Book Description
For the house lover and the curious tourist, for the house buyer and the weekend stroller, for neighborhood preservation groups and for all who want to know more about their community -- here, at last, is a book that makes it both easy and pleasurable to identify the various styles and periods of American domestic architecture.
Concentrating not on rare landmarks but on typical dwellings in ordinary neighborhoods all across the United States -- houses built over the past three hundred years and lived in by Americans of every social and economic background -- the book provides you with the facts (and frame of reference) that will enable you to look in a fresh way at the houses you constantly see around you. It tells you -- and shows you in more than 1,200 illustrations -- what you need to know in order to be able to recognize the several distinct architectural styles and to understand their historical significance. What does that cornice mean? Or that porch? That door? When was this house built? What does its style say about the people who built it? You'll find the answers to such questions here.
This is how the book works: Each of thirty-nine chapters focuses on a particular style (and its variants). Each begins with a large schematic drawing that highlights the style's most important identifying features. Additional drawings and photographs depict the most common shapes and the principal subtypes, allowing you to see at a glance a wide range of examples of each style. Still more drawings offer close-up views of typical small details -- windows, doors, cornices, etc. -- that might be difficult to see in full-house pictures. The accompanying text is rich in information about each style -- describing in detail its identifying features, telling you where (and in what quantity) you're likely to find examples of it, discussing all of its notable variants, and revealing its origin and tracing its history.
In the book's introductory chapters you'll find invaluable general discussions of house-building materials and techniques ("Structure"), house shapes ("Form"), and the many traditions of architectural fashion ("Style") that have influenced American house design through the past three centuries. A pictorial key and glossary help lead you from simple, easily recognized architectural features -- the presence of a tile roof, for example -- to the styles in which that feature is likely to be found.
Customer Reviews:
Great Resource.......2007-09-30
Great book!!! I'm using for my company to get a true representation of many styles for many of the house I'm designing. A great resource for any firm!!!
great book for the housing history.......2007-09-10
great at housing history
great describe for the house component
good picture to show handy book to show at real estate
Get out your "readers!".......2007-07-27
A good "bible" type book for house lovers (buyers, sellers, architects, Realtors, etc.) However, the print is itty bitty, so be sure to have a magnifying glass or some readers handy. There is a lot of information and many black and white photographs along with intricate drawings. It almost feels like a college textbook (good thing it's a paperback!). Good reference book.
A very useful book .......2007-05-06
This book has been one of the most fascinating and useful books I have read. It is laid out in an easy-to-use manner, and is packed full of information that is useful for an amatuer old-house lover, or as a reference for a professional. It follows the history and evolution of homebuilding consecutively from pre-1600's-current (the book was published in 1984, so it is lacking the last 20 years, though). Each style of house or time period has it's own chapter, which goes into depth detailing the features that are unique to and commonly found in that style. It also includes many pictures displaying these features.
The first few chapters of the book introduce you to the basics of house form, structure, and style, and provide a wealth of information on how to look at a house and identify it using key features. It literally is a field guide! I have learned so much about the way a house is constructed, how house layouts have evolved through the years, and learned the names and meanings of all the different parts of a house. It has been fascinating. My husband and I met with a home builder last week, and I was able to comfortably converse with him and understand everything he said because of having read this book recently!
I can't begin to describe all that this book contains. Highly recommended!
A Field Guide to American Houses.......2007-03-12
I've actually purchased two of this book, one as a gift. It is a 'coffee table' book that will actually get used. It is a great reference book and an interesting book to spend some time with. The explanatory illustrations are exceptional, and the photographic examples provide more than just an example. Looking at these photographs you can travel back in time and different periods of American history. Some of the houses are abandoned and run down which in no way lessens the impact of their design and grandeur.
Early in the book, most houses are named and the location given. However, the newer houses toward the back are not so identified. This is not a problem as much as it is a disappointment.
Book Description
American Houses is a historical guide to the architecture of the American home. While other architectural field guides show only faades, this book includes floor plans, showing how the form of a house arises from its function. Photographs and drawings of exteriors illustrate the significant field marks of each style and help pinpoint the key elements that can identify a house even when it has been remodeled beyond recognition. Beautifully illustrated, clearly written, and impeccably researched, American Houses is an essential reference for anyone interested in the history of American residential architecture.
