Delirious New York: A Retroactive Manifesto for Manhattan

Amazon.com

In this fanciful volume, Dutch architect Rem Koolhaas, founder of the Office for Metropolitan Architecture (O.M.A.), both analyzes and celebrates New York City. By suggesting the city as the site for an infinite variety of human activities and events--both real and imagined--the essence of the metropolitan lifestyle, its "culture of congestion" and its architecture are revealed in a brilliant new light. "Manhattan," Koolhaas writes, "is the 20th century's Rosetta stone . . . occupied by architectural mutations (Central Park, the Skyscraper), utopian fragments (Rockefeller Center, the U.N. Building), and irrational phenomena (Radio City Music Hall)." Filled with fascinating facts, as well as photographs, postcards, maps, watercolors, and drawings, the vibrancy of Koolhaas's poignant exploration of Gotham equals the heady, frenetic energy of the city itself. Anyone who loves New York will want to own this book.

Customer Reviews:

What an interesting philosophical dissertation.......2007-02-05

through the exhaustive historiography of the phases of congestion coney island brought to manhattan, koolhaas provides a rather cynical view of the Grid as being an ulimatley neutral zoning system of constraining ideas that represent the continual decline of a phantastically realistic civilization, represented as mutated symbols of architecture in the "void" of repeated "pregnancies."

it's really well written. funny. uses, like above, a somewhat inefficient vocabulary but remains in the same vein throughout. it is also a graphic design hubris consuming every page, even the left-justified text, showing off koolhaas's interpretation of the importance to combine scholarship and marketing.

buy it. it's a very good book.

Way Too Much To Think About Sometimes.... .......2006-11-09

A very inventive concept of New York's "culture of congestion" and how people are affected by the architecture they create. It is heavily researched and exhaustive, and after pretty much the third page I agreed with his concept of NY being "totally fabricated by man". What could of been a fascinating article becomes a spastic, heavy-handed read with a sledgehammer effect to your brain. (However,for those of us reading it for school, there are plenty of pictures that fill up the almost devastatingly vast 300+pages quickly.) It will scramble your brain with its thousands of nearly bumper-stickerish statements ("It hides life." "The Mountain MUST become architecture.") written with pretentious glee. However, I believe an independent scientific study has concluded that when pretending to read this book on the train people around you will assume your IQ is 40% higher than truth.

Eating oysters with boxing gloves, naked, on the nth floor........2005-05-25

The quote written above is excerpted from Delirious New York. It is a perfect example of the lyrical quality of the writing prevalent throughout this amazing book. Delirious New York is not an objective chronological listing of New York's development, but a collection of manifestos and stories with opinionated perspectives about a city founded on the idea that maximum congestion is a desirable factor. It is informative, funny (the midget firefighters of Coney Island had me laughing aloud for a solid minute or two), twisted, and inspiring.

Rem Koolhaas is edgier and far more interesting literary figure in architecture than say, Le Corbusier. Koolhaas's analytical yet shockingly refreshing writing style is a blessing for architecture, since he stays away from academic incoherent writing style that most architectural historians and architects tend to employ.

Get a copy of this book if eclectic (and at times disturbing) tales of architecture and urban development is something you think you will enjoy.

best koolhaas ever, man.......2004-01-30

koolhaas is a bit over-the-top for me, but this I think is is best work. it's worth checking out if only for the story of coney island. once you get past blisteringly pretentious phrases like "coney island is a fetal manhattan", you'll find it gloriously entertaining as both a narrative and theoretical work.

the culture of congestion.......2002-12-24

This is by far Koolhaas's most accessible work, as it is rooted so clearly in detail from the city's past. Further, the book is simply brilliant. His take on urban history is to Jane Jacobs what Socrates is to common sense. New York is a special case of modernism that sprang from a special constellation of poltiical and technological forces that collectively create a cultural "big-bang" at the turn of the century. Read it. Blow your mind.

Pictures of Nothing: Abstract Art since Pollock (A.W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts)

Average customer rating:

overrated and wordy
They really need a Zero Star category for books like this one
Review by P Hutchings, Melbourne, Australia
Abstraction clarified
If You Could Have Only One Art Book...

