Koncocoo

Best Architecture Reference

Remodel - Without Going Bonkers or Broke: A Home Improvement Primer
In fact, that's the single biggest reason that there are so many remodeling horror stories. You will learn how to identify and select the perfect professional remodeler for your project, save thousands of dollars in the process, and preserve your sanity too. Everything needed for a successful professional remodeling experience is inside! Jannine Wooten - Real Estate Investor, Remodeler "Spend a few dollars on this book, there's a good chance you will get it back 100-fold." Ray Brehm - #1 Bestselling Author & Entrpreneur "Molinelli's enthusiasm for the subject shines through on every page of this invaluable guide, and it's quite infectious."
Reviews
"This book provides great insights into remodeling myths and is an organized how-to guide for anyone preparing for a remodeling project."
"Written by a true professional who has a huge resume for remodeling projects. You can save yourself time and headaches by just doing the simple things suggested in this book including things like knowing how to interview people you are hiring, knowing the reason and potential gains behind your remodel projects and much more."
"I love the way Jim Molinelli invites us to organize our remodeling project almost as if it we were writing a business plan. Finally, you have a plan that makes sense--and that you can present to the people who will make it all happen."
"He is the Master Sherpa guiding homeowners through the intricate steps necessary for a successful remodeling project."
"I remodeled five homes in my life and each time I blew the budget less than 2/3th of the way."
"Without Going Bonkers or Broke I have the blueprint I need to get a top-notch remodeling project result."
"I'd have saved a lot of money and made a lot more when I sold."
"A very informative, staightforward, honest and helpful book especially to those who are in the dark of not knowing where and how to start remodelling their house."
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How Buildings Learn: What Happens After They're Built
How Buildings Learn is a masterful new synthesis that proposes that buildings adapt best when constantly refined and reshaped by their occupants, and that architects can mature from being artists of space to becoming artists of time. All buildings are forced to adapt over time because of physical deterioration, changing surroundings and the life within--yet very few buildings adapt gracefully, according to Brand. Houses, he notes, respond to families' tastes, ideas, annoyance and growth; and institutional buildings change with expensive reluctance and delay; while commercial structures have to adapt quickly because of intense competitive pressures. Creator of The Whole Earth Catalog and founder of CoEvolution Quarterly (now Whole Earth Review ), Brand splices a conversational text with hundreds of extensively captioned photographs and drawings juxtaposing buildings that age well with those that age poorly. A hippy elder statesman (once one of Ken Kesey's Merry Pranksters), Brand argues that a building can ``grow'' and should be treated as a ``Darwinian mechanism,'' something that adapts over time to meet certain changing needs.
Reviews
"This book is obviously not for everyone, but if you are interested enough in the topic to be reading the reviews, then you will be happy with the purchase."
"As a graduate architecture student i can honestly say this book and insight have shaped the way I think about buildings and the projects I work."
"This book has opened my eyes to many hidden realities about home building."
"I hate most of the junk that fancy architects design with incredible hubris and utter disregard for where the building is or how it will be used."
"A terrific, indispensable book on the ways that buildings change over time."
"Essential reading for anyone interested in the resilience of cities."
"I would recommend this book whether you are a student or not."
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Structures: Or Why Things Don't Fall Down
For anyone who has ever wondered why suspension bridges don't collapse under eight lanes of traffic, how dams hold back-or give way under-thousands of gallons of water, or what principles guide the design of a skyscraper or a kangaroo, this book will ease your anxiety and answer your questions. On the outbreak of the Second World War he moved to the Royal Aircraft Establishment at Farnborough, where he worked on wooden aircraft, plastics and unorthodox materials of all kinds. He was awarded the British Silver Medal of the Royal Aeronautical Society for work on aircraft plastics and also the Griffith Medal of the Materials Science Club for contributions to material science. In its obituary The Times wrote of him that he was 'one of the founders of materials science' and that he wrote 'two books of outstanding literary quality ... at once entertaining and informative, providing absorbing interest for both expert and student'.
Reviews
"I wish Gordon was my Strength of Material Professor."
"There are two kinds of books engineers need to read--the dry, math-bound classroom textbooks that allow them to believe they can precisely analyze their creations to two decimal places, and the practical, generalist books like this one that explain why all that math does nothing to prevent their creations from breaking into multiple pieces."
"Tough read due to it jumping around a bit, but very informative."
"Well written and engaging book."
"I am an engineer, and I wish we had been required to read this in college."
"It shows very complex and deep concepts in a way everyone with minimum engineering knowledge is able to understand."
"Outstanding read that provides an explanation for how things are built - both by man and nature."
"This book talks lots about engineering principles."
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Best Architecture

