Art History Books

This product was in perfect shape and I received it in no time! I was very happy with this transaction!

I strongly recommend this book. I read "set phasers on stun" and thought it was very good. The author has done even better this time.

Fascinating stories on human stupidity, negligence, incompetence and lack of common sense that ends up costing people's lives. Anyone involved with Engineering, Sciences or Maintenance needs to read this book. Actually everyone should read this book to understand human failings and why no one should ever take safety for granted. Every day people die needlessly and this book details how and why.
I really commend the author for bringing these stories to print and hope that it may save some lives.

I just finished reading "The Atomic Chef" and found it difficult to put down. I simply couldn't resist finding out what unexpected consequence or turn of events was around the next corner.

This is an absolute must read if you are in any way involved with the development of new products or services. Sometimes things don't go as planned despite everyone's best efforts. Like the bumper sticker says, "stuff" happens. This book gets into the stuff to reveal what really happened. The author painstakingly researches and recounts the real story behind mismatches in people and technology.

If you like fairy tale endings this may not be the book for you. However, if you are interested in learning the true details behind real world events, I highly recommend the Atomic Chef. In contrast to more traditional Human Factors books or case studies, the Atomic Chef presents enjoyable and eminently readable accounts of actual events.

Little things can make a big difference, I'd recommend The Atomic Chef's cautionary tales to any student or professional interested in learning more about the relationship between people and technology.

This anthology of 20 brilliantly written true stories should be of special interest to anyone dealing with technology management or product development, but it also would be enjoyed by any lay reader. As a well-known expert and writer on human factors engineering and human error, Steven Casey has obviously selected these stories because each subtly educates the reader about the role of the user interface in system failure, but also because each is tremendously interesting.

Although each chapter stands solidly on its own, a few stand prominent in my own mind due to personal interests. "Rhymes and Reasons" is a beautifully written story of musician John Denver's fatal flight in a new aircraft. Although an accomplished pilot, Denver's piloting skills were no match for a confusing set of aircraft controls and displays in his just-purchased home-built plane. The story makes the clearest case possible for the importance of good user interface design and ergonomics, and like all the stories in the book this one is thoroughly researched and referenced.

In addition to aviation and aerospace settings, the stories address transportation, maritime, medical, and various everyday events in contemporary life. Particularly poignant is "Event Horizon," a disturbing accident involving a child and an MRI machine in a New York hospital. In hindsight, the reader understands the procedures and barriers that must be in place when dealing with powerful new technologies like this.

Casey throws some truly hilarious stories in the mix to break up the pattern of predictability inherent in a book on error and disaster, and this approach works well. But, overall, be forewarned: the author is skilled at putting the reader in the "pilot's seat" to experience the confusion, shock, and terror that can occur when technology and human behavior conflict. I highly recommended this book.

After days of a dry spell, in trying to figure out a design problem; I started to flip through this fabulous book. Maya Lin's Boundaries; is a book that is food for the soul of an architect. Ironically, the title of the book is Boundaries, but the whole essence and poetic journey allows for one to see the world with out "Boundaries".

Traveling through each project, Lin is able to take us from her thought process through a complete execution on each project. She is so delicate in describing each event, from growing up, the Vietnam memorial, to her goals in the future. The reader can travel with her, through each process, struggle, and creating architecture that is able to resonate within it's setting.

Thinking with her hands, Lin describes each event, each challenge, and solution, allowing for the the reader to gain an inside, touching the souls of what every architect and designer needs.

This book accomplishes for me what Maya Lin set out to do - it provides a well of knowledge that I keep coming back to. I have shared her philosophy with friends and family providing a direct and intimate dialogue with her work.
I first came across 'Boundaries' while doing research on public controversy and sculpture. I felt that I was listening to Lin's voice and began to understand why she depicted the works as she did. I was drawn to the simplicity of her designs that left space for human participation. When the book had to be returned to the library I had to have a copy for myself to continue my understanding of her works.
The aesthetic set-out of the book draws the viewer into the designs with more understanding. It is not just a coffee table book, but one that encourages one to rethink and revalue ideas.

Maya Lin's "Boundaries" is both creative and stimulating.

This book is not an autobiography and it is not an art book, but rather an extension of Lin's work. Many know Lin for creating the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and like the memorial "Boundaries" provides a medium-both public and private-to observe and interpret what we sometimes don't even consider.

