Book Description

All of the libraries in the world-whether small or large, public or private-serve the same purpose: to preserve, cherish, or show off the riches of human knowledge. Now, for the first time, an internationally renowned photographer takes the reader on a journey to more than 20 of the most historic of these magical places, all architectural treasures. From the dramatic, baroque Library of the Institut de France in Paris, to the splendid Vatican Library in Rome; from the majestic Royal Library in El Escorial, Spain, to the famed New York Public Library, a Beaux-Arts masterpiece-here are some of the most exquisite libraries of the Western world.

Included are national, scholarly, and religious libraries from 12 countries, which have in common a distinguished heritage and an architectural setting that emphasizes art and culture. The accompanying text traces the history of libraries to the present day, and describes how they came to serve famous personalities and men of letters. Libraries must be counted among civilization's crowning achievements; this elegant book is a fitting tribute to that accomplishment. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Treasure for Bibliophiles and Architecture Lovers
This beautifully photographed book might appear, at first glance, as another "coffee-table book": that is, a book someone gives you as a gift, which thereafter sits on your coffee table unread. That hasn't been my experience. Since receiving it as a Christmas present from my wife, I find myself picking it up every few weeks, reading about how famous book collections were formed, and gazing at the stunning architecture of libraries built as temples to literature (rather than on the how-many-shelves-can-we-cram-into-this-square-footage principle).
There are university libraries (e.g., Oxford, Trinity College Dublin), royal libraries (Vienna, Prague), religious libraries (The Vatican, and several monasteries), and more democratic ones (The New York Public Library). Most of the libraries are European, except for three: New York, The Library of Congress (which is featured on the cover), and the Boston Athenaeum.
There could be more in the text about the contents of these libraries; the emphasis is more on the sheer physical beauty of these places. And beautiful they are, some of them decorated by leading artists.
Some of these libraries are easy to visit; some are accessible only to scholars with appropriate references. Some, like the library of the French Senate (a serene retreat overlooking the Jardin du Luxembourg), are available to a select few. This delightful volume lets us in, for a while. Enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

Dramatic aerial images by renowned photographer Terry Evans celebrate one of the world's foremost cities at the outset of the 21st century. One hundred and twenty sumptuous four-color photographs take the reader on a fascinating tour of Chicago and its environs in all four seasons, revealing its unique features: its incomparable lakefront, cutting-edge skyscrapers, and diverse residential neighborhoods, as well as the lush farms and landscapes beyond the city's borders.

With the population of the Chicago region expected to increase by two million over the next 25 years, ensuring that the city grows in a manner that adds to rather than detracts from its beauty, desirability, and prosperity is essential. In Revealing Chicago, Evans's spectacular photographs and Charles Wheelan's thoughtful text not only tell the current story of the city but also expose the challenges-environmental, economic, and social-it faces with continued development. An aesthetic tour de force, this singular volume highlights the importance of making decisions today that will enable Chicago to sustain its prominence into the future. AUTHOR BIO: Terry Evans, a Chicago resident, is one of the world's foremost landscape photographers. Her work has been exhibited widely and is in the collections of many major museums. She is a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship. Charles Wheelan, also a resident of Chicago, is the former Midwest correspondent for The Economist and author of Naked Economics: Undressing the Dismal Science. He is a lecturer in public policy at the University of Chicago. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Bitterly disapointed
After scanning a few pages,it became painfully clear that this book did,nt reveal anything new about Chicago,save for a
few shots here and there...Anticipating a fresh,updated ver-
sion of Robert Cameron,s magnificent "Above Chicago",this book has too many steel mills,deserted beaches,generic shots that
could have been taken anywhere for anyone to care.The emphasis SHOULD have been on the skyline and its hundreds of superb photo
ops.
A missed opportunity,misleading effort,a waste of time... ... Read more

Book Description

An intimate photographic journey through Edward Gorey's home. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

A specialty item for the true Gorey collector
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.

Fruitful Coursework
M. McDermott's luxuriant photos admirably capture the subversive hermeneutics of desire at work in every compartment of Edward Gorey's capacious mind. To judge from these photos, at home as much as in his work Gorey enacted a subaltern erotics of duplicity and dialectic: the precise, almost fussy, arrangements of salt shakers and stones, frog spectators and secret guests which echo the Edwardian-styled detail of his famous books and their ecstatic decodification of heterosexual longing into a polysemous weave of interleaved multitextuality illuminate a life's work spent dancing on a metacritical pin. Queer and gender theorists take note: Elephant House will reinvigorate your every critique -- about Edward Gorey and his work, and of course, the texts his prism redacts.

At Home With Edward Gorey
Kevin McDermott's Elephant House is an impressive new photography book. The photographs, taken only days after Edward Gorey's death, afford us an intimate portrait of the man as he lived. The book contains insightful photographs that capture the fine details of the way Edward lived and worked in his own space. Gorey clearly had a fascination with light and texture. He scattered a massive array of objects all about his home with a nearly curatorial eye. McDermott's well composed photos not only capture this aspect of Gorey but illustrate a common thread between these two artists: texture. One photograph depicts groups of small stones as they congregate idly on the rough wood of the porch. The cityscape of salt and pepper shakers and a plate of gourd-like, spherical shapes are beautiful studies in the texture and form of ordinary objects abstracted from their normal contexts, while many others are still lives made of the house's windows and the eclectically arranged objects in front of them. The blue bottles in a few images glow like stained glass as the washed-out light of a cloudy day streams in through them. What makes many of the color images so interesting is the spare, nearly monochromatic palette of colors in the rooms which are offset by only the blue luminosity of bottles or the green leaves of spring showing in the background. These are beautiful photographs independent of their connection to Edward Gorey, but serve also to enhance our understanding of him. The text is an entertaining and candid glimpse of Gorey as a friend knew him, and provides a nicely guided tour through each room. This book is handsomely crafted and thoughtfully designed, and I highly recommend it to anyone with an interest in photography or Edward Gorey.

