Book Description

Discover New Orleans with a Compass
Reviews of New Orleans' 100 best restaurants and hotels
Meticulous maps that pinpoint hot music clubs and outstanding restaurants
The inside scoop on Mardi Gras krewes and parades
Outstanding photographs and fascinating stories about New Orleans' music
legends
Primer on Creole and Cajun cuisines
Detailed streetcar, plantation, and bayou tours
Secrets of the French Quarter: culture, architecture, and antiques

"New Orleans is different than most travel books, far better illustrated
and full of literary excerpts and offbeat information. Use it not only to plan
your trip, but to savor the memories once you're back home." --
Mademoiselle

"The chapter on food forced me to stop reading and go eat." -- New York
Times ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Hidden Treasures
Having just come back from my first trip to New Orleans, I promised myself to get a copy of this book! Not only has this book inspired to go back to New Orleans, but it's given the insight into the exotic and untamed world that still exists in New Orleans. It's a must book for people who enjoy great photographs and in-depth writing on the Cresent City.

An Elegant New Orleans Edition...just as the title suggests!
I first came across this book in the french market area near the river while I was visiting New Orleans for the second time. Slightly overpriced for the tourists, I decided to wait until I arrived home to find it cheaper at a local bookstore. It's a beautiful hardbound book with a cloth-covered spine that now sits in an easel at the top of my bookshelf. I have enjoyed it tremendously. Tons of history, and even more fabulous pictures. For any lover of "the big easy." Treat yourself to this book, and don't forget to take a look at part 1, Vestiges of Grandeur. The two make excellent coffee table books for anyone, and all of your guests will certainly spend hours thumbing through them.

More for those who want a great historical perspective
I have been to New Orleans millions of times and this is the best all around book. The author has really, really researched and pulled up ALL kinds of interesting tidbits.
I think that Compass guides in general are the extra travel books one buys. I wanted more than Fodor's has because I already know all the best places to go. I think that she had good choices and you could use it as your only travel guide.
I think some readers were disappointed because maybe they were taken back by the exorbitant prices hotels charge. Hotel-wise , you don't get much for your money unless you go in summer or during Christmas.

Lush and Inspiring
One of my all-time favorite books. The stuff of dreams and nightmares too.

This is an utterly luscious picture book. Chock full of photos of real interiors. Real homes of artists and the creative. Homes of people who love peeling wallpaper and cracked plaster; and especially those who love living in the midst of art works, or deeply personal collections.

The homes of people who love the humid haze, moist earth-scented New Orleans.

Southern style at it's best
This book has great interior pictures of some glorious New Orleans homes. Unfortunately when I've been there, I didn't have the opportunity to go inside to see the many interior styles. This book gives me the opportunity to see the beauty inside, that I've only been able to view from outside. Great book for those of us who love and appreciate the city! ... Read more

Book Description

Although Frank Lloyd Wright designed more than 1,000 projects during his long and prolific career, Auldbrass Plantation, in Yemassee, South Carolina, is the only plantation he ever designed. It is also one of the largest and most complex projects he ever undertook. Wright had an unusually intense commitment to Auldbrass, and worked on it, off and on, for more than twenty years, from 1938 until his death in 1959. Because Auldbrass was private and because it fell into disrepair in the 1960s after the owners' death, it was rarely photographed or studied, and as a consequence little has been known about this major work. Now, with the completed restoration and new photography, this book affords the first opportunity to see one of Wright's greatest works, as the master himself originally envisioned it. Through photos, plans, and drawings, we see what Wright planned, and how it has finally all been either restored or realized for the first time. In 1986, film producer Joel Silver (Die Hard, Lethal Weapon, 48 Hours, Predator, Romeo Must Die, The Matrix, and over forty other films) bought Auldbrass. He had earlier bought and meticulously restored Wright's famous 1923 Storer House in Hollywood. Now he has again collaborated with Wright's grandson, architect Eric Lloyd Wright, who restored the Storer House, to restore the Auldbrass Plantation.
... Read more

Reviews (2)

Magnificent Work
I have a huge collection of books by and about Frank Lloyd Wright. This goes right to the top of the list. The information is well presented and the photography is breathtaking. The photographic artistry matches Wright's vision. If you have any inclination toward Frank Lloyd Wright or architecture you will not be disappointed!!

