Architecture Books

A book filled with all the colour and magic of Mexico. An excellent representation of the architecture and colour of a vibrant country. Well written and photographed.

This book is good, maybe even great, but still can't compare to Melba Levick and Masako Takahashi's AWESOME "Mexicolor". Masako's other book, "Mexican Tiles" comes close, and still edges out "Mexicasa" a little bit as well, so when all is said and done I think I just have to chalk it up to Masako's EVIDENT love and appreciation for the unfathomable beauty of things Mexican. Melba Levick seems to me to see things more from the outside looking in, and without so much PASSION, kind of like a more disinterested spectator than a participant, but that could just be my opinion.

That said, this book is is REALLY NICE. I DO really like it and I highly recommend it- especially if you already own and really liked "Mexicolor" and "Mexican Tiles". Or if you aren't so much into artesanias and Mexican interior design, but are more of an armchair traveler or are interested in actual historic hotels and haciendas.

What Gina Hyams and Melba Levick have created here is a wonderful compilation of photos of 21 of Mexico's most spectacular and beautiful inns and bed & breakfast places.
Melba Levick must have had a ball taking these shots. There's hardly a picture that isn't beautiful in its own right - and there must be at least 300 of them. For this observer, the Mexican talent for blending and matching and mixing colors is the highlight of page after page. We see gardens and patios and pool areas and bedroom and dining areas and a host of living spaces where the eye is simply enchanted by the way the owners of these homes have decorated their various spaces. My own personal favorite is, of all things, a bathroom wall composed of talavera tiles where almost no two tiles on the wall match each other.
All the houses are fully described by Gina Hyams and in most cases she gives us anecdotes and stories about how the various places came about. Thus, for instance, in Hacienda Katanchel in the Yucatan,we read that the present owners discovered the place in 1996. It had been abandoned for 35 years and originally dated back to the 17th century. So what they acquired were 740 acres of dense jungle in which were buried many crumbling buildings with trees growing through walls and ceilings. They gradually cleared the mess away and started building and renovating in a blend of Mexican, Mayan and Spanish styles. And you should see the place now.
On a less ambitious scale, we read about Mesón Sacristia de la Compañia in Puebla. This began as a family-run antique store which the owners turned into a restaurant and then an inn. It has one extra little twist for people who stay there - everything in the place is for sale. The owners are continually having to replace dishes and furniture.
And so the stories go... Pick up a copy and give your coffee table a treat.

I can't say enough about the quality of the pictures in this book. Startling and brilliant color. Nice writeups about the inns and haciendas. For anyone traveling to Mexico and looking for unique and historical places to stay, this would be a great book to read before the trip. Highly recommend.

You can almost feel the colours and shapes, taste the food and smell the flowers in this lavishly illustrated book on Mexican Haciendas and Hotels. I can see why allot of the people that started these Inns sold everything they had and moved to Mexico to start a new life. This book will be an inspiration to architects and would also make a great coffee table book. Be careful to check the binding when you get it. The glue on mine all fell off in chunks after the first read!

Unlike many other microprocessor books which mainly focus on programming, this book provides practical and detail knowledge on hardware interfacing. These including design of address decoder and mechanical characteristic of microprocessor buses.

For student or fresh engineer who want to get the real thing works, this is the book.

This is especially handy as the 3rd edition has a cd-rom with a cross-compiler!

This book is suitable for a semester course in microprocessor systems. It has good coverage of hardware and software topics. I use it in a senior/master's course which studies the 68000 and SPARC as comparative CISC/RISC architectures. The book comes with a CDROM including a PC-based 68000 simulator for readers who do not have access to real 68000 hardware.

This book makes all things clear about designing systems controlled by microprocessors and uses the Motorola 68000 family of microprocessors as an example. It is full of clear examples and many exercises for the student, and shows details of both the hardware and programming aspects of microprocessor system design, making it ideal for engineers who are interested in the subject. The book starts with an overview of the microcomputer in general, and shows how the microprocessor and its accessories control the larger microcomputing device. Next, the author introduces the reader specifically to the Motorola 68000 family of microprocessors and their respective architectures and features.

