Re-Reading Perspecta: The First Fifty Years of the Yale Architectural Journal

Book Description

Perspecta, the oldest and most respected student-edited architectural journal in the United States, marks its fiftieth anniversary with this selection of influential and provocative pieces published in its pages from the 1950s through the 1990s. The essays and portfolios in Re-Reading Perspecta trace the development of architectural culture and discourse over the past fifty years and bear witness to the influential role played by Perspecta in a time of crucial debate about the function and future of architecture.

This monumental collection (with over 700 pages and 900 images) presents the most engaging and stimulating essays published in Perspecta, written by such well-known historians, theorists, and architects as Vincent Scully, Colin Rowe, Roland Barthes, Karsten Harries, K. Michael Hays, Allan Greenberg, Sibyl Moholy-Nagy, John Hejduk, Francesco Dal Co, Bernard Tschumi, and Mark Wigley. Re-Reading Perspecta also assembles the best examples of the richly-illustrated portfolios of projects published over the years, including work by Paul Rudolph, Louis Kahn, Robert Venturi, Eero Saarinen, Charles Moore, Philip Johnson, Peter Eisenman, John Hejduk, Steven Holl, Thomas Leeser, Hani Rashid, and others.

The editors introduce each section with essays that offer historical context and critical commentary. Re-Reading Perspecta also includes essays by Kenneth Frampton, K. Michael Hays, Joan Ockman, and Sandy Isenstadt on the history of Perspecta and its role in architectural discourse. This selection of the best of Perspecta covers a broad and lively spectrum of American architectural design, history, theory, and criticism.

Re-Reading Perspecta - The First Fifty Years of the Yale Architectural Journal

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Re-Reading Perspecta - The First Fifty Years of the Yale Architectural Journal
RAM Stern
Manufacturer: The MIT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OQV0YK

Customer Reviews:

THE CHILDREN ART BOOK I WAS LOOKING FOR!.......2007-09-16

THIS BOOK IS AMAZING! FULL OF GREAT ART IDEAS AND COMPLETE PROJECTS. VERY WELL ILLUSTRATED (ALL THE PAGES ARE IN FULL-COLOR) AND EASY TO READ. THE DIRECTIONS ARE CLEAR AND YOU CAN DESIGN YOUR OWN VERSION OF THE PROJECTS. MY DAUGHTER LOVES THIS BOOK AND I REALLY LOVE HER LITTLE "WOW!" FACE AFTER EACH PROJECT.

Excellent!!!.......2007-07-31

This is an excellent book. I first checked it out from the library & then HAD to buy my own copy. It has great techniques; many of which I've seen illustrated in adult painting/crafting books too. This book is leaps & bounds beyond most of the "same old, same old" kids art books out there.

It's not another cut and paste craft book.......2007-07-22

The book is not about crafts, real art techniques are explained. Techniques that can be learned and used later for their own projects. The book explains colors and mixing, and also describes various art supplies. A real artist could bud out from this book, or at least a love of art.

Every grandparent should own a copy..........2007-07-12

This is a wonderful art projects book that is filled with easy to do creative activities - it's written in a non-patronizing way (you gotta love those Brits) - most of the materials needed are generally already in one's home and - the results are spectacular. My 10-year old grand-daughter was completely caught up and spent hours producing rather wonderful "masterpieces". I highly recommend to parents and grandparents.

fun, creative art ideas.......2006-10-07

First, since there is little information about this title on Amazon, I'll give some information.

This book is actually three complete books in one: The Usborne Book of Art Ideas, The Usborne Book of Art Skills, and the Usborne Book of Art Projects.

The front book cover says: "Over 400 inspiring ideas for things to do with paints, pastels, collage, crayons, inks, paper, pens, found objects, stitches, rubbings."

The back cover says: "This inspiring book is packed full of creative ideas. It shows exciting ways of using different art materials. Simply follow the step-by-step instructions exactly or use the ideas to create pictures of your own."

There are hundreds of art projects in here, using a wide variety of different media. I love that while many of the art projects are fairly specific, they are really jumping off points, ways of experimenting with the different media and ideas so you can move off with them in your own direction. I am a homeschooling mother of two elementary-aged children, and this book has been very inspiring to the three of us.