If you like photography, architecture, or simply wish to know more about an idea behind one of Lin's works then this book is for you. I love the format. It is easy to read and the pictures are of high quality. The pages are numbered from 1:00 to 12:00 and each chapter starts with a new hour. "Boundaries" is refreshing- it's truly unique and inspiring.

Sometimes I felt really sad that I don't have enough money to bring this book home.Maya lin should be an architect who can be also known as a good writter.Her writting had combined both beauty architecturally and verbally,like a stream of purity norished readers'heart,explained her designs with pleasure of sights.She got similar passion as her famous aunt lin huiyin,composed a melody of life,mastered the way a human being might uneasy to see.I am appreciated her way of representation.That she inheritaged from Lin's family.She absolutely knew that poetics in their family traditions,a symbol of very special abilities.

There are two ways to read this book, as Lin points out in the preface. First is just as a coffee table picture book. In that role, "Boundaries" gives a photographic tour of many varied monuments and installations. Lin is best known for the Vietnam Veteran's memorial. At the time, it was an unprecendented look and a deep controversy. Since then, I think it has become what Lin had hoped: one of the most personally involving war memorials ever. Lin has moved on since then, and this book shows many of her more recent works.

Although her family heritage is Chinese, Lin identifies herself as American. That gives her the freedom to use concepts from many Asian traditions. Many of her later works show a sense that I see as Zen-like. They are centered on stone, water, earth, and light. Like that first memorial, they invite the viewer to touch and become involved in the work. "Waves", for example, is a large-scale earthwork to be explored, offering surprising privacy in an open, sunlit lawn.

The second reading of this book comes from its text. It explains Lin's approach to her work. I was quite surprised to fined out how important collaboration is for her. Most of her installations are undertaken with archtitects, writers, or preparators of various kinds, quite opposite the 'lonely artist' stereotype. I was also surprised to learn that her first conception of most pieces is narrative, not pictorial. To me, translating word into image and structure is a complete mystery. My own thoughts work in the other direction. That difference intrigues me.

The book itself is a pleasant artifact. It's well printed, well organized, and displays some thoughtful, unusual typography. It's a vehicle well suited to the material it carries.

"Boundaries" was printed in 2000. That means that the catalog of Lin's work has developed since then. More of her work surely exists that was locked out by the publication date. I look forward to the next book documenting her work, and I look forward to her future development as an artist.

"There was a time when the sun never set on the British Empire. From Ceylon to the Americas, England ruled, bringing her lifestyle to Crown colonies around the globe.

Being stationed in India or Egypt, however, was no excuse to relax the standards of living to which British Army officers were accustomed. Living 'under canvas' did not mean roughing it. Instead, they brought their homes with them, packing cunningly constructed, portable furniture suitable for any elegant tented dinner.

Today, campaign furniture's elegance and simplicity have made it a must-have item for decorators and antique lovers. Nicholas Brawer's new book British Campaign Furniture: Elegance Under Canvas (Abrams) provides a fascinating history and a guide to collapsible decor."

I just had to have this book. The subject matter was unusual and touched on the social aspects of camp life in the British Army.
The pictures are fabulous.

This is an excellent review of British Campain Furniture.

Each piece is photographed in colour and/or Black & White, discussed and given brief measurements. The "disembled" photos are of great use to anyone who wishes to reconstruct any of the items from the book, as well as satisfying the just plain curious. Some of the gadgets are fantastic.

Unfortunately, like most books of this type, the author is limited by the pieces that he can access within a year or two. I know there were 'Campaign' folding rocking chairs, and I an certain that there are other examples of furniture, with other systems of assembly ( Louis Vouton made a folding-bed-in-a-trunk for the Brazza Expedition in Africa in the late 1800's which survives - there is a single picture in 'Treasure Chests').

I can only hope that the author will be encouraged to keep looking & photographing, and that we may see a second volume in years to come.

Sorry Amazon, you just don't have enough stars........

"If you were a British officer during the 18th or 19th century, your home had the look of a proper English residence, with desks, chairs, sofas, chests and fancy bedroom suites--even if you lived in a tent.

'The only real difference between fine household furniture and its campaign counterpart was that the latter could be quickly folded up, packed away in boxes, transported, and--without the use of nails, tacks or tools--reassembled...,' Nicholas A. Brawer writes in British Campaign Furniture.

How the furniture can be taken apart and stored is fascinating. One dining table and set of four padded chairs and a chaise lounge can be broken down into pieces that fit into two small crates.