Elephant House or the home of Edward Gorey
Edward Gorey was a mysterious personage. His works often leave one thinking "what next?". Elephant House by Kevin McDermott helps relieve much of this worry. Mr. McDermott has captured through his photographs and text what it was like to spend time with the elusive Mr. Gorey. This is a personal and moving tribute to a friend that never feels intrusive, but rather illuminates Mr. Gorey and the daily world he invented and inhabited. For those of us who have made Mr. Gorey a part of our own daily lives, Elephant House lets us spend some quality time with the man through his surroundings. A gem and a gift.

Elephant House, Or the Home of Edward Gorey
This Fabulous book gives us a photographic incite into Edward Gorey, the man. It enlightens the reader with an increased knowledge of the sources of the characters and whimsy of the Groey books. The personal anecdotes of McDermott, made you wish you could have known the man in real life. Gorey would have been pleased with his friend's understanding of who he was. The photographers eye, saw the "art" of Gorey in his everyday surroundings. It was like walking in Gorey's shoes from room to room. A must have book for every Gorey fan. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Tuscany's hill towns and countryside have enthralled inhabitants and visitors for centuries--the golden light in the afternoons, the grape arbors, and the rolling hillsides dotted with rustic farmhouses and villas. Private Tuscany invites us into these dwellings, giving us a glimpse of how life is lived in this warm, inviting place.

The homes featured in this gorgeous volume are as enchanting as the Tuscan towns and hillsides they're built on. Many embody a style we've come to associate with Tuscany: dark-timbered kitchens with dried herbs and garlic ropes hung from the rafters, original terra-cotta tile floors, large-windowed living rooms, and artfully frescoed walls. There are centuries-old furnishings crafted by skilled Italian artisans and elegantly manicured gardens containing hidden grottos and classical statuary. But the homes also reflect the special touches of the people who occupy them. For instance, a theater lover displays his exquisite collection of miniature theaters in the salon; the daughter of a villa owner paints traditional murals on the walls and mosaic patterns on the floors.

Simon McBride's photographs skillfully capture the magic of these Tuscan homes and feature a variety of residences, from simple farmhouses to grand villas and palaces. The book's four chapters divide the homes into types: rustic, classic, grand, and modern. An index at the back serves as an introduction to Tuscany's pleasures, providing contact information for sampling the region's wine and produce, fine dining, hotels and houses, gardens, and crafts.

Several of the homeowners featured in Private Tuscany have gone to painstaking lengths to restore these buildings after decades, or even centuries, of neglect. The results, from the simplest farmhouse kitchen to an elaborately frescoed dining room, are breathtaking. --Kris Law ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Beautiful, inspiring,full of memories of Italy
This book was so lovely. It contains exquisite photos and many, many ideas applicable for my own home. Great decorating ideas. I've shared this book with other people who have been equally inspired by the warm, gracious, elegant living portrayed throughout. Highly recommend this book for yourself or gift. A lovely way to remember past visits to Italy or inspire a personal visit in the not too distant future.

A visual feast!
A beautiful book -- I enjoyed it much more than Tuscany Interiors which I also own. The houses range from simple to elaborate and -- of course! -- the landscapes and gardens are gorgeous. This is a great book from which to "lift" Italian decorating ideas. ... Read more

Book Description

For the last twenty years, James Casebere has constructed increasingly complex small-scale architectural models that are carefully built and then subtly lit and photographed in the studio. These table-sized models are made of simple materials, pared down to essential forms, empty of both extraneous detail and action. Casebere's disconcerting ''sites'' recall prisons, monasteries, tunnels, factories, and other archetypal spaces. Casebere has gained increasing international acclaim in recent years as the leading proponent of what has become known as ''constructed photography.'' This is the first publication to comprehensively survey Casebere's career in its entirety, and provides an important contextual and visual framework in which to posit his soaring international reputation. His oeuvre can be seen in the full scope of its development, from his early preoccupation with the genre of the Western and the suburban home, to his concern with institutional buildings, to his recent investigations into the relationships between social control and social structures. Clothbound hardcover, 176 pages, 9.5 x 12 inches, 48 color, 15 b&w, and 49 duotone illustrations. ... Read more

Book Description

In Sticks & Stones, Lee Friedlander offers his view of America as seen through its architecture. In 192 square-format pictures shot over the past 15 years, Friedlander has framed the familiar through his own unique way of seeing the world. Whether he's representing modest vernacular buildings or monumental skyscrapers, Friedlander liberates them from our preconceived notions and gives us a new way of looking at our surrounding environment. Shot during the course of countless trips to urban and rural areas across the country, many of them made by car (the driver's window sometimes providing Friedlander with an extra frame), these pictures capture an America as unblemished by romanticized notions of human nature as it is full of quirky human touches. Nevertheless, man's presence is not at stake here; streets, roads, façades, and buildings offer their own visual intrigue, without reference to their makers. And in the end, it is not even the grand buildings themselves that prick our interest, but rather the forgettable architectural elements--the poles, posts, sidewalks, fences, phone booths, alleys, parked cars--that through photographic juxtaposition with all kinds of buildings help us to discover the spirit of an Architectural America.

No living artist is more in touch with the look and feel of American towns and cities than Lee Friedlander.--James Enyeart Essays by James Enyeart.

Clothbound, 11.75 x 12.75 in. / 216 pgs / 192 duotones. ... Read more

Book Description

An exquisitely illustrated history and exploration of Angkor, the world's most astonishing architectural treasure.