The Usborne Complete Book of Drawing (Usborne Activity Books)

Average customer rating:

You should think about adding more to this book.
Okay........
My son loves this!
A class favorite
Shallow

The Usborne Complete Book of Drawing (Usborne Activity Books)
Nigel Reece , Alastair Smith , and Judy Tatchell
Manufacturer: E.D.C. Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 074601662X

Customer Reviews:

You should think about adding more to this book........2005-03-24

I would recommend this book, but first I would make some changes to it. If the book was up dated and it had more realistic pictures with a lot more details then it would be more exciting to draw the pictures in the book. When you read the book to learn how to draw it the book doesn't really explain how to draw the picture in the best way it can. Plus the author seemed like he only put in the drawings that he liked instead of thinking about other peoples thoughts. The only people that would read this book would be teens, children and some adults intrested in drawing non up dated drawings that are old and boring. They should show how to draw the steps better other than letting the persone do half the picture and then all of a sudden the picture is finished. But if the book was more exciting and up dated I'm sure people would love to read it. But other than that only the little kids would love to read this book. So yes, I recommend this book to little children.
Misty L.

Okay...............2004-01-30

If your an origanal artist it's pretty good. It covers a wide variety of things, but it dosn't get in to very good detail. Cats, scary stuff, dinosuars, people, robots( needs inproving) and stuff. Not much style, so if you want to become a comic book artist this book would probably be pretty useful. The cats, dinosaurs, the machines, maps and buildings sections are probably the best. This book would deffinetly inprove your drawing.

My son loves this!.......2002-12-06

My 12 year old son received this as a gift and it's one of the most used books in our house. It covers many different techniques and styles of drawing and is a great starting point for a young artist who really wants to improve and expand!

A class favorite.......2002-04-17

I borrowed this book for my 8th grade art class and ended up buying it because it was a class favorite. The color drawings are compelling and kids lined up to have it to work with. It has a large variety of topics covered and although it isn't "step-by-step", it is close enough with the breadth and variety of examples being worth every penny.

Shallow.......2002-01-08

If you're looking for a good introduction to drawing, keep looking. This book has examples from the various types of drawing (cartoons, monsters) but very little in the way of step-by-step instruction or depth. We got this hoping it would be interesting for our children but were sorely disappointed.

Book Description

It was none other than Louis Armstrong who said, "These people who make the restrictions, they don't know nothing about music. It's no crime for cats of any color to get together and blow." "You can't know what it means to be black in the United States--in any field," Dizzy Gillespie once said, but Gillespie vigorously objected to the proposition that only black people could play jazz. "If you accept that premise, well then what you're saying is that maybe black people can only play jazz. And black people, like anyone else, can be anything they want to be." In Cats of Any Color, Gene Lees, the acclaimed author of three previous collections of essays on jazz and popular music, takes a long overdue look at the shocking pervasiveness of racism in jazz's past and present--both the white racism that long ghettoized the music and generations of talented black musicians, and what Lees maintains is an increasingly virulent reverse racism aimed at white jazz musicians. In candid interviews, living jazz legends, critics, and composers step forward and share their thoughts on how racism has affected their lives. Dave Brubeck, part Modoc Indian, discusses native Americans' contribution to jazz and the deeply ingrained racism that for a time made it all but impossible for jazz groups with black and white players to book tours and television appearances. Horace Silver looks back on his long career, including the first time he ever heard jazz played live. Blacks were not not allowed into the pavilion in Connecticut where Jimmie Lunceford's band was performing, so the ten-year-old Silver listened and watched through the wooden slats surrounding the pavilion. "And oh man! That was it!" Silver recalls. Red Rodney recalls his early days with Charlie "Bird" Parker, and pianist and composer Cedar Walton tells of the time Duke Ellington played at the army base at Ford Dix and allowed the young enlisted Walton to sit in. Tracing the jazz world's shifting attitude towards race, many of the stories Lees tells are inspiring--Brubeck cancelling 23 out of 25 concert dates in the South rather than replace black bass player Eugene Wright, or Silver insisting that while he strives to provide his fellow black musicians opportunities, "I just want the best musicans I can get. I don't give a damn if they're pink or polka dot." Others are profoundly disturbing--Lees' first encounter with Oscar Peterson, after a Canadian barber flatly refused to cut Peterson's hair, or Wynton Marsalis on television claiming that blacks have been held back for so many years because the music business is controlled by "people who read the Torah and stuff." From the old shantytowns of Louisville, to the streets of South Central L.A., to the up-to-the-minute controversies surrounding Marsalis's jazz program at Lincoln Center, and the Jazz Masters awards given by the NEA, Cats of Any Color confronts racism head-on. At its heart is a passionate plea to recognize jazz not as the sole property of any one group, but as an art form celebrating the human spirit--not just for the protection of individual musicians, but for the preservation of the music itself.