Pictures of Nothing: Abstract Art since Pollock (A.W. Mellon Lectures in the Fine Arts)
Kirk Varnedoe
Manufacturer: Princeton University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 069112678X

Book Description

"What is abstract art good for? What's the use--for us as individuals, or for any society--of pictures of nothing, of paintings and sculptures or prints or drawings that do not seem to show anything except themselves?" In this invigorating account of abstract art since Jackson Pollock, eminent art historian Kirk Varnedoe, the former chief curator of painting and sculpture at the Museum of Modern Art, asks these and other questions as he frankly confronts the uncertainties we may have about the nonrepresentational art produced in the last five decades. He makes a compelling argument for its history and value, much as E. H. Gombrich tackled representation fifty years ago in Art and Illusion, another landmark A. W. Mellon Lectures volume. Realizing that these lectures might be his final work, Varnedoe conceived of them as a statement of his faith in modern art and as the culminating example of his lucidly pragmatic and philosophical approach to art history. He delivered the lectures, edited and reproduced here with their illustrations, to overflowing crowds at the National Gallery of Art in Washington in the spring of 2003, just months before his death.

With brilliance, passion, and humor, Varnedoe addresses the skeptical attitudes and misunderstandings that we often bring to our experience of abstract art. Resisting grand generalizations, he makes a deliberate and scholarly case for abstraction--showing us that more than just pure looking is necessary to understand the self-made symbolic language of abstract art. Proceeding decade by decade, he brings alive the history and biography that inform the art while also challenging the received wisdom about distinctions between abstraction and representation, modernism and postmodernism, and minimalism and pop. The result is a fascinating and ultimately moving tour through a half century of abstract art, concluding with an unforgettable description of one of Varnedoe's favorite works.

Customer Reviews:

overrated and wordy.......2007-09-19

a disappointing book - pretentious and unenlightening - get hilton kramer's "the trium of modernism" instead!

They really need a Zero Star category for books like this one.......2007-07-24

I watched the excellent series on art on DVD called "Power of Art" by Simon Schama. The last episode of the series is on Mark Rothko, an abstract painter. It made me want to learn more about abstract art, so I bought this book. Annnt! Thanks for playing. This book is a dog. It didnt help me understand abstract art one bit . In fact, it goes on and on about pieces of "art," but does not explain them beyond being smears or smudges or works of technique. The basis of abstract art is not explained at all.

BTW, it appears from this book that these guys were often making paintings just as rude jabs at one another's work.

I found the book a total waste.

Review by P Hutchings, Melbourne, Australia.......2007-06-13

Kirk Varnedoe's Pictures of Nothing is a masterpiece of empirical art chronology/criticism. It is gritty and on the ground. This is a relief after Danto's warmed-over Hegel and Clement Greenberg's star-spangled marx with a small M. If one might venture any hypothesis about the artists about whom Varnedoe wrote it would have to face, square on, any counter-instances. No Zeitgeist, just Popperian falsifiablility. Good. It is of course a pity for those of us who were not in New York at the right time. But, that's life.

Patrick Hutchings
Department of Philopsophy
University of Melbourne
Australia

Abstraction clarified.......2007-02-07

A brilliant and thorough explication of contemporary abstract art. The lectures were not intended for
arts professionals but are a literate and enjoyable guide to the visual arts since Jackson Pollock.

If You Could Have Only One Art Book..........2007-01-14

I'm married to a librarian and between the two of us, we have at least 8,000 books (we both love books just about more than anything), but if I could only have one book - this would definitely be it. The late Kirk Varnedoe, former Chief Curator of MoMA, has so clearly, easily and deliciously put into one gorgeous volume the whole picture of what I've been studying my you-know-what off to understand over the past 7 years. I've been The Menil Collection's Twombly Guard during those 7 years, so you can believe that I am especially enthusiastic with Varnedoe's illuminating explanations on Cy Twombly's art! Buy this book and I guarantee you will not be disappointed. The reproductions are also first-class. Varnedoe gave these lectures knowing that he was dying of cancer; his last sentence is "And now I am done." Three months later he did die and was never able to see them published. This book may be the best book that has ever been written about abstract art.

Average customer rating:

Great Coffee Table Book
Great book for my overseas guests
Nice Review of Past and Present
flawed but fun Chicago historical pictorial
A look at old Chicago

Chicago Then and Now (Then & Now)
Elizabeth McNulty
Manufacturer: Thunder Bay Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1571452788

Book Description

The latest installment in the popular Then and Now series showcases the capital of the Heartland and one of the premier cities in the nation and the world: Chicago. Chicago's change and growth over the last century is captured in this photographic history. Modern color photos sit side by side with black and white archival photographs. Every important building, avenue, neighborhood, and point of interest is documented. It covers all of Chicago's landmarks from Navy Pier to the Stockyards and from the Southside all the way up the Magnificent Mile. Take in a game at Wrigley Field, then take it all in from the top of the Sear's Tower. The Water Tower and all the other architectural features that make Chicago great are also included.

