Design Books

I bought this book for the library where I am a reference libarian as soon as I saw it, and it is worth every cent of the purchase price.

Now I have the title on my wish list, and I have hinted strongly to certain offspring that this book would certainly make a wonderful Mother's Day present!

I purchased this book for my Sister-in-law, who is a film historian. She absolutely loved it. The artwork is fantastic....almost worth buying two copies so that you can remove and frame some pages.

This is a beautifully illustrated book if you are at all interested in old movie posters and the people who created some of them.

I was very interested in this book since my cousin, Jane Powell was one of he authors. I have to say I was very impressed and actually surprised about beautiful the book turned out. Anyone with an interest in movies will find the art of the posters interesting.

This book is a must-have for movie buffs, but I was bowled over by the beauty of the art. From the spectacular Batiste Madelena cover of Rudolph Valentino through dozens of creative renditions of original old-time movie posters, to the back cover depictions of Gloria Swanson, Norma Shearer, Walter Huston and Boris Karloff, the artistry of these unsung craftsmen is dazzling. "Now Playing" is now prominently displayed on the coffee table in our living room.

Painting The Word is a truly outstanding guide to Christian paintings and their meanings brings art and spirituality together in an inspiring coverage. More than a history of painting, Painting The Word discusses how Christian images reflected and influenced Christian civilization as a whole, with a universal quality delivering balanced messages. Color reproductions of significant classic Christian art works appear throughout.

As an ordained Anglican priest and the dean of Christ Church in Oxford, John Drury is by no means an accredited art historian but he is a trained artist and has a knowledgeable background in theology and New Testament exegesis. Depicted as "a book about how Christian paintings convey their messages" (p.ix), Painting the Word uniquely "extends" the "historically iconographical, or picture-describing, approach" to art by incorporating spiritual "meditation," in order to bring the reader through a "contemplative waiting process" of viewing Christian artwork (p. xi-xiii).

John Drury specifies that the purpose of the book is for the reader to take ownership of the paintings and receive `spiritual nourishment' from them. What originally began as `postcard sermons' describing artwork exhibited in the London National Gallery, has developed over time into the authoring of this wonderful book, which is full of photographic illustrations of European Christian paintings from the 14th to 18th century.

The author successfully brings the reader along on a spiritual journey through the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Drury groups paintings under each key moment of the salvation story, starting with the Annunciation, to the Nativity, to Christ's baptism and ministry, and culminating with his death and resurrection. In this way, Painting the Word is entirely Christocentric, as it focuses on the sacrificial narrative of Jesus "from conception to resurrection" (p. xiv).

I question whether Drury successfully builds a connection between the artwork itself and the spirituality being conveyed by the artist, because Drury presents some very odd theological concepts throughout his book. I disagree with Drury's constant insinuation that the original painters understood the biblical scenes that they were depicting as "myths." For example, as Drury begins his discussion of paintings depicting the Annunciation, he states, "A dialogue between Mary and the angel follows. It can only be imaginary, but... it is held together over a respectful distance by their mutual regard" (p.41). Drury claims on the very next page that the "moment" of the Annunciation is thanks to the "imagination" of St Luke and St John. Is Drury actually insinuating that the dialogue between Mary and the angel was only a fantasy? Would the artists of the Annunciation paintings really see their portraits as depicting a mythical scene? If so, then a plethora of Christian artists from the 14th to 17th centuries must have believed that Christianity was nothing more than a "myth", as Drury repeatedly refers to sacred Tradition as "myth" throughout the book (cf. p.48, 89, 114). It is more likely that Drury is imposing his own view upon the reader rather than objectively bringing out the artist's intended spirituality.

A more detailed review is available on my website:
http://members.shaw.ca/angelamccormick

This book is without doubt one of the more beautifully prepared and printed books in my collection. Done by the Yale University Press in association with the National Gallery of London, virtually every page is a treasure. There are nearly two hundred full-colour-process reproductions of artworks throughout the text, and every page (not just the colour plates) are heavy bond, high-gloss stock that shows the ink and colour with vibrancy and depth.

John Drury spent a career at both Cambridge and Oxford dealing in matters of theology, ecclesiology, liturgy, and art. I discovered Drury's book while attending a course at my own seminary on the church and the arts, and kept finding myself frustrated at the rapid pace we would go through topics (a frustration I know the professor teaching the course shared - how does one do justice to 2000 years of music, architecture, and art in a mere 15 sessions?). I sought out supplemental materials to help fill out the outline, and Drury's text serves the purpose in many ways.