Remodel - Without Going Bonkers or Broke: A Home Improvement Primer
In fact, that's the single biggest reason that there are so many remodeling horror stories. You will learn how to identify and select the perfect professional remodeler for your project, save thousands of dollars in the process, and preserve your sanity too. Everything needed for a successful professional remodeling experience is inside! Jannine Wooten - Real Estate Investor, Remodeler "Spend a few dollars on this book, there's a good chance you will get it back 100-fold." Ray Brehm - #1 Bestselling Author & Entrpreneur "Molinelli's enthusiasm for the subject shines through on every page of this invaluable guide, and it's quite infectious."
Reviews
"Great book and well done."
"I'd have saved a lot of money and made a lot more when I sold."
"Saves you time, money & a lot of frustration."
"Without Going Bonkers or Broke: Eliminate 3 Critical Mistakes and Save Thousands Using This Proven Step-by-Step Method," Jim Molinelli succinctly and concisely boils down a lifetime’s worth of experience in the remodeling business in this well-written guide. He provides the expert guidance needed to take you from developing realistic plans and budgets through selecting your project professionals and entering into contracts -- all while keeping your sanity. Jim guides you through the planning process from your first inklings of a desire to remodel, to the final, detailed specifications needed to accurately and completely define your project. The final two sections contain information on how to interview and select your remodeling professionals, including how to guidance on evaluating proposals, managing costs, and negotiating. With Jim's decades of experience in the remodeling business, these insights are invaluable to those of us who have never had any exposure to the subject outside of HGTV shows."
"A first rate guide to remodeling your home written as if the author was sitting across from you at your dining room table answering all of your questions."
"It gave me valuable insights on what I could personally do to improve my home without costing an arm and leg."
"Jim said up front his goal was to teach the readers how to approach a remodeling project. His examples were specific to his goal of teaching the readers how to get ready for a remodeling project."
"Who knew reading about remodelling could be so enjoyable?Jim Molinelli's wonderfully written book is a must have for anyone who wants to remodel without going crazy. Here's why: If you have ever remodelled a house then you know what a painstaking experience it can be. With all this on the line, most folks will jump head first into the remodel process with excitement and their budgeted money burning through their pocket. This book is the start of your remodel team."
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Best International Architecture

Remodel - Without Going Bonkers or Broke: A Home Improvement Primer
In fact, that's the single biggest reason that there are so many remodeling horror stories. You will learn how to identify and select the perfect professional remodeler for your project, save thousands of dollars in the process, and preserve your sanity too. Everything needed for a successful professional remodeling experience is inside! Jannine Wooten - Real Estate Investor, Remodeler "Spend a few dollars on this book, there's a good chance you will get it back 100-fold." Ray Brehm - #1 Bestselling Author & Entrpreneur "Molinelli's enthusiasm for the subject shines through on every page of this invaluable guide, and it's quite infectious."
Reviews
"This book provides great insights into remodeling myths and is an organized how-to guide for anyone preparing for a remodeling project."
"Written by a true professional who has a huge resume for remodeling projects. You can save yourself time and headaches by just doing the simple things suggested in this book including things like knowing how to interview people you are hiring, knowing the reason and potential gains behind your remodel projects and much more."
"He is the Master Sherpa guiding homeowners through the intricate steps necessary for a successful remodeling project."
"Great book and well done."
"I'd have saved a lot of money and made a lot more when I sold."
"A very informative, staightforward, honest and helpful book especially to those who are in the dark of not knowing where and how to start remodelling their house."
"Without Going Bonkers or Broke I have the blueprint I need to get a top-notch remodeling project result."
"Jim’s book is full of great information that guides you through the process from beginning to end."
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Best Household Hints

