Architecture and Design Library: French Country (Arch & Design Library)

Customer Reviews:

Real-World Ideas.......2007-04-04

Beautiful French country designs are paired with real-world adaptations of those ideas. Bring the French look to the United States.

lots of room ideas.......2007-02-12

Although I love my other design books, with lots of descriptions and history, this book has ideas for real world adaptations of french country design (that is, for those of us in the u.s.!)

It's in the fine details.......2004-03-20

Yes, the pictures are lovely...but as one reviewer noted, one will want to go through the book several times just to see everything one missed. On my second time through, I noticed almost every photo had many books (sometimes shelves full of books)in the background. 99% of those books were titles in English. Yes, yes, I know the French speak English very well..but what are the odds that ALL the books would be in English? Wouldn't they at least own a few titles in their native language? Made me wonder where some of these homes are located and if I was truly looking at an American (or UK) home decorated in French Country style.

Beautiful inside & out.......2001-04-24

A fine representation of French country decorating style. This book covers exterior, interior and a bit or garden landscaping. It has many fresh ideas for a real french country feel, but with a touch of elegance. Wonderful "Rooms for Living" with decorating ideas to suit every budget, as it mixes all kinds of things. The traditional effects are softened by simple yet beautiful touches. Once you go through the book for the first time you will want to go through it again to catch all the detail work you missed the first and second and third time.

I gave this book 4 stars only because I wanted more to see!.......2000-07-18

This lovely book is quintessential French country. The authors take the reader on a tour of vistas from the Mediterranean Sea to Provence; country homes range from the rugged to the elegant. The text reveals to the reader the common elements to be found in the variety of homes found in the French countryside. Vibrant colors follow paticular painterly selection if one wants to create the true feel of a French country home. Shutters are French, not American. Lace is typically at the windows, or for a more grand effect billowing panels with French pleats, caught and pulled to the side about 3/4's from the top of the drop. Window boxes brimming with color are essential for this style, and borders of lavender would make you feel that you are really there. Terracotta roof tiles would complete the exterior view. Inside, the walls vary, but they definitely make the statement: I am France. Terracotta tile floors are very common, but hardwood floors are fine, too. Mouldings are landmarks, and they are abundantly visualized in this volume. Provencal prints, bergere chairs, ladder back dinning and/or kitchen chairs, flowers---all are shown in French homes. In the kitchen, pots on display, wall tiles, a baker's rack, a country table, open shelves, walls that are rubbed with earthy hues make the room inviting and warm---a gathering place. Dining is wonderful, inside or out. The French love to eat outside. The bedroom is simple or elegant, but deliberately French. Lace, panels, sometimes two layers, billowing to the floor, European pillows, and definitely a bolster and duvet enrich the feeling of a retreat. At least a touch of toile should be seen. I remember a French friend telling me once, that one of the most important things a true French person does when considering something for their home. She said the French don't decorate like Americans do, try to figure out if an object will work; for the French, if they like something, they find a place for it. They learn very early how to put things together. And you can always see it no matter how much they have to spend. It's just perfect. This beautiful volume is filled with beautiful pictures to create your own French Country style.

French Country (Architecture and Design Library)

Average customer rating:

French Country (Architecture and Design Library)
Barbara Buchholz , and Lisa Skolnik
Manufacturer: Diane Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Architecture | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books

General | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Still hesitant, yet by now unmistakably, a country in Southeast Asia is beginning to open. This country, which has only just begun to determine its path into the future, is Laos. Landlocked, it is surrounded by five restless neighbors: mighty China to the North, prospering Vietnam to the East, Cambodia, torn apart by internal discord, to the South, the economic dynamo Thailand, and Myanmar, ruled by unpopular generals, to the West. Yet despite these eminent influences, Laos remains an oasis of calm, now being discovered more and more by visitors from the West. Over the course of several trips, the authors have journeyed into the farthest reaches of this country: from the isolated mountain villages in the North to the ruins of the former Khmer Empire in the Sount, and from the still war-scarred Plain of Jars in the East to the lowland rice fields along the Mekong in the West. Their photographs show a breathtaking and, at the same time, enchanted beauty, the rich heritage of the minorities still alive today, and the first steps towards the future. Their text describes clearly and concisely the country's history right up to the issues of today. In this book, for the first time, Laos is presented in its entire colorful diversity. Many color photos.

Customer Reviews:

Laos.......2005-09-06

This book speaks more than its cover. The pictures are great and capture the story about Laos very accurately. I would cherish this book and let it be a short story teller for my children, and among my friends. I am surprised that delivery is within the week.

Average customer rating:

Nice but costly

Yunnan: China's Most Beautiful Province
Ann Helen Unger , and Walter Unger
Manufacturer: Hirmer Verlag
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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South of the Clouds: Tales from Yunnan : A McLellan Book

ASIN: 3777497304

Book Description

The book portrays the mountainous southwestern Chinese region bordering Tibet to the north, Myanmar to the west, Laos and Vietnam to the south and the provinces of Sichuan, Guizhou and Guangxi to the east. In five richly illustrated chapters it describes the extraordinarily diverse landscape, the history, customs and lifestyles of 26 different nationalities that call Yunnan home. Their religious beliefs, their agriculture and their future will be determined mainly by tourism and industrial development. Writer Ann Helen Unger and photographer Walter Unger, both Germans living in Bangkok and New York, are well known for several books on Southeast Asia religions, cultures, history and ethnology.