Customer Reviews:
Great Book.......2005-08-19
If you own an older home, then this book is a must. Lots of valuable information.
A Field Guide with Little Imagination.......2005-08-09
There is a great tradition in the United States of Field Guides to American Domestic Architecture. Almost all of the Guides break down into two camps. The first group are the Guides that illustrate architectural styles through the use of photographs. The second group of Guides show styles through the use of black and white line drawings. Of the two camps, I prefer line drawings because they allow the reader to focus on the mulitple architectural details that come together to form an architectural style.
Gerald Foster's "American Houses" is a good example of the line drawing style of Field Guide. Gerald Foster is a competent artist in what I call the illustrator school of architectural drawings. He took highly detailed drawings from the Historic Architectural Building Survey (HABS)and rotated the drawings so as to center on a corner view. Hovering below the corner view is a representative floor plan.
The drawings are competent and pleasant to look at but where Foster falls short in my estimation is the sheer repetive nature of his drawings. Almost all of the drawings are from this same corner view and after a while the view becomes monotonous. A more imaginative artist would have shown buildings from different angles. A good artist can bend static buildings and provide new insights into their construction.
The drawings are competent and George Foster has done enough homework in order to do a good job of describing the different styles. Its a good Guide and if this is your fist Field Guide, you will be very happy with it. However, there are better examples of Architectural Field Guides. For this line drawing style of Field Guide, I would recommend Lester Walker's "American Home" and "The Visual Dictionary to American Architecture." The illustrations in these books are both more exciting and educational.
A wonderfully entertaining read.......2004-08-21
This book is a great overview of American architecture. It is entertaining for the non-architect but full of detail and histry for those who already have a lot of knowledge of the subject matter. Foster has obviously spent considerable time and energy researching his material. The floorplans are informative and help the reader to visualize a certain style and to understand the practical forces that shaped each architectural style. A must read for anyone with an interest in American architectural history!
"Related" Topics.......2004-08-14
Brilliantly researched, "Gerry" Foster manages to build the houses he describes in our minds through his illustrative diction and syntax. With its diagrams and managable set up, this book is a treat for all those who aspire to understand what goes into the frame work of an American home. For those who have read Foster's Field Guide to Trains, I assure you will agree with me when I say that I look forward to more works by this highly talented painter, architect, author, and father. I had the pleasure of recently meeting with his daughter, Shelby Foster, who only confirmed my belief in her father's intelligence, as she was able, eager, and willing to discuss the behind the pages research that went in to this wonderful read. We, the readers, can only hope that her upcoming novel contains as much information seamlessly weaved with a powerful narrative voice as her father's works. In all, a must read for any student, formal or unformal, of modern day American homes, and their history.
An artist's perspective.......2004-04-09
The author is the illustrator as well, and his pen and ink renditions are museum worthy. As an artist, and not an academic, his approach is informal and slightly irreverent.
The book's emphasis is on the Colonial era, whose styles he divides into New England, Hudson River, Mid-Atlantic, Chesapeake, Southern, French and Spanish. He then sums up the 19th century styles, predominantly Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne and other late Victorian styles, and ends with the Colonial Revival, Bungalow, and Prairie styles (originated in Illinois, the Prairie State).
He points out some styles were revived exclusively for the mansions of the turn-of-the-century industrial barons. He has not much to say about more recent houses, only mentioning the International Style, but overall it is still a good book.
Customer Reviews:
Portaits are great.......2007-05-14
This is another book that is very informtive for the person beginning to draw portraits.
Continuing a Training.......2007-02-08
This is an excellent book to follow after "Drawing Portraits". It was very helpful for me.
Drawing a likeness.......2005-06-21
I'm a teenager, and I hate art books. I taught myself to draw and I have never found any art books helpful, except this one. It completely changed how I do things and my style and art has developed significantly as a consequence. The progression of how to draw a face that is included in detail is incredibly helpful, and has seriously improved my work. Wonderful, lovable book.
Very good.......2002-03-09
I've been drawing (and selling) portrait art for many years, so I confess, I can be a bit picky about portrait drawings. But this book did not disappoint. It is a very nice book.
