A first class study of the background to the Case Study Houses project created by the southern Californian Arts & Architecture magazine. This book was originally published in conjunction with an exhibition of the program at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles in 1989-1990. It has plenty of photos and plans (though some the photos are just a little too dark) to illustrate the eight main essays. Editor Elizabeth Smith and Amelia Jones devote forty-two pages to the actual houses with succinct descriptions, plans and photos. The rest of this marvellous book has a huge amount of information relating to housing and the post-war environment and how the thirty-six prototype houses had a wide influence on the domestic architecture that followed.

I particularly enjoyed the two essays by Thomas Hines and also Dolores Hayden's essay 'Model Houses for the Millions: architects' dreams, builders' boasts, residents' dilemmas'. The back of the book has six contemporary architects ideas and plans for housing in 'Extending the Case Study Concept', followed by biographies, chronology, bibliography and index.

Was the project worth it? Architectural writer Esther McCoy summed it up as... 'Perceived as a prototype that was to be enacted on a mass scale, the Case Study House program was a failure. Perceived as a prophetic statement, however, as a demonstration of trends and influences that would in one way or another achieve realization, the program must be judged a success. Perceived as art, finally, an approach suggested by their presence in The Museum of Contemporary Art, the Case Study Houses have won the right to be recognized and respected in the history of American design'.

You might think that everything about the CSH was included in this book but Elizabeth Smith has just edited another one called (you guessed it) 'Case Study Houses', a beautiful, very expensive ... very heavy (twelve pounds) very big (opens up to over thirty-two inches wide) 440 page visual history with hundreds of photos (especially from Julius Shulman) plans and drawings. What was missing from this sumptuous volume was all the information in 'Blueprints for Modern Living' so if you go for both books you really will have the COMPLETE CSH experience.

Nuetra, Soriano, Ellwood, Koenig - Blueprints for moder living is the catalogue for a major exhibit at the LA MoCA in the late 80's. It is an excellent sourcebook for those intersted in post war residential architecture. Modern Architecture (with a capital A) was going to change the world, as these bold case-study house designs show. This book contains a great deal more than just documenting the Case Study Building Program of the 50's. There are essays by noted historians Esther McCoy, Thomas Hines and Reyner Banham and others as well. These essays provide the background for the case study program and the mood of the public (especially in Califonia) after WW2. There is also an essay on publisher Joh Estnza and the Arts and Architecture Magazine that sponsored the program. The last chapter "Extending the Case Study Concept" documents the exhibit of six new designs (1987) commisioned by the Museum for a multi family housing project. Architects include: Eric Owen Moss, Toyo Ito and Hogetts & Fung. Lastly there are bio's on the architects, a timeline of events for the program and resourcefull bibliography. As always, the Julious Shulman photographs are stunning. This is a must have for the student of Modernism.

Taylor Coffman is an extraordinary thinker and writer. His far-ranging mind covers both in depth and in scope a unique era and two of its most intriguing and passionately creative personalities. Mr. Coffman has a way with words that is delightfully entertaining and keenly informative. This is a five-star performance and worth every penny!

A great introduction to So Cal history with a comprehensive reviw of the whole cultural and historical landscape. Just as important, the writing is quick and entertaining.

Collaboratively compiled by Kimberly and Kaleigh Komatsu, In America's Shadow is a very personalized retelling of the injustice the United States of America perpetrated upon more than 120,000 members of the Japanese-American population during the World War II era, when they were compelled by the American government to live in relocation camps. Powerful black-and-white photographs and the wistful captions tell the story of a young girl and her family's experiences. A timely book in light of today's political turmoil, and very highly recommended for readers of all ages, In America's Shadow is vivid and unforgettable photography book highlighting one of the relatively lesser known aspects of World War II.

Hello there. First of all I should say that I saw the movie first and then I read the book. The movie it was based exactly like the book, with the same scenes, the director (strohein) he even made the movie just like the book. But the producer cutted it, because it was 8 hours of length. The book talks about Mc Teague a dentist who falls in love of one of his patients, the cousin of his best friend, and his best friend helped him to get married. And after this she wins the lottery and there it start an history of love, poor, greed, traitors and death. Good book to read, and great move to watch.