Customer Reviews:

Meditation of Jazz and Race.......2003-07-31

Gene Lees' bok had its genesis as a series of articles nominally written around a common theme, that of race and jazz. The're no real narrative structure here; some of the pieces are narratives, some more essays and some are just rememberances that sort of meander here and there.

They're very readable, although I do get a little annoyed at times by Lees' short, punchy newspaper style, with two and three word sentances and one-sentance paragraphs. It's a technique that is best used very sparingly. Lees does do a superb job of recreating conversations, showing that he has a marvelous ear for the rhythms and conventions of spoken English.

The unifying theme through all these pieces is Gene Lees' concern with the role race played in jazz, whether the early racism that kept Black jazz musicians out of the limelight, or the contemporary racism of people like Stanley Crouch who proclaim jazz to be Black music. What puts Lees' essays a cut above others who have written on this topic is that he goes beyond the simple enumerating of players and their opinions; he has a real musicologist's interest in the history of jazz and popular music.

One piece, an extended profile and interview Dominique d Lerma is devoted to breaking the stereotypes of the earliest jazz music. If you watched Ken Burns' history of jazz you could be forgiven for thinking that jazz came from ill-educated, poor Southern blacks. de Lerma emphasizes, for example, the role of conservatory-trained Black musicians who integrated the harmonies of the European composers they studied into the popular music of the times, and the role of the great Black music publisher W. C. Handy in popularizing this music.

The last essay is specifically devoted to Wynton Marsalis, a man with marvelous technique and shallow opinions, who refuses to admit that any white musician has contributed anything to jazz, thus bringing the debate full circle. Marsalis is a trumpter with a brilliant classical technique who unfortunately has been elevated in recent years to the position of being the modern savior of jazz by the efforts of Burns and Stanley Crouch despite his not having much of anything original since his early days as an up-and-comer with Art Blakey's band. Unfortunately he has come to be viewed as a major figure and authority in jazz by outsiders, despite being generally ignired as disparaged by most jazzers.

The real pity of attitudes like Marsalis' is that they lose sight of the fact that while Jazz certainly had its origins in Black musicians, it has always been as much an American music form as a Black form, and that today it is an international form that transcends boundries of either race or color. The greatest musicians have always ignored artificial boundries, and many of the great bands of the post WW-II always included musicians of all races. It takes nothing away from Ray Brown to say he was influenced by Scott LaFaro, or that Miles Davis was strongly influenced by his close association with Gil Evans. (Miles, responding to a comment by Marsalis that Miles was never Marsalis' idol, reportedly told him "without me, you'd be all 'Flight of the Bumblebee'")

For that matter, in the end it becomes ridiculous to talk about race. Horace Silver, as Lees notes in one interview, Black, Native American, and Portuguese ancestors; his father spoke Portuguese. Does that make him a white musician? A Black one? A European? Charles Mingus had a similarly mixed ancestry. Does the fact the he was perhaps a quarter African make him less Black in the eyes of Marsalis, and thus less of a musician?

There's a lot in this book to think about long after you put it down. As you might be able to tell from reading the above, I'm still thinking about it.

Some unflinching truths about the world of jazz..........1998-09-28

Gene Lees strikes me as one of the more level-headed individuals in jazz. Like it or not, the hard-core jazz word is these days filled with elitists, racists (mostly reverse these days), and people protecting their "territory." When I see the doings and hear the rantings of the likes of Stanley Crouch and other pretentious writers and "social critics," I am reminded of the character of Max Mercy from Bernard Malamud's novel (and the movie) The Natural...Mercy isn't interested in baseball and has never played a game, but stirring up controversy using baseball as his medium keeps him in the spotlight and makes him rich. Crouch is much the same way--would any of us have heard of him, would he have a tenth of his current income and notoriety were he not clutching the coattails of a currently well-known jazz musician? Lees' discussion of Crouch, of other figures in jazz history, and his inside stories about the jazz world and the psyches within it are like a bucket of cold water to most of what passes for jazz scholarship today. But don't get the impression this is a kiss-and-tell book, or something scandalous. Mr. Lees is actually a rather level headed individual. A must read for anyone not in any "camp" or defending any "turf" but who just loves music and musicians and realizes that jazz, like any art, is a mixture and mixing that quickly becomes so intricate it's impossible for any one group to claim they "own" it. Too bad there are only two other reviews of this book on Amazon's page as of this writing. I can see people would rather believe the hypola histories instead. Too bad...