The artist indeed has a true grasp on how to draw the portrait. He gives several very detailed step-by-step lessons, which are very helpful. He also illustrates and explains to the reader things like: the different shapes of the head, feature placement, and more. He makes a sincere attempt to educate to the artist on what the face is about.
One of the most important things to note is the excellence of the artwork. All the likenesses are spot-on. It is a delight to see a book full of very nice artwork! This is an essential element as far as I am concerned. If the author is a poor artist, why should I believe anything they are trying to teach me?
I do have a problem with some of the smaller sketches. They were fine, but lacked a little detail. Also, a few of the features on these small sketches got a little "wonky" (crooked eyes, etc.) But these were minor things. Obviously this artist is very capable, and really understands how to get a likeness.
It is also important to note that this book will actually help an artist *enhance* their drawing and observation skills. It illustrates and explains the true fundimentals of looking for a likeness, how to "plot out" the placement of the features, how to *understand* the face. This is the most important key to getting a good likeness. This is a far more preferable way of learning portraits than just mindlessly copying by using mechanical aids like tracing, or the "grid". Those methods may be preferred by some because they are "simpler", but they will not assist the artist in developing their drawing skills, or in truly understanding what makes a likeness. They will also not assist an artist in learning how to draw from life. The only way to truly get an evocative and convincing likeness is to *understand* the face, not just copy shadows and shapes.
This is a medium-sized book, and cannot be expected to cover all the details of drawing the portrait. But it is quite delightful, in its own way.
Drawing A Likeness.......2001-08-29
This book is for those who are serious about learning to draw accurately. The author breaks the process into several easy-to-follow steps. It is one of my favorite art books. I recommend it highly.
Average customer rating:
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DRAWING A LIKENESS
Manufacturer: Watson-Guptill Publications NY
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IAERSI |
Product Description
Black & white pencil drawings
Average customer rating:
- For the Francoailurophile in your life
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Les Chats de Paris
Barnaby Conrad
Manufacturer: Chronicle Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
 Collections, Catalogues & Exhibitions
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Photo Essays
| Photography
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: 0811811867 |
Amazon.com
What could be a more sophisticated combination than the elegant streets of Paris, coupled with a regal brigade of fancy French felines? For this luxurious collection of black and white photographs, Barnaby Conrad III has selected prints that reflect the fascination and deep respect Parisians have for their cats. The photographs span almost 100 years of city life and include work by the greatest French photographers including Jacques Henri Lartigue, Gilberte Brassai, and Robert Doisneau. Truly urbanized, the Parisian cat traverses city roofs, slinks over cobbled streets, and curls up in the arms of loving city dwellers. Some of the selected photographs border on the bizarre--Max Vadukul presents a collage of black and white cats flying through the air above a classic Parisian rooftop.
Cats not only fascinated great French photographers, but also captured the imagination of famous French writers. A sampling of kitty-inspired words by Collette and Baudelaire complete this elegant little book.
Book Description
From kittens peering out of curtained shop windows to mysterious tomcats slinking across tiled rooftops, les chats parisiens embody the sensuous spirit of Paris. This charming volume presents an artful gallery of black-and-white photographs of felines by such twentieth-century master photographers as Jacques Henri Lantigue, Edouard Boubat, and Robert Doisneau. Accompanied by an entertaining introduction and whimsical musings on cats by some of France's most ?illustrious intellectuals, including Chateaubriand, Baudelaire, and Colette, Les Chats de Paris will delight cat lovers and Francophiles the world over.
Customer Reviews:
For the Francoailurophile in your life.......1999-12-14
There are some amazing shots of cats in this book, more so, even, than of dogs in Conrad's "Les Chiens de Paris". (I would assume it's more difficult to pose a cat than a dog.) However, there is also a bit of filler here, which wasn't true of the dog volume, possibly due to a smaller pool of eligible photos. Still, these cats are in rain gutters, atop pay phones, chasing mice along yardsticks, peeking over sheet music, performing in a street circus, tucked into a man's four-foot beard.
The pictures are adorable and innocent, but watch out. Conrad's witty introduction contains some racy passages (about the she-cat's sexual prowess, and a neutered tom's suicide) that might make some think twice about giving it to (literate) children. (If "Chiens" is G, "Chats" is PG-13.) For the urban adult ailurophile, however, this is the perfect gift.