Drury states his purpose early in the text. `This is a book about how Christian paintings convey their messages. It takes on whole paintings. It is not content with just picking symbols out of them for identification. Composition, colour, contents (including architecture and landscape as well as figures) and the ways in which the paint itself is handled - all are treated as part and parcel of their religious meanings.' This is a holy and holistic approach.

Drury adopts a kind of picture-describing approach (one that he terms `historically iconographical'). This involves absorbing details while understanding context and material. This is the same kind of attention that worship requires (and indeed, the Eastern church has always had this kind of physical artistic interplay with the tradition of use of icons for prayer, meditation and worship purposes) - it requires an openness to experience and feeling while also benefitting from understanding and guidance.

Major artists and works studied in detail in this text include the work of Tiepolo (c. 1750s), the Wilton Diptych (anonymous, c. 1390s), Titian (c. 1510-40s), Duccio (c. 1310s), Filippo Lippi (c. 1450s), Poussin (c. 1630-50s), Rembrandt (c. 1640s), Piero della Francesca (c. 1450-70s), Caravaggio (c. 1600s), Rubens (c. 1630s), Velazquez (c. 1610s), Cezanne (c. 1900s), and others. Most presentations begin by showing the whole work, then proceeding to look at individual characteristics or highlights often pulled aside in side images or isolated for greater emphasis. The text and artwork is arranged in good pattern throughout the text.

Throughout his text, Drury makes a repeated call for care, meditation and attention to be given to the artwork as well as the response to the artwork. He makes that statement that we should stay in front of the images `longer than people usually do' - noticing in museums, art shops, churches and other places that people tend to shuffle past rather than give attention to the most stunning and sublime works of art. Drury draws in history, theology, philosophy, literature, biblical references and images, and other cultural and contextual references to make the experience of these works a full and profound one. This is not a book to be read quickly or glanced over lightly.

Drury includes a narrative annotated bibliography rather than a simple list; he provides both a general bibliography for the entire text as well as a selected bibliography for each chapter/topic.

This is a wonderful book, a great gift for oneself or for others. It is particularly good for those who want a deeper experience and understanding of the way in which art has and can interact and enhance one's relationship with Christianity and its message.

Reasoned analysis involves dissection of statements and dissection of images. The dissection is needed to detect evidence or to expose the lack thereof. The reason analysis of images is needed is that all of the images are not natural. They are iconic based on conventions (like language) and therefore Christian images are signs. The discipline to investigate them is not the neuropsychology of perception but semiotics, the science of signs. Here we have an excellent semiotic rhetoric of Christian images informing us of the meaning of the signs and the meaning behind the images given to us by an expert in both religion (John Drury is a priest) and in the history of art. The cross, the scourging pillar, the spear and the sponge on a cane -all these have meaning. Particularly interesting was Chapter three with the dissection of the different presentations of the annunciation by Duccio as compared to Lippi and Poussin and the biblical quotes that supported each artist's view of what happened and how it happened.

John Drury is an art historian who uses his vocation as a priest to explain the subtlety of meaning that lies hidden in the symbolism of religious paintings in London's National Gallery.

Anyone how has looked at such a painting but not "seen" it, would do well to read this wonderful book and share the insights that the author offers. Paintings that I would have passed by with scarcely a second glance, are revealed within a context of their time, with reference to their history, the world view of the artist, the common and uncommon symbolism employed and much else besides.

It gives the possibility of sharing a visual language that we have lost and enables us to understand what it is about a picture that we sense is great, without comprehending why that might be.

It is hard to think that anyone who has ever visited an art gallery could not profit from reading this book and has certainly given me the enthusiasm to go and look at the pictures for myself.

Zen of Watering Your Garden
This is a terrific book. I t helps one tailor their garden or gardens to their circumstance with the goal not really an architectual wonder but a place or places of solitude and sanctuary and pleasantries.

I believe that one does not have to have an elaborate garden but can with even a plant or a few plants obtain the peace that nature can provide. I too have tried to convey this in my book the Zen of Watering Your Garden. Matt Cohen

If you have been gardening for a while and still do not have the results you want, this might be the book for you. I am a self taught gardener of 17 years and have purchased many gardening and landscaping books. This book is by far the best one I have bought. It is very easy to read, and explained all the gardens elements so simply I couldn't believe it. It helped me figure out (very quickly} exactly what has always bothered me about my garden. The chapter on plant selecting does not specify the zone.