Built between the ninth and the thirteenth centuries by a succession of twelve Khmer kings, Angkor spreads over 120 square miles in Southeast Asia and includes scores of major architectural sites. In 802, when construction began on Angkor Wat, with wealth from rice and trade, Jayavarman ll took the throne, initiating an unparalleled period of artistic and architectural achievement, exemplified in the fabled ruins of Angkor, center of the ancient empire. Among the amazing pyramid and mandala shaped shrines preserved in the jungles of Cambodia, is Angkor Wat, the world's largest temple, an extraordinarily complex structure filled with iconographic detail and religious symbolism. Perhaps because of the decline of agricultural productivity and the expansion of the Thai Empire, Angkor was abandoned in the fifteenth century and left to the ravages of time. Today, many countries continue efforts to conserve and restore the temples, which have been inaccessible until recently. Now that the civil war has ended, Angkor is being reborn and is an increasingly popular tourist destination.

Undaunted by the difficulties of traveling through Cambodia and eastern Thailand, Jon Ortner, accompanied by his wife Martha, has photographed fifty of the most important and unique monuments of the Khmer Empire. His images include spectacular views from the rooftops of its temples, glorious landscapes, and details of inscriptions and art that few have ever seen.

The text by a team of distinguished experts provides historical, architectural, and religious analyses of Angkor and the Khmer civilization. The Appendix offers a glossary, a chronology of construction, and a chart of the kings and their accomplishments. Black-and-white floor plans and historic watercolors complete this breathtaking tribute.

Other details: 240 illustrations, 225 in full color ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A Must-Have Book on Angkor Temples
Through his magical photographic eye, Jon Ortner has created a wondrous collection of striking images and scholarly prose. His perfectly lit photographs and well-documented historic descriptions allow one to easily understand this complicated ancient subject. Each temple is clearly organized into relevant sections from the central Angkor area to the rare and never-before-seen temples in the outer lying areas. If you have visited Angkor - Ortner's book is the perfect addition to your library. Or, if you have not visited, this book provides the perfect impetus.

The Ultimate Angkor Book
The magnificent photography, the amazing text and the great printing make this THE book for anyone interested in the amazing history and culture of the Khmer.

Ortner's use of light, his incredible attention to detail and the great writing make this a must view and a must read.

Even if you never had an interest or knowledge of Angkor, this book will light a fire inside you.

I recommend this book wholeheartedly. It will look great in your home and you will not regret this purchase.

I have Jon Ortner book
ANGKOR: Celestial Temples of the Khmer Empire,

This is an excellent book I ordered online about when I first came out about a year ago. You will not go wrong with this book. Every pages I leafed through is highly insprirational. The photographs are very breath-takingly welldone. I like the chapter on the Preah Vihear(PV) temple. Again, nicely illustrated and photographed on PV. There's also a section on Cambodian temples that are in Thailand and Laos.

Athough the book is large--oversize, but worth its weight in gold on your bookself !

Almost as magnificent as seeing the ruins themselves
Having spent some time recently in Cambodia exploring the Angkor ruins, I looked forward to purchasing this new picture book by celebrated photographer Jon Ortner. I was not disappointed. The photographs literally come alive. The quality of the paper is extremely good; the colour reproduction and sharpness of the pictures are superb.

The author chose a broad selection of the ruins to be included in his coffee table size text. All the famous sites are included, as well as a number of the lesser known monuments. The essays written by experts in the field also added a lot of useful and interesting background information. Several maps also aid the reader in locating the ruins.

For those who have seen Angkor, this book is almost a must. I am certain the owner will refer to these awesome photographs time and time again to remind himself of the experience of viewing some of the most incredible architecture and art in the history of mankind.

See it in person if you can.
Top quality photographs of one of the true wonders of the world in one of the few remaining truly exotic countries. The craftsmanship and presentation are top notch, but nothing short of making the trip in person is really satisfactory. Fortunately, the trip is relatively safe in these days when even domestic travel has its risks. ... Read more

Book Description

The sheer beauty of the elegant, lonely lighthouses along our shores — and their unspoiled, scenic natural settings — has captivated our collective imagination. More than simply picturesque, the lighthouse has become an enduring symbol of salvation, fortitude, and heroic folklore. The Ultimate Lighthouse Book is a panoramic, lavishly illustrated history of these legendary buildings and celebrates the rich heritage of our ancestors’ courageous efforts to guide mariners through treacherous seas and storms. Over 200 color photographs are featured in this fully revised, expanded and updated edition. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Home Again
The cover picture of the West Point Lighthouse on Prince Edward Island, Canada was of particular interest to me since my Grandfather Capt Michael Howard sailed his schooners out of Brae Harbor and used the light as his guide. The lighthouse is now a hotel and restaurant and reservations are a year in advance. I stay nearby several times yearly and have breakfast there regularly. it is a beautiful spot ad you have to be there to appreciate it. When I first saw the text I was so pleasantly surprised that of all the lighthouses in USA & Canada they picked the home area of my Mom & Dad!! ... Read more

Book Description

Simplicity, modesty, and skillful design are the principles that have guided James Gauer both in his architectural practice and in the selection of the seventeen outstanding projects in this unique collection of small homes by architects around the country. A wide range of housing types and settings—from a diminuative New York City apartment to a farmhouse in Pennsylvania, a cottage in Santa Monica, and a single-family home in Nashville—illustrates a variety of architectural styles and design solutions that have transformed these small spaces into comfortable, stylish, cost and energy-effecient residences. More than a how-to style guide, this volume features a wide range of of housing types from 475 to 2,100 square feet. ... Read more

Book Description

Richard Misrach has spent much of his career photographing the intersection of man and nature. He has redefined contemporary landscape photography with images of the splendor and destruction of the American West. Each of his "cantos" considers another chapter in the epic story of humankind and the land. Golden Gate offers yet another dimension to Misrach's artistic output. Three years ago, he and his family moved into a house in the Berkeley Hills of Northern California. Since then, Misrach has been obsessively photographing the magisterial view of the Golden Gate Bridge from his front porch, each photograph taken from the exact same viewpoint at different times of day. The sixty photographs reproduced here, from a series of over seven hundred, capture the opening between bay and ocean, and the famous bridge, in every light and weather condition. But Misrach's Golden Gate photographs also offer a commentary on the politics of the view -- the relationship of wealth, power, and privilege at the beginning of the twenty-first century. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Amazing photos of an amazing bridge.
I've lived in Marin County for about two years and still get excited going over the Golden Gate Bridge. I was thrilled to receive this book for Christmas and am in awe over the pictures. It's incredible to see photos of the varying weather patterns we get in the bay area and Misrach's time-lapse photos are incredible. What's even more amazing is that Misrach is lucky enough to have this phenominal view from his front porch!