Average customer rating:
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Le Chat Noir - Illustrateurs, Journal Du Chat Noir, Tournées, Documents Divers; Aristide Bruant - Repertorie, Chansons, Disques...; Les Journaux Humoristiques; Montmartre - La Butte, Son Folklore,... - Hervé Chayette, C. -P. , Paris - 11/29/78
Commissaire-Priseur; Essay by Camard, Florence Hervé Chayette
Manufacturer: Hervé Chayette, Commissaire-Priseur
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Mythology
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
ASIN: B000MMBYV0 |
Product Description
Text block clean, pages tight to spine - 155 lots, 5 black and white illustrations. Text in French.
Average customer rating:
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Les Chats de Paris
Joseph Delteil , and
Louis Nucera
Manufacturer: Editions Du Rocher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
All French Books
| French
| Foreign Language Books
| Specialty Stores
| Books
ASIN: 2268039862 |
Book Description
Never before has so much of Earth's bounty been so abundantly available in local stores and supermarkets. In Vegetarian Planet, Didi Emmons takes vibrant flavors from around the world and, using techniques known to any home cook and easy-to-find ingredients, creates 350 dishes at once bold and flavorful, soothing and homey. Not a book of recipes from this country or that, it is instead a celebration of the new, globally inspired American pantry. Vegetarians have adventuresome palates. At last, here is a book that lets them incorporate their favorite global flavors into simple everyday meals. For the many nonvegetarians who occasionally eat meatless meals but may be used to thinking of vegetarian dining as a parade of side dishes, Vegetarian Planet offers ten big chapters of substantial and hearty main dishes.
Customer Reviews:
Not a healthy vegetarian cookbook.......2007-09-26
I agree completely with the people who gave this book a low rating. The book is heavy on dairy (milk and butter). I read on the WW blog that it was recommended - but I don't understand how that can be. If a person on WW ate from the recipes in this book, they would be on WW FOREVER! Can't even resell this book for what I paid for it.
I may try later to revamp some of the recipes to be more health conscious by substituting healthier ingredients.
Fantastic Cookbook.......2007-09-10
This is a great book. The recipes are delicious, imaginative, and always come out great! What more could one ask of a cookbook?
One of the most used cookbooks in my kitchen.......2007-02-14
I happened to pick this cookbook up at my college at a book sale for $7 thinking I'd find a few good recipes for my money. It quickly became the most used books in my cookbook collection. Didi Emmons does a wonderful job of being creative with her food, but also giving basic information on how to cook things. One of my favorite aspects of her book are the "did you know" boxes on her pages, giving you a brief history of some foods to different uses for others. I highly recommend the African Tomato and Peanut soup...it's one of my favorites. One other comment I wanted to make was: neither my husband or I are vegetarian, but we found ourselves using this book for 2 or 3 meals each week, and it really cut down on the amount of money we spent at the grocery store.
Vegetarian Variety.......2006-12-03
I really like this cookbook for several reasons: the vast variety of cultures/tastes; the variety of spices, foods utilized in the recipes; the variety of dishes (soups, salads, main dishes, one-pot suppers, sandwiches, even dumplings and pizza dough!); and the ease with which many of the dishes can be prepared. Easy does not necessarily mean boring, as evidenced by the asparagus with curry butter sauce. I make this dish for almost every family get-together dinner and it always gets raves. I hate to admit how easy it is to make! I would never have thought of mixing asparagus with curry. I really appreciate the foods from various cultures, including Middle Eastern, Southwestern and Mexican. And good old-fashioned American tastes as well. Sample menus in the back of the book are very helpful and are also organized by type of meal(for example, the "I-Just-Lost-My-Job Supper -- Dinner on a Tight Budget").I haven't tried many of the desserts, although they also look good. But I haven't tried one dish I haven't liked yet. Not necessarily for vegans, since many of the dishes include cheese and milk, etc. But it's a great intro to vegetarian cooking. Nicely arranged, easy to read, fun to use.
Creative, nutritious, delicious.......2006-06-29
The recipes are creative, nutritious, and delicious. I love the upbeat tone of the book, and the sheer number of recipes is amazing. Most are time-consuming but worth it. Everything I've made from it has been popular. The veggie burgers are a particular favorite in our family and we always keep a supply in the freezer. This book is also a wealth of information on legumes, grains, exotic vegetables, ethnic condiments, store-cupboard suggestions... it is a wonderful reference.