Next the author tackles an art that is usually passed down by word of mouth from master to apprentice - how to program a microprocessor and its peripheral devices using the C programming language as well as assembly language. This is followed by chapters on memories, exception handling versus interrupts, and coprocessors and caches.

The next few chapters are on the external devices that are usually a necessity for a microprocessor controlled system - parallel and serial ports, external timer devices, special devices to control IEEE-488 buses, and special buses such as the VMEbus and Nubus. Actual existing peripheral devices are used in the examples. There are plenty of circuit diagrams and code snippets in both assembly language and C to show how the various pieces of a microcomputer are assembled to make a working system.

Although today RISC designs based on "microprocessor cores" power the vast majority of mass-produced computing devices, the approach to creating the components of these core-based microcomputers is basically the same as it was in the days when we used to wire-wrap a 10MHz 68000 system together. Thus, learning the art of microprocessor system design is something any engineer interested in digital design should know. This book is an excellent source for learning that art. The following is the table of contents:

1. THE MICROCOMPUTER
Microprocessor Systems
Examples of Microprocessor Systems

2. PROGRAMMING THE 68000 FAMILY
Assembly Language Programming and the 68000
Programmer''s Model of the 68000
Addressing Modes of the 68000
An Introduction to the 68000 Family Instruction Set
Program Control and the 68000
Miscellaneous Instructions
Subroutines and the 68000
Introduction to the 68020's Architecture
Speed and Performance of Microprocessors
Structured Programming and Pseudocode (PDL)

3. ASSEMBLY LANGUAGE AND C
Parameter Passing
The Stack and Local Variables
C and the 68000
Summary of C''s Syntax

4. THE 68000 CPU HARDWARE MODEL
68000 Interface
Timing Diagram
Dealing with Timing Problems
Minimal Configuration Using the 68000
The 68020 & 68030 Memory Interface
Worked Examples

5. MEMORIES IN MICROCOMPUTER SYSTEMS
Address Decoding Strategies
Designing Address Decoders
Designing Static Memory Systems
Designing Dynamic Memory Systems
Worked Examples

6. EXCEPTION HANDLING AND THE 68000
Interrupts
Privileged States and the 68000
Exception Processing
Exceptions Implemented by the 68000
Interrupts and Real-Time Processing
The Reset and the Bus Error
Exception Processing and the 68010 and 68020

7. THE 68000 FAMILY IN LARGER SYSTEMS
Error Detection and Correction in Memories
Memory Management and Microprocessors
Cache Memories
Coprocessor
Introduction to the 68040 Microprocessor
The 68060

8. THE MICROPROCESSOR INTERFACE
Introduction to Microprocessor Interfaces
Direct Memory Access
The 68230 Parallel Interface/Timer
The IEEE 488 Bus

9. THE SERIAL INPUT/OUTPUT INTERFACE
Asynchronous Serial Data Transmission
Asynchronous Communications Interface Adapter (ACIA)
The 68681 DUART
Synchronous Serial Data Transmission
Serial Interface Standards

10. MICROCOMPUTER BUSES
Mechanical Layer
Electrical Characteristics of Buses
VMEbus
NuBus

11. DESIGNING A MICROCOMPUTER SYSTEM
Designing for Reliability and Testability
Design Examples Using the 68000
Design Example Using the 68030 Monitors
APPENDIX
SUMMARY OF THE 68000 INSTRUCTOR SET
ABOUT THE CD-ROM

This book presents an excellent intro to the design of microprocessor systems using the very powerful and easy-to-learn Motorola 68000 family. It concentrates on hardware design/interfacing, programming,timing issues, memory mapping and address decoding, serial I/O and peripherals. Covers all the important issues. The information is of high quality and very well written. The reader should have a knowledge of binary/hex number systems and basic digital design as prerequisites. Comes with cd-rom containing software tools. I recommend this book highly.