Porch Photography
What a disappointment, and what amateur uninteresting photos from the author's porch in the Oakland Hills (I presume). All you need is a wide angle lens, a tripod and some 35mm film. Take a picture every week or so, vary the time of day and then publish a book. Ca ching! He must be a layed-off dot.commer.

Being born, raised and schooled in San Francisco, I feel cheated. Hopefully no tourists will see it. They may stay home.

Beautiful, but not for everyone
I live on the ocean south of San Francisco(and I'm into photography), so I appreciate the ever-changing weather
and light in this wild region. I was fascinated by this book of
photos the author took from his front porch, especially
since I have taken photos of the sunset and weather formations
from my porch during the same time frame ('97-'00). Having
said that, I wouldn't recommend this for everyone. It's the
exact same view over and over, so if you live outside the Bay Area you'd be better off with a book showcasing a larger portion of the region. This tome is for fanatics of the Golden Gate,
and Bay Area photography.

Did very little for me
This book did very little for me. More than being a study of the Golden Gate, it's a study of weather formations. If you enjoy looking at clouds, the sun and sky you may enjoy this book. I on the other hand found it sterile, repetive and somewhat pointless. Further, it's all too easy to simply set up a camera, never move it and just press the shutter release periodically. Where's the artistry in that? There's no question that Misrach had a nice view from his front porch, but does it really merit a book?

The jacket text is corny and pretentious.

Magnificent!! Can I give it 10 stars??
This is one of the most magnificent photography books I have ever seen (and I have quite a collection of them). Misrach took photos of the Golden Gate Bridge from his front porch for more than a year, and here are the best of those photos--though I would have liked to have seen all 3 thousand or so! Each one is more spectacular than the last! Here is the Golden Gate in fog, at sunrise, at sunset, at high noon, and every time of day and night (some are time-exposures) and in every weather condition possible. I grew up in the SF area and have always loved the bridge, etc, but here it is shown in ways you would NEVER see (unless you sat on Mr. Misrach's front porch for maybe 3 years....) I whole-heartedly disagree with the reviewer who said these are not bold photos. I have never seen photos more bold! And each one is so different from the next! Truly an amazing collection. ... Read more

Book Description

A look at the history of Philadelphia, with both modern and historic photography and captions describing the development of this famous city. Part of the highly successful "Then and Now" series, this book captures the changes in this historic city. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Philadelphia Then and Now
I sat down on a Sunday morning to casually glance through what I thought was just another coffee table photography book. Several hours later, thoroughly relaxed and enlightened, I closed Philadelphia Then and Now, having deliberately devoured every word, every image, every comparison-both visual and written, cover to cover. What fun it was to go back and forth. The effort taken to capture identical images was evident page after page. The attention to obscure and amusing snippets of historical detail tied the "then" black and white photos and the "now" colorful photos together perfectly.

Treat yourself to a Sunday morning journey to Philadelphia-Then and Now.

Great Memories and Fascinating Pictures
This is a really unique collection of photos from the last 150 years in Center City Philadelphia with recent photos taken at the same location. Would make a great gift for someone with Philadelphia ties.

It was interesting to see how things have changed - in many places for the better. Center City towards the Ben Franklin Parkway was a dirty grimy place at the turn of the century. The Parkway was a stroke of genius. The Art Museum used to be a water holding area. ... Read more

Book Description

A look at the history of Miami, with stunning contemporary and historic photography and captions describing the development of this famous city. Part of the highly successful "Then and Now" series, this book looks at the changes in this exciting city. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Captiving Photo Book
If you have lived in Miami or have an affinity toward Miami, this is a must-have book. Few people in Miami like Arva Moore Parks have taken the time to document the City's rich history as the fastest-growing metropolis in the United States over the last 100 years. The "then and now" photos offer splendid matches, with interesting and informative historical notes in the caption. Great coffee-table book too!

Memories
I was born and reared in Miami, the fourth generation of my Pioneer South Florida family. I was delighted with this book, it brought back so many memories.

The old photographs are gems, and the descriptions well written and informative. I enjoyed the "then" pictures with the "now", in some instances they are almost unbelievable, the Coconut Grove Womens Club little Club House which I went to frequently is a good example, long may it survive!

Exquisite Photographs
Parks and Klepser do a wonderful job documenting the evolution and transformation of Miami and Miami Beach. A great book for illustrating Miami and Miami Beach's past history (for those people who believe there is little) and a wonderful guide to our present tropical metropolis. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Technically perfect and artistically peerless
American steam railroading should go down in history as the most evocative and romantic aspect of the industrial age. Winston Link understood what was happening during the 1950s, and he took care of it. Times were changing, the cheapness of the airplane and automobile were replacing the steam railroad with its giant fire breathing behemoths--indeed the most 'human-like' machines, in my opinion. Link primarly photographed at night using indepedent flashbulbs and reflectors; this way he could control the lighting. This makes his images haunting, yet nastolgic and desirable.

My favorite shot in this book is titled "Highball for the Double Header", one of the last images Link photographed of the railroad, and one of the few in which he used color film at night. In it you witness his mastery for composition as well as symbolism: two articulated steam locomotives being given the all clear by a switchman's lantern, the man being dwarfed by the giant engines and their cloud of steam reaching far up into the night sky--all perfectly illuminated by Link's flashbulbs. A fitting end to Link's oeuvre.