Customer Reviews:

Great Coffee Table Book.......2007-04-11

Great pictures on every page of this wonderful book. Only Chicagoans will appreciate it however. The photos are large and grand, and the author has tried hard to recreate the original angle mostly. That's my only complaint. Lovely book.

Great book for my overseas guests.......2004-11-20

I have purchased this book for my departing aupair's for the past several years. While they certainly take pictures themselves they would never have a collection of photographs this large and they also get to see a bit of the history of Chicago. There are a lot of good pictures that will certainly spark many happy memories. For this purpose I would recommend it.

Nice Review of Past and Present.......2003-09-15

I enjoyed this book. Some of the pictures do not compare well because they were taken at different angles or from a different side of the street. Nevertheless, this is a great book. I found lots of stuff to compare. Native Chicagoans, who take an interest in the city, will like it. I purchased it for my brother for Christmas...liked it so much I purchased one for myself.

flawed but fun Chicago historical pictorial.......2003-02-13

I have several of these "then and now" books, and I would say this is the weakest of the bunch. I dearly love Chicago, and some of the old photographs were very interesting, but the book has a few problems. First, the photographic perspectives are rarely in synch, so it is difficult to compare the two pictures directly; either the angle is off to the side, or it's at a different distance. This seems rather to defeat the purpose of a "then and now" theme, which is to facilitate comparison. Secondly, a great many of the buildings and scenes are virtually identical to what they were, so one wonders why they were included. Finally, a map should have been included.

On the positive side, many of Chicago's key spots are targeted, such as the Water Tower, the stockyards and Hull House, and the paragraphs that accompany each picture do convey a lot of interesting information.

If you are interested in Chicago or urban history you will undoubtedly still enjoy this volume, but lower your expectations a bit before the book arrives so you won't be disappointed.

A look at old Chicago.......2002-01-21

An interesting look at Chicago as it appeared in the past, compared to now. More than just a picture book, it also gives some historical perspective for each location. If you're a Chicagoan, this is a must have. There are two problems that keep this from getting a top ranking. First, the focus of a "then and now" book should be to compare and contrast, so we can see how much has changed. There's several locations shown here that haven't really changed, and you wonder why they were included. Also, the "then" and "now" pictures should be shot from roughly the same location, showing the same perspective. That's not always the case here, and you may have to spend some time figuring out how to get things lined up. Still, it's a good way to see how the city used to look, and a rare look at some of the now-missing architectural treasures.

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)

Average customer rating:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers
Pants on fire?
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
Very Interesting
History as Science Fiction

History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 2913621058

Book Description

Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.

Customer Reviews:

Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03

Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.

Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19

Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.

Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09

There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.

For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.

Very Interesting.......2007-03-07

It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.

History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10

Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.

I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.

Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.

Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.

I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.

This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.

The Death and Life of Great American Cities

Average customer rating:

A Classic
The single best description of the workings of the urban form ever written.
A milestone for city thinkers
Should be Required Reading for Every Graduate of Urban Planning!
All you need to know about what makes a viable, renewable neighborhood and city

The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Jane Jacobs
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 067974195X
Release Date: 1992-12-01

Book Description

A direct and fundamentally optimistic indictment of the short-sightedness and intellectual arrogance that has characterized much of urban planning in this century, The Death and Life of Great American Cities has, since its first publication in 1961, become the standard against which all endeavors in that field are measured. In prose of outstanding immediacy, Jane Jacobs writes about what makes streets safe or unsafe; about what constitutes a neighborhood, and what function it serves within the larger organism of the city; about why some neighborhoods remain impoverished while others regenerate themselves. She writes about the salutary role of funeral parlors and tenement windows, the dangers of too much development money and too little diversity. Compassionate, bracingly indignant, and always keenly detailed, Jane Jacobs's monumental work provides an essential framework for assessing the vitality of all cities.

Customer Reviews:

A Classic.......2007-09-22

This is a classic book for any Planning student. Jane Jacobs has a different and valuable point of view of how cities work. In my opinion this is kind of a slow read but it's not technical. She provides many examples of her own experiences with city life in New York. The book gets you thinking about how your own city works. It's not a knock on Planners, but it comes pretty close. You have to read it with an open mind. It's also a good book for people who know nothing about Planning, she doesn't assume that everyone knows what she's talking about.

The single best description of the workings of the urban form ever written........2007-07-05

In one work Jane Jacobs has succeeded in creating one of the most influential urban planning tomes to date. Nearly every word of this 40+ year old book rings as true today as it did in its first publication.

Every aspiring urban planner, architect, or politician for a major urban center should be tied down and forced to read this book cover to cover.