Auldbrass book a great credit to all involved, must reading
I enjoyed reading this account of the design, construction and reconstruction of this project almost as much as my visits there. Prof. DeLong has presented a tremendous amount of information concerning this unusual Wright commission in a captivating way that left me unable to put the book down. It will surely be listed as one of my favorite books on Frank Lloyd Wright. The book tactfully represents the views of several owners of the property and places the design within the context of Wrights work as well as the history of architecture in general.
The photography in the book is superb! Recent photos of the completed sections of the estate give the reader the illusion of being at the property as many angles are shown in crisp well composed color views. Historical photos add to the understanding of this complex design. Historical drawings are reproduced but slightly too small to be completely understood. The text is well written although several typographical errors were noticed on my first reading.
In general this book is a great credit to all those involved in its development. Being involved in the restoration of a sizeable Wright designed estate near Buffalo, NY, I greatly appreciated the level of detail presented about how decisions were made about reconstruction and the complex process itself. This book will be a cornerstone in any complete library about Frank Lloyd Wright. Thank you Prof. DeLong! ... Read more

Book Description

Richly illustrated with 15 original watercolors and 180 color photographs to show representative styles and forms. Each chapter covers a separate era in St Augustine's history and discusses the city's distinctive character during that era as well as how architectural styles evolved. Offers a history of attempts at historic preservation and suggests future remedies. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As any urbanite can attest, it is often those inspired instances of architectural ornamentation--on facades, rooflines, doors, windows, and relief work--that can bring a dull gray cityscape to life. Many of the ornaments gracing historic New York buildings are made of glazed terra cotta, which has been an integral (though largely overlooked) part of America's architectural legacy for more than a century, particularly in the art deco period. This volume, which is firmly on the side of preservation rather than demolition, reveals and celebrates the splendor of those architectural treasures. Offering a fascinating history, the book chronicles the development of terra-cotta ornamentation from the artisans of the late 19th century, to the revival the medium is enjoying today both in restoration projects and in new construction, to the efforts of preservationists to save this threatened aspect of architectural history. Also included is a detailed listing of 200 significant terra-cotta buildings in New York City. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Such a simple material....
Terra-Cotta Skyline provides the reader with a very competent overview of the history of architectural terra cotta, the base material and techniques, the companies involved, and the buildings themselves. The photographs of buildings are almost exclusively of New York City buildings, but the archive materials dealing with the history of the trade covers the country. I found this book to be a fine blend of information and illustration. The bibliography, partial listing of significant buildings in NYC, and the list of former companies are wonderfull source materials. My major complaint with the book is that it deals primarily with the history of the trade. I wish that more time had been spent with modern techniques, with more photographs of same. I do admit to being prejudiced however,as I am a finisher of terra cotta, working with one of the two remaining producers of this product in the USA. Perhaps current restoration/new buildings would be material for a another book. If Susan Tunick writes it, I would buy it, as she really knows her stuff.

I expected more for the money....
From a book of this size and price, I expected more. Cervin Robinson's paperback book "Skyscraper Style" has better pictures of many same buildings. Too bad there isn't more info about terra-cotta across the country. Some of the best is out here in the Southwest. Just because most books are published in New York, do they mostly have to be about New York? ... Read more

Book Description

There is no place in America like New Orleans's famed French Quarter.

With photographs and history, The French Quarter of New Orleans explores the unique evolution of this district. The author and photographer team to reveal how war, fire, floods, politics, cultural conflict, and architectural innovation shaped the Quarter.

In West Freeman's 160 color photographs the present-day romance of the Vieux Carré is here to savor. But The French Quarter of New Orleans moves beyond the Old World façades and into the heart and history of the many peoples---Spanish, French, Creole, Native American, African American, and Italians---who have lived here.

From humble, wooden French cottages to stately, brick Spanish Colonial mansions, from Madame John's Legacy to the St. Louis Cathedral, the Quarter's architecture enthralls, and Jim Fraiser's text creates an anecdotal walking tour of memorable and storied sites.

Studying buildings, Fraiser points out the struggle between native Creoles and newcomers in the replacement of Creole townhouses and cottages with "shotgun houses" and American Greek Revival homes. Freeman's photographs and Fraiser's text detail the historical significance and architectural styles of over one hundred structures.