This book is fantastic! It captures the essence of Monet's painting better than any other book I've seen. The color printing is accurate. The plates are large and plentiful. There are complete series like the Japanese Bridge and Lily Pads as well as select paintings that are rarely found in other Monet books. And the inclusion of some unfinished late canvases shows how far Monet went into the future of Western art. You won't find many better than this!

Unlike most art books, this small volume has been in print continuously since 1978 & when you read it, it isn't hard to see why: superb reproductions and an extremely elegant design (plus its small size - very unusual in art publishing) offer the reader a wonderful experience wandering in Monet's vision of a carefully constructed alternate reality. In Monet's Giverny, natural forms respond instantly to light. The images produce a peculiar sense of floating in the viewer - many of the pictures lack a horizon line or any indication of where the viewer is in relation to the picture. As a result, we seem to hover in flight, poised above a constantly shifting panorama of woods, water, fields, and lilies. Interestingly, no human figures are visible in these works (Monet was never really a figure painter) producing a peculiar sensation of isolation and contemplation in the spectator - we wander through this magical land alone, or with whatever companion we desire. A superlative achievement which has found few imitators in the world of art publishing.

Whether you have appreciated Monet's works for years or you are just discovering him for the first time like me, this book is a beautiful, informative collection of his best.

Beyond the absolutely vivid and beautiful quality of the paintings displayed in Monet's Years at Giverny, I greatly appreciate the style of language used throughout the book. Unlike many major art books which often seem to forget about the layman reader, this book reads more like a beautiful story of his life providing great insight into his works.

In college, I was fortunate enough to see a collection of his Water Lilies in Paris. Although at the time I was amazed to see them, through Monet's Years at Giverny I came to fully appreciate them---Not only the paintings, but the man himself.

Excellent addition to any collection!

This book takes an in-deapth look at one of the greatest impressionist artists of all time. Go out and buy it today.

Claude Monet lived in rural Giverny from 1883 until his death in 1926. Many of the paintings that we most closely identify with his oeuvre were done on his property or in the neighborhood. Following his death, the property deteriorated until its restoration was completed in the 1970s with the help of Lila Acheson Wallace, of Reader's Digest fame. This book was created to in part to honor that restoration and the show that commemorated it. The show marked the beginning of a resurgence of interest in Monet that continues to grow. My only reservation about recommending this book is that it would have benefited from larger sized pages so that the reproductions could have been larger.

Giverny is located to the north of Paris, and is connected to Paris by the rail line from Gare St. Lazare (which Monet painted several times). The view of nature we get there is a reflection of Monet's very French focus on creating gardens, a lily pond, and walkways that bring natural beauty into our controlled grasp.

I have had the pleasure of visiting Monet's home at Giverny several times since it was restored and highly recommend that you make this journey as well when you are in Paris. Your concept of Monet's work will be changed by seeing his working conditions. The grounds are primarily an extension of his studio, for making observations of nature easier. First time visitors will be shocked to realize that the lily pond was dug and expanded at great effort and expense by Monet. Without his persistence, we would be missing many of our favorite Monet paintings.

Throughout the time that Monet lived in Giverny, his eyesight deteriorated . . . mostly due to cataracts. As an artist friend of mine points out, that eye affliction greatly improved his painting by making it freer and less detailed.

He also pioneered many techniques of al fresco paining, such as creating an artist's studio in a boat for his famous river scenes. This enabled him to capture many unusual perspectives from the water to the river bank. Similarly, one purpose of the Japanese bridge over his lily pond was to give him a similar point of perspective.

The book contains a map of Giverny and Monet's property (purchased in 1890 after he originally rented it), and 81 works that he created in the area.

Missing from these reproductions are the famous water lily paintings that he gave to the French nation which are now housed in the basement of the Orangerie. Be sure you see them when you next visit Paris. Many people go to the Orangerie and never make it to the basement. These are among the greatest jewels of Impressionism.