A milestone for city thinkers.......2007-05-14

This books presents some clear ideas of how to make a city livable and safety. With some concrete examples of bad and good urban policies in North American cities it shows the importance of diversed land-use neighborhoods for the 'life' of urban areas.

Should be Required Reading for Every Graduate of Urban Planning!.......2007-03-07

We all know what a difference lies between the ethereal and ideal world of EDUCATION and the hot asphalt of THE CITY STREETS right? Well, Ms. Jacobs really amplifies that ground zero viewpoint with wit, sardonic humor and daring insightfulness....As an Associate Planner for a city in Los Angeles County, I thought I saw and heard just about everything, including the moralists, hyper-semaritans, the beastly authoritarians and mind-numbing bureaucratic processes that alienate and disconnect home owners from that hopeful, comfortable sensation of "I own it" contentment. Jacobs makes an impressive argument regarding the seemingly impossible planning that is so badly needed but nearly non-existent in today's city management and community developmental thinking. If I had to sum up my impression of Jacob's book- it's loaded with lampooning, lambasting and bullyragging, and after the smoke clears, I'd simply describe the read as....damn "it's a cruel cruel world."

All you need to know about what makes a viable, renewable neighborhood and city.......2006-11-02

Jane Jacobs writes well and the book is full of a-ha! moments. Chapter 2 is brilliant. If your city or neighborhood is threatened by developers who don't share your values, or you want to plan a development that will remind people of San Francisco or Paris, then this book is for you.

Elephant House: Or, The Home of Edward Gorey

Average customer rating:

A home filled with curiosities and wonders.
Amazing
Inside Edward Gorey's house...
Not MUST HAVE, but definitely NICE to have
A specialty item for the true Gorey collector

Elephant House: Or, The Home of Edward Gorey

Manufacturer: Pomegranate Communications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0764924958

Book Description

An intimate photographic journey through Edward Gorey's home.

Customer Reviews:

A home filled with curiosities and wonders........2007-08-09

This is a beautiful book of photographs and text that allows the reader an intriguing view of the home in which Edward Gorey lived and the collections of curious objects, books, and cats he filled it with.

The photographs are large and beautiful - haunting even - and there are lots of them. There is just the right amount of text to cast some light on the man behind the house and his elusive character - anecdotes about his life, his work, his friends and the things that inspired him.

If you are fan of Edward Gorey, or of eclectic interior decorating and design, and displaying collections of antiques, this book will be a treasure in your library.

Amazing.......2007-04-10

That's really all I can say. I have been waiting for this book for a long time, and it was the most incredible thing. Amazing photos. Read up on Gorey first, though. The details are some much better when you get the little visual jokes Gorey set up in his day-to-day life.

Inside Edward Gorey's house..........2006-02-01

If you are an Ogdred Weary fan...this is a truly wonderful book. Photographs of the exterior (peeling paint and kind of saggy porch) and the interior rooms of the house on Cape Cod in Gorey lived and worked, along with his cats and figbashes, piles of thousands of books, assorted rocks and oddish things, and the expected miriad of curiosities. Alas, or delightfully...just the environment one would expect of the eccentric Edward. A cabinet of curiosities...a delight!

Not MUST HAVE, but definitely NICE to have.......2005-09-10

This book wouldn't mean much to anyone who isn't already a Gorey fan. I own (and love) the compilations 'Amphigorey', 'Amphigorey Too' & 'Amphogorey Also', so have a head start. I also have the auto(?) biography 'Ascending Peculiarity', which is almost a necessary co-requisite to this book - it helps explain the cats, and many other Gorey details. Now that the individual books are available again, I'm tempted to get them too, because they are such nice objects - but only if the kids promise to share with me!

A specialty item for the true Gorey collector.......2004-04-05

Even dedicated fans of Edward Gorey will probably know very little about his personal life: he was an enigmatic recluse and few were permitted past his front door. Photographer Kevin McDermott's Elephant House will delight students of architecture and photography, providing rich duotone works of Gorey's intriguing home and its contents. A specialty item for the true Gorey collector, Elephant House is an impressive photographic showcase and a welcome addition to both architectural studies and photographic studies reference collections.