The history of the Quarter teems with vagabonds and saints, warriors and playwrights, musicians, and politicians. Fraiser animates the fascinating story with such evocative figures as the pirate Jean Lafitte, the conquering general Andrew Jackson, and the voodoo queen Marie Laveau. Riverboat gamblers, ladies of the night, duelists, opera aficionados, plague victims, jazz musicians, charlatans, and Mardi Gras revelers populate the streets and edifices Fraiser describes.

For those who have visited the Quarter, this book will be a treasured memento of the district's unparalleled romance and flavor. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Architecture that helps the amature
I've read many other books (both photographic and textual) about New Orleans architecture. The great part about this one is that it's all line drawings which makes the elements of the houses very distinguishable and crystal clear. A great companion for New Orleans fans to deepen their appreciation. ... Read more

Book Description

Mary Colter may well be the best-known unknown architect in the world: her buildings at the Grand Canyon National Park-which include Lookout Tower, Hopi House, Bright Angel Lodge, and many others-are admired by almost five million visitors a year.

This extraordinary book about an extraordinary woman weaves together three stories-the remarkable career of a woman in a man's profession during the late 19th century; the creation of a building and interior style drawn from regional history and landscape; and the exploitation, largely at the hands of the railroads, of the American Southwest for leisure travel. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Detailed, sympathetic book!
Mary Colter was a woman ahead of her time --- an architect and interior designer when few women attempted it. She interwove rustic techniques, local materials and American Indian themes into buildings and designs well before that was accepted by others in her professions. Her rustic buildings at Grand Canyon National Park still survive to the delight of many visitors. Colter was at times a prefectionist, hard to get along with, a workaholic and extremely demanding of herself and her co-workers. Yet the author shows us her life and work with sympathy as well as depth. This book is well illustrated with color and black and white photos. Well researched. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It answered all my questions! ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (2)

Informative & Beautiful
I was searching for a book on desert homes and architecture styles. This book is broken into several chapters on homes around the world living under desert regions. Thoughout the books there are dazzling and breath taking photos along with informative background on every country and building construction for the desert home. I was pacticularly interested in the great USA (Arizona, New Mexico & California) because I am planning to build a home in a desert region. I needed a reference to help me understand and view a desert style of living and this book has helped. You'll find some interior decorating, color schemes, landscaping and several ideas of bringing the dry outdoors into your unique home.
I love looking at this impressive book, it sits on my coffee table for all to enjoy.

My southwest decorating bible
"Under the Sun" has become my southwest decorating bible. I bought the book when I was looking for decorating and architectural ideas for a desert home I was building. The book explores and exposes all the of varied and amazing orgins and styles of desert and southwestern design. The photos are stunning and intriguing and the text is rich with information and sources. I have since used the book for paint and decorating tips in several homes. This is one book in my library that has become a favorite loner, and has ultimately become my best gift book -- mostly to assure it will return to my shelf. ... Read more

Book Description

Firsthand accounts and photographs chronicle the restoration of the White House during the Kennedy Administration.

Designing Camelot recounts one of the most influential interior design projects in American history, the restoration of the White House during the Kennedy administration. Fueled by the intense fascination with the charismatic First Family, the project had a profound effect on the popular American imagination and taste in interior furnishings. Emphasizing the historic restoration of each room and the efforts to have these rooms reflect the personalities and tastes of Jack and Jackie, Designing Camelot features a wealth of first-person quotations, personal and public correspondence, media accounts, and photographs. Included are detailed room-by-room analyses of the restoration, anecdotes about the people involved, and insights into the choices made.

James Abbot (Baltimore, MD) is currently Curator of Decorative Arts at the Baltimore Museum of Art. Elaine Rice (Wilmington, DE) is an independent consultant on American fine and decorative arts. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A lot of previously unpublished information on "Camelot".
I was surprised to read of many things I hadn't known before. This is a thoroughly researched book that will be quite interesting to any Kennedy, or White House, reader. J.B.

As good an insight into Jackie Kennedy as any biography
Designing Camelot demonstrates the debt owed to the Kennedys for transforming the White House into an institution worthy of its history. They, particularly Mrs. Kennedy, established a structure for its preservation that, in essence, changed the view of the White House from a private, albeit official, dwelling to a grand home worthy of the dignity of the American Presidency, a true asset of the federal government.