Get this book, you won't be disappointed. Check out the new museum dedicated to his work in Roanoke: www.linkmuseum.org

A Book of Masterpieces
O. Winston Link, in my opinion, was the best train photographer that ever lived. He knew where to aim the light, how much light to have, and the best places to take photos. Most of Link's photos are taken at night, which enhances view of the massive amount of pure white steam.

This book defines nostalgia more than clearly. Being a railroad and steam locomotive enthusiast myself, I dream about the living in pictures that Link took. In the book, Thomas Garver, one of Link's assistants, illustrates the sounds, details, and reasons for the trains being where they are in each photo.

The Norfolk & Western was the last major railroad in the U.S. to say "good-bye" to steam power. When Link heard of the inevitable decision, he immediately began to "document" the railroad as it was before steam was gone. From about 1955 to 1958, he spent countless hours taking thousands of photos of the steam engines on the N&W. "The Last Steam Railroad in America" brings out some of the best photos he ever took.

I like the photos in this book that pertain to the "Abingdon Branch" of the N&W. I used to live in Damascus, VA, a small town that was one of the major stops on this line. The railroad bed is now a bike trail and I have found every spot that Link stood at in order to take his photos of the Abingdon Branch.

I highly recommend "The Last Steam Railroad in America" to any train enthusiast, photographer, or anyone who has memories of a steam locomotive roaring by their home. It will always have a special place on my bookshelf.

Filled with nostalgia and great photos of mighty machines
I'm far from an expert on railroading, but I still get nostalgic looking at all these great photographs. "The Last Steam Railroad in America" was an impulse buy from an art museum primarily because the title caught my eye and I am a big fan of black and white photography (historical or otherwise). Yes, the pictures are fantastic, and I was even pleasantly surprised with the reading.

Winston Link was a fine photographer who took it upon himself to document the last years of steam railroading by traveling the Norfolk & Western Railway routes in the 1950's. His project started with nighttime b/w photos, and later expanded to daytime b/w's and color photos. His work has made it to numerous museums and art collections, and it's easy to see why: the photographs in this book are stupendous.

Mr. Link had a kind of "photographic vision" that produced something interesting to admire in virtually every photo he published. I'd call every one in this book a work of art. In addition to portraying the "machines," the human element has a strong presence as well, from those who toiled for N&W, to those who are shown just watching the trains go by. Their faces will forever be a part of Mr. Link's chronicling of steam railroading. The color photography has some amazingly striking depictions of rural scenes, almost to the point of making the train a welcome denizen of the countryside.

Thomas H. Garver provided the text, both the biographical documentation of Mr. Link's photographic/artistic endeavors and the captions supporting the illustrations (over 150). Photo historians will enjoy the former; Americana buffs will love the latter.

It's our history!
The reason this book is especially special is a picture of my husband's father and little brother found on page 75. The photography is wonderful and brings back so many memories for some older folks here. The Virginia Creeper came through our county so this is a piece of our history.
And that is why I am ordering another one for a family member.
Thank you

A Rare Masterpiece
Link is to his corner of history as Atget was to Paris. He knew what he wanted and went about photographing it his way and created a body of work nobody could anticipate and which nobody will attempt to match. His work should be part of contemporarly art history curriculum, as an example of the best personal statements made with a camera. This book is not about trains but about art. It is perhaps a narrative poem about some trains. There is nothing new about the subject matter and technically the photographs are just as good as they need to be, no more. The same could be said of Walker Evans, Atget, Hine, Nixon and others who have made their marks by their direct personal vision and complete "ownership" of their subjects. If you are a photographer, you should buy the book just to remind you of how far you have to go before you've done anything unique of lasting value. Give this book to a kid with imagination and you may start something. I watched a bunch of 7th graders at a show of Link's prints and they immediately caught on that the work isn't about trains but about dedication to an idea and the art of project management. ... Read more

Book Description

From skyscrapers to parking structures, from the Stock Exchange to the historic townhouses of Harlem, the buildings of New York are as diverse as its culture. The City estimates that there are 90,000 buildings within the five boroughs, ranging from single-story warehouses to mighty skyscrapers. Now, for the first time, 1,000 of these buildings, widely varied in style-from landmarks to architectural oddities to humble utilitarian structures-are artfully photographed and beautifully celebrated. Photographer Jorg Brockmann has captured the power and personal essence of each building, providing a fresh, close-up view of New York unlike any other.

Essential information about each building, along with neighborhood maps and useful sidebars, make this the last word on New York structures large and small. It's a feast for lovers of architecture and of great photography, as well as devotees of the most vibrant and resilient city in the world. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Terrific Look At The Wonder Of NYC Buildings & Architecture!
A great value, and amazing overview of 1,000 buildings from the world's leading architectural center! Including the greatest (Empire State, Chrysler, Woolworth...) to hundreds of smaller gems all over the five boroughs like St Nicholas Cathedral, the Hong Kong Bank Building, Trinity Church, 2 White Street, on and on...Yes, the destroyed World Trade Center is also included.And Some nice commentary.A can't miss book! My only (very minor) criticisms are (1) All the photos are black and white (color would probably too costly), and (2) some structures are only shown by a facade or small ornament...In any event, a real treasure!! ... Read more

Book Description

The big, bold, seductive, and surprising color photographs of German photographer Andreas Gursky (b. 1955) set forth a stunning image of our contemporary world of high-tech industry, international markets, big-time sports, fast-paced tourism, and slick commerce. This large-format volume—published in conjunction with a major retrospective at the Museum of Modern Art, New York—presents the first in-depth study in English of Gursky’s art.