Remodel - Without Going Bonkers or Broke: A Home Improvement Primer
In fact, that's the single biggest reason that there are so many remodeling horror stories. You will learn how to identify and select the perfect professional remodeler for your project, save thousands of dollars in the process, and preserve your sanity too. Everything needed for a successful professional remodeling experience is inside! Jannine Wooten - Real Estate Investor, Remodeler "Spend a few dollars on this book, there's a good chance you will get it back 100-fold." Ray Brehm - #1 Bestselling Author & Entrpreneur "Molinelli's enthusiasm for the subject shines through on every page of this invaluable guide, and it's quite infectious."
Reviews
"Great book and well done."
"I'd have saved a lot of money and made a lot more when I sold."
"Saves you time, money & a lot of frustration."
"Without Going Bonkers or Broke: Eliminate 3 Critical Mistakes and Save Thousands Using This Proven Step-by-Step Method," Jim Molinelli succinctly and concisely boils down a lifetime’s worth of experience in the remodeling business in this well-written guide. He provides the expert guidance needed to take you from developing realistic plans and budgets through selecting your project professionals and entering into contracts -- all while keeping your sanity. Jim guides you through the planning process from your first inklings of a desire to remodel, to the final, detailed specifications needed to accurately and completely define your project. The final two sections contain information on how to interview and select your remodeling professionals, including how to guidance on evaluating proposals, managing costs, and negotiating. With Jim's decades of experience in the remodeling business, these insights are invaluable to those of us who have never had any exposure to the subject outside of HGTV shows."
"A first rate guide to remodeling your home written as if the author was sitting across from you at your dining room table answering all of your questions."
"It gave me valuable insights on what I could personally do to improve my home without costing an arm and leg."
"Jim said up front his goal was to teach the readers how to approach a remodeling project. His examples were specific to his goal of teaching the readers how to get ready for a remodeling project."
"Who knew reading about remodelling could be so enjoyable?Jim Molinelli's wonderfully written book is a must have for anyone who wants to remodel without going crazy. Here's why: If you have ever remodelled a house then you know what a painstaking experience it can be. With all this on the line, most folks will jump head first into the remodel process with excitement and their budgeted money burning through their pocket. This book is the start of your remodel team."
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Best Home Design & Construction

At Home: A Short History of Private Life
In these pages, the beloved Bill Bryson gives us a fascinating history of the modern home, taking us on a room-by-room tour through his own house and using each room to explore the vast history of the domestic artifacts we take for granted. With waggish humor and a knack for unearthing the extraordinary stories behind the seemingly commonplace, he examines how everyday items--things like ice, cookbooks, glass windows, and salt and pepper--transformed the way people lived, and how houses evolved around these new commodities. A visit to the kitchen prompts disquisitions on food adulteration and gluttony; a peek into the bedroom reveals nutty sex nostrums and the horrors of premodern surgery; in the study we find rats and locusts; a stop in the scullery illuminates the put-upon lives of servants.
Reviews
"I even learned that Christopher Columbus didn't discover North America."
"They were grunts toiling in filth and disease, polluted by nonsensical myths and beliefs, oppressed by a shameless ruling class, often starved, often sent off to wars to die or become hideously maimed. I mean who the heck spits into ones handkerchief and then stuffs it back into one's pocket but a filthy pig! If you're an average American, you're in the top 1% of the world, so when's the last time you noticed a working class American open his wallet book for some poor peasant in Pakistan, Kenya, or Indonesia??? If you went back in time, a statistician would bet you would wind up being in the 99%, a peasant, but worse than today, because back then, without the development of media, the rich could do whatever they wanted with the peasants including all their children, and the peasants were lucky enough to live to adulthood with all the disease, war, filth, stress, and starvation. The rich ate well, the poor ate empty starches!!! But the true gem to this book is showing off how absolutely disgusting and horrible life was back in the day."
"Information about our homes that is very interesting and mostly unknown in today's world."
"Bill Bryson is incredible."
"Likewise, despite some eyebrow-lifting statements and the work's lack of citations, Bryson's genuine, almost boyish, delight in his stories and his exceptional gifts as a writer make it easy to forgive the book its literary transgressions."
"OK, I admit I'm a die-hard Bryson fan."
"Another great book from Bill Bryson!"
"I like Bryson a lot and have read most of his works."
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Best 30-Minute Computers & Technology Short Reads

Kindle Unlimited: How To Cancel Your Kindle Unlimited Subscription By Just Using Three Easy Steps In Under Two Minutes (A Short Guide On Canceling Your Kindle Unlimited Subscription In No Time)
This book contains proven steps and strategies on how to Cancel your Kindle Unlimited subscription by only going through three easy steps in under two minutes. I will present all the information in three easy steps.
Reviews
"Go to content and devices, click top right and go to settings, scroll to manage kindle membership and voila!"
"I probably could have figured the process out by myself, but fell for the 99cent bargain."
"When I get to manage Kindle membership link it's not a viable link."
"So, you have a book in the Kindle book store named "Kindle Unlimited: How to Cancel Your Kindle Unlimited Subscription" and its highlighted as a 'BEST SELLER' on Amazon!!!!!!!!!"
"This guide was based on facts and not feelings - the only way to make an informed decision."
"I like reading on my cloud kindles only!"
"3/4 of this work should be thrown out ... considering the actual instruction to cancel subscription takes less than a page."
"I will never “try” any amazon subscription again."
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Best Architecture Criticism