You will be pleased to see the 25 works from the Musee Marmottan in Paris. These masterworks are also often missed by those who visit Paris because they do not know about this small gem of a museum and its superb Monet collection.

The reproductions are organized around themes: (1) river scenes (from the boat) (2) haystacks [sic] (3) poplars (4) river and fields (5) morning on the Seine (from the boat) (6) the Japanese footbridge (7) the Garden Path (8) early water lilies (9) the late series (my favorites are the rose trellises over the garden path) (10) pond subjects, and (11) late water lilies.

The end of the book also has a chronology of Monet's life and works that will help you integrate this show into his entire work.

You will come away with a new excitement and respect for nature from these images. You will also feel more connected to and with the beauty of nature. Your mood will be lifted, just as Monet intended. What you see will be uniquely yours, also just as intended. Monet pays you the ultimate compliment here of letting you participate in the creative process by arranging the work in your mind to fit your mental needs and perspective.

After you enjoy these images, I suggest that you come away inspired to make what you do more accessible to others. How can you make your life and your work easier for others to participate in?

Live in beauty!

Both the book and the transaction were great. A perfect step by step guide.

The author provides excellent resources and instruction on building Mongolian style yurts. Though the text is somewhat dated many of the principles are still applicable today. I recommend this book to any beginner interested in constructing this type of nomadic dwelling.

Nomadic living in the 21st century can be achieved if your house is flexible and even portable - and MONGOLIAN CLOUD HOUSES: HOW TO MAKE A YURT AND LIVE COMFORTABLE advocates and shows how to construct a yurt using low-cost, natural materials available in either a backyard or wilderness. Step-by-step black and white drawings accompany a yurt history and includes construction alternatives and tips and tricks. A rare 'must' for any interested in alternative do-it-yourself construction.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book covers all the bases for homemade yurt living. History, how-to construction manual, reference guide, state-of-the-art catalog for all things in world of yurts (ger). Great pictures and graphics; the original nomadic living bible.

Mongolian Cloud Houses: How to Make a Yurt and Live Comfortably If you're into simplicity in dwelling and have a piece of land (your own, or unhindered use of some other property) then Mongolian Cloud Houses by Dan Frank Kuehn may be for you. But please note, if you wish to build a yurt similar to Kuehn's specifications, you will also need to glean a fair amount of natural raw materials from that land, as well as have ample time if you intend to build according to the author's specifications. Although not terribly labor intensive in sheer physical construction, building yurts as Kuehn does requires a fair amount of determined patience (a notion of building that is almost heretical in today's culture of "instant gratification" but was widely accepted practice for centuries and firmly reconstituted by many a counter-cultural self-builder of the 1960's and 70's.) In short, this is not the book for you, if you're seeking to get a yurt erected overnight. (If that's the case, pony-up some hard earned dough and go buy a commercially manufactured yurt. Then also hire/recruit a bunch of warm bodies to assist you. Maybe you'll get the thing up in a week, maybe you won't. This IS the book for you, if 1). You are basically building alone or maybe with some help from a friend. 2). You are short of, or very economical with money. 3). You have abundant free time. 4). You want to live simply in the round and wish to work mostly with materials you can gather or scrounge. And finally, 5) You need to have something warm and comfortable yet nomadic (Because a nylon camping tent as your base camp/wilderness home/extra dwelling space just won't cut it.) As a micro building enthusiast, I admire anyone who creates useful organic dwellings and then shares what they know with others. Especially when that knowledge is shared at a most affordable price. As with all Shelter Publications, this book is chockful of useful information. Kuehn's own hand drawn ilustrations are fabulous. The pics of his yurts and his self-evolution from 1976-2006 are delightful. And Jim Macey's b&w photos of Mongolia are a nice addition. It is a valued addition to my homestead and architectural bookshelf.

serious system testing has never been part of the culture here. One day the manager decided that it would be a good thing if we did proper, coordinated, effective stress and load testing. I got stuck with coming up with strategy. I started reading this book expecting a how to guide. I expected to be spoon fed all the nittt gritty details on how to do it. This is not what I got.