But as with all things that become "governmentized," the Kennedy Restoration has been the source of controversy since its inception. The debate described in the book centers around the influence of Stephane Boudin, a celebrated French designer whom Mrs. Kennedy adored. The controversy revolves around Boudin's French interpretation of this most American of houses.

Throughout the book, the authors appear conscious of the anti-Boudin criticism, and seem to want to downplay his singular involvement in all aspects of the restoration's tone and direction. (This bias may be natural and unintended, as Boudin was the subject of one author's Bachelor's and Master's theses).

This is displayed in the repeated references that the "official" restoration effort acknowledges three individuals, not just Boudin. Yet every chapter and room recounts how Boudin's designs would win out, with Mrs. Kennedy's blessing. More than once a person would be placated at the time, only to return to the mansion to see the Boudin design had replaced their vision.

The book points out that one early goal of the restoration was to keep Boudin's name out of it the picture. While the book credits all participants in the restoration process, it undermines that assertion with acccounts of bad feelings, threatened resignations, and the Kennedy view that Boudin's competitors were vital for their money, credentials, connections, and "americanism" as much as for anything else. The authors acknowledge this, but at times I felt the true history, and perhaps some detail, was lost in their tone of defense (perhaps "protection" is a better word) of Boudin.

The pro-Boudin feeling came through also in the last chapter discussing the restoration's legacy. Nancy Reagan's placement of a painting in the Green Room to the spot that Boudin had placed it is explained by a Kennedy-era White House curator as a conscious attempt to recapture the Boudin/Kennedy style (and therefore a vindication of the Boudin legacy). This may be true, but that picture of Franklin is generally viewed as perhaps the finest portrait in the White House. Could its Reagan-era placement be a reflection of that fact instead? And why did not Mrs. Reagan rehang the Van Buren portrait in the Green Room as well? She instead kept it in the Red Room, where the "anti-Boudin" forces placed it in 1973. And while Mrs. Clinton's Blue Room decor copies Boudin's Blue Room, widely acknowledged as being his best work, and source of some of the loudest criticism of the Boudin style, the case wasn't made that the guiding principal behind the change was a reevaluation and vindication of Boudin's scheme.

As someone whose primary interest is White House history, not design, the details over arguments over drapery placement (should they be inside the window moulding, or outside?) were not as important as what Mrs. Kennedy's preferences translated into what was ultimately done (she hated them tied back, because of the wrinkles which would show when they were drawn).

I wanted a book that provided for me unknown background into a very necessary, successful, and magnificent undertaking. I was aware of the Boudin controversy prior to reading Designing Camelot, but was a bit disappointed by the deference paid to Boudin. Mrs. Kenney stated that the long history of White House precluded its redecoration to any particular era, yet justified the heavy French influences on the decor by stating (rightly) that it was the preference of James and Elizabeth Monroe. I wanted to understand more about the other viewpoints, and whether Boudin's designs were really appropriate to the history of the White House specifically, not just the style of the time. I didn't feel I got that. I recommend the book, though, and am glad I ordered it.

Classic Lady, Classic Designer, Classic Book.
James Abbott and Elaine Rice have documented the blueprinting and designing of much more than rooms in the White House. The title says it all. Camelot was about all things Kennedy Administration. Navy suits and Limousines were younger and more progressive. Presentations on the lawn for visiting heads of states by far surpassed the ho-hum receptions at the train station. No detail of Camelot, the White House public rooms and the family quarters escaped scrutiny of Jackie, Sister Parrish and Boudin. Jackie even designed the ash stands with Boudin's help.

I don't understand the criticism of this book as dry or wordy. It's a book. It's a narrative, not a coffee table book. Tomes have been printed and documented of the restored rooms, before and after. The photos are what they were. In this world of colorized movies, Photoshopped magazine covers and remastered music, Abbott and Rice have given us the plain unvarnished way it was, warts and all. I found the background very interesting. It was a collaborative effort between the committee, Jackie, Sister Parrish and Boudin, with a giant does of Henry duPont thrown in. Any one person could have completely changed the way the great house looked, but Jackie rescued the building from it's Gimbell's basement look. It remains generally true to her vision, even though eight First Ladies have imprinted on it. This country would not exist if not for the help of France during the Revolution. It influenced this country greatly and I see nothing wrong with the influence. No one criticized Mamie Eisenhower for the his and hers tvs in the wall or the Mamie Pink.