Architecture: Form, Space, and Order
The revered architectural reference, updated with contemporary examples and interactive 3D models The Interactive Resource Center is an online learning environment where instructors and students can access the tools they need to make efficient use of their time, while reinforcing and assessing their understanding of key concepts for successful understanding of the course. Primary elements and the principles of space design Form and space, including light, view, openings, and enclosures Organization of space, and the elements and relationships of circulation Proportion and scale, including proportioning systems and anthropometry. The updated and revised Fourth Edition features the fundamental elements of space and form and is designed to encourage critical thought in order to promote a more evocative understanding of architecture. This edition includes an access card with a redemption code for the online Interactive Resource Center , which features thirty-five animations, flashcards of key architectural terms, and an image gallery showcasing hundreds of photos that enrich the book’s content.
Reviews
"Obviously this is intended as a text book for students in an architecture program, but for me, this is a book that pulls together the ideas, theories, structures, developments, and history of the way we design, build, and use the built environment."
"Must have for architecture students, professionals and enthusiasts."
"The book is indispensable in distilling key architectural concepts."
"It is good item for me."
"must read book for designers."
"I found the book to be a good discussion on architecture and spaces, but I've had to look up things talked about in the book several times on the Internet."
"This text was purchased as a high-school graduation gift for a student who has an interest in architecture."
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Best Architecture Study & Teaching

Remodel - Without Going Bonkers or Broke: A Home Improvement Primer
In fact, that's the single biggest reason that there are so many remodeling horror stories. You will learn how to identify and select the perfect professional remodeler for your project, save thousands of dollars in the process, and preserve your sanity too. Everything needed for a successful professional remodeling experience is inside! Jannine Wooten - Real Estate Investor, Remodeler "Spend a few dollars on this book, there's a good chance you will get it back 100-fold." Ray Brehm - #1 Bestselling Author & Entrpreneur "Molinelli's enthusiasm for the subject shines through on every page of this invaluable guide, and it's quite infectious."
Reviews
"In this easy reading instructional manual, Jim Molinelli lays out a concise method for keeping sanity during a remodeling project."
"Jim’s book is full of great information that guides you through the process from beginning to end."
"Undoubtedly THE book to get even if you think you might possibly sometime in the future hypothetically consider remodeling."
"Great book and well done."
"I'd have saved a lot of money and made a lot more when I sold."
"This book gives guidance on how to find reputable contractors (and it's not by using the popular advertised sites)."
"As a women owning 2 homes there is always something to fix, never mind remodeling to just update!"
"Very, Very informative."
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Best Architecture Project Management

Remodel - Without Going Bonkers or Broke: A Home Improvement Primer
In fact, that's the single biggest reason that there are so many remodeling horror stories. You will learn how to identify and select the perfect professional remodeler for your project, save thousands of dollars in the process, and preserve your sanity too. Everything needed for a successful professional remodeling experience is inside! Jannine Wooten - Real Estate Investor, Remodeler "Spend a few dollars on this book, there's a good chance you will get it back 100-fold." Ray Brehm - #1 Bestselling Author & Entrpreneur "Molinelli's enthusiasm for the subject shines through on every page of this invaluable guide, and it's quite infectious."
Reviews
"Great book and well done."
"I'd have saved a lot of money and made a lot more when I sold."
"Saves you time, money & a lot of frustration."
"Without Going Bonkers or Broke: Eliminate 3 Critical Mistakes and Save Thousands Using This Proven Step-by-Step Method," Jim Molinelli succinctly and concisely boils down a lifetime’s worth of experience in the remodeling business in this well-written guide. He provides the expert guidance needed to take you from developing realistic plans and budgets through selecting your project professionals and entering into contracts -- all while keeping your sanity. Jim guides you through the planning process from your first inklings of a desire to remodel, to the final, detailed specifications needed to accurately and completely define your project. The final two sections contain information on how to interview and select your remodeling professionals, including how to guidance on evaluating proposals, managing costs, and negotiating. With Jim's decades of experience in the remodeling business, these insights are invaluable to those of us who have never had any exposure to the subject outside of HGTV shows."
"A first rate guide to remodeling your home written as if the author was sitting across from you at your dining room table answering all of your questions."
"It gave me valuable insights on what I could personally do to improve my home without costing an arm and leg."
"Jim said up front his goal was to teach the readers how to approach a remodeling project. His examples were specific to his goal of teaching the readers how to get ready for a remodeling project."
"Who knew reading about remodelling could be so enjoyable?Jim Molinelli's wonderfully written book is a must have for anyone who wants to remodel without going crazy. Here's why: If you have ever remodelled a house then you know what a painstaking experience it can be. With all this on the line, most folks will jump head first into the remodel process with excitement and their budgeted money burning through their pocket. This book is the start of your remodel team."
Find Best Price at Amazon