The most adventurous of the celebrated students of influential German photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher, Gursky has earned acclaim at the leading edge of contemporary art with a polished signature style that draws upon a great diversity of ideas, precedents, and techniques. Created in collaboration with the artist, this oversize book surveys the fullness of his work to date with gorgeous colorplates, generous two-page details, and a wealth of supporting illustrations. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Utterly jaw-dropping
The Andreas Gursky exhibition at MoMA (and beyond) and its attendant book will be remembered as one of the biggest splashes that a photographer has made in the art world in nearly a decade.
His mentors Bernd and Hilla Becher devoted decades to the formulaic documentation of industrial archetypes. Gursky takes a similarly cool precisionist vision and blows it up to satelite simulcast proportions: everything is saturated color, super-scaled and hyper-detailed in this collection of hyper-mega-super-synthetic 'modern world as lurid theme-park' landscapes. His depiction of discount stores, sports arenas, hotel lobbies and stock markets are so crisply rendered that every dollar sign and pock-marked cheek are clearly seen. Images haven't had this kind of imformation density since Jackson Pollock was at his height. Then he follows it with images of such minimalist austerity as to turn a Prada boutique into an object of Zen contemplation. As his work has evolved, Gursky has made increasing use of digital manpulation to clean-up and enhance his environments. But it hardly serves qualify the veracity of these artificial spaces. This is our age with the volume turned to high shriek.

At Last: -a book that does justice to Gursky's work
Again and again, devotees of Gursky's work find themselves struggling to describe the sheer physical impressiveness of his prints. Pristine, perfect and awe-inspiring as they are; they ... in the viewer, challenging one to see more, to make sense of this information overload.

Previous coffee-table monographs on Gursky failed pitifully to convey the experience of viewing his finest work: such as the retrospectives at the Tate Liverpool (UK) or this latest show at MOMA NY -from which this book arises.

This MOMA book succeeds where others have failed: thanks to its designer's skill in taking portions -sometimes very small portions- of Gursky's images and placing them in the book as visual puzzles. They challenge the reader to recognise what they are, from which images -and where they belong. They also serve as an implicit yard-stick. "my God" the reader realises, "if this double page spread is only that tiny part of the whole image, I can imagine just how big and detailed the whole picture must be".

So, if you've not seen Gursky's actual prints yet, then please do: there is no substitute. But -having seen them - this is the only book that will come anywhere near to reminding you of that delightful experience.

Bill Hirst

***Andreas Gursky; Modern Master of Photography***
First you must understand why this book was put together. Peter Galassi, the Museum of Modern Art in New York's Chief Curator in the Department of Photography made this book as a sort of large catalog to accompany the Gursky retrospective which was in May 2001. The Gursky's photos are huge, the exhibition at MOMA was huge and the book is - well, big, but other's will more than likely agree, it could be bigger especially in context to Gursky's work. (12" x 13.5")

Inside you'll find two things Gursky's photos and Peter Galassi's essay. More than likely you'll thumb through the book ogling the photos first, only to find the treasure of Peter's research about Gursky much later. Galassi's writes with authority and intellect as he discusses the "artistic contexts and origins of the work" in detail. In the preface Galassi admits that the introduction is lengthy but is only meant to encourage further study. Indeed, you are curious, you are pulled in. Here is a sample "Andreas Gursky's best pictures of the past decade knock your socks off, and they're meant to. They're big, bold, full of color, and full of surprise. As each delivers its punch, the viewer is already wondering where it came from - and will continue to enjoy the seduction of surprise long after scrutinizing the picture in detail." Galassi continues with bringing non-photo experts up to speed on the environment of the European aesthetic over the past 150 years, with much of the focus being on the 1950'6 - 60's. Fortunately attention has been paid also the Becher's, one of Andreas Gursky's mentors from the Kunstakademie (art academy), as well as the changes that had occurred in the practice of what was being taught there. Influential artists are named and noted and neatly woven into the grand picture. There is more, but for my purposes here, the result is a writing that so thoroughly saturates the history of the artist and his medium, that it is indispensable to the book as a whole. If it were only a book of slick, meticulously composed scenes on a gargantuan scale, it would be just another coffee table book; left to collect dust in some neatly arranged corner.

The discovery of Gursky's photos is a big one. (Quick note, anyone who has ever been remotely associated with graphic design will appreciate the clean lines and layout of text and photos.) Not only is the book highly readable, it looks modern. Pages 43 -186 are entirely the color plates. They are huge. They are fascinating.

I have read a variety of descriptions of Gursky's works, many of them come from very different starting points and all come to the conclusion that he is a master artist. The photos are everything from "...modestly scaled, infallibly exposed, sharply focused images..." and "focus on the recent phase of capitalism, reified leisure, consumerist fantasies and global transformation of production." His works are "complex and labor intensive process", "Olympian" in their "detached observation of setting and stilled activity," and " overwhelmingly dense image(s) rendered with astonishing visual clarity." My point being, that you cannot escape something mesmerizing, which is the view on the world only Gursky can offer. He shoots everything from alpine landscapes to stock exchange rooms, sunsets and shoe racks, rock concerts to factories, all with the same omniscient eye. The result is astonishing; it is a sucker punch. Urbanscapes, which encompass both, views of the micro and the macro, and often render a feeling of disbelief.

There is something in these photos for EVERYONE. Literally in the sense that Gursky has traveled the world to capture these scenes. Figuratively because there is something here that everyone can relate to. Above and beyond shopping for candy, watching a sunset, standing on the mezzanine of a hotel balcony, this work conjures big questions about: commerce, ultra-consumerism, mass development and cultural homogenization, the feeling of being alone in a crowd, great energy spent on insignificant things and more. The conclusions are here for you to discover.

In summary, the book is wonderful. It is eye candy and it is brain candy. In no way is the book a substitute for seeing the artwork, but if you have to take "the next best thing" surely this book is it. I highly recommend this book for students who are actively pursuing a degree or career in photography, for art historians, teachers of art or photography, and anyone interested in social - political - environmental - or spiritual commentary by a modern artist.

Awesome!
The best photo book I've seen in a long time. I only wish the book were bigger.