There are pictures of the furnishings set up and stored. Often officers lived better overseas than at home. One cartoon depicts a British officer and his wife dining in their home overseas, with a half-dozen servants waiting on them, and then dining at home after retirement, with only one housekeeper.

Nearly half the book is a portfolio of the furnishings and detailed descriptions of manufacturers and furniture makers."

This book is a must have for anyone interested in English antiques, social, military, or naval history. I have never seen another book on this subject and it is filled with very interesting "before" and "after" photographs of dozens and dozens of pieces of campaign furniture "assembled" and "disassembled." I imagine this book has been a great hit in London.

I am a big fan of Cedar Point and this book tells the history all the way back to before the amusement era. The roller coaster capitol of the world started as a small amusement park with just a water slide and this book plots it's history through the beginning, the depression, the 50's and 60's all the way up to the 90's. It's so interesting to find out the history of some of the most popular amusement parks and this one is one of the best I've ever read.

I am a big fan of Cedar Point and this book tells the history all the way back to before the amusement era. The roller coaster capitol of the world started as a small amusement park with just a water slide and this book plots it's history through the beginning, the depression, the 50's and 60's all the way up to the 90's. It's so interesting to find out the history of some of the most popular amusement parks and this one is one of the best I've ever read.

I love Cedar Point so much and I thought I knew everything about Cedar Point until I read this book, it's the best book I've ever read!!!!!!!

This is a great book! If you have any interest in Cedar Point..BUY IT NOW!! Any CP buff should not be without it! It can tide you over the long 7 months from October to May! Buy it!

If you love Cedar Point, this book will give you everything that you should know to be a first class fan of the park. Dating back to the times of the geological formation of CP, to it's present fame, "The Queen of American Watering Places" is an indepth look at the good, bad, and amazing facts of CP that most people probably never knew. There are also some things that happened at CP that may shock you, but you must read this book to find them out for yourself.

I feel this book should be titled more as to the content. The design work in the book is primarily l950's and l960's.
This was not what I expected when I purchased a "Contemporary" book. I felt it should reflect at the most the early 2000's to date. I feel it is worth while for my purpose now which will be a donation to the local library.

Woah! This is one of the coolest books ever! I very seldom have given 5 stars to anything, but this one deserves it! Jackson really went out of her way in obtaining these pictures-the real deal, too. If you've ever seen a retro Armstrong flooring ad, a home modernizing magazine from the 50s-60s, Matt Maranian's book "Pad", or anything on retro ranch homes and furniture, this one takes the cake! It's also gives a pseudo-history of midcentury architecture, through pictures-and it's amazing how many pictures are here. I haven't purchased the books "Modernism Revisited", "Inspiring Interiors from Armstrong", or "The Eames Primer", although I plan to get these, but if you or someone you know are into this period, this is definitely a book to obtain. I have a friend that just went ape over it when he saw it. Now he wants to go retro, too. Another book that I've had my eyes on is "Modern Retro Living with Midcentury Modern". Once I get these, I'll leave reviews, as well. Don't hesitate to get this one if you're into this period, also!

If you like the direct innovative designs of the 50's & 60's this book will provide a great overview with lots of photos.
It would have been nice to see more coverage of the furnishing specifics, especially DUNBAR and Edward Wormley - my personal favorites.

Put on some lounge music, pour a martini and enjoy!

This book is a great general guide to what was 'contemporary' - including architecture of the home, public building and office. In addition, it delves into interior design - including glass, wall treatments, flooring and furniture. The prospective reader should be made aware right off that this book is written from the British perspective - one will see British English spellings of words, and names of British companies. However, the vast majority of the book deals with American developments, which is more pertinant to the US reader. I call this book a great 'general' introduction because it digs about 75% of the way into each subject. But how many other books can cover so many subjects as well? None that I've been able to find so far. The book is richly illustrated, including some photos which span the entire page. The text is interesting and easy to understand. After reading each chapter of the book, you are left with a good basic undertanding of what you've just read. The pictures themselves are generally period photos, which really help the reader see what 'contemporary' was to the eyes of the folks living at that time. If you are contemplating purchasing a 'contemporary house', or perhaps decorating in the 'contemporary' style, this book will give you some good ideas. Overall, a very enjoyable book - it would make a good present, and look great sitting on your coffee table!

This is a pretty cool book. The photos are honest, as they're from the era instead of reconstructed rooms today. Very in depth also; it covers furniture, architecture, glassware, kitchens, textiles and other home furnishings.