Where We Lived: Discovering the Places We Once Called Home

Average customer rating:

Another Great Social History Book
I can't put it down!
History Buff
A wonderfully descriptive treasure, enthusiastically recommended for public library collections.
Discovering the Places We Once Called Home

Where We Lived: Discovering the Places We Once Called Home
Jack Larkin
Manufacturer: Taunton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1561588474
Release Date: 2006-11-21

Book Description

The past has left behind only scattered clues that, on their own, provide little insight into how the people of early America lived and the details of their daily lives. The photographs in this book, the deeply informed narrative that accompanies them, and the eyewitness accounts of daily life that the author weaves throughout, provide a fresh perspective on our early American ancestors and the places they called home. This book is about how their houses and their life in them, from the wealthy to the impoverished, from New York City to the small farms and plantations of the South, from coastal fishing towns to the Western frontier of Indiana and Kentucky. The stories focus on the remarkably vivid differences from one part of the country to the next, class and culture, and the realities of everyday life for American families. These stories twine around a wide selection of HABS photographs of early houses, covering the variety and evolutions of house styles -- not by labeling the style but by explaining the style in the context of everyday life.

Richly illustrated with handsome black-and-white photography of old houses from the Library of Congress Historic American Building Survey (HABS) collection and supplemented with period woodcuts, engravings, drawings, paintings, artifacts, and maps, the book is printed on a 4-color press for a depth of tone. Sidebar excerpts from diaries, journals, and letters inject graphic eyewitness descriptions, adding an additional layer of insight. The book also includes sidebars called Still Standing that traces the history of specific houses, from their origins to the present and includes information on the original family, how the house has evolved over the centuries, and how it's used today.

Customer Reviews:

Another Great Social History Book.......2007-07-01

A fascinating account of the homes folks lived in 200 years ago and what each space and room in the home was used for. Mr. Larkin vividly describes by area (New England, the Middle States, the Southern States, and the Western States - as far as what was considered west by 1840), how the people of the past utilized their living spaces. It also describes in detail the many different styles of housing in the geographical areas mentioned, and how the Middle States structures may differ from the, say, New England area.
As mentioned in other reviews, it truly is amazing how many human beings could sometimes be squeezed into a small house with, most likely, little complaining.
In addition to the lively, well-written text, there are many photographs - most taken 50 or more years ago and are in black and white - to enhance the reader's enjoyment.
As an amatuer social historian, I can honestly say this wonderful book is a great find to add to any collection. I am thankful we have historians like Jack Larkin to help us in our quest for real American History.

I can't put it down!.......2007-06-30

I bought this book because I heard an interview with the author on NPR radio and he sounded very interesting. I am loving this book! I thought I would use it more as a reference book, but am finding myself reading it from front to back, gobbling up the photos and other interesting bits of information that he packs in to the pages and sidelines of each page. I love the historical journal readings that he has inserted to make points such as in the bed bugs section he quoted the Farmers Almanac "let a tired farmer be tormented all night" by bed bugs - and another traveler, Joseph Fowler in 1828 found "filthy beds swarming with bugs ... notwithstanding the repeated onsets of the bugs and other vermin with which I was molested." Very funny, written very well and extremely enjoyable historical book. I no longer yearn to live in the 1800's! And have a much deeper understanding of what our forefathers endured ... enjoy!

History Buff.......2007-05-07

Fantastic book. Lots of great photos and information about homes of that era.

A wonderfully descriptive treasure, enthusiastically recommended for public library collections........2007-03-05

Written by museum scholar and historian Jack Larkin, Where We Lived: Discovering The Places We Once Called Home is a coffee-table book that blends eyewitness accounts of early American life with black-and-white Depression-era photography to give a historically accurate accounting of everyday life during America's formative years. From the lives of slaves and paupers to the hardships faced by frontiersmen to the relative luxury of east coast elites, Where We Lived offers a mosaic of the American experience for readers of all backgrounds, sure to enrich one's understanding of American history and culture. A wonderfully descriptive treasure, enthusiastically recommended for public library collections.

Discovering the Places We Once Called Home.......2007-02-20

The book is wonderful! For anyone who loves history, architecture etc., you will enjoy. The photographs are beautiful. It would make a great addition to any library,or to display as a coffee table book.

Gee's Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt

Average customer rating:

Amazing Visuals, Informative Text!
Another Gee's Bend book
An exciting look at quilts as modern art
Gee's Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt by Paul Arnett, William Arnett
A great book on a legendary art

Gee's Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt
Paul Arnett , William Arnett , Bernard Herman , Maggi Gordon , Diane Mott , Dilys Blum , Lauren Whitley , Amei Wallach , and Joanne Cubbs
Manufacturer: Tinwood Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0971910456

Book Description

In 2002, Gee’s Bend burst into international prominence through the success of Tinwood’s Quilts of Gee’s Bend exhibition and book, which revealed an important and previously invisible art tradition from the African American South. Critics and popular audiences alike marveled at these quilts that combined the best of contemporary design with a deeply rooted ethnic heritage and compelling human stories about the women. Gee's Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt is a major book and museum exhibition that will premiere at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), in June 2006 before traveling to seven American museums through 2008. The book's 330 color illustrations and insightful text bring home the exciting experience to readers while displaying all the cultural heritage and craftsmanship that have gone into these remarkable quilts.