We have been following Ms. Easton's garden writings for years in newspapers, magazines and her other acomplished manuscripts Artists In Their Gardens and Plant Life. We have found her writings to be both informative and entertaining, a hard combination for many authors but critical to the reader. Her newest book, A Pattern Garden, weaves a rich tapestry of information and soulful thinking. The garden is a place of sanctuary and highly personal. Ms.Easton takes the essential 14 "patterns" of our gardens and helps us clarify their role and importance. She offers us tools to both strengthen and personalize an existing garden and lay the foundation to build a new one. In reading this book we felt empowered to try new things and be adventuresome. It also gave us a greater understanding and enjoyment of our own garden.

Besides all the practical information offered, A Pattern Garden is a must read for anyone who wants to have a greater appreciation of their connection with the garden, nature, and the role it plays in their life.

Whether one is an experienced gardener, or new to this world, Valeries's book explores all the nuances of garden design as well as practical information on gardening. All of this is enhanced by the exquisite photographs.

Thanks to Val Easton's new book, A Pattern Garden, I'll be happily adding mysterious destinations and some fanciful surprises to my old garden this summer. Fun!

This is such a good book; it's informative, beautiful (inspiring photography), but best of all are it's suggestions and encouragement for gardeners to turn their yard space into intriguing areas where they and their families will love spending outdoor time.

I have purchased many books on web site design and usability, most of them more expensive than this one, and yet this book is the one with worn pages because I go back to it again and again. Many "how to" books give you plenty of tips but never tell you what to do with them. Not this one! This book gives you sound, no-nonsense advice about what works on web sites and what doesn't. Part 1 clearly explains the "hows and whys" of crucial web site elements, while Part 2 tells you how to put what you learned in action. And as if that's not enough, you also get real life examples of how it all comes together, whether you're selling products, are a one-person show working out of a home office, or a large corporation. I was so impressed with the level of knowledge demonstrated in this book that I recently participated in Marcia Yudkin's (the author's) Web Marketing Makeover mentoring program. If you want your web site to bring in business you should read this book and religiously apply what you learn.

I don't normally do reviews or read work-related books, so this has been an interesting process. After all, I sweated through college, marketing qualifications and I've run an internet business for three years, so why do I need to read what some American who I've never heard of thinks - after all, its not really relevant to a UK-based business... Wrong!

What a great book - I had to keep putting it down to make notes on changes needed for my sites. Marcia thinks about this stuff all the time, whereas most of us don't, and she really takes apart the whole site and marketing process. It's all about the detail, about how the site visitor sees our offer, one that we are over-familiar with but so often fail to get over in a few seconds. It is when you realise how massively you could increase the return on your objectives by making simple changes (what are the objectives of your website, by the way?) that you realise the power of this book.

Marcia takes you though all the elements of your site, step by step - why you have one, what you want it to do, the copy, design, style and real nuts-and-bolts stuff. Throughout she illustrates her point with screen shots of hundreds of sites - and there are some very well known ones in there that still fail to fully exploit the opportunity. Plus, a selection of make-overs - some seem minor, but have documented results, for example, $24,000 of extra sales in one month. Her style is very open, non-technical and moves at a pace that doesn't make assumptions on acronyms, jargon and your physical location - so often US books seem irrelevant to overseas readers. There are also lots of references to further reading, for example, on copy-writing, too many sites just lift pre-approved copy from printed brochures that fails in a new medium.

So, who should read it? Me, again, for a start. With specialist sections or even whole chapters for professional practices, membership or charitable organisations, local small businesses like B&Bs, organisations selling single or multiple products, there really is something for everyone. If you're the owner of a business, or the person that's directly responsible for websites in a business, you'll find it a useful read. Why not buy it for a colleague to read and report back on if you can't spare the time yourself? And the key point is change will not cost big money, so you really can see a return on modest spending - a couple of hundred pounds will make a difference to most sites. Perhaps that's the acid test of the book: whether you actually do anything after reading it that in turn actually pays off. If you don't do anything at all, then I think you've missed the point.

One thing that may put you off is the legend `Poor Richard's' across the top of the book and the cover style - I've no idea who Richard is, nor his pecuniary standing and the folksy cover may suggest the book's audience is low-budget, but this does it a disservice. Its also not expensive - ...