I got this book for my daughter when she was a baby. She's 2 1/2 now and still enjoys it. I probably like it more than she does. The pictures are just beautiful.

Wonderful Degas photos illustrate ballet beautifully, I wanted one of them for myself.

My daughter has enjoyed all of the books in this series since she was about a year old. They were the first baby board books we sought out by author after seeing how much she enjoyed the Matisse one. This one is her favorite lately; she loves to dance around the kitchen when we read it.

Fun story about dancing, illustrated by Degas classics. My near 3 yo daughter loves dance related stories and she simply adored this book on the first read, "pretty pictures daddy". A great way to introduce art to your child, I look forward to the other books.

I have four of Julie Merberg's books and this one isn't a disappointment. Her books are fabulous introductions to art for little ones. The pictures in this book are beautiful Degas paintings. My daughter loves looking at the dancers and listening to the flowing text that goes with the pictures. All of Merberg's books are worth the price if you want to begin introducing art to your little one.

DEFINING VISION by Joel Brinkley is as comprehensive as any history behind the development of HDTV/DTV can ever possibly get. The text of this book will surely be required possessions for technological historians for at least the next 1000 years.

I'm reading this book a second time (a year later) because it's such a great introduction to players in the HDTV world. Brinkley chose a suspense style, and it really works well. I am excited about HDTV and turned each page holding my breath - hoping for a successful conclusion. Now I'm looking for more works that go beyond 1998, and can't find any more fulfilling...and the story isn't over yet!

Having had the opportunity to check the authenticity with several of the principles in the book, my hat's off to Joel Brinkley. He ties all the factions together that brought us DTV. It is a story with more twists and turns than you expect that comes mixing an industry that hates to change with new technology. Add in the governments of the U.S. and Japan, and it really becomes fun. Mr. Brinkley did a masterful job telling the story. This is a must read for anyone interested in television.

In the early 1980s US broadcasters faced two major headaches spawned by greed and jingoism. Their comfortable, tidy, oligopolistic-and profitable-broadcast world was about to be shaken by the digital revolution, where foes and friends were often indistinguishable. New York Times reporter and Pulitzer Prize winner Joel Brinkley takes the reader on a roller coaster through boardrooms, bureaucracy, technocracy, and hubris (individual and national) in "Defining Vision." It is a ride worth taking for broadcast students, educators, historians, and international political economists.

Represented by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB), radio and television companies considered the broadcast band spectrum their personal property. This largesse suddenly came under assault from the land mobile industry that wanted more spectrum space for a variety of public interest broadcast services such as police, firefighters, ambulance, quick response units, and other emergency services. Broadcasters, too, saw a new threat from across the sea. The Japanese spent $300 million and hundreds of thousands of engineering man-hours developing high definition television (HDTV). NHK unveiled its Muse system in 1986 to US policymakers and consumers. The picture quality was superior to the current analog systems in the United Sates, and Japanese-made monitors were designed to fit the wider formatted movies without the annoying letterbox effect.

Brinkley chronicles the scrimmages involving development of HDTV in the US like a general writing his wartime memoirs-if that general had access to the thinking of his opposition, that is. First the grand alliance-RCA, Zenith, AT&T, Phillips, General Instruments and MIT-had to admit that a victory by any one of them in the costly race to develop HDTV would be a defeat for the others. They were able to convince a willing FCC Advisory Committee that cooperation was possible in building a single system. Committee chairman Richard Wiley's role in HDTV cannot be understated (and Brinkley doesn't). His single-minded pursuit of high definition television as the national (and, it turned out, international) standard most probably resulted in its acceptance.

US broadcasters had worried privately and publicly as well, that the future of television would be dictated by a consortium of Japanese electronics magnates and NHK, the world's second-largest broadcasting company. Across the Atlantic, the European Union was equally concerned, and promised up to a billion dollars to Europeans to come up for a system on its own or else adopt the Japanese HDTV, since the Americans seemed not to be players in the game as the century's ninth decade unfolded. But the European effort never got off paper. US broadcasters at first fretted about a new "yellow peril" that posed as great a threat to them as it did to the automobile industry a decade earlier. Ever opportunistic, however, broadcasters found the Japanese an unlikely ally in their fight to snatch the unused frequencies from land mobile companies. HDTV, as the Muse system showed, required additional bandwidth space. Obviously, they reasoned, Congress and the FCC could not allocate precious broadcast spectrum space to land mobile users when they, the "rightful frequency heirs," needed the frequencies for HDTV.