Best Architecture History & Periods

Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture
On August 19, 1418, a competition concerning Florence's magnificent new cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore--already under construction for more than a century--was announced: "Whoever desires to make any model or design for the vaulting of the main Dome....shall do so before the end of the month of September." He engineered the perfect placement of brick and stone, built ingenious hoists and cranes to carry an estimated 70 million pounds hundreds of feet into the air, and designed the workers' platforms and routines so carefully that only one man died during the decades of construction--all the while defying those who said the dome would surely collapse and his own personal obstacles that at times threatened to overwhelm him. Its span of more than 140 feet exceeds St Paul's in London and St Peter's in Rome, and even outdoes the Capitol in Washington, D.C., making it the largest dome ever constructed using bricks and mortar. He tells a compelling, informed story, ranging from discussions of the construction of the bricks, mortar, and marble that made up the dome, to its subsequent use as a scientific instrument by the Florentine astronomer Paolo Toscanelli. Walker was the hardcover publisher of Dava Sobel's sleeper smash, Longitude, and Mark Kurlansky's steady-seller Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World. British novelist King (previously unpublished in the U.S.) compiles an elementary introduction to the story of how and why Renaissance Italian architect Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) designed and oversaw the construction of the enormous dome of Florence's Santa Maria del Fiore cathedralAdesigning its curves so that they needed no supporting framework during construction: a major Renaissance architectural innovation.
Reviews
"I had the opportunity to attend a talk by Mr. Ross a couple weeks ago and it was so interesting that I purchased this book a couple days later."
"The prize was designing what would become the signature architectural landmark of Florence, Italy--the octagonal Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore. To put it into perspective, the dome would rise from an opening 18 stories above the street, and top out at the equivalent of a 38-story building. Filippo Brunelleschi won the contest by challenging the other competing architects to make an egg stand on its end. The inner dome was built first and like the frame of an automobile contained a series of horizontal and vertical supports that held everything together. The horizontal supports consisted of a series of sandstone and wood beams and iron chains that circled the dome like the hoops of a barrel, to keep the structure from spreading outward. Couple with the circular horizontal supports, the entire structure was a lattice work of cross members embedded within the brick-and-mortar walls. Brunelleschi did not have this luxury, as there were not enough trees in all of Tuscany to build the necessary scaffolding to reach the heights that were presented. With no visible means of support (and not understanding the law of compression), they believed the entire structure would collapse from its own weight and they would fall to their death. The reversible gear allowed loads to ascend and descend without the need of turning around the oxen team each time the direction was changed. Brunelleschi created a unique external covering system that consisted of tiles designed specially for easy assembly and maintenance. They are not well drawn, and in some cases not clear, such as the brick herringbone pattern used to build the dome: the illustration is small and difficult to figure out."
"This book was Amazing, especially for Engineers!"
"My main critique is that, while the prose was lucid and explanatory, I would have appreciated more photographs and -- especially -- diagrams and schematics depicting the architectural innovations employed (as well as rejected) in the building of the Santa Maria del Fiore's magnificent dome."
"Perhaps because I love Florence, have stood spellbound looking up at the dome of the church of Santa Maria del Fiore or perhaps because the story of how a man's dream of building a dome without buttresses or wooden centering (wooden support posts) actually came to pass."
"We are off to Florence tomorrow for two months, and this was the perfect primer...Ross discourses on the Times, people, customs, etc."
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Best Architects, A-Z