An intelligent and thoughtful book, marvelously written........1996-09-20

Gene Lees has steadily built a reputation as one of the finest of all writers on jazz. This intelligent, thoughtful, and insightful look at current attitudes on the part of jazz musicians towards race and racial bias is firmly grounded in historical research without being pedantic. Part of the success of this book comes from its organization -- many of the chapters are profiles of musicians and musical scholars which are incidentally used to illustrate the issues under consideration. Whether or not one finally agrees with Lees' premise -- that we have reentered a period of "reverse racism" in jazz -- the quality of the interviews and interviewees makes this an important book, and a wonderful read in the process.

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Black Cat, White Cat

Manufacturer: Simon & Schuster Childrens Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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Color Surprises: A Pop-up Book

ASIN: 0689835078

Black Cat, White Cat: A Pop-Up Book of Opposites

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How to entertain a 3 year old: Give them Black Cat White Cat
Beautifuly crafted pop ups
A captivating book for a 1-yr-old cat lover
FOUND at last!!
a charming introduction to opposites

Black Cat, White Cat: A Pop-Up Book of Opposites
Chuck Murphy
Manufacturer: Little Simon
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Ages 4-8 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0689814151

Amazon.com

Pop-up books have come a long way, baby, and Chuck Murphy, creator of our all-time favorite, Color Surprises: A Pop-Up Book, and the astounding One to Ten: Pop-Up Surprises!, surely deserves some of the credit. In Black Cat, White Cat: A Pop-Up Book of Opposites, youngsters will love interacting with the myriad meowers, all displaying a state of opposites. On the first page sits a dignified, green-eyed black cat, simply labeled "Black cat." Lift the cat, fold it left, and out springs a white cat chasing after a big red ball! On another page, "High cat" perches atop a pop-up ladder, as "Low cat" slinks by below. With the simple downward tug of a tab, "Young cat" magically forms jowls and a bigger head to become "Old cat." No run-of-the-mill, two-dimensional illustrations could communicate the concept of opposites as effectively as this artful book. But even those who have already fully grasped "near and far," "day and night" won't be able to resist these nodding, leaping, prowling cats. (All ages) --Karin Snelson

Customer Reviews:

How to entertain a 3 year old: Give them Black Cat White Cat.......2005-06-18

Do you want a book that will captivate your youngster or one you know? This book will do it. The pop up demonstrating "High Cat Low Cat" are some of the best I have seen in the last 12 years. Not only do they open & fold with ease, you can turn the page quickly and not worry about the pop-ups getting caught or torn. The fold out sections of the book are equally as wonderful; "Black Cat White Cat" goes from a serene black cat looking at you to a surprised expression on the black cat as the white cat jumps out to chase a red ball. The pull tabs are easy to operate (a minor miracle in it's self), and yield a round of giggles as the "Young Cat" becomes "Old Cat" with the widening of the face, and the jowls of the cat poof out. Delightful way to approach opposites!.

Beautifuly crafted pop ups.......2004-02-26

I bought this book for my nephew, and I almost kept it for myself.

The illustrations are very clear, and well thought out. The pop up dynamics are just precious. This should not be a book that would get rough-housed around. Some of the pop ups are quite delicate.

My nephew is 4 and enjoyed it immensely.

A captivating book for a 1-yr-old cat lover.......2002-06-10

This is a great "opposites" book. The young-cat, old-cat transition is facinating to me, but my son loves the cat that leaps out at you (out-cat, in-cat). He laughed really hard as I had that cat pop out about 10 times in a row.

Now, if I want to get him to go into his room, I say "Black cat, white cat", and he heads straight for this book. He can barely say anything yet, but he loves this book!

FOUND at last!!.......2001-09-20

I saw this book in an educational toy store several years ago. I had no children at the time and put it back on the shelf; a few weeks later I returned to buy it just for me, but it was gone. Since then I've actually had a child who is now 18 months old, and I have seached many a book store shelf and even looked here on amazon before with no sucess. One bookstore recently told me it was out of print and could take several months to get. Now that I've found it here I'm ordering it immerdiately! And I urge anyone else reading this review to the same. It is an amazing little book!! You won't be sorry!

a charming introduction to opposites.......2001-09-13

"Black cat, white cat. Day cat, night cat .... "

Chuck Murphy has done it again, giving children and parents a little work of art disguised as a pop-up book.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best children's books ever published.......2000-09-18

Black Cat White Moon is a treasure along the likes of Goodnight Moon, Curious George, and Where The Wild Things Are. A perfect gift for your tot. My son has been reading this book since he was a month old and a year later he still can't put it down. Larry Daste's beautiful illustrations will enchant your child.