A Revelation
Every photograph in Andreas Gurskey's book is a revelation. It's not a page turner-you'll linger at length over each photograph's wealth of detail, painterly composition, and absurd landscape. The images in this book have an amazing ability to startle and provoke. They are at once humorous and full of despair, alienating and invigorating. Traveling all over the globe to capture these moments, Gurskey has created a discourse about utopiansism, mass culture, work, consumerism, nature, and modern design. While the reduced size of the photographs (in contrast to the MOMA exhibit) means they lose some of their power, the book is ordered in a way that puts the images in dialogue with each other. And it reads better than any novel I have read in recent memory. ... Read more

Book Description

The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the architectural and engineering wonders of the world. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Bridge of Dreams
The photographs in this book vividly capture a very unique period of the Brooklyn Bridge as it was being restored in the late 1980's. The use of black and white photography, together with the unusually decorated subject matter, namely the Brooklyn Bridge draped in safety nets, make for a visually stimulating combination.

Bridge of Dreams
One of a kind photographs of the Brooklyn Bridge as it has never been seen before, mysteriously draped in safety nets. A a real treat for the eye. ... Read more

Book Description

Newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst and his legendary California estate occupy a place in the public imagination through Orson Welles's Citizen Kane, but Kane's brooding Xanadu was merely a caricature of Hearst's exuberant castle at San Simeon. This new book sets the record straight and proves that, for once, truth is better than fiction.

Here for the first time is the real story of Hearst Castle, and of the productive 28-year relationship between Hearst and his architect, Julia Morgan, who collaborated on the magnificent 165-room estate set on 250,000 breathtaking acres near the remote seaside hamlet of San Simeon, halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco. Drawing on previously unpublished correspondence, and illustrated with never-before-seen historic photographs as well as more than 150 stunning color pictures, Victoria Kastner chronicles the evolution of this extraordinary hilltop, with its two spectacular pools and its astounding collections of fine art and antiques. Sprinkled throughout with stories of the famous parties hosted by Hearst and his companion, movie star Marion Davies, and their celebrated guests, this book brings to life America's most glamorous country house.

259 photographs, 157 in full color, 9 x 113/4" ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Hearst Castle Fans Should Not Miss This!
A first rate account of the building of "La Cuesta Encantada" with new information I have not found in other Hearst Castle books or by taking the castle tours many, many times since I was a little girl. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Can't wait to visit the castle again with this new knowledge.

The life and times of an American castle.
This book gives an intimate look at one of "America's Castles" from inside and out. The history of the building site is covered, as is the design and construction of the buildings. The life and times of W.R. Hearst and his friends and loved ones are presented in such a way as to flesh out the character of the house.

I just finished reading this book, and I'm tempted to pick it up and start all over again. This is one that I'll reread often.

The layout of the book is interesting and eye-catching, but the tints used on the pages sometimes make the text difficult to read. Make sure you sit down with this book in a very well-lit room -- not only will light make it that much easier to read, you'll be able to enjoy the wonderful pictures more easily.

This book is useful on several levels.
I do not know about you? But I do not notice things in front of my face unless someone points them out to me. When I go to museums I need to go twice once with someone to point things out and again for my own exploration. I used this book for the point out phase. It is more intricate than a biography film.

There are several color pictures (259 illustrations) that point out items of interest, many more with maps and history (157 plates in full color). There is an expansive preface, forward, introduction, and prologue. There are twelve chapters that carry you on a historical tour of the castle.

I am not going to go through the book, as that is why you are purchasing the book and not the review. However on a personal note after looking at the book I went to the castle. I stayed overnight on the San Simeon coast to complete the tours in two days. As with all pictures the pale compared the real thing. However you now can use the book for memories. I did bring a camera. However you are not allowed to use a flash. And I have to admit that Victoria Garagliano is a better photographer. I think the cover shows the most impressive part of the castle. The Roman pool is located inside and under the tennis court. Just like the picture it is cool quiet and reflective. I did want to jump in just for the fun of it.

Now I leave the book on the coffee table so some unsuspecting person (and they are rare) will ask me about it.

A Splendid, Comfortable Home
Ever since the estate at San Simeon became the property of the California Department of Parks and Recreation, anyone can pay to see it and take the various tours through Hearst Castle. It's worth the trip down from San Francisco; if you can't make it, there is now _Hearst Castle: The Biography of a Country House_ by Victoria Kastner, with photographs by Victoria Garagliano. As befits its larger-than-life subject, this is a big book with gorgeous pictures, but the pictures are within a very helpful historic text, so even if you have seen the house, there is much to learn. There have been tourist picture books of the house before, but this is the first book to tell the house's full story. The story largely concerns the partnership between the architect Julia Morgan and her famous client. Miss Morgan is regarded as the first woman architect of any prominence in America. She and Hearst worked on the huge castle, adjacent guest houses, pools, and gardens over three decades. She had responsibilities even for his zoo animals, and he was essentially her patron. They were superbly able to work together, and to have obvious fun in accumulating and displaying the riches illustrated in this book. Morgan put up with Hearst's changeability, with every building turning out quite differently from how it was first planned. Given his impulsiveness and the span of time of construction, it is astonishing that the site has any architectural unity, but she managed to make it a real showplace.

The book also documents the entertainments held by Hearst's lover, Marion Davies, with whom he had a longstanding, loving, and happy affair. She was a perfect hostess at the Castle; guests and staff loved her. Hearst loved fun in his own way, but spent much of the time at the Castle managing his business affairs by phone, leaving Davies to show hospitality to all visitors. It was very unusual for their time, but they rejected socializing with the established money and society of the East coast, preferring to have Hearst's own business associates and movie stars as guests. Pictures in the book show Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, and many others.