Customer Reviews:

Amazing Visuals, Informative Text!.......2007-09-17

This book is gorgeous!!! It includes large photographs of tons of quilts, in a size that allows you to see the smallest details, such as topstitching. It also includes inspirational photos of details of the town. However, it's not your typical coffe table book, because it has probably equal parts very informative text and visuals. Since it's not small enough to carry with me on the train, it's been hard separating myself from this book-- it is beautiful!

Another Gee's Bend book.......2007-05-13

I like this book because it is full of information about the construction of the quilts and alot of trivia about the makers of the quilts. Very beautiful pictures! A great book for learning.

An exciting look at quilts as modern art.......2007-02-08

This book illustrates the link between the incredibly beautiful quilts produced by five generations of African American women in the South to the architecture they saw around them and to their own artistic vision. Their personal stories, contained in chapters toward the end of the book, are very moving and inspirational.

Gee's Bend: The Architecture of the Quilt by Paul Arnett, William Arnett .......2007-01-12

Wonderful book full of pictures and inspiration, and the story of the Gees Bend Quilts.

A great book on a legendary art.......2007-01-04

This book shows the Gees Bend quilts in all their gorgeous and unself-conscious art, as well as telling the story of these women, descended from slaves in an isolated community, who created this amazing abstract art. A wonderful book, with many color photos of the quilts.

Sister Wendy's Story of Painting (Enhanced and Expanded Edition)

Average customer rating:

What awful reproductions!!!
Can't fail to please!
Wonderful, quality photos
Much of art history IS associated with religious images
Great for historians, fantastic for the many

Sister Wendy's Story of Painting (Enhanced and Expanded Edition)
Wendy Beckett , and Sister Wendy Beckett
Manufacturer: DK ADULT
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0789468050

Amazon.com

For those who've enjoyed the original, the good news is that the new edition of The Story of Painting has grown by more than 300 pages of photographs--magnified close-ups of details from nearly half the 450 paintings in the book. Fauvist paint strokes become mighty slabs; sparkling light on a Dutch still life is revealed as a series of tiny dots; the cheeks of a young man in an Italian Renaissance portrait betray a touch of five o'clock shadow. This kind of close looking is seductive, and it's an important part of Sister Wendy's direct, unpretentious approach to art.

As a history of painting, Sister Wendy's book has its strong points (works with religious or spiritual themes and those that lend themselves to psychological interpretation) as well as its lapses (a very skimpy discussion of Cubism and inadequate treatment of works from the late 20th century). Even the title is a bit of a misnomer. The painting in question is purely Western; there is nothing here about Indian or Persian miniatures, or the great tradition of Chinese landscapes.

But what Sister Wendy alone offers are vivid, personal interpretations that come from a deep well of emotional sympathy with works of art. Who else would notice the way the bagpiper in The Wedding Feast by Pieter Breughel "stares at the porridge with the longing of the truly hungry"? Who else would point out how Venus--the "older woman" pleading with "virile" Adonis not to go off to war in Titian's "Venus and Adonis"--shows us "her superb back and buttocks, beguilingly rounded, full of promise." Rather than portraying Western art as the dutiful production of "masterpieces," she revels in the physicality of paint and the variety of human experience these works represent. --Cathy Curtis

Book Description

New revised and expanded edition!

"The story of painting is one that is immensely rich in meaning, yet its value is all too often hidden from us by the complexities of its historians. We must forget the densities of 'history' and simply surrender to the wonder of the story." -Sister Wendy Beckett Internationally renowned art historian Sister Wendy Beckett brings her knowledge, her deep love of art, and her luminous insights to The Story of Painting- making a difficult subject accessible and stimulating to all. The Story of Painting features more than 450 masterpieces- all faithfully reproduced in rich, full color- chronicling the developments and movements in the history of painting over the past 800 years, from Gothic to Renaissance, Romanticism to Impressionism, Post-Impressionism to Modernism. Each movement is introduced by visual timelines to provide an instant overview of the significant artists and paintings of the era. This enhanced and expanded edition of The Story of Painting has almost doubled in size. It expands the existing 400 pages to 736, focusing on the approximately 450 paintings with facing pages of details for almost 200 of them. This classic art book presents the masterpieces in two ways: as the original painting appeared and, on double spread pages, as enlarged close-ups of the paintings' most pertinent details. Now the reader can study a painting as though standing in front of it in a museum, seeing the powerful effect of the whole and then studying the minutest details of brushstrokes, textures, quality of lines, and overlays of color.