Customer Reviews:

Nice but costly.......2005-09-26

I am very interested in this region of China so I decided to spring for the book. However, at $60 (Full price, no discouts found) it is very expensive and a bit disappointing for what you get. There's not a lot of text and the photo quality (size, paper, printing quality) is good but not great. I personally don't regret the purchase as comprehensive books on the region are somewhat limited, but unless you are VERY interested in this region I would suggest you try something else.

Book Description

Contrasting preservationist, romantic, pastoral, nostalgic, and utilitarian concepts of nature, the authors explore the public expression of these ideals in post-World War II politics in two states rich in natural beauty, but distinct in their postwar economic growth. Natural States argues that, in both states and the U.S. as a whole, the greatest success of the environmental movement came when it was informed by a local, grassroots activism that viewed nature as a common good that should be shared by all.

Book Description

The status and prospects of African-Americans in contemporary society are of immense significance. They speak both to the conscience of the society and to ominous social and political portends. Involving issues of essential fairness and social justice are the practical problems of widespread poverty, unemployment, and the pervasive lack of opportunity stemming from stinted education. The stage is set for a national program of basic institutional reforms addressing the root causes of the African-American community's often analyzed but uncorrected economic, political, and social problems. The authors make a convincing argument that the emphases for solutions to the widespread social conditions gripping the African-American population need to be on the social processes that so victimize this segment of the nation's citizenry. They see societal institutions as capable of furthering or retarding progress not only in the economic order but also in its interactions with the political and criminal justice systems. Income disparities, lack of access to higher education, political exclusion, and unequal treatment in criminal justice administration are all seen as contributing to the characteristic institutional neglect or flawed program application. The authors make a compelling case for reform not only in the interest of social justice but for the assurance of a more productive and cohesive society.

Towards the Museum of the Future: New European Perspectives (The Heritage : Care-Preservation-Managemnent)

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Towards the Museum of the Future: New European Perspectives (The Heritage : Care-Preservation-Managemnent)
Roger Miles
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Reference | Subjects | Books

Museum Studies & Museology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0415094984

Book Description

Towards the Museum of the Future explores, through a series of authoritative essays, some of the major developments in European museums as they struggle to adapt to a rapidly changing world. It embraces a wide range of European countries, all types of museums and exhibitions and the needs of different museum audiences, and discusses the museum as communicator and educator in the context of current cultural concerns.

The essays include case studies, general reviews and theoretical analyses and are written from the perspective of both museum administrators and visitors. The essays also address such topics as museums and the media, museums and exhibition design, and the educational significance of museums in formal and informal settings.

This is the first book to approach these problems from a wide range of perspectives. It includes an international list of contributors who provide comprehensive coverage of exhibitions and audiences in science, history and art museums.

Economic Perspectives on Cultural Heritage

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Economic Perspectives on Cultural Heritage

Manufacturer: St. Martin's Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Theory | Economics | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

General | Industries & Professions | Business & Investing | Subjects | Books

Book Description

With an increasing focus on the potential of the private sector to provide public transport (and many other city) services, Jonathan Richmond's new book examines the relationship of politics to economics in motivating government decision-making. Evidence from more than 100 interviews, conducted for seven case studies in Denver, Indianapolis, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, and San Diego, shows that ideologically as well as financially-backed power plays have driven outcomes.

Cases review the experiences in five cities which have debated bus service contracting. They compare the political environments and decision-making outcomes in a city such as Denver — where a Republican-dominated state legislature mandated that a fixed percentage of service be privatized — and Los Angeles — where expansion of privatization has met resistance from a Democratic state legislature. Cases additionally explore the political reactions to attempts by private jitney (12-15 seat van) operators to set up shop independently in two other cities. The behavior of politicians, planners, managers, labor unions and service users is studied to understand motivations and actions.

In Indianapolis, the Republican mayor tried to apply principles successfully used to contract other public services, and found more resistance than he'd expected from transit management and labor. In Denver, the state legislature followed a Ronald Reagan recipe for contracting a fixed percentage of bus services without examining whether any particular percentage made sense. Those for and against privatization have each produced their own unreliable data to prove their cases. The need to remain competitive through low wages has driven private labor annual turnover rates to 170 percent.

In San Diego, contracting has saved money, but pushed wages below poverty levels at the public agency, which must compete with private enterprise to keep costs down. Labor won a concession on minimum wages after pleading tragedy to the regional transit board, but asked to exempt union shops from the requirement to keep union labor competitive, whatever the misery for union members. In California, union-supported state Democrats from Los Angeles have been blind to constituent wishes, and pushed through a highly-restrictive bill which makes it all but impossible to set up new regionalized private service providers. Parroting union lobbyists, the legislators have shown no interest in confronting issues of service to those they represent. Las Vegas presents the biggest success story for privatization, with an operation focused on service quality and efficiency that has never been provided by a public agency. Despite its success, the local union is unhappy about the focus on low wages that are part and parcel of keeping down the costs of privatized operations.