This book points you in the right direction, show you the tools you could use, explains what you need to think about and the questions you need to ask. The how-to and the answers to the questions are more for you to figure out yourslef.

At the end of it you come away with a better understanding of what you need to do, why you need to do, high level how you are going to do it and the value you and your company are going to gain by doing all of this.

I would strongly recommend it to anyone having to get involved in system analysis and performance. It gives you a great broader picture of the whole issue. You think you know what you have got yourself involved in. this book shows you that you appreciate only the tip of the iceberg.

This is an excellent book which can be used for perfomance tuning and stress testing phase of big projects

Written by an authority on the subject. This book is a treasure trove of information that is detailed and essential for covering all aspects of a properly executed stress test. Written from experience, this book is a definite "MUST" read for anyone assigned the challenging task.

This book features good discussion on performance tuning the mySAP suite that no other books have so far. This is the perfect book for SAP Stress Test Project Managers, SAP Stress Test Project Teams, SAP Basis Administrators, Oracle DBAs, Unix Administrators managing SAP systems, and project implementation teams. Those who stress test their systems well with the help of this book will have significant returns.

The ultimate reference for performance testing (certainly testing, more so than actual tuning, though the latter is covered well in the last few chapters). The author's approach is complete in that it addresses how to test along with what, when, to what degree, and with what kind of staffing resources. I'm already thinking of ways we can improve our own change control processes, and based on tools and methods covered by the author I'm convinced I can do so cheaper and with less impact to my users than I previously thought possible. Case in point, look into the two chapters on tools for testing and monitoring: in this alone, the book will pay for itself in short order.

One of the best books on the NEC. However I think figures should be better drawn. This would make the book more attractive to first time readers. One of the best things is that it explains the whys of many topics of the NEC.

The Mcgraw NEC Handbook is as good or better than the NFPA book. Easy to use and understand.

It is an excellent handbook not only for electricians but also for general construction professionals to understand electrical codes.

I have always found McPartland's handbook the only one worth having. The handbooks published by NFPA are in my opinion worthless because they are written for people with limited intelligence. The NFPA handbook really just states the obvious.
McPartland's book has always been good because he goes into the background to explain why the crazy things are in the NEC to begin with along with all of the nuances necessary for interpretations. When he retired from EC&M magazine that publication went down hill and I don't even read it anymore. Joe was the backbone of that pub. I've been in this business as an engineer since 1971. My first McPartland book was his 17th edition that covered the 1981 NEC.

The single most important reference in the electrical industry, the National Electrical Code (NEC), is updated every three years and outlines minimum standards for all types of electrical installations.

This book is loaded with solutions designed to provide better safeguards, add greater usability, and bring provisions in line with technology trends. Absolutely a must for anyone involved in electrical design, installation, or inspection, the 2005 NEC provides 100% of the information needed to meet Code® and avoid costly errors in electrical installations of all types.

Every three years the National Electrical Code® is significantly revised to keep pace with technology and enhance protection against electrical fire and shock hazards. This is an valuable reference to help you get in position to advance your knowledge and be prepared with the newest codes.

This book is like an annotated version of the NEC 2005.

The only thing wrong with this book is its unavailability. Out of print since 2005, this is quite simply the finest cofee table book on national parks ever made, bar none. Incredible paper and print quality. I have given this book as a gift several times.