Book Description
The story of the iconic MoonPie provides the framework for this unusual historical biography of the South and its most revered snack. Developed in 1917 in response to coal miners' request for a filling—yet portable—snack, the MoonPie quickly became a favorite treat countrywide, with particular appeal in the South. This clever narrative chronicles the long and arduous path the lunar confection has traveled during the past 75 years—including bouts with economic depression, war, recessions, conglomerate competition, and changing generational tastes—and its enduring popularity almost a century later.
Customer Reviews:
The Story of a Snack That Continues to Endure.......2007-04-20
Growing up in New England, I had never heard of a Moon Pie. It wasn't until I met my wife some 25 years ago that I was introduced to the tasty little snack treat that is revered by Southerners. When I found the book on Amazon, I knew I had to buy and read the story of a snack that is so well loved.
The book is an interesting mix of Moon Pie lore, legend and manufacturing information, which is extremely readable and very enjoyable. I learned more about Moon Pies than I think I ever could have thought possible, but like a Moon Pie, I was disappointed when it ended.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves snacks and their histories; particularly the old time snacks found in penny or country stores. This book would make an absolutely wonderful gift to a Southerner who has grown up with this delightful treat!
Fun Fun Fun.......2007-02-03
Fantastic entertainment int the persona of a culture that thrives today. Better than a hybrid of Deliverance and The Coal Miner's Daughter. If you have ever been a fan of an RC Cola and a Moonpie, this is a great read. By the way, Moonpies are still available in stores but also by web order in a variety of flavors and two sizes. RC Cola can be a little harder to find.
Buy this book and give it to all your friends for Christmas.......2006-10-17
This is a book that any fan of Southern cooking would be thrilled to find wrapped under the Christmas tree, maybe next to a box of MoonPies and a case of RC (in glass bottles, of course). The MoonPie is iconic, and Magee tells the story very well. It's a fun book and Magee is an interesting character as he delves into all things MoonPie. It's also a beautifully made book--like the MoonPie itself, it's small enough to hold in your hand and pretty enough to display. It's a pleasure to set a spell with David Magee and the Chattanooga Bakery. Check it out.
Book Description
Anne McCaffrey's cookbook, featuring real (you can cook them) recipes created by science fiction and fantasy writers such as Harlan Ellison, Ursula K. Le Guin, Avram Davidson and of course Anne McCaffrey herself. Mixed in with the recipes are stories and anecdotes about how they were created - some longer than the recipes!
Customer Reviews:
SF and cookery...what a concept!.......2005-05-09
This book will disappoint those who consider SF to have begun with Star Wars...but will surprise and delight the culinary historian and Fan alike! Yummy recipes, mostly from the 60's and 70's, though at least one from the 30's, are introduced by the leading lights of early 70's SF/F -- here you will find Boozers and Judges (a tasty dessert), Cosmic-Minded Roast Beef Sandwiches (an innovative use of chocolate), the best gazpacho ever, and Futurian Spaghetti, a rich and tasty budget entree from the incredible Futurian House. I "borrowed" this book some years ago and am still cooking from it, despite its being in a sorry state. Now I'm happy to replace both copies.
Average customer rating:
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Cooking Out of This World
Manufacturer: The Wildside Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: 1880448149 |
Product Description
The science fiction cookbook, originally published by Ballantine in the '70s and withdrawn because people actually tried to make the recipes.
Product Description
This collection of the favorite recipes of 58 SF and Fantasy writers is amusing and informative, and the recipes are sometimes just plain fun to read (they write about more than just the ingredients and the process).
Books:
- A Field Guide to Sprawl
- A History of Architecture: Settings and Rituals
- A Theory of Good City Form
- ACI 318-05 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary, 2005
- Aegean Art and Architecture (Oxford History of Art)
- Affordable Home Design: Innovations and Renovations
- Ancient Rome: Monuments Past and Present
- Architectural Rendering Techniques: Color Reference
- Architecture Exam Review, Volume III: Graphic Divisions, 5th Edition
- Architourism: Authentic, Escapist, Exotic, Spectacular
Books Index
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