I enjoyed this book, and I would recommend it to anyone.

not enough for the money
The writing is dry. The pictures are not the best and it fails to show whnat the White House looked like before the restoration. Everyone says that it looked horrible so why not give the reader a taste of what was so wrong with it? If you can find the White House guidebook that was produced to pay for the restoration read that instead. It has much betters photos.

Superb!
A superb survey of the White House decor of President & Mrs. Kennedy. The book documents the ideas, process, decisions and choices behind the stunning interiors of the Kennedy White House-both the public and private rooms. What comes through the text is Mrs. Kennedy's leadership and vision - combining taste, history, beauty and great cunning - just to create and then manage this melange of egos, talent and intelligence was an accomplishment, and the results live on today (albeit not as beautifully or artistically). We all gained a greater knowledge and appreciation of our nation's historic and artistic past because of Mrs. Kennedy's work.

I've corresponded with Mr. Abbott and he's been most kind and interesting. He assisted in the current show at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, "Jacqueline Kennedy: The White House Years," and there's a number of items on display relating to the White House decorations.

Read the book, catch the exhibit (it moves to the JFK Library in Boston in the fall). ... Read more

Book Description

Miami has long been known for its miles of sandy beaches and for the melting pot of Hispanic immigrants who reside in neighborhoods extending inland from Miami Beach. But the third most popular American city after Los Angeles and New York is also famous for its unique contemporary architecture. Miami Houses is a beautifully produced and copiously illustrated tour of residential design by renowned architects such as Ramon Pacheco, Pablo Uribe, Barry Sugarman, Alain Schuhmann, and Santiago Bernal. The dazzling re-designs of houses in the landmark Art Deco District and the distinctive Latin-inspired interior design on view here have succeeded in making innovation the hallmark of Miami style. Includes an introduction and helpful captions. ... Read more

Book Description

Illustrated here are handsome mansions, imposing courthouses, towering churches, giant flour mills, extravagant hotels, wooden grist mills, covered bridges, and humble cottages and outbuildings -- more than 300 structures lost to fire or demolition.A treasure trove of unique buildings, "Lost Virginia" underscores the importance of efforts to preserve other riches in Virginia's architectural heritage. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An outstanding book.
Lost architecture has long been a passion of mine: there's something so humbling and bittersweet about buildings that exist now only in memory or on a few frames of precious film. After reading great works on the subject such as Constance Greiff's LOST AMERICA or Larry Millett's LOST TWIN CITIES, I had often complained, "Why isn't there a book like this for my home state?"

I can complain no more. LOST VIRGINIA is here at last!

The book is certainly everything I could have hoped for, combining clear, informative text with beautifully reproduced photos. Hundreds of lost buildings are finally given notice and recognition, from mansions like Rosewell, Barboursville and Pratt's Castle to Rockbridge County's splendid boom hotels (including my favorite long-vanished building, Goshen's Alleghany Hotel).

I can't recommend this book more highly or think of a better gift for any fan of architecture or Virginia history. And since there are many lost buildings yet to be documented, I hope there will some day be a sequel! ... Read more

Book Description

The sweeping staircase of Rosemont. The imposing ironwork of Ammadelle. The forlorn, ambitious geometry of Longwood. Mississippi homes boast some of America’s great architectural marvels.

Great Houses of Mississippi highlights the state’s exceptional antebellum houses in color photos and lively and informative text. Federal town houses, Greek Revival plantation homes, and Italianate and Gothic villas recall the decades when Mississippi led the nation in architectural excellence. The stories behind these houses mirror Mississippi’s history. The tales of the families and slaves who built them, the people who preserved them through multiple generations and often saved them from destruction, convey the story of the state from its earliest territorial years to the present day.

Mary Rose Carter’s ninety-five photographs detail these homes in vivid full color. The labor of frontier carpenters is evident in the simple lines of Cold Spring, Rosemont, and the Feltus-Catchings House. Territorial prosperity and the arrival of skilled architects are demonstrated in the symmetry and elaborate Federal detailing of Auburn, Rosalie, and the Lewis House. As the Cotton Kingdom flourished, Greek Revival found its most exuberant expression in Mississippi in the early examples of Melrose, Cedar Grove, and the Martha Vick house and then spread elsewhere. Rare Gothic styles are here as well in Ammadelle, Rosedale, Cedarhurst, and Mount Holly. The zenith of the antebellum era, when Mississippians vied to build ever grander plantation homes and town houses, is captured in stunning photographs of Dunleith, Stanton Hall, Waverly, and Walter Place.