The $12 Million Stuffed Shark: The Curious Economics of Contemporary Art
Drawing on interviews with both past and present executives of auction houses and art dealerships, artists, and the buyers who move the market, Thompson launches the reader on a journey of discovery through the peculiar world of modern art. Independent 'Intriguing and readable' Sunday Express 'Don Thompson is an entertaining sceptic when it comes to contemporary art...a much-needed attempt to get to grips with the mysteries of the art market...Thompson's knowledge of markets and law is a convincing and informative read.'.
Reviews
"This is a very well documented encapsulation of all that is horrifyingly wrong with the art market today, esp in the USA and London where quality and talent is totally subjugated to and trumped by sensation, trendiness and outrage."
"The author sweeps you along, divulging such new and inconceivable information, that you will constantly want to keep going. It is true, though, that this author has only focused on a part of the art world, and there are many successful artists working in areas uncovered by the book."
"Let me preface by stating that I have taught art/sculpture at the university level and have struggled to become a professional artist. Read how top galleries and auction houses manipulate the market."
"What it does is to explain basic but often unanswered questions: why the art world has become so exclusive; why artworks need price tags; who decides on those numbers; how an emerging artist can become a branded one, and etc."
"Overall, the book is well-written and thought-provoking."
"As an arts activist, artist and past gallery director, this book tells it all...and adds a few newer tricks (auction houses...give me a break!)."
"Interesting and informative."
"Boy am I learning a lot about marketing!"
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Best Architecture Drawing & Modelling

Fundamentals of Building Construction: Materials and Methods
It also features an expanded series of case studies along with more axonometric detail drawings and revised photographs for a thoroughly illustrated approach. Helpful Resources in this Book This publication provides exactly what it says on the cover.
Reviews
"I have to say it's really nice to be able to get it unbound - saves a lot of money, I just slung it into a binder and it's super handy to be able to take out the chapter I need and bring it with me instead of lugging the whole huge thing around."
"A great book and resource for all kinds of materials information but sometimes things need a bit more clarity; a word is introduced in the text without an explanation and it may not be in the glossary."
"The book is very comprehensive with lots of great diagrams and photos explaining the materials and concepts described in the text."
"This book appears to be written for educational purposes, but is a great reference for any construction professional."
"Great book with tons of good information for construction engineers and any one who want to learn more about construction materials."
"Pretty informative in so may ways and a heavy book with great information."
"Highly detailed text and copious diagrams, but photos all black and white."
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Best Landscape Architecture

Garden Revolution: How Our Landscapes Can Be a Source of Environmental Change
AHS Book Award winner This lushly-photographed reference is an important moment in horticulture that will be embraced by anyone looking for a better, smarter way to garden. “This beautiful book shows us that guiding natural processes rather than fighting them is the key to creating healthier landscapes and happier gardeners. “There’s inspiration here, from the honesty with which the authors address climate change to the experiential wisdom they bring to every aspect of the complex process of creating a landscape.” — Booklist. “In this text-heavy volume, a landscape designer and a horticulturist teach us that gardening can be a partnership with nature when gardeners shed conventional practices, exploit plants’ life cycles, and embrace unpredictable plant communities.” — Library Journal. I wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone who wants to work with wild or ecological planting styles; we can all learn a lot from it.” — Gardens Illustrated. their observations and analysis open our eyes and invite us to adopt an approach that can be deeply meaningful and filled with ‘surprises and revelatory events.’” — Pacific Horticulture Magazine. “ Garden Revolution gives land managers the toolkit to work with land on large and small scales in order to create ecologically sensitive landscapes. “A thoughtful meditation on ecology, garden design, and theory of native landscapes.” — Garden Collage. But there’s a better way: by following ecological principles, we can have landscapes that are alive with color, friendly to local wildlife, and evolve over time—with much less work and effort.
Reviews
"The other two were The Living Landscape: Designing for Beauty and Biodiversity in the Home Garden by Doug Tallamy and Rick Darke and Planting in a Post-Wild World: Designing Plant Communities for Resilient Landscapes by Thomas Rainer and Claudia West. Tallamy and Darke's book expanded brilliantly on the main idea presented in Bringing Nature Home: How You Can Sustain Wildlife with Native Plants, that being how native plants in the cultivated and managed landscapes can provide provide a lifeline to the wildlife we share our planet with. This book also offered real world info on plant selection and the gorgeous photography of Rick Darke to inspire us. Whether talking about ecological concepts such as r- and K-selected species or explaining how to specify a seed mix for a meadow, the landscape professional has a wealth of practical and useful material to absorb here. There is a wealth of specific management techniques such as using Mother Colony expansion zones, I am sure most Landscape professionals have never considered."
"This is the book I would write if I was as talented as the authors."
"Best for analysis and natural design."
"Good information."
"Wonderful interesting book!"
"An accomplished landscape designer inspires us photos and a narrative illustrating his strong preference for native plants."
"Lots to think about."
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Best Interior Architectural Design

