This is my first introduction to Greene & Greene's work. If you have never seen it before, think of Frank Lloyd Wright's work, except everything is allot more rounded, and comfortable looking, except for the exteriors. I would say though that Frank Lloyd Wright was a better architect, but he could have gotten Greene & Greene to make his homes interiors allot more homey looking, and less dated. If your a fan of Wright's or the Art's & Crafts movement buy the book.

The Greene brothers were architects who designed in the Arts and Crafts style. Like Frank Lloyd Wright, their style was so distinctive that they are not considered as examples of a type, but as architects whose style stands by itself. Unlike Frank Lloyd Wright, the Greene brothers' practice was almost completely limited to personal residences. This has probably limited the reach of their reputation. Outside of the Gamble house, which has been made into a museum, the work of the Greene brothers is generally not accessible to the public. All but one of their houses was in California, most of them in Pasadena. One wonders how well known Wright would be had he never designed the Guggenheim, or the Marin County Civic Center, or if he had never ventured outside of Chicago.

This book addresses the problem by taking us inside twenty-five examples of Greene and Greene's work. The text is accompanied by the breathtaking photography of Alexander Vertikoff. I own a large collection of books on the architecture of this period, and those illustrated by Vertikoff stand in a class by themselves. His photos are magnificent, doing justice to the material he portrays. I doubt if there is a finer photographer working in this field today.

With photos like these, it would have been easy to turn this volume into nothing more than a glorious picture book. Instead, Bruce Smith provides an engaging story of the careers of the two architects. The best writing is found in an extensive introduction, where the author discusses the Greene and Greene style in general terms. One can see at a glance how the style starts with Arts and Crafts. Indeed, there is a wealth of Stickley furniture in many of the houses. It is equally obvious how the two went beyond the plain craftsman designs so common further east. The Japanese influence was much stronger here, and the craftsmanship in the wood joinery was much more refined. There is more woodworking than carpentry here. The woods included Burmese teak, Honduras mahogany, Port Orford cedar, oak, maple and redwood. In some cases, the brothers were able to design furniture, landscaping and gardens to go with the architecture.

For the remainder of the book, we get a tour through twenty-five houses designed by Greene and Greene. Each house is presented in the order of its design and construction, with a history of the entire house to the present day. In some cases, this includes restoration after some abuse. Some of these houses were created on a budget; others were done with no apparent limits on the imagination of the architects. All are works of art, created as a labor of love by all concerned. For anyone unfamiliar with the work of Greene and Greene, this is an excellent introduction. For those who are already captivated, this book is a must, if only for those magnificent pictures.

As an aspiring woodworker with apparently very little natural talent, I can only view Greene & Greene's work with a mixture of awe and jealousy. While I find much of what Wright has done to be at times inaccessible and dated (primarily because so many others have attempted to copy or incorporate his style into theirs - and failed miserably by the way), the Greene's work is absolutely gorgeous, and would fit in with many current styles.....But then again you all know that. The question is why buy this particular book?

If you are looking for wonderful, full-page color photographs this is it. The first 50 pages are devoted to the G&G style; there is a page or two devoted to Materials, Joinery, Lighting etc. Descriptions are quite brief, and include a couple of pics.

The next 170 pages are devoted to 25 different houses with narration about the original design process, the ensuing history, and the current state. Again tons of color pics, and lots of shots of the furniture they designed to go with the particular house.

If you are looking for an in-depth discussion, check out Randall Makinson's "Architecture as a Fine Art/Furniture and Related Designs. These two books (now available in one edition) cover the G&G history in detail, but have less photos (many in black and white). They do have many front on center views of the furniture (as well as early drawings) so if you are interested in building their furniture, these books make a suitable companion to the one being reviewed.

A really outstanding book! It presumes a very basic level of knowledge and builds your confidence - from the history and making of climbing rope to all the hardware and knowledge needed to descend and ascend. All the techniques are listed and advantages/disadvantages noted for each. There is information for cavers and explorers as well as sportsmen and rescue pros. Some of the most interesting passages in the book describe real situations, poor planning, and what happened. If you want information good enough to go out and survive a dangle from a rope, this is it.

This is a wonderful book. It shows knots in detail, it shows when and how to use them. We use the book all the time as a training manual.