Customer Reviews:

What awful reproductions!!!.......2006-01-10

The first purpose of an artbook is usually to showcase fine art with high quality reproductions. This book certainly packs in ample artwork, well supported by Sister Wendy's colourful commentary. However the image quality is horrendous, with a vast proportion of the reproductions being badly pixelated or blurred.If you like Sister Wendy, then buy her other books. This one is so sloppy that it is disrespectful to the artworks and is to be avoided.

Can't fail to please!.......2005-12-19

A 1¼ inch thick book with about 400 pages and more than 450 color illustrations of the most significant works of art in Western history can hardly fail to please anyone with an interest in art history. In Sister Wendy's Story of Painting, Sister Wendy provides an intellectual and somewhat passionate discussion on major art movements and sensitive analysis and interpretation of more than thirty paintings she showcases in the book. Enlargements of particular areas of these paintings are used to analyze techniques and identify symbolism. In the absence of ancient paintings that have survived, Sister Wendy uses other forms of art such as sculptures, friezes, tapestries and mosaics to illustrate the subject, composition, style and proportions used in paintings of that era. She treats all styles of art with equal reverence. Shortcomings in this book are few. Illustrated timelines that appear before each major section of the book could be improved by the addition of other historical milestones to help the reader achieve a better perspective. I would prefer less commentary about numerous paintings of a single artist and instead, more information on the cultural and political influences that shaped the development of painting. I would prefer less coverage of obscure artists such as the Nabis in favor of more on Victorian art and Art Nouveau. And I would wish for a more eloquent conclusion to the book. But the thing that was most lacking to me is a discussion on paint! Nowhere is the development of paint as a medium discussed with any depth. These aforementioned shortcomings, however, pale in comparison to what Sister Wendy has accomplished in her book -- the creation of a comprehensive and scholarly source of information on the history of painting that neither the newcomer nor the expert could fail to enjoy.

Wonderful, quality photos.......2005-09-09

I am very excited about using this book to study art with my children. The photos are top quality, showing close ups of interesting details in the paintings. I have a collection of art books, but this is by far the best. Worth every penny!

Much of art history IS associated with religious images.......2005-05-22

If you study art history at all, you know that the Roman Catholic Church (in particular various popes such as Julius and the Medici family-line popes)were great patrons of the arts in order to glorify both the Church (Christianity) and their pontificate. Michaelangelo, Rafael, etc. were commissioned by the Church to produce magnificent works of art, and indeed they did, hence the Sistine Chapel and The School of Athens in the papal apartments. If Mr. Jin looks at the numerous Annunciation paintings and reads history, he will realize that they are reflections of "popular culture"--Christianity was the HUGE influence at that time. Popular culture at any given time reflects what is on the "minds of the people"--hence the name POPULAR that comes from POPULATION. Today's "culture" reflects the obssession with celebrities, hence the plethora of celebrity gossip magazines.

Anyway, the book IS magnificent and so assessible to the common person. As much as I love art history and have 15 college credits in it, I don't want to read the dry stuff either. This edition with its close-ups is magnificently done, and the copy is easily digested. I think Sister Wendy did the art world a favor, and this is how art should be presented instead of pretentiously overdone by "experts" who want to impress each other. By the way, I'm probably the only person who prefers Rafael to Michaelangelo (though he can't be TOUCHED in sculpture), I think that everyone should check out "The School of Athens"--what a masterpiece! And Picasso's "Guernica" is a haunting portrayal of the horrors of war. Knowing the stories behind the paintings and not worrying about the "methods" the artists used (which should be relegated to a techniques-type book) makes the paintings so much more meaningful to an audience. I don't care for Cubism until I know that it's influenced by stylized African art and that Picasso was reacting the 1937 bombing of Guernica. Live on, Sister Wendy!

Great for historians, fantastic for the many.......2005-03-19

I'd just like to comment on how some reviewers found Sister Wendy to "narrow" and focused on Christian paintings. These people should look at the whole of art history and how influential Christian art has been over the years. the "minor" artisits she devoted so much time to are in fact huge in the art world and Van Gogh got four pages which is a lot and hes only one aspect, just because hes main stream dosnt mean she should devote more time to him. The Christian religion had a huge impact on the art world over a very long period of time, this should be taken into consideration.