At the same time, MIT's Nicholas Negroponte, who Brinkley treats somewhat derisively, was telling anyone who would listen that "HDTV had to be digital," not analog, which would allow for signal compression that would fit into existing frequencies. One naysayer echoed a common broadcast engineering complaint at the time: "we will have digital HDTV when we have anti-gravitation machines." Broadcast engineers at the major manufacturers nodded in agreement: digital high definition television technologically could not be done. The NAB, in its attempt to protect its space band largesse, inadvertently kicked off a race to develop HDTV in the United States that took on the trappings of a crusade to "rescue" the future of television in the United States from the hands of foreign interests. Along the way, General Instruments research engineer Woo Paik invented digital television (because, as a non-broadcast engineer, he didn't know that "it was impossible").

HDTV uses a compressed digital broadcast signal that not only remained within a single frequency but allowed broadcasters additional capacity to sell secondary services such as pager services, email, Internet connections, digital music, and pay-per-view movies. With such an entrée to new revenue flows, the reader would be surprised to learn the depth of NAB's animus to HDTV. Simply put, broadcasters used the HDTV concept to wrest away additional public airwaves spectra and then, among themselves, grumbled that they were unwilling to invest in new high definition cameras, monitors, and other equipment that would allow them to broadcast signals in both progressive scan (favored by the computer programming and manufacturing sector) and interlaced (favored by broadcasters) modes. Another opponent of a high definition television standard was the fledgling computer manufacturing industry in the mid-1990s, which didn't want the additional expense of adding interlacing decoding to what essentially was a dedicated proscan system.

After seven years of ups and downs in a process that often threatened to sputter, splinter, and spin totally out of control, HDTV in a digital form arrived in the US shortly after Thanksgiving in 1997. Despite all predictions to the contrary, the HDTV "turkey" arrived fully stuffed with enough goodies to ease its transition into the marketplace. The result was acceptance of the Americanized international standard by the European Union and the final, if not sad, acknowledgment by NHK that its analog Muse system was outmoded before it even got much beyond a toehold in its native land.

In "Defining Vision," Brinkley has crafted a highly readable, almost techno-mystery story with well-defined characters: heroes, villains, and rascals alike. At times he seems to get into the heads of the key players, which he explains as a literary device borne from extensive interviews with the principals who told him what they were thinking at the time. The effect rounds the edges of what could have been a highly technical, heuristic, and sloggish recitation of engineering reports, public hearings, and dreary diary entries from the participants. To his credit, the author explains his process to readers in an epilogue, thus enhancing the book's credibility. Furthermore, in this paperback edition, the author has updated and expanded several sections over the hardcover version, including an appendix and FAQ that are instructional.

I work in the television broadcast industry and this is a must read if you want to learn about the origins of HDTV, the players who made HDTV a reality, and how the standards for HDTV were defined. The author is an authority on the subject and provides an excellent description of the systems, history, etc. that both technical and business professionals can understand. At my company this has become required reading. I highly recommend this book.

Hundred bucks?
No Problem.
No regret!

Great acquisition.
Feast for the eye.
I had hours of enjoyment reading it.

Museum quality research book of a haute couture master designer. Completely satisfying. Beautifully detailed..well photographed, an enjoyment to read. A rich glorious heavy volumed coffee table book that you will actually read!

Dior! Quel nom! What a name. The master of the feminine sihouette. Just the right touch. Nothing more, nothing less. Simplicite fait beaute. Lovely book.

This is an amazing book following the House of Dior. The selection of pictures are phenomenal and the quality of the book itself is fantastic. I have it on my coffee table, and everyone that sees it, picks it up and looks at it for hours. Gorgeous book. Far superior to any other books about Dior that I've come across.

This book is perfect tribute to the Master and to the house of Dior. IT is a soaring achievement of beauty and scholarship. It is breathtaking. DO your self a favor just buy it.

Following the introduction, the book is arranged chronologically; the first chapter covering the years up to 1907 when the artist was seventeen, followed by 1908-1909, with the successive chapters covering a year each up to 1918. The chapters open with about six or seven pages of illustrated text, to be followed by the relevant drawings; there is no bibliography.

A very readable book, the text provides a year by year account of the artist's progress; his family situation and personal life, his education and development as an artist and what influenced him. It is an intelligent and reasoned account.