This by far the most comprehensive book on technical rope work and rigging I have ever found. The information is of value to anyone who does high-angle work, not just cavers. The authors do a fabulous job explaining different techniques and WHY they work-an attribute lacking in many other such books. ON ROPE has been the single greatest non-human teacher in my climbing career. Its a must-own for anyone who puts their life on a rope.

this book consists almost everything u need to be a lithographer and is also concise and up-to-date!

also the price is not too high.

good book!

The book provides a great overview of the Electron Beam Lithography, which was the material of interest for me. Material is conveyed in great detail while the meaning of the material is not necessarily constricted to the experts. As an undergraduate student, I found the material readable. I was also able to understand most of the information well and as a result I believe I have a good base of knowledge about lithography. I would definitely recommend this book to other students.

The book give a very good overview of what microlithography is and it gives the recent advances in the field. I highly recommend it as something very good to have if your into the field of lithography and especially if you are a non engineer.

Conversations with Papa Charlie made me miss my grandfather and the stories he used to tell me. growing up in the Washington area, Charles E. Smith was a familiar name to me. I always thought it was a made up corporate entitity. It's nice to see that Chalres Smith was a real person, and not a heartless corporate giant. I recommend this book to all those who are looking for a little guidance in life, and for anyone who just wants to read some heartwarming stories.

I DON'T THINK I'LL FORGET PAPA CHARLIE FOR A LONG TIME. HE HAS TRULY INSPIRED ME!!!!!

It is nice to know that there are businessmen who are not just---interested in making money. This wonderful memoir shows how the elegant Mr. Smith, a Russian immigrant who came to America at the age of 10, went from rags to riches---twice. His initial success was achieved as a builder of homes and small shopping centers in Brooklyn, New York shortly before the Depression. Feeling that a stock market disaster was imminent, he confided to his partner-cousin that he wanted to get out of the business. But his cousin believing Smith to be irrational, talked him into staying in the business through 1929; in 1930, the agreed, they would stop building. Unfortunately the Crash came and Smith lost all of his money, but not his spirit. The lesson he learned--one of many he passes on to the reader in "Papa Charlie"--is never to go against your intuition. Smith eventually re-constructed his wealth--the second time in Washington, DC twenty years later--but in the end retired suddenly at the age of 66 to spend the rest of his life as a philanthropist. In the 28 years he was to live, he raised money for numerous causes, and co-founded the Institute of Psychobiology in Israel. As his grandson-author, David Bruce Smith, reveals, Smith would also peruse the Washington Post each morning, looking for human interest stories that moved him. The reader learns about the poor woman for whom he bought a washing machine, the friends he helped during financial reversals, and the kind and compassionate way he treated his employees. Reading Conversations with Papa Charlie was a moving experience for me. I would recommend it for ANYONE. Smith's story makes you believe that Good Samaritans still exist.

Every day, we hear names of business giants such as Bill Gates or John D. Rockefeller. But what we don't hear is the story of what makes or made these men who they were. How they lived. Who they loved. What inspired them.What they ate for breakfast.

Conversations With Papa Charlie gave me a real look behind the scenes at Charles E. Smith--one of the biggest names in real estate. I discovered who Charles E. Smith really was--his successes, his failures and lessons--not just for business but for life.

It is a magical and charming memoir that I would recommend for anyone of any age who wants to be inspired.

This is a really useful book for those who are approaching death and those who are critically ill and don't know what the outcome will be. I'm not Episcopalian, but felt really supported in terms of ethical and spiritual help when my father was dying and I read it.

When confronted by potentially controversial ethical issues, such as those surrounding death and dying, churches rarely distinguish themselves. There are a number of pitfalls. Knowing that they cannot please anyone, they may simply remain silent, abdicating their responsibility to provide moral guidance. Worse, they may make pious-sounding, but vague, pronouncemnts that address issues without actually saying anything. When take clear positions, they may have a hard time making a convincing connection to their own tradition. This work avoids all those pitfalls. The Episcopal Church's End of Life Task Force addresses issues such as assisted suicide clearly and concisely even as they respect the human anguish and moral ambiguities involved.

Although specifically Anglican in perspective, the early chapters offer an understanding of death and its place in human life--including theologically appropriate uses of medical treatment/resources--that will be of value to all Christians (and others interested in what religious traditions have to say). After discussions of mourning, the church's role, and social policy issues like access to health care and the importance of palliative care, the book provides several very helpful resources for use in local parishes. This book by a distinguished panel of clergy, ethicists, physicians, and attorneys (not to imply that any of those categories excludes any of the others!) can serve as a useful resource for all who want to make the end of life a more faithful experience, both for themselves and for others.