Within these pages are monuments to the talents and imaginations of Mississippi’s antebellum generations. Their enduring beauty and fascinating stories will be of interest to anyone searching for remnants of the pre–Civil War splendor of the South. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Galveston that was
I expected to see pictures of Galveston as it was . This is a bunch of pictures of Galveston decayed.

Beautiful photos; fascinating history
The city of Galveston, Texas was a vibrant, prosperous port at the start of the 20th century, outstripping even New Orleans. Fine Victorian homes were built by prosperous merchants, many in grand style. The deadly hurricane of 1900 dealt the city a blow from which it never entirely recovered. But Galveston's economic slump had a silver lining -- as shown in "The Galveston That Was." There was no economic incentive to tear the old homes down; so scores of these remarkable Victorian homes survived, though many fell into disrepair. Howard Barnstone secured two superb photographers and wrote text for this beautiful book, which displays the faded glory of Galveston's Victorian architecture. The book's first edition inspired Galvestonians to restore many of these homes, and sparked a preservation revival there that lasts to this day. Always a beach destination, Galveston now draws visitors to the Texas coast for beautifully restored Victorian homes and historic business district, the Strand. The book's photographs are simply beautiful and the concise history of Galveston is intriguing. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Visions of a vanishing time and place
This wonderful book is the second in the now-classic survey of historic New Orleans architecture. Distinguished by the same painstaking attention to detail as the other volumes, this book concentrates on the sections of the city now known as the Central Busisness District (or CBD) and theWarehouse/Arts District. Given the dramatic changes this section hasundergone since the 19th century, this volume is both more valuablehistorically and perhaps a bit less interesting to the casual reader.

One section of the book is fortunately out of date. A special sectionhighlights the row houses on Julia Street in the Warehouse District, theninsad disrepair, but now gems in that area's redevelopment.

Despite thetowering skyscrapers lining Poydras Street and the gleaming hotel towersdown by the river, this book calls our attention to what remains:theexuberant architectural display of a Victorian bank building or theshockingly vibrant facade of a Canal Street storefront. Through itsthoughtful scholarship and careful display of maps, historic images andcontemporary photograph, this book (likes its sisters in the series) is aninviting glimpse into the past for the careful reader. ... Read more

Book Description

Buildings of West Virginia provides a comprehensive guide to the state's built environment, from the prehistoric mounds that are its earliest structures to buildings that have shaped its image--log cabins, elegant spas, and coal company towns--to its everyday commercial, industrial, government, religious, and domestic structures. Buildings and sites are described and interpreted in some 1,000 guidebook entries illustrated with approximately 375 photographs and keyed to 60 maps. Throughout, West Virginia's architecture is related to its distinctive geography, natural resources, early prosperity and later economic decline, and colorful history, first as part of the colony and state of Virginia and then as the Mountain State. About the Buildings of the United States Series: Buildings of West Virginia is the ninth volume to be published in the monumental Buildings of the United States, a series that Edwin McDowell of the New York Times has called 'one of the most ambitious in publishing history.'Sponsored by the Society of Architectural Historians, the series is modeled on and inspired by the Buildings of England, the classic, multivolume work written by the eminent British architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Extraordinary book on a unique state
West Virginia was created through political conflict during the Civil War, and many people may think of it only as part of that part of our nation's history, or perhaps as a place of coal mines and Appalachian troubles. What Chambers shows us in this carefully researched, beautifully written book is that West Virginia has a history and an architectural heritage of great distinction and diversity. Chambers looks at the full range of this state's architecture, from the distinguished work of many state and regional as well as national architects in the principal towns and cities to the sagas of the industrial settlements, of which there are many, and the slower changing regional patterns of small town and rural areas. Buy this book, and learn that West Virginia is a state to visit, appreciate, and admire. Chambers's nuanced study takes into consideration the multiple and complex aspects of its history, and gives us all a new appreciation for an American state with a complex heritage. Anyone wanting to understand the South, Appalachia, or indeed America needs this book. ... Read more