The vast bulk of the book however is taken up with the drawings and watercolours. All the images are reproduced in full colour, including the monochrome drawings. It contains over three hundred illustrations which, with the exception of those illustrating the text, are presented one to a page, with the a few double page spreads. The printing is excellent and the images appear rich and strong, well conveying the subtle textures evident in the artist's work.

This is a most handsome volume, fairly modest in dimensions, but at nearly 500 pages certainly not in content. It is beautifully produced and presented; the choice of font for the text has quite obviously been given careful consideration, and perfectly complements Schiele's drawings. The images combined with the sensitively written text cannot but draw one to Schiele, and highlight what a tragic loss that he should enjoy such a short life. If anyone has any doubts about the genius of Egon Schile, a little time spent perusing this splendid book will surely put that to rights.

This is a book that gives the reader a unique opportunity to discover Schiele's art through his works on paper (which, in my opinion, convey a much better idea of the importance of this artist than his paintings). There is a lightness in these works, and, at the same time an urge to express the uneasiness, the anguish that the artist feels towards the outside world, that is very well shown in the book, through countless high-quality reproductions. The text is very sensible and written by the leading authority on Egon Schiele.
Highly recommended.

Jane Kallir (also the author of Egon Schiele's 'catalogue raisonne' -- usually a HUGE expensive book which includes a picture of every known available representation of an artist's work) says 'Since completing the catalogue raisonne, I have always yearned to combine the story of Schiele's life and his artistic development into a single book'. And wow, what a beautiful job she has done.

This book begins with some of the earliest pictures of Egon's art (when he was about 16 and drawing trains) and ends with a picture of his wife (12 years later -- drawn not long before both she and Schiele died during the flu epidemic which swept the globe following World War I).

What makes this book extraordinary is the showcase of over 300 excellent color reproductions of Schiele's art shown in chronological order and Kallir's insightful commentary on the 'nuances of Schiele's stylistic development during each 12 month period'.

To paraphrase the author (again), this is Schiele's unique 'coming of age' story -- 'in these works, we watch Schiele literally grow up, almost day by day -- an artist with the technical virtuosity to express those experiences as they were happening'.

And to sum up, I borrowed this book from the library and found the book so awesome that I ordered my own copy from amazon.com before I finished reading it -- and now that I have finished reading the book, I'm taking the time to say, this is the most unique (and moving) art book (I'm guessing I've read 200) I've ever read.

As an owner of many art books, this one is in the top 20 favorites just because of the quality of the item. The quality of the reproductions, the number of reproductions and the price cannot be beat. This publisher has really put out some nice art books. Lets hope there is more to come!

There are three things that I liked about this book: (1) great art well reproduced. The colors are well saturated and vibrant. (2) Each section begins with a brief history of the artist's life and points out how his work changed (or didn't) during that period in his life. (3) There are enough illustrations so that you can truly observe his progression and maturation as an artist.

Schiele was clearly enamored by the human figure and he captured its allure and beauty as few have. This is an excellent art book that is also well priced. Highly recommended.

Egypt: Yesterday and Today

After reading this beautifully illustrated table-top book comparing Egyptian scenes of the past and present, we purchased it for our granddaughter who is planning a career as an Egyptologist. The artwork is super, and the narrative is clear and crisp. An outstanding gift.

Many books on David Robert's are small or not generous enough to allow you full scope to enjoy his paintings or they focus on his Levantine paintings.

This book is probably the best around that is not to expensive but gives you a feel for his grand Egyptian paintings. Some really nice ones of Sphinx, pyramids and also some of the lesser temples feature. The only other book which is now out of print that deals with this subject well is Peter Clayton's the Re-discovery of Ancient Egypt. Thames and Hudson.

This book is no more available in France (I'm from Paris), and I saw some sketches of David Roberts a trip in Aswan, so wished discover his work. I am delighted with this book. The high quality of printing, the intersting texts (even for a french citizen) are what was expecting. The most spectacular sketches are those of Isis temple that show the paintings on columns and ceiling nowadays disapeared. It is also fascinating to see the evolution of egyptian civilisation from 19th century and today, regarding way of life and architecture.
In one word : thank you mister Roberts.

As in the previous Roberts books, this format of a real-life photograph side by side with the artist's rendering of the same scene gives the reader a very reflective perspective into the Ancient World.

This is a most amazing book, it has both water colours and photos of the sights of Ancient Egypt. As a reminder of a special holiday or a factual account it is the best. The size of the book makes it prominent coffee table book and easy to just pick up and dip into another wondeful page.