Much of _Hearst Castle_ is taken up with pictures to document the astonishingly rich gothic interiors. Unlike most castles, however, this one feels like a home. There are comfortable overstuffed chairs and sofas throughout, and a poker table jostles with Renaissance-style sculpture. It is clear that Hearst and Morgan had fun tearing down and building up, and collecting the artifacts that range from ancient bric-a-brac to priceless masterworks. _Hearst Castle_ is a lovely homage to a great American house. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Our contact with great architecture tends to be indirect, through representations. Few of us have seen the Taj Mahal, yet we all know exactly what it looks like. The useful act of photographing buildings can be an art, particularly when the photographer's presence seems to recede, and a great architectural shot suggests that you're seeing things as they are rather than through someone else's prism.

Julius Shulman has documented buildings in that seemingly transparent way for more than six decades. This meticulous and prolific craftsman was in the right place, California, at the right time, the golden age of West Coast modern residential architecture that spanned the 1930s to the 1960s. Richard Neutra helped him get his start, and he recorded early modernists such as Wright, Schindler, Soriano, Harris, Frey, Ain, Stone, Gropius, Kahn, and Neutra, as well as younger ones such as Goff, Lautner, Ellwood, Koenig, Drake, Killingsworth, Eames, Greene, Legoretta, and even early Frank Gehry. His view camera captured the glamour of hillside steel-and-glass houses cantilevered above the city lights, the serenity of desert vacation homes at dusk, and the clean-lined ingenuity of young architects working on modest budgets.

Shulman's text is a knotty quasi biography, but some good stories lurk there. This is a physically impressive book: its 300 large-format pages contain 500 superbly reproduced color and black-and-white photos that are worth more than the proverbial thousand words each. --John Pastier ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Buy this book
If one is ever to purchase a book concerning mid-century modernism, purchase this book. The photography is amazing, and inspiring. The text is informative without being verbose. This is definitely one of the top ten favourites in my collection.
Mr. Shulman is absolutely brilliant.

Shulman - A great Photographer of Architecture
A terrific insight into the professional career of Julius Shulman. His work, his thoughts on Architects and their work and a cross section of some of the most beautifully crafted Photographs of Architecture from his files.

precise and remarkable; shape and form is astounding
an amazing book; the photography is superb in capturing the essence of architecture

Stunning design, beautiful photography, entertaining memoir
An extraordinary and rare book. Master architectural photographer Julius Shulman showcases the stunning modern designs of Neutra, Koenig, Eames, and others with extraordinary talent and craft. The photographs literally glow. Many of them bowl you over with their beauty. Others have the camp value of '50s advertising: housewives in modern kitchens, families lounging at poolside, couples entertaining in open living spaces. Shulman adds considerable depth by recalling his relationships with the architects, his encounters with the homeowners, his notes on making the photographs. If you admire modern design, appreciate fine photography, and like a good story, this is a book you will cherish.

Excellent graphic material and a sensitive life story .
By pure chance my son browsed this book in Madrid and found it extremely interesting, so I decided to buy it through Amazon. To my surprise, I found that somehow it belongs to my own life story, because in 1966, in L.A. I met Julius and organized the trip to Uruguay mentioned in pages 211 th 217. In this highly valuable volume, the roots of the modern California architecture and its subsequent development are brightly displayed and wittingly evoked by a man who saw it happen and really played an important role in the process. Shulman's comments on people and places are acute, humorous and, I must say from my own experience, tell the real thing. About the photography. Every architect has a penchant to it, mainly regarding his works, so I strongly advice my colleages through the world to read this book and think how Shulman does it. This simple exercise will undoubtedly help them a lot. In brief, a book to occupy a privileged place in my library, to consult as a permanent reference whenever a new work is finished and needs to be documented. ... Read more

Book Description

Celebrating beloved cities from around the world, this book from the Then and Now series offers a unique combination of historic interest and contemporary beauty. Then and Now Hollywood features over 100 fascinating archival photographs contrasted with specially commissioned, full-color images of the same scene today. Each work is a visual lesson in the historic changes of this great urban landscape. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Hollywood Then and Now
I had been so impressed with the quality and accuracy of Rosemary Lord's book LOS ANGELES THEN AND NOW that I was delighted to find her new book HOLLYWOOD THEN AND NOW. It is brilliant and fascinating. This is an impressive, informative history of Hollywood. I worked in the Hollywood Motion Picture Industry during much of this time and Lord has captured the world I remember so well. I was pleased to see this book on the L.A. Times Bestseller List in January when it first came out and have bought several copies as they make wonderful classy gifts. I look forward to her next book.

Extremely Disappointed
I was given this book by a friend because he knows I was raised in Hollywood and love the history of the area. The archival photographs are quite nicely reproduced, however, the current photographs are very poor. I enjoy digital photography and was in Hollywood a few weeks ago and visited the same historic scenes from this book. I quite easily found the angle of the original shots found in this book.. why this book showed those same shots but taken from different angles than the original photos is beyond me. The modern photos in this book are also very unflattering, out of focus and even amateur in appearance... not much more than snapshots.

The worst thing about this book are the many obvious mistakes in locations and historic details. What a shame.

Just the facts PLEASE!Autho
Authors need to check their facts when writing a book
that contains many historical references. When mistakes
are made someone has to be held accountable for the
printing of errors. On p.55, the statement "The Sicilian-
born Valentino" immediately dismayed this reviewer about the
validity of the entire book. Rudolph Valentino WAS NOT
born in Sicily. (He was born in Castellenata, located near
the heel of Italy)

Authors need to be careful. Write your books......check
your facts!!

NO BEST SELLER LIST.....
DO YOU THNIK THIS BOOK MADE THE BEST SELLERS LIST ..NO WAY..
THE BOOK I PURCHASED (HOLLYWOOD THEN AND NOW) IS JUNK
DONT WAST YOUR MONEY ..EVEN IT THERE IS A BIG DISOUNT ..
THAT SHOULD TELL YOU SOMETHING.. !!!

What a treasure!
This book is an absolute treasure! I bought it after I saw it on the Best Seller List. It is a fascinating history, interesting archive photos. As a historian I was impressed by her research and historical accuracy. Well done! ... Read more