Despite the seemingly mediocre title of this book, the pictures are anything but average. Here, you will find landscapes of various different types and beauty, from rugged cliffs to lush forests and waterfalls. The natural beauty of this book will challenge anyone who believes that photography is not an art, as Meunch has an unbelievable talent for it. In fact, while Udall is a good essay writer, I would even go so far as to say that Meunch should be credited as the author here. Not only does he capture breathtaking images, but his perspective is amazing as well, particularly in his forest photos. The forest section of the book perfectly represents the vastness of the trees, making me feel as though I'm a nymph or some other woodland creature marveling at the majesty around me. Whether you are a nature lover or have never appreciated it before, I recommend you get this book now!

This is one helluva book. Thank you Kutti. The photographs would make an nature enthusist drool with sheer glee, the text by Udall brothers is so refreshing, makes you wanna follow their paths. David's large format photographs are guaranteed to take your breath away. It did for me..Amazing..and the book is big and heavy..with the highest quality paper possible. Buy it..I am planning to get some camping equipments really soon...:))

"National Parks of America" is a wonderful collection of photographs from the National Parks in the United States. David Muench does a marvelous job capturing some of the the most beautiful places in the United States. His photographs include the Alaskan National Parks, the Grand Canyon, the giant redwoods in Redwood National Park, the giant sequoias in Sequoia National Park, the natural bridges in the national parks in Utah, Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico, Old Faithful geyser in Yellowstone National Park, Isle Royale in Michigan, and the Great Smoky Mountains in North Carolina and Tennessee. There is a map of all of the places in the National Park System, and an essay by Stewart L. Udall, former Secretary of the Interior under Kennedy and Johnson, and James R. Udall. I cannot recommend this book enough. You must see it to fully understand what an outstanding book it truly is. It made me want to visit these places as soon as possible!

This is the book with the most beautiful pictures of America's National Parks I have seen so far. The print quality of the photographs is excellent. I have given this book as a gift to many of my friends and relatives!

this book has cleared up a lot of clouds in my mind about Internetworking concept as well as router/switch issues. Thanks, Howard.

This book discusses most aspects of network design to an impressive level of detail. No fast answers are given as is appropriate for a design book. The author's approach is such that he immediately commands the readers respect and from what I have seen is only matched by Cormac Long's design book. The only gripe I might have is that I found the style a tad long-winded at times, since I personally prefer books to be as concise as possible.

I really like this book. Despite a slight tendancy to ramble, Berkowitz style is very enjoyable, humourous at times, and he explains everything in detail. This is a book geared towrds understanding the concepts of routing and switching, rather than analyzing everything from the manufacturers viewpoint. As a result, you get a firm understanding of the fundamentals. Where appropriate, he does discuss manufacturer specific design/philosphy (e.g. cisco, nortel, etc.), but for the most part it's completely independent of that. Hence, this is useful regardless of what gear you're using. This is a must for every network engineer's library.

Delightful might seem like a strange word to describe a technical book, but it's exactly what I mean to say. I find myself being delighted with Howard's unique way of presenting the essence of a network technology. I hear myself say "ah hah, that's what all that incomprehensible text in those other books meant!" Howard uses analogies and real-life examples to ensure that the reader really understands the basics and the details. Great book for learning routing and switching architecture design.

This book is incredible. Howard speaks with a voice of absolute authority. He presents all sides of the issues and leaves the reader to come to his/her own conclusions. He is obviously a master of his craft, and reading this book is sheer pleasure. It would be a fantastic book if it was comprised of dry text and facts, but that's far from the case: this book was written by a man who understands the writer's prerogative to keep his audience awake and entertained. To my knowledge a better book on network design does not exist. Highest recommendation.

A compilation of recent inovatory church architecture from around the world with a brief historical overview. Varying photographic coverage and plans, and with coffee table text. Generally slanted towards "high art" architecture. A worthwhile current reference for anyone involved in church architecture.

It is a superb overview that evokes the immedeate desire for book II. Modernism and spiritual design are a brave neccessity for the 21st Century and this book is a great entree.