In New York and Miami, members of the Caribbean community have started jitney operations, which have often been illegal. While they have provided a high level of community service, much enjoyed by local residents, the bus drivers unions have tried to put them out of existence. Under great union pressure, the New York City Council has refused to allow jitneys to legally collect passengers hailing them on the streets. In Miami, the county both provides bus services and regulates jitneys, imposing a series of regulations which make it hard to establish service. In all of this, transit passengers are seen as dependent children under a credo that dates from the principles of the Victorian Workhouse: welfare should be provided to the poor, but the service doesn't have to be any more pleasant than the greasy gruel supplied by the workhouse. Transit managers can insist that their hard-seated, slow, and infrequent buses provide the "best" possible service, because they do not recognize users' perspectives as relevant. Quoting Hillel's famous version of the Golden Rule, "Do not do to your neighbor what you find hateful," the book concludes that to make progress, participants must see things from each other's perspectives.

Customer Reviews:

Good lessons and warnings.......2001-04-29

Excellent and well written. You get the sense that the author must have interviewed 1000 people--union officials, politicians, transit managers, contractors, ex-contractors, wanna-be contractors, and a few Hatian immigrants in Miami who just want to run their jitneys in peace. He adds some good points to the old debate about "cream skimming" and whether there really is a need for a monopolistic transit agency to provide a monolithic brand of transit service. This book is fun reading, and very useful reading for anyone (like myself) who deals with public employee labor issues, transit or otherwise.

Real Service needs real policy.......2001-04-24

This book is great reading for all public policy makers trying to bring real service delivery to the public. At first impression it appears to be about buses. Reading the case studies, it becomes apparent that this is really a book about issues management and the political and practical factors that enter into any private/public infrastructure conflict. The examples in the case studies could just as easily be applied to ferry services, prisons or any contestable infrastructure interaction. This is a must read for anyone involved or interested in public policy.

written with flair and passion.......2001-04-03

I am not a specialist, but the subject of urban and transportation studies has always fascinated me, and I have read Richmond's passionate account of the struggle over public transport in various American cities with great pleasure. I want to add to the other reviewers' discussion of the academic merits of the book that I was personally moved by the book's ending, where the author shifts gears and calls upon all sides of the conflict to think about common good, and to be decent rather than ruthless towards one another. Richmond has done a scientist's job: He has examined various strategies adopted by the labor, the management, the overseeing agencies, the elected politicians, the working class communities dependent upon public transport, and many other parties of this conflict. He compares, analyzes, and draws conclusions. But at the end of the day, the more you look into such matters the more you see a lot of plain human meanness and a lot of short-sightedness. The old-testament call at the end of this book captures, to my mind in a profound way, both the hope and a certain hopelessness of an intellectual who studies social conflicts.

Politics and Public Transportation.......2001-04-02

Jonathan Richmond does a wonderful job exploring the real workings of how public transportation policy is really developed. In his work, The Private Provision of Public Transport, Richmond skillfully addresses the hidden drivers that often operate behind the scenes to drive public transportation policy.

Richmond takes you on a political romp through the public transportation policy setting agenda highlighting the various impacts that party affiliation, special interest and labor can have on setting transportation policy.

Furthermore, Richmond does a fine job pointing out perceived or real differences, that exist between public and private operation of public transportation. An area that sometimes is often blurred.

One begins to wonder, after reading this book, if public transportation policy is really developed with the public's best interest in mind?

A first accurate description of the US transit situation.......2001-03-30

The relationship between US transit operators and local governments is very different from what it is in Europe. Unlike Europe, most operators are publicly owned. The book decsribes a few experiences of private operation of urban transit and paratransit. It shows how difficult it is for local governments to save money by out-contracting and some of the risks involved. Very interesting case studies are presented such as Denver, Phoenix or Las Vegas and each is different. Las Vegas is shown as the only really positive experience of out-contracting, probably because transit demand is relatively high on the strip.

The book also shows that because of high employement in the US, it is very hard to find drivers and this can lead to failure: a well known company for example had to withdraw from its Denver operation because of the lack of drivers.

One may wonder, after reading this book if the reason why US private companies do not succeed in doing better than the public sector is that local governments contract and pay per mile or per hour. The only way the companies can make profit with such contracts is by reducing salaries which is bound to lead to social difficulties.

Why not try the French model where operators collect revenues from the fare box and get a lump sum per year from the local government to operate the transit systems? In France, an important task of an operator is marketing: users are clients and not just users.

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of the American Planning Association, published by American Planning Association on September 22, 2001. The length of the article is 735 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: The Private Provision of Public Transport.(Review)
Author: John G. Allen
Publication: Journal of the American Planning Association (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 2001
Publisher: American Planning Association
Volume: 67 Issue: 4 Page: 482

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Customer Reviews:

el servicio que vende.......2007-06-16

necesito el libro me lo pueden conseguir...

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