2 comments about Fences, Walls & Gates.

1. This book was more or less a waster of money for me. It had some (really only a few) good pictures of wooden fences and gates that I was looking for, and the rest were more artsy metal and masonry. The instructions on building were for very simple fences and gates, which I already knew and found for free on the internet. I was really looking for pictures or instructions on building an outstanding fence and gate.



2. Has a variety of creative ideas; BEAUTIFUL photos. About half is pictures of fences of different materials, and combinations of materials, often including other landscaping/hardscaping ideas and concepts, with narratives. The other half is Building Basics, which includes the basics of building different types of fences (wood; masonary; ETC) and gates. Altho the instructions have some detail, they are basic. If you are a total novice (like me), you'll probably need some additional help. Another part of the second section is about available materials: lumber; metal and vinyl fencing; fasteners; blocks, bricks, and stone; gate material and hardware. I got a lot of information and ideas from this book and would recommend this book to others.

1 comments about Patio Roofs & Gazebos.

1. This book was good for simple, basic overheads for patios and/or decks. It gave some limited plans and recommendations for lumber. It also listed a variety of roofing materials but was somewhat unspecific on the pros and cons of each.
   We liked what the book did offer, but finished it feeling rather unsatisfied.

No comments about Ultimate Guide to Fences, Arbors & Trellises: Plan, Design, Build (Ultimate Guide).

4 comments about Deck Planner: 120 Outstanding Decks You Can Build.

1. I purchased this book after finding out they were tied to a large company that provide detailed plans as well.
   
   Later, I find that the plans you are sent for the ADDITIONAL $75.00 are complete junk. The company the book also refers to, is out of business, and all the out of spec/code/date plans are from another company.
   
   The book is absolutely USELESS to anyone that wants to look and pick out building plans. It belongs in the recycle bucket.



2. This book is the BEST! My husband has read and reread several chapters. Even our city planner person wanted a copy of it. They wanted to know where to find it so they could tell others about it. This is the most comprehensive book of any I looked at - by far, with great drawings and pictures, and the "Pro Tips" are absolutely wonderful to end up with a beautifully finished project.



3. This book is completely useless. The renderings are basic, they don't offer anything interesting or imaginative. Then you have to pay more money to gets plans for decks you wouldn't build anyway.
   
   Totally Worthless!!!



4. I needed to see more options before accepting a professional landscape designer's proposal. It would have cost hundreds of dollars to have him draw up more ideas, but by consulting the Deck Planner I was able to suggest ideas I wanted him to persue.

No comments about The Ultimate Guide to Yard and Garden Sheds: Plan, Design, Build (Ultimate Guide).

3 comments about Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America.

1. Here comes summer, and Americans will head for a trusted way of getting rid of stress and heat: they will jump into swimming pools. But pools themselves have been a source of stress to many communities within the nation; indeed, Jeff Wiltse has written a history of the social tensions pools have caused (and sometimes eased) in _Contested Waters: A Social History of Swimming Pools in America_ (University of North Carolina Press). It is surprising that what might seem a trivial subject, a pastime in which millions of Americans have innocently indulged for over a hundred years now, might even have a history. But Wiltse, who teaches history at the University of Montana, has driven from town to town to draw information for this book. His travels were mostly in the north, for he did not want to range too far and write separate regional histories, although he says the pattern of social use of pools is consistent within the towns he surveyed. He amassed a huge amount of data from newspapers and civic documents about who was using the pools, with statistics often kept by race and sex. Wiltse has shown beyond doubt that pools have reflected and generated our feelings on sexual and racial matters, and although his book is a serious academic history, it is by turns amusing and sad as America came to an incomplete understanding of how we ought to treat pools and the swimmers who use them.
   
   We didn't have pools originally, going down to swim in the river or "the old swimming hole". The swimmers often had no running water at home and this was a way for them to wash away some bodily grime; their Victorian betters strongly agreed with bathing for this purpose, but not with the way it was being accomplished. The problem of how to get those underclass clean without letting their pastoral cavorting offend others resulted in a solution, the first municipal bathing pools. Remarkably, there was not racial segregation in these initial pools. Pools changed again when they became not centers for training but locales for play. The huge pools were viewed as resorts, places where a family might come on vacation, and they had sand around them for artificial beaches. Pools had been segregated by gender, but these were not; because of fretting over what might happen if white women saw athletic black bodies, or if blacks started appreciating the displayed bodies of white women, racial segregation of pools began. There was violence in many cities when black people tried to use the pool. The way one city after another attempted to exclude black people in different ways makes for uncomfortable reading.
   