New Spiritual Architecture introduces the reader to modern-day architectonics within the sacred space of worship. Abandoning the superannuated architecture of by-gone times, this book exposes the observer to the most progressive consecrated structures erected in recent times, that also reveal a revolutionary comprehension over what makes a space sacred. Take, for example, the Night Pilgrimage Chapel in Locherboden, Austria. A simple, rectangular, concrete chapel with interiors that are fully exposed to the elements. There is a simple concrete altar and chair for the celebrant to sit, while to the rear - again in simple concrete - is the sacristy. The congregation assembles on the outside of the chapel while the priest, facing them, celebrates the mass. To fully appreciate the avant-garde appearance of this structure you simply must look at the picture in the book, or travel to Austria and see it for yourself.

There are many other projects in this book that follow the Muslim, Jewish, and Buddhist praxes assimilating unconventional sacred architectures. They, too, exhibit that same enthusiastic disposition to revolutionize the orthodoxy of their designs that the Catholic Church did with the Night Pilgrimage Chapel in Austria.

I am a Fulbright Scholar in art history and I have found this survey of modern religious structures a wonderful companion to most general art history texts, which usually only feature two or three works of religious architecture after the 1600s.

New Spiritual Architecture is a breathtaking survey of modern global architecture utilized by various religious faiths, and the worldwide exchange of cultural aspects in architecture. From the design of a Buddhist temple and ossuary in Japan to a Los Angeles cathedral to a Cistercian monastary in the Czech Republic and more, New Spiritual Architecture combines keenly insightful text with beautiful full-color photography and a handful of black-and-white diagrams for an architectural tour like no other. A "must-have" for architecture aficonados, and a treasury of inspiration both mundane and spiritual, especially for modern builders and designers.

A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome was published in 1992 and replaced the 1929 Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome which had become dated (the text of that is in the public domain). The book gives an excellent introduction to all of the monuments in the city of Ancient Rome.It has appropriate diagrams etc and an excellent bibliography. It - along with the Oxford Classical Dictionary - is a must for a library of those interested in Ancient Rome and is suited for both classical students plus interested lay readers.

I have lived in Rome for 12 years and have become an avid enthusiast of ancient Roman history. History is inextricably connected to physical locations. The Topographical Guide has proven to be invaluable. There is not one location in Rome that I have looked up that I did not find. The who, what, when, where and why of the location is concisely and clearly presented in a very easy reading style. I consider it a must for any student or enthusiast of Ancient Rome.

There is a wealth of fascinating textual information in this book, together with about a hundred illustrations, mostly architectural plans or fragments of the ancient marble plan. The author states that it was a deliberate decision not to include drawings or photographs, since these are available in Nash's Pictorial Dictionary of Ancient Rome -- but that work is very rare and expensive. His decision is understandable, but it is harder to account for the complete absence of maps. A couple of flyleaf maps of the ancient and modern city would have been very helpful in orienting the reader.

This is definitely worth the money. It is a very, very detailed work with many references to things I'd never even heard of. I've successfully used it as a reference for several papers, and recommend it to anyone-- especially classicists who're interested in the finer points of Rome's architecture, geography, and history. This is an excellent way to learn more about less common aspects of Rome, as well as the big things like the Pantheon, etc.

All in all, it's an excellent reference and a great read as well-- I highly recommend it.

With this magnificent work in hand one can read the ancient historians and understand what you are reading, street by street, site by site. New information and research has been presented in the 60 plus years since the last dictionary of ancient Rome, and it makes this new topographical tome so exciting. If you are going to Rome and have a strong arm as well as a strong interest in what was where and when, then this admittedly heavyweight book will not be too much to take along. Perhaps most fascinating are those wonderful maps which present past and present on sites long lost to the avid Roman visitor. You may not see what was there by looking at the present site, but you can understand what was there better with this book. For the college student who may be planning a career or a deep interest in classical Rome, this book will be worth the price many times over! Best of all is the list of all the classical references for each building, site, or even, in some cases, statues or adornments. This book is more than a gift of scholarship, it is a gift of love of the history of Rome and for all those who will come along in the future to study it.