials: Design Ideas for Renovating, Remodeling, and Building New (Updating Classic America) by Matthew Schoenherr.

2 comments about Googie Redux: Ultramodern Roadside Architecture.

1. Googie was fading by the time I came along, but even in the remote area of the Midwest that I grew up in, its influence was felt. As a child, I didn't know what those slanted roofs and skewered-ball sign spires were called or where they came from, but I found their spacey, cartoonish vibe appealing (if increasingly worn and ill-maintained as the 70s wore on). This book, "Googie Redux," puts "ultramodern roadside architecture" in historical context and tells the stories of the commercial architects who invented Googie, primarily in Southern California. There's also an excellent section on automotive design of the postwar era, the ideas which inspired it, and its relation to Googie architecture. Fans of Americana, architecture, capitalism, and pop culture in general will adore this thick compendium of intelligent analysis and, in many cases, superb photographs documenting the glorious heyday and painful decline of this once-dominant style. Though Googie was shunned by the architectural establishment in its time, it is now given its due in this beautiful book. Buy it, read it, and catch a glimpse of an era in which roadside architecture was more than just the series of bland, inoffensive, lookalike boxes dispensing burgers, burritos, and coffee that we must suffer today. This book will feed your postwar fantasies and break your heart when you realize how homogenized commercial architecture has become.



2. I can start off this review by stating pretty much any book Alan Hess writes will find its way to my shelf. Googie Redux is an incredible update to the original which was a masterpiece in itself.
   
   The new photographs and line drawings are a very nice touch along with the updated text. Mr. Hess has proven himself again as the leading authority on this genre of architecture.
   
   The insight and presentation of the information is what this architecture truly deserves. To ignore this style and consider it a joke is something that will bite us back in years to come. By then most of these places will be torn down and we'll be left with only this book as a resource. But, oh what a resource it is!
   
   Now, if only Mr. Hess could fly over to the East Coast and write a book about the architecture in the seaside community of Wildwood, New Jersey. Then the circle would be complete. Many of these motels were built around the same time as the West Coast structures and would make for a very interesting comparison. Same style and philosophies, but with different architects, locales, and climates. Very interesting indeed.
   
   In summary the equation is simple...great author plus great architecture equals doubly great book!