   Desegregation eventually happened, but the victory turned out to be Pyrrhic. As blacks were admitted, white swimmers stopped going to the public pools, and so it became easier for cities to reduce maintenance on the pools, which fell into disrepair and were closed. Cities had financial crises in the 1970s, further reducing pool budgets, and have never started up another building surge. White swimmers went to private pools or home pools, and Americans aren't putting a high value on public recreation as much as they used to. Suburban communities are building water theme parks, which are busy places for kids, but do not foster the socialization that families used to find around a public pool. It may not have worked out to be the best outcome for either blacks or whites, but that's the way history works out sometimes. Wiltse's readable history gives a surprising outlook on important aspects of American culture, and shows that swimming pools are far more consequential than you'd expect.



2. So far I am a quarter of the way through this book and it has repeated the same information several times. As soon as the author progresses into the 1900s he quickly shifts back to the 1890s and then up to the 1900s and then back again. The information could have been a little more carefully strung together and not so repetitive. I look forward to finishing this book to see if this gets any better. Despite the irritating repetition the information presented is interesting.



3. This is a must read for every teen or adult that believes history is simply about boring dead white people and inconsequential dates. Can you write a "real" history book that has valid arguments about.....SWIMMING POOLS? Dr. Wiltse has caught the attention of the young people of this nation who believed that history, real history, has to be about a President, King, or a General, and has taught us all that seemingly mundane events in the lives of common people, often overlooked, are history too!

5 comments about How to Build Wooden Gates and Picket Fences: 100 Classic Designs.

1. I own a Victorian Cottage in Texas and purchased this book hoping for some ideas on building my own unique picket fence. The book has tons of pictures and drawings of fence designs. We actually used two different designs and came up with a "one of a kind" fence around our yard. It became the talk of the town for a while and now our house is known as "the one with the fence"!
   The book is a little short on details of building the fences, but if you are skilled with tools, you will figure it out. We are starting our second fence with it this month, which we hope is a masterpiece. I recommend this book if you need Victorian fence ideas.



2. It's a very nicely drawn & explained book but if you have any other style home other than Victorian, there are limited styles that would match. Also, you have to order patterns separately.



3. This book is great! I've never seen a book with so many styles of fences that would go with so many different types of architecture. I also like how the material and illustrations are presented to allow the reader to easily see and compare the many different styles. The first fence books I bought had a few nice photos with trees and flowers, but, the fences themselves were not that special.
   
   I think it is much easier to see the fences for their own style and appearance the way they are presented in this book. If you are looking for an abundance of design ideas, this book has no equal.



4. This book was really fun to browse through and look at all the different styles. I'm sure I saw some of the fences in the book when on vacation in colonial Williamsburg. In the end, we decided on a pretty simple picket style and used some of the techniques suggested in the book to add interest by using varying heights and accents on the gate posts and gate itself. It turned out beautifully and the book was a big help in finding the style.



5. The Title of this book is totally misleading; it shows how to build the most basic of all gates the "Z" Frame, big deal. It does not show how to build any other style of Gate of any of the pitfalls one could encounter.
   This book is very poor in content and uses a lot of old style drawings obviously copied form some ancient book or something.
   DO NOT BUY THIS BOOK; I am thoroughly disgusted with myself that
   I trusted the Title.
   This is the worst book I have ever purchased.
   Noel R.

2 comments about Ideas for Great Patios & Decks.

1. This book has great picture to inspire. Mostly upscale patios, swimming pools, and a few decks. There is some practical information in the front and back on construction but this is NOT a do it yourself manual. The desing credits are 2 pages. A good book to decide what you want so that you can hire the job(s) out. This book is for the person with good taste and the money to go for it.



2. I was disappointed with this book. All the photos look like the yards are huge and in areas with lots of natural vegetation which is not my case at all. Nice photos but did not pertain to my situation.

2 comments about Decks & Patios for Dummies.

1. My husband is a construction type but I'm not and the deck was my project to plan. This book was great! I looked at a couple of dozen deck books and this was the only one that explained how to build a deck in a way that my contruction-impaired mind could comprehend. Very specific, step by step building instructions, a thorough review of the planning process and wonderful ideas for extra features. My only wishes are more photograhs and more information on alternative decking materials.



2. This is a great book for someone thinking about building a deck or patio cover. I'm pretty good around the house with tools and backyard projects, but there are some great tricks in this book that I didn't know. I would recommend this book for those who need a little added confidence to take on a deck or patio project.

4 comments about Reflections on the Pool: California Designs for Swimming.

1. A lovely book, plenty of inspirational photography and sufficient detail to inspire the intended pool builder or professional. Coffee table interest



2. The photography is fabulous. Many of the pools were designed by the author, but this does not detract from the book. It is well balanced. The chapters include: the natural pool, lap pools, infinity edges, indoor pools, historical pools, among others.



3. This excelent book is focused exclusively on design. Very inspiring and unique. Do not expect to find anything about maintenance, it is a book meant for designers. A must for landscape designers and architects.



4. Detailed analysis of a few each of several different types of pools: lap pools, "natural" pools, indoor pools, famous pools, etc., all in California. Not a construction manual, but full of details worth considering when designing a pool. A must for anyone considering getting a pool on a difficult or very special piece of land.