So, in summary, the chapters that make up 200 pages of readable and thought-provoking writing, are organised in two parts - site elements and then implementation. I make no apologies for including the chapter headings as they help illustrate the breadth and relevance of this book: Elements: the name plate; navigation/on-site searches; copy; who are we?; building trust; content as bait; gathering leads/members/subscribers; order forms/customer service and graphics/layout. Putting it all together: single product sales; multi-product sales; solo service provider; professional firm; advocacy organisation; event reservations; local businesses and internet services. This is followed by a makeover checklist and pages of further resources in print and online. Go on, read it, implement it and reap the rewards - and tell me if I'm wrong!

Mark Wibberley ...

There are so many books on designing websites available today that it is easy to be overwhelmed by the sheer volume. Among these it is rare to find one that really stands out from the crowd. Marcia Yudkin's "Website Marketing Makeover" is an exception to this rule. She avoids a lot of the fluff that tends to be in other books and gets right down to the nitty-gritty of website design. One of the things that I particularly liked about the book is that she not only provides advice but also provides the means to actually accomplish the goal. For example, most of the website design books discus the need to see what your website looks like using different browsers. Marcia's book also makes this very important point. However, she not only makes the point but also points the reader to software and websites that can help determine what your website looks like in different browsers. When other books are saying what to do without telling you how to do it, Marcia is showing you how.

From beginning to end, Marcia lucidly explains what works, what doesn't work, and why. Although it is predominantly focused on how to "turn visitors into buyers" and so is most appropriate for a site that sells something, there is a lot of information that is also appropriate for any site including purely informational ones. "Poor Richard's Website Marketing Makeover" is a highly recommended read for anyone looking to create or improve their website.

I have been procrastinating in upgrading our website so I figured I'd read a few books... a great way to procrastinate some more. Well Marcia writes in a step by step practical way, creating a marketing foundation first then getting to the beef. I'm now educated and inspired, have a notebook full of notes and ideas that I'm actually implementing. It's getting done. I'm actually recommending this book to friends who are redoing their marketing message since the first two chapters do that so well... great book, not heavy, beefy info.

My mind is spinning; this book is awesome! I have been successfully selling on the web for 2 years and have even paid some "big names" to critique my site, but I have found TONS of ideas and changes I need to implement as soon as possible. Ms. Yudkin writes in a specific, down-to-earth manner; her suggestions make SENSE and she includes many before-and-after examples. The advice in this book will undoubtedly save me time and increase my sales.

This book was certainly an interesting read. It provided some good insight into the history of the Porsche 911 and the innovations that were made. I was somewhat disappointed however in that I was hoping the book would tell me what was good or bad about a particular model; it didn't. I also would have liked photos of the models being discussed incorporated with the text. Overall, I enjoyed the book and better understand the decisions made by Porsche as the company matured.

I bought this book for my husband he he loves it. He is planning to buy one for a friend also.

This book has stunning photography and amazing writing. It provides a comprehensive, but not exhaustive history on Porsche's development. The book flows from topic to topic beautifully, making for a engaging read. This has been the best Porsche book I have read, and it was worth every penny. I would reccomend it to anyone who wants to learn more about Porsche, about its development as a company, about its amazing racing heritage, and about the making of the most captivating road car in the world. The Porsche 911.

An excellent 'coffee table' book, great photos and extensive, detailed information on this beautiful piece of machinery!

Randy's book sits prominently in my family room along side other Porsche books and is one of the few that is up to speed with some of the latest offerings from Zuffenhausen. Writing a book on the 911 is nearly impossible because there is so much out there. You have to know where to start and where to end,--and just how much to stuff in the middle. Randy pulls this off with a great selection of photos, most never before seen, and accurate detail of the nuances of the famous 911. The only negative I can find is what puts a book in the top 5% of books, and that is matching copy to photographs,--on the same page. This is extremely hard to do because it is generally unpredictable, where one paragraph or photograph will start or stop. That, along with a handfull of errors in photo IDs keeps it from perfection by design itself but it's nicely assembled and beautifully printed. Anyone with a 911 in their garage should have this book to help explain their addiction to normal people.

This is the textbook for my portfolio development class. All I can say is this is one of the best investments I've ever made. It initially seemed costly, but it is completely worth it. It gently talks you through the process of setting up your portfolio, and gives a ton of ideas for a stunning presentation that will leave an impact.

I don't think that I can say anymore than whats alreasy been said about how ABSOLUTELY GREAT this book is.

It really is a great resource to own. It has everything from layout (which one is the best and which ones aren't), to resume, to interview information. It also encourages you to think out of the box a bit by showing you what everyone wlse os doing.

Once agian excellent resource for up-an-coming fashion designers/students and even those who have left and are returning to the fashion industry.