Shanghaied In San Francisco details a system by which cargo ships sailing out of San Francisco were assured a full complement of sailors. Shanghaing - forcing men aboard sailing ships by essentially kidnapping them - was indeed a system, buttressed by agreements between ship captains and the crimps who supplied them with sailors, by politicians who knew that without full crews to sail the ships the city's economy would crumble, and by support within police and fire departments. Shanghaiing existed in every major port around the world, but the term originated in San Francisco from the clipper tea trade with China. When the clipper era waned, shanghaiing of sailors increased, as the city's growth brought in more trade and more ships. Bill Pickelhaupt details this colorful history with this absorbing, well-researched account. In this book you will find legendary crimps such as "Shanghai Chicken" Devine and "Shanghai" Kelly, but there is also some surprising information, such as the large number of women crimps who shanghaied sailors. The rivalry among the crimps to collect "blood money" for supplying men to ships was so intense, there was a case of one crimp shanghaiing a rival crimp! The author also dispels a popular myth - that much of the shanghaiing involved trap doors in saloons, where sailors fell into the hands of runners who took them out to awaiting ships. Although not entirely untrue, it was not nearly as prevalent as legend has it. The legal struggles against shanghaiing are also discussed, along with the crimps efforts to subvert legal infringements on their trade. Shanghaied In San Francisco is also a portrait of an era when San Francisco was a wide-open town, and when sailors were treated as third-class citizens. Anyone interested in maritime history, San Francisco history, or in just a good read, will benefit from this book.

Sick Surfers is a must for any Surfer's library. Yes, Surfers can read and write too!, take a look at Chris Carter, fellow surfer and X-Files Creator!

Anyway, this book, written by two doctors and fellow surfers explains in great detail and in plain english different ailments and their relation to surfing. It also covers preventative medicine. It is a must have for anyone that surfs or is involved in any other related watersports.

See You In The Water-anonymous.

This documentary on California's water history provides both an important state guide and a history featuring literary works by some of the state's best-known authors. Politics, economics, and social issues blend in this presentation which includes 148 color photos, 58 duotone photos, and 15 line drawings to make for a lavish display of facts.

Mcteague, a novel by Frank Norris, is a book which shows how greed can destroy a person's life. Hardworking Mcteague suddenly comes into som money when his wife wins the lottery. He thiks this is cause to celebrate, but he doesn't know how wrong he is. Soon, his best friend turns on him when he feels he has a legitimate claim to the money. A man named Zerkow is driven to murder when he finds that his wife may be withholding very value pottery from him. Almost everybody in the book is devastated in one way or another from their greed. This book is an excellent satire of the evils of greed.

I sort of stumbled upon this page as I was doing a search for a book on California history. I am the great-niece of Frank Norris (living in San Francisco, frequently driving past Frank Norris St., an alley just off Polk St.) I, too, had to read the novel in high school (along with "Sister Carrie", etc) many years ago -- and loved it (though wasn't sure I would). Seeing the film "Greed" a number of years later cemented my regard for the work of my my colorful ancestor. It's great to read these comments and find how much today's readers enjoy the novel...and realize that it probably will not just fade away, but has probably achieved lasting status as one of the great works of western -- Californian -- literature.

Some aspects of McTeague are a little on the amateurish side; it can be psychologically clumsy, and some of the symbolism seems a bit labored (hey, Norris was in his twenties, whaddaya expect?). This, however, is irrelevant, because, truly, it is the most visceral novel I've read in ages, pulling no punches, and with easily the most nightmarish ending I've ever encountered in a 'realistic' novel (whatever you do, don't spoil it for yourself). Norris's single token attempt at lightening the mood is a secondary romantic subplot, but really, you'll be so overwhelmed by the novel's main thread, you'll barely notice.

Norris was heavily, heavily influenced by Zola, and it shows on ever page. And, while his writing might not be up to that of The Man at his height (though if he hadn't died at thirty-two...the mind reels at the possibilities), he nonetheless displays all of Emile's best tendencies: the talent for atmosphere, the firm refusal to ever relent, the simply-drawn but deeply memorable characters...it's all there. Written in English, by an American. One of those things that might contribute to my being proud of my country, if not for various other issues.

Seriously, dudes and dudesses...it's difficult for me to imagine how one could fail to be awestruck by this novel. Anyone interested in American fiction, naturalism, or just kickass writing in general should most definitely not miss it.