The Nesting Place: It Doesn’t Have to Be Perfect to Be Beautiful
In The Nesting Place, Myquillyn shares the secrets of decorating for real people—and it has nothing to do with creating a flawless look to wow your guests. For the past five years Myquillyn Smith, 'The Nester,' has been encouraging women to embrace the home they are in.
Reviews
"This is a book for anyone who wants to find new freedom -- not only in her own home, but in her very life, so she can actually live and enjoy her home, rather than perfect and protect her "stuff." This is an invitation to love the home and the life you're in, rather than wishing for something more or something different. This is a book that helps you dwell in the home and in the life you have, rather than trying to over-manage and perfect the places where you live and love. It's a positively beautiful book filled with lovely photos and helpful ideas."
"Instead, this book was more about appreciating your home for its imperfections. Stop dreaming and comparing your home to those in magazines and on blogs, you need to love your home how it is, and grow from there. She shares her mistakes as a first time home buyer and her stories of living in a scary neighborhood and living in dream homes. Myquillyn’s writing and sharing of her personal experiences helps you to connect with her, but there were times where I felt like I was reading the same thing over and over again: love your home for its imperfections, it’s not about how much money you put in it, but that you love it, etc, etc, etc. This book is filled with beautiful photos from her home. I wasn’t falling asleep from boredom, but I think I was looking for a little more inspiration and design ideas than a more philosophical read on loving and living in your home."
"There are good messages in this book - I love her encouragement about putting some nails in your walls (PS - do some extra reading if you have plaster), gaining confidence in your projects, not letting the perfect be the enemy of the good, realizing that even houses in magazines don't look that way day-to-day, make your house welcoming, not flawless, etc."
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Best Historic Preservation

Lady on the Hill: How Biltmore Estate Became an American Icon
He has set a high standard for what all historic house museums strive for: magnificently preserved buildings and grounds, engaging interpretation, and--perhaps most challenging of all--economic self-sufficiency. "If George Vanderbilt did nothing more than engage the two most prominent and storied designers of their time, architect Richard Morris Hunt and landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted, to carry out his vision of a European estate in the southern Appalachians, he would have created an American icon. Built in 1895 by George Vanderbilt, who played lord of the manor to hundreds of tenant farmers and servants, the estate passed in the 1960s to his grandson William Cecil, whose tight-fisted budgets, canny marketing initiatives and rapt attention to customer service turned it into a profitable museum of robber-baron privilege, selling more tickets than Colonial Williamsburg. Covington defends the Biltmore owner's model of private, for-profit historical preservation against charges of commercialism leveled by nonprofit preservationists, repeats his complaints about inheritance taxes, extols his entrepreneurial daring, salutes his Biltmore restoration projects ("surpassed what many had seen anywhere") and raves about "customer satisfaction reports... comparable to those enjoyed by a five-star resort." Covington defends the Biltmore owner's model of private, for-profit historical preservation against charges of commercialism leveled by nonprofit preservationists, repeats his complaints about inheritance taxes, extols his entrepreneurial daring, salutes his Biltmore restoration projects ("surpassed what many had seen anywhere") and raves about "customer satisfaction reports... comparable to those enjoyed by a five-star resort."
Reviews
"Very interesting."
"Had to get after the visit."
"This wonderful book about the Biltmore Estate shows some photos that I had never seen before, and really tells the story of how it was conceived and built -- then lived in -- then restored and opened as a true USA treasure Estate!"
"If you've visited Biltmore, walked it's halls, climbed the Grand Staircase, savored the Library, and said "Wow" more than once, then this book is for you."
"Great read."
"If you love to feel like are behind the scenes you will love this book."
"I am a history teacher and love reading about old families and wealth and I have been to the biltmore on many occasions."
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Best Building Types & Styles