I purchased this book to help me with my portfolio layout for acceptance to the Fashion Institute of Technology. Although I needed to follow FITs guidelines, I feel that I gained a lot of great knowledge and excellent ideas and inspiration by referencing this book before submitting my portfolio to FIT. I am proud to say that I was accepted and will now be referencing the book to put together my portfolio for interviews in the industry.

For someone who loves to sew and is looking on how to bring their designs to the next level, then this is the book for you. It chocked full of great tidbits and even provides several portfolio options for the novice beginner. For great inspiration, it features sketches from up and coming designers and the established guard before they were on the map. Great reference book for hard core design fashionistas!!

A great book for more advanced Designers, show you different presentations of portfolio...Great but I wish that the pictures were in colors not in B&W.

thick book,man. I have to carry it to school for my class.
it has all need about Inerior Design profession

The reviewer prior to myself I feel summed it up best when describing this book. The author has written the book as if she's always been your trusted friend. She writes in a way as if she is actually talking to you.

Other books I've read often come across a bit too technical and slightly over my head. This one is more down-to-earth, packed with good advice, and one can sense her sincere concern for the reader to understand.

I really love the entire book, especially the chapter dealing with ethics. Since there are many "seasoned" designers who seem to lack ethical conduct, this book is great for beginners and veterans alike.

It was fast
It was what I ordered
Im happy, they're happy
Win Win!

This book reads like a friend whispering all the good advice and secrets of the interior design business in your ear. I wish my Professional Practices class had used this text. It's a lot of information but Christine Piotrowski truly takes you by the hand and lets you know what you need to prepare for in a budding interior design business as well as how the interior design business is done in general. I will be referencing this book again and again. A huge thank you and bravo to Christine Piotrowski

I have practiced interior design for over 20 years and still found this book to be invaluable. The information about legal ramifications and insurance coverage was enlightening but also sobering. It's a must read for any design firm principal or freelance designer.

I've been using QuickTime for nearly ten years, and have often been frustrated when trying to explain to people that it is not just for video and sound any more. The frustration stems from the lack of examples and explanations to use these powerful features for non-programmers. This book changes that. It explains clearly and wittily how to use QuickTime to enhance your website or CD-ROM, and take advantage of over 10 years of cutting-edge digital media technology for free.

[Full disclosure - I work for Apple on the QuickTime Engineering team, and know the author - believe me I wouldn't endorse this book if it wasn't great]

This book is a must have if you plan on working with QuickTime to make multimedia content available! I call this book 'a rare find', as it is great for beginner through master, leaving few questions unanswered or stones unturned. The text is a good mix of "how to" information combined with "tips and tricks" to get your implementations to work.

I purchased this book for its material regarding steaming content over the Internet, and learned a great deal in the process. The chapter on QuickTime VR answered my "how do they do that?" questions, and has led me to explore the use of this technique for my upcoming projects.

The QuickTime VR chapter is a good example of the depth of knowledge used to develop this text, as it gives in-depth information on photography techniques that only a mid- to experienced photographer would know.

My only criticism of the book is that it only begins to explore about half of the knowledge needed to set up your own streaming web server, but I can hardly fault the authors for that -- it says right on the cover "A Hands-On Guide for Webmasters, Site Designers, and HTML Authors." It says nothing about being aimed at System or Network Administrators. If your main interest in this book is the setup of streaming servers, you might want to consider another book (or better yet, purchase this book along with another to round out your knowledge).

With the ... QuickTime Pro included, I can say without reservation that this is one of the best computer book values I have ever purchased. The book paid for the rest of the cost by showing me how to trick Microsoft Internet Explorer / Windows Media Player in such a way that it will not try to open your .mov files (great in a Windows-dominated environment)!

Highly recommended, even if you have only a passing interest in QuickTime.

This is an important resource for anyone who is serious about maximizing the potential of Quicktime. At Rayhawk.com we have been using this book to enhance our web productions and the results have been noticable, not only to us, but to our clients (KFC, Taco Bell, BMW, Porsche).

The book is full of useful info and the author is fun and helpful. He assumes we have little prior knowledge with either QuickTime or HTML and by the end of the book, he teaches us how to produce some amazing content.

Mastering QuickTime is essential to quickly and easily building exciting, dymamic and interactive web sites. This book (QuickTime for the Web) is essential to mastering QuickTime for the web. It has saved me more time and energy than any book I've bought in the last two years.