I reviewed this book and am recommending it to my women clients. A comprehensive trade book, the authors have superb credentials. Dr. Smith is a pain expert and medical doctor yet gives a well-thought-out holistic program that includes exercise (such as yoga and stretching), dietary changes, natural therapies including botanicals, stress management, and hands-on touch therapies, among others. The book focuses on pain that's common to women such as headaches, menstrual cramps, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, fibromyalgia, and other types and discusses how to best treat these with a multifaceted program. I'm keeping a copy on hand as a personal resource.

I saw Dr. Smith when he was in Boston at Beth Israel (Harvard). He is the DEAREST, MOST COMPASSIONATE doctor I've ever known. I've suffered with chronic back pain for years, and Dr. Smith helped me find the right combination of therapies to resolve the pain and live my life again. This book is so totally him!! It is easy-to-read, compassionate, and helps women (like me) understand what is happening when we have pain. His treatment program is so conservative with many natural therapies listed and explained. He's the best--and this book reflects that.
I HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!

I have been waiting for the release of this book ever since reading about it in a small magazine called OURSELVES. The book is everything I need--answers all my questions about pain and why I feel pain differently than my husband. It has superb remedies--both natural and medicine--for ending menstrual cramps, headaches, and back pain. I took notes and gave the book to a friend with fibromyalgia as there's a section on this, too.
Very refreshing, very revealing!! Finally--someone knows what women have endured and now WE know how to best treat it!

The suspense and surprise ending along with the comically and brightly done pictures are enjoyable for the parent/adult as well as for the child!! If you have ever worn a towel or some kind of cape around your neck and played superhero - you will relive those days and enjoy this read thoroughly!! Great for storytime! The sounds depicted in the story and the techno-robotic-communicator had us entralled. Enjoy!

This book was recommended to me by the Children's Storyteller at our Public Library. It is so much fun, and the dialogue sounds just like my children at home! The artist has drawn characters that fit the story so well, it is a great book for storytime or anytime! We all really enjoyed this one!

A delightful book that is as fun for you to read to your child as it is for them to listen to.

... The allusions to Bogart films and the really bad puns (visual and otherwise) serve to introduce your child to a whole new level of fun with language and, around every turned page there's something new.

... you'll find things in this book that will keep you as entertained as your child right up until the final page when the lights go out. ...

My son, Joel, loved this book, and he reads it often. He wants me to get a toy or something, but I don't know if there are any.

Throughout many books available for PowerBuilder today this one is more deeply and carefully covers all the details you will need from day to day operations. I've red over dozens of books and I think that this one the only one that is not tells you where to click, but teaches you how to build an application and logical design. I do hope that authors of the book (B. Smith and G. Schaad) will issue a newer version that will cover features implemented with PB 6.x and PB 7

This is by far the easiest-to-read and -understand book I have read on PowerBuilder. It is very well edited also, with no grammatical or spelling errors that I could discern. This is a far better book on PowerBuilder than I have read by any other author. Bravo!

I am related to Charlie Lawson. General Lawson was my grandfather. My parents (Jess & Trudie Pruitt) told me the story when I was younger and the book tells the same exact story. My mother was interviewed for this book.

Ok, so I haven't read the book, but I DID go to the old school that the Lawson children went to. The school has been shut down from about 1930 or so. My freinds and I walked down a long dark path and when we got so close to the school, we had to leave! Very odd things happened while we were there. We were planning to go in but we just couldn't! After we left the school, we drove to the grave site (which is about 10 miles from the school) where the whole family had been burried. All together with one huge tombstone "Lawson" The father was burried on the far right then the mother and infant together and then Marie(the oldest daughter) That is all we got to before some weird things happend.

My father used to have this book (we are related to Charlie Lawson) but at the time he had it, he didn't let me read it because i was too young. Now that i am older i amd more fascinated (and so is my dad) about the Lawson Family Murders. My dads grandpa (Sanders) was out hunting with the oldest son of Charlies the morning of the murders. We would like to contact other family members who are interested in this. My grandpa Lawson lives in NC (close to thomasville) so if we ever come down we would like to visit the grave with other family members.