Interior Design Books

Before this English translation of Iamblichus' only surviving defense of theurgy, scholars and those few others, curious about such matters had only Taylors' version to refer to. (While I am aware of A. Wilders' translation it suffers from far too many errors to be of much real value). Now Clarke, Dillon, and Hershbell have gifted us with what is sure to be the standard for years to come. That is not to say that Thomas Taylor was not a super-Damion among men. His translation no doubt will remain for years. This due to the fact that Taylor truly understood Theurgy as few other scholars.
So why the need for a new critical translation? Besides the fact that more extant manuscripts were examined than ever before in its preparation, this is a near transparent reading of Iamblichus' intent with clarity and fidelity. Unlike Proclus and many other Platonic fathers, Iamblichus according to Eunapius did not possessed a silver tongue. His writing is at times both tortured and unconventional. Somehow our current team has managed to negotiate many of the traditional Iamblichean hurdles.
The De Mysteriis is a brief examination of noetic or abiding principles of the soul together with proceeding and returning principles. Add to this that based upon the the focused questions from Porphyry, Iamblichus takes on some of the more difficult questions left unanswered by Plotinus. Questions such as the descent of the soul; whether or not the charioteer or One of soul remains undescended. In adddition Iamblichus deals with material sacrifice and its relation to the unmovable Gods, appearances of sound and light and their relation to the quale of beingness, epopteia and the art of Telestai. All these thorny questions and still more Iamblichus tackles in De Mysteriis.
An absolute must for all Scholarch-mystae!

Interiors from the island of Ibiza are revealed through some five hundred color photos and accompanying discussions of Ibiza styles and how they differ. These photos of thirty private homes and boutique hotels range from traditional to modern embellishments and comes from a travel and interiors photographer who has contributed to world interior design magazines, working with an author whose articles on art, travel and design have also extensively seen print. The full-page color photos make for a gorgeous pairing with the in-depth surveys of culture and style.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

Kardon's 3-volume set is a magnificent addition to any library--but this book in particular helps us understand the evolution of craft. I am particularly interested in the Arts and Crafts movement and the effect the Industrial Revolution had on craftspeople. This book is a must-read to understand why our homes look the way they do, and what goes into the work of craft vs the work of machine to make life livable.

It was great because the kids and i had lots of fun doing it together. Some of the things they altered from the book (i.e- colors and patterns). They enjoyed getting to chose the way they wanted there bedroom to look. My three 11 year old daughters made their rooms look dreamy with soft colors and glitters and sparkles everywhere. My two sons prefered a more personalized look. One liking sports, combined pictures paterns and colors to form a very upbeat and active setting. The other, prefered to be on the computer. He decorated his room with wall paint, and wires and lots of other high tech things. Take in mind none of this was the least bit hazardous. My house turned out to be a place where the kids liked to be and just plain comfortable, a place to relax.

This book helped me to sort out what I should do for my kitchen. It gives a lot of technical advice and comparisons and fabulous pictures of various types of kitchen designs. I was able to turn what seemed like an overwhelming task of interior designing in a fun & creative adventure.

If you want to get an excellent idea about the history of the domestic interior, this is the book for you. Every type of dwelling is to be found, with exquisite detail. From the very simple, to the palatial, one finds great delight in these wonderful watercolors. Culled from the domestic interiors of Europe, the Continent, Russia and America, these historic records give the reader an extrodinary glimpse into the past. It is an accurate record of the most minute details, from the floors to the paintings on the walls. Scholarly enough for students of Interior Design? Yes; but why should they have all the fun?

Co-edited by Jeremy Aynsley (Head of the School of Humanities at the Royal College of Art) and Charlotte Grant (Senior Research Fellow at the AHRC Centre for the Study of Domestic Interior, Royal College of Art), Imagined Interiors: Representing The Domestic Interior Since The Renaissance provides art students and enthusiasts with an informed and informative historical survey of how the home has been depicted in western art over the last 500 years. Featuring home interiors that range from the grandly aristocratic to the simple ordinary, "Imagined Interiors" draws from a range of artists that includes Vermeer and Hogarth to Alfrided Hitchcock and Bill Brandt. Profusely illustrated with 260 full-color illustrations, this 304-page specialized art history is enthusiastically recommended for personal, academic, and community library Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists. Indeed, "Imagined Interiors" would be an appropriate and popular Memorial Fund acquisition selection choice for any public library.

Very helpful assessmentof literary and archeological sources. Used by my daughter for her Ancient History degree.

This gorgeously illustrated book is a treat to look at. Scores of photos, sketches and reprints amply show off the Nouveau style in jewelry, furniture, furnishings, art, posters etc. The text gives a good history and background of the style, and shows how it makes it's presence in current culture. This is a great book for artists looking for creative ideas and anyone that appreciates great style.

Amazing pictures of contemporary India. It represents truly what India is...a unique mixture of the modern intersped with the traditional. The architecture represented within is the best of a vernacular response to westernization.

Suggested is reading on each of the topics touched topically.
Also suggested is getting the "smaller" version of the book...; with cuter images and the classic pocketbook appearence. This one is just a bigger copy of the other.

Personally these are the best images of India I can come across and all my office collegues are amazed by them.