Brunelleschi's Dome: How a Renaissance Genius Reinvented Architecture
On August 19, 1418, a competition concerning Florence's magnificent new cathedral, Santa Maria del Fiore--already under construction for more than a century--was announced: "Whoever desires to make any model or design for the vaulting of the main Dome....shall do so before the end of the month of September." He engineered the perfect placement of brick and stone, built ingenious hoists and cranes to carry an estimated 70 million pounds hundreds of feet into the air, and designed the workers' platforms and routines so carefully that only one man died during the decades of construction--all the while defying those who said the dome would surely collapse and his own personal obstacles that at times threatened to overwhelm him. Its span of more than 140 feet exceeds St Paul's in London and St Peter's in Rome, and even outdoes the Capitol in Washington, D.C., making it the largest dome ever constructed using bricks and mortar. He tells a compelling, informed story, ranging from discussions of the construction of the bricks, mortar, and marble that made up the dome, to its subsequent use as a scientific instrument by the Florentine astronomer Paolo Toscanelli. Walker was the hardcover publisher of Dava Sobel's sleeper smash, Longitude, and Mark Kurlansky's steady-seller Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World. British novelist King (previously unpublished in the U.S.) compiles an elementary introduction to the story of how and why Renaissance Italian architect Filippo Brunelleschi (1377-1446) designed and oversaw the construction of the enormous dome of Florence's Santa Maria del Fiore cathedralAdesigning its curves so that they needed no supporting framework during construction: a major Renaissance architectural innovation.
Reviews
"I had the opportunity to attend a talk by Mr. Ross a couple weeks ago and it was so interesting that I purchased this book a couple days later."
"The prize was designing what would become the signature architectural landmark of Florence, Italy--the octagonal Dome of Santa Maria del Fiore. To put it into perspective, the dome would rise from an opening 18 stories above the street, and top out at the equivalent of a 38-story building. Filippo Brunelleschi won the contest by challenging the other competing architects to make an egg stand on its end. The inner dome was built first and like the frame of an automobile contained a series of horizontal and vertical supports that held everything together. The horizontal supports consisted of a series of sandstone and wood beams and iron chains that circled the dome like the hoops of a barrel, to keep the structure from spreading outward. Couple with the circular horizontal supports, the entire structure was a lattice work of cross members embedded within the brick-and-mortar walls. Brunelleschi did not have this luxury, as there were not enough trees in all of Tuscany to build the necessary scaffolding to reach the heights that were presented. With no visible means of support (and not understanding the law of compression), they believed the entire structure would collapse from its own weight and they would fall to their death. The reversible gear allowed loads to ascend and descend without the need of turning around the oxen team each time the direction was changed. Brunelleschi created a unique external covering system that consisted of tiles designed specially for easy assembly and maintenance. They are not well drawn, and in some cases not clear, such as the brick herringbone pattern used to build the dome: the illustration is small and difficult to figure out."
"This book was Amazing, especially for Engineers!"
"My main critique is that, while the prose was lucid and explanatory, I would have appreciated more photographs and -- especially -- diagrams and schematics depicting the architectural innovations employed (as well as rejected) in the building of the Santa Maria del Fiore's magnificent dome."
"Perhaps because I love Florence, have stood spellbound looking up at the dome of the church of Santa Maria del Fiore or perhaps because the story of how a man's dream of building a dome without buttresses or wooden centering (wooden support posts) actually came to pass."
"We are off to Florence tomorrow for two months, and this was the perfect primer...Ross discourses on the Times, people, customs, etc."
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Best Urban & Land Use Planning

The Death and Life of Great American Cities
Thirty years after its publication, The Death and Life of Great American Cities was described by The New York Times as "perhaps the most influential single work in the history of town planning....[It] can also be seen in a much larger context. "—William H. Whyte, author of The Organization Man Thirty years after its publication, The Death and Life of Great American Cities was described by The New York Times as "perhaps the most influential single work in the history of town planning....[It] can also be seen in a much larger context. It is first of all a work of literature; the descriptions of street life as a kind of ballet and the bitingly satiric account of traditional planning theory can still be read for pleasure even by those who long ago absorbed and appropriated the book's arguments."
Reviews
"Amazing book."
"Excellent book and this copy has been extremely well cared for!"
"Just about everyone in most every profession should read this."
"Great book on design of urbanized spaces/cities & theory, Jane Jacobs-ahead of her time!"
"One of the best classic planning novels, and one whose ideas of urban community are timely again."
"Jane Jacobs hints at her understanding of complexity throughout the book, but her basis is made clear in the last chapter as she exposes the way to grasp the problems of cities."
"Outstanding conceptualization and incredibly insightful!"
"Very informative and an easy read."
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