Central Park, An American Masterpiece: A Comprehensive History of the Nation's First Urban Park

Average customer rating:

A fantastic book for a very much loved park
Definitive Review of the Finest Work of Art in NYC
New York's Oasis
A Gorgeous Book Commemorating America's 1st Public Park
A book as worthy as the park it celebrates

Central Park, An American Masterpiece: A Comprehensive History of the Nation's First Urban Park
Sara Cedar Miller
Manufacturer: Harry N. Abrams
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Rayovac SPHLTLED 3-in-1 LED Head-Lite

ASIN: 0810939460

Customer Reviews:

A fantastic book for a very much loved park.......2006-07-26

Did you know that the elm lined mall leading to the Bethesda fountain and the view of the ramble are actually based on the layout of a church? Or that all of the lakes in Central Park are manmade. This and many other very interesting facts are interspersed with lovingly taken photographs of the park which were taken by the author of the book as well. Miller starts decribing how the park came to be and the leading ideas and ideals that lead to its creation by Olmsted and Vaux. She proceeds to describe systematically the various sections of the park providing historical information as well. She delves into the some of the controversies and compromises that Olmsted and Vaux encountered in the creation of one of the finest examples of 19th Century art but it is not a comprehensive history of the park. There is a 2 page map of the park at the of the book with a legend identifying each of the features discussed in the book. If you are first time visitor to the city wishing to explore the park in detail or a life long New Yorker this book will delight and surprise you.

Definitive Review of the Finest Work of Art in NYC.......2006-02-20

As an avid fan of Central Park who has been exploring it and studying the books on it for decades, I was amazed at what there was still to learn about it from Miller's book. For example, other historians allude to a connection between Central Park's design and the Hudson River School of landscape art: Miller provides actual sources of the designer's inspiration and shows the results explicitly in the photos. And all in a way that is not at all "bookish" but instead makes you want to go right in and see for yourself the scenes she shows so well in the book's illustrations. The beautiful photos and fascinating stories and the well chosen historical prints all work together in such a compelling and entertaining way that one might never realize one is being educated by a superb textbook in the field of art.
With her emphasis on the past of the park, and its present restored beauty, it is understandable that the author does not use very much of the book's valuable space on the remaining present-day problems, but she might at least have alluded to the incongruity of the city's insistence on using this artistic matepiece as a through route for motor traffic during the majority of daylight weekday hours. In effect, the city's Dept. of Traffic is providing a refuge from the chaos of the surrounding streets during rush hours - but for the cars, not for the people. If you want to appreciate the park shown in this book, go during the times when the traffic noise does not drown out the wind in the trees, the birdsong, and the happy voices of children!

New York's Oasis.......2005-09-21

Central Park is breath taking and this book does a fine job of giving the reader a feel for what makes this 850 acre masterpiece so special. The book is quite thorough and does an commendable job of disecting various sections of the park. The color photos are vivid and well thought out and the text is highly informative. The author has a real love for the park and it comes out in her writing. If you have never visited Central Park or have visited and fell in love with it like so many others, you will love this book. This oasis really is the heart of New York City and to understand New York you have to understand the parks history and its vast importantance to the city. Central Parks importance to New York and New Yorkers cannot be overstated, I can't imagine the city without it.

A Gorgeous Book Commemorating America's 1st Public Park.......2004-03-16

Commemorating the 150th anniversary of Central Park, photographer and historian Sara Cedar Miller celebrates the aesthetic, cultural and historic significance of America's first public park with the book "Central Park, An American Masterpiece." This is the park's definitive illustrated history, and offers some of the most gorgeous photographs I have seen on the subject - a difficult task given the number of pictures that have been drawn, painted and photographed of the Manhattan landmark. The book includes over 200 color illustrations, original plans and drawings alongside modern photos, giving the viewer/reader an historical perspective.

Accompanying Ms. Miller's work, portraying the park throughout the seasons, is a well written text which highlights the conception and creation of the park and its art and architecture. This is a big, beautiful picture book that would make a wonderful addition to any home or library. It's a wonderful gift idea. I know as I have given it numerous times.

Ms. Miller is the parks official historian and photographer and has been since the mid-1980s.
JANA

A book as worthy as the park it celebrates.......2003-11-26

Sara Miller has put together an outstanding book: a book as vast and detailed as the Great Park itself. For those not familiar with the park and its history, this is an invaluable introduction to the political, demographical, economic and, especially, aesthetic thinking that went into the creation of 800 acres of gorgeous park space in the middle of Manhattan. For those seasoned veterans of NYC history, this is a welcome reminder of the enormous vision and efforts of Calvert Vaux and Fredrick Law Olmsted, as they conceived the park.

Nota Bene: A lot of books have gorgeous photos but the print job is miserable ... Others have high-qualtity prints but the photos aren't that interesting ... This book has glorious prints and an expert print job. Pick up this book.

Rocco Dormarunno, author of The Five Points and The Five Points Concluded

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