FUN BOOK!.......2000-04-05

My 2 year old loves this book. The pictures are clear and colorful and the words are simple. The book is larger in size than the other board books my daughter has, she loves to carry it around.

Average customer rating:

So funny you'll howl
So funny you'll howl
So funny you'll howl
This book barks up the right tree

Erin Go Bark!
Kim Levin , and John O'Neill
Manufacturer: Andrews McMeel Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0740714619

Amazon.com

Whether you're Irish only on St. Patrick's Day or all year 'round, if you're a dog lover, 'tis sure and you'll be loving Erin Go Bark. Filled with talented pet photographer Kim Levin's shots of dogs in Dublin and Dingle Bay, this little book is as charming as the country in which it was created. Each photo is accompanied by a dog-specific version of an Irish blessing--you won't find "may the wind be always at your back," but rather "may your coat stay shiny, your nose stay cold, and the sidewalk stay soft." As Levin and coauthor (and husband) John O'Neill write in the forward, Ireland is full of dogs on the loose, all slightly wet, slightly wild, and entirely adorable. Most of the shots are of a single mongrel, rather damp and scruffy, but full of personality. The matching of blessings with the photo is as entertaining as the picture itself. One particularly whimsical shot shows a very resigned-looking terrier in what appears to be a fur-trimmed cloak and matching tunic. His saying reads, "let us forever bless the witty soul who invented dog clothing." Another of the book's many sayings is one that many young Irish women would whole-heartedly agree with: "may the next person who calls you "lassie" get fleas." This little gem will have any blarney-filled dog lover nodding and saying "top o' the morning" to every pooch on the block. Grab a pint of Guinness and enjoy! --Jill Lightner

Book Description

"May your bed stay warm, your bowl stay full, and may you live a long and healthy life."[Body copy] Long live Ireland ` isle of myth and mystery, proud haven of poets and saints, land of wisdom and courage . . . and home to many adorable Irish dogs. From beloved pet photographer Kim Levin comes another winning collection of dog photographs, this time coupled with Irish sayings and blessings written by her husband, John O'Neill. Erin Go Bark! celebrates the land of the shamrock and its gift for blarney by showcasing some of the country's cutest four-legged lads and lassies.- May you seek revenge on the person who named you "Scruffy."- May you see the inside of the door as often as you see the outside.- May the "big dogs" be careful whom they mess with.

Customer Reviews:

So funny you'll howl.......2002-12-20

I laughed out loud or got misty-eyed (sometimes simultaneously) at the photos and captions in this book. The photographer has captured the essence of doggy expression. One of my favorites (and there are many) is the tilted head and "I'm listening" look of the dog for whom it is wished, "May you always understand what is being said to you." This book is a lovely gift for yourself or any dog people you know.

So funny you'll howl.......2002-12-20

This book barks up the right tree.......2001-03-27

I have seen this book and being a dog lover, I really enjoyed it. Some of the captions for the pictures made me laugh out loud. I saw an interview with the authors and the said that The dog we call an Irish Setter her in the US, is called a Red Setter in Ireland. The Pictures are great and the captions are even better.

Animal Folklore: From Black Cats to White Horses

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Animal Folklore: From Black Cats to White Horses
Edward F. Dolan
Manufacturer: Ivy Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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Best Friends, No Matter What (Black and White Edition)

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Best Friends, No Matter What (Black and White Edition)
Pet, Serrano
Manufacturer: PoshLust Productions
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0615137512

Book Description

Loki and Mayday show children and newlyweds how to have happy and healthy lasting relationships as only two 5 year old cats can, with a year's worth of play dates. Follow the story of Loki and Mayday as they play, travel, bake, engage in separate hobbies-- and even fight over something silly-- and manage to remain best friends year after year because of their sense of humor and complimentary talents. Originally written for a wedding, this sweet and simple story teaches young children and reminds grownups that they can be friends with someone without always enjoying all of the same things all of the time. Loki is the star of his own online and DVD video series, "It's Loki", where this loveable, soft-spoken, imaginative cat talks about his daily life, gives advice to cats and humans, gets into odd adventures, and habitually tries to encourage everyone to be positive, happy, and to remember to play, making him the purrfect leading cat for this charming tale of love and friendship!

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Black and White Cats
J. C. (editor) Suares
Manufacturer: Collins Pub San Francisco
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000O8WC7C

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