This book is a must have! From how to create VR with interactive sounds and sprites - to getting your video or photos streaming on the web - this book shows you how. As a web master of a site with over 100 different Virtual Reality and QT movies, I found this book (and the free tools and interactive sprites for my use) to be invaluable. I reccommend it without hestitation. Luke Wonderly, Web master - vrbakersfield.com

Wow, what a book!! I wish all engines had this much technical data and pictures.

This book is incredibly detailed, with many rare illustrations.
Graham White has done a thorough and interesting history of this
fabulously complex engine. Plus, his history of Allied Aircaft
Engines of WW2 is highly recommended.

I would recommend this book unreservedly. If you are at all interested in the history, development, production and usage of these amazing engines and the aircraft they powered, this is an investment you won't regret. I'm on my second read through and still being amazed at the info.

Graham White's book on P&W's R-4360 is a fine and thorough study of one of the greatest aeronautical piston engines ever produced. If you are at all interested in the general subject of aircraft engines, or even engines generally, you should obtain a copy to read and enjoy studying and savoring it slowly over the months after you first go through it. The text is clear and it is well illustrated, all that a book on an aircraft engine should be. My only quibble, and it is a quibble, is that the down-draught inlet ports, a distinct feature of the R-4360, have a much longer history than Mr. White seems to indicate, having been used by BMW in sportscar engines in the 1930s and by Miller in racing engines even earlier; however, since these examples are drawn from outside his field of study, Mr White may be excused, and even were this not the case, the general quality of this work would win him praise not criticism.

Graham White's monumental "R-4360: Pratt & Whitney's Major Miracle" is a comprehensive history of the largest, most powerful, most complex and most sophisticated aircraft piston engine ever built. The 28-cylinder, 3,500-horsepower-plus "Wasp Major" was truly the epitome of aircraft piston engine development. The big four-row radial pushed the engineering state-of-the-art in materials, cooling systems, ignition technology, manufacturing processes and many other areas. But, to the dismay of round-engine fans everywhere, it was also a dead-end. By the time P&W's famous "corncob" engine reached its full potential in the early 1950s, the new jet engines had taken both military and civilian aircraft markets by storm. There was no longer a need for big, heavy, noisy, temperamental piston engines.

This book is definitely not for everyone. If you are not of a technical persuasion, and if you don't enjoy poring over engineering drawings with literally nuts-and-bolts details of complicated pieces of machinery, then you should probably pass on this volume. If you're not interested in learning about the intricacies of intake and exhaust valve timing, turbosupercharger plumbing and carburetor design for this big radial engine, then you should probably look elsewhere for reading material. But if you are a confirmed technophile, and if incredibly detailed cutaway and exploded-view drawings make you salivate, then look no further--"R-4360: Pratt & Whitney's Major Miracle" is the book for you.

In addition to the R-4360's development history, Mr. White includes exhaustive descriptions of all the aircraft that used the engine--aircraft such as the Martin AM-1 "Mauler," the Convair B-36 "Peacemaker," the Northrop XB-35 "Flying Wing" and Howard Hughes' infamous "Hercules" seaplane, better known as the "Spruce Goose." The information is all here, sometimes in overwhelming detail. For example, there are 80 pages of specification sheets covering each and every version of the R-4360 ever designed or produced. With its hundreds of clear, sharp photographs and drawings, this book is a veritable gold mine of esoteric but interesting information.

It's big, it's thick, it's heavy, it's a little intimidating and it's not to be absorbed in a single sitting, but "R-4360: Pratt & Whitney's Major Miracle" is a valuable work of great significance and unique depth. I recommend it without reservation as the definitive chronicle of American aviation's largest, most powerful piston engine.

I receipt the book very quikly and in excelent conditios of use, as a new book.

Reinforced Concrete: Mechanics and Design (4th Edition) (Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics)

I think this book is very good quality, and shipping is not bad...

I have the 2nd edition of this book which I loved. This edition is excellent and is easily the best text on Reinforced Concrete there is anywhere.

This book is the best for those who want a deeper understanding of reinforced concrete design.Since the author presents a step by step way to introduce the concepts,the reader is able to get a more detailed information and retents more concepts instead of procedures

This book was already one of the best concrete design texts and is even better with the addition of the new co-author James Wight, who adds valuable information on the design of concrete structures to resist seismic forces. There are a few minor errors in the examples that still exist from the 3rd edition, but they are minor and the examples are detailed enough that the corrections are usually forthcoming. I recently finished a MS in Structural Engineering focusing on concrete design and this book (3rd edition) was one of the 2 or 3 that I found myself referring to most often.