Design and Construction Books

Ever imagine what it might have been like to have dinner with F. Scott Fitzgerald and Zelda, to attend one of the fabulous parties so vividly painted in his literature? Their time is often called the Gilded Age, and it truly must have been if the amazing homes featured in North Shore Long Island are examples of houses they frequented.

As most know, the North Shore of Long Island borders Long Island Sound and once boasted some 1,000 stately homes, more accurately mansions, earning that area the sobriquet Gold Coast. These were the homes of the rich and famous, the celebrated, and a gathering place for those who yearned to be a part of their storied existence.

In all probability, it is the setting for Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby (1925) with its memorable descriptions of privileged lives. North Shore homes with their varied architecture, verdant gardens, pools, furniture and appointments once outshone any to be found elsewhere in America or in Europe.

Art historian Paul J. Mateyunas has selected 40 of these homes as the focus of "North Shore Long Island/Country Houses 1890 - 1950." He not only presents 350 duotones and floor plans in his beautiful volume but also traces the building of the homes and the lives of those who were in residence. All of this makes for a fascinating arm chair tour of another time in an unparalleled place.

Recommended.

- Gail Cooke

Acanthus Press rocks..and this is another great book from them..this book is fantastic. The North Shore of Long Island is the benchmark for high society living..the movie The Great Gatsby may have been filmed in Newport, but it was about the Gold Coast. This is the bastion of WASP high society of the turn of the century into the sixties. The book itself is perfect, scholarly text and crisp, vivid images. Highly recommended, you wont be disappointed.

Wow.

I grew up in Old Brookville and was drawn to this book. While I know some of the history, and remember bits of it from anecdotes and people and stories from my childhood, Mr. Mateyunas has done a compelling, well researched job of evoking a lost era of a magical time in American history. And even better, he has captured all of it in one beautiful book.

He has done a masterful job (and this from someone who writes for a living). I shall give this book as a gift and am proud to have it in my library.

"And so we beat on, boats against the current..." FSF

This book is absolutely amazing. It is by far the best book out there for this part of Long Island, in this particular time period. There are so many pictures that I've never been able to find anywhere else. My only complaint is that there wasn't enough information about the few houses in the back part of the book (one of them is my old house and I can't find any info about it anywhere!!). Finally someone has put all of the best info about the classic North Shore together in one place. Excellent work!

Everything went right and smooth with my order. I got the book on Amazon way cheaper than in a library... Good value!

This book is one of the two "Bibles" of Nuclear Engineering. LaMarsh's "Introduction to Nuclear Engineering" is the other IMHO. For those interested in a broad overview of Nuclear Engineering, it is my opinion that you should start with the LaMarsh book. Duderstadt's book contains a lot more math and can be difficult to follow without some solid math background and a few Nuc Eng courses under your belt. There are a few cases in the book where a series of equations leading to a conclusion skip a few steps. It's not as bad as the old "A=B and from this we see that e = mc2!" joke, but some work is required.

That said, this books drawbacks are also its strengths. It has stood the test of time [my copy is over 20 years old] and will probably remain relevant for another 20 years. It is to my knowledge well prepared and error free, and a must-have for anyone interested in nuclear reactor engineering.

A good, solid, book for a undergraduate student in nuclear engineering or anyone with a physical sciences background who is interested in learning more about nuclear power operations and analysis. Very clear text with plenty of information on topics (i.e., reactor design) that often confuse students. -Mike Walker Thorsvedtt

This is a great introductory textbook for Nuclear Reactor Analysis/ One-Speed diffusion model/Multigroup Diffusion method and core design. It was published a while ago - in 1976, but remains to be one of the best textbook on the topic.

This book is a piece of America. Back to basics. Simple and well planned. When you want to touch base and realize the simplicity of a home you will look for this helpful and complete guide. Sandra is a real asset when it comes to easy living. Thanks for sharing.

ON THE PORCH: CREATING YOUR PLACE TO WATCH THE WORLD GO BY discusses the ambiance and design of the home porch with an eye to surveying how a porch added to a home can change its atmosphere. It's the first book on the market devoted to porches alone and covers an extensive range, from assessing different types of porches for different purposes to design, construction, and maintenance. Everything from furnishings to lighting is reviewed in this in-depth, well detailed guide perfect for any library strong in interior design or homeowner hints.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch

This book is very well written and gives good, practical advice which should be considered when you are planning to build or remodel a porch addition to your house. It gives types and styles to choose from.
Some of these are huge projects that I would need to mortage my house for or sell some property or inherit some money to do but I still enjoyed reading about them.
Definite read if you are planning a porch!

I picked up a copy of this book because my husband and I want to remodel our unused dark & uncomfortable back porch. We were able to get some great design ideas that will help us increase our entertaining space because we will actually be able to use our porch for summer parties. Also, great tips and ideas for furnishing the new space. Of all the design and remodeling books that I looked at, "On The Porch", was the best at answering my questions and offering ideas!

This book fills a much needed gap in the texts on the market on PLL design. As a student and then a practising engineer who has designed several PLLs for commercially successful ICs, I find that this book serves as a good college text as well as a handy reference to industrial designers who have to make critical design trade-offs.

If someone were to ask the question - "why should I buy this book versus the rest?" here is what sets this book a class apart.

1. It deals with theory, circuit simulation and testing of PLLs.
2. For those who like math - it has rigorous equations to go with the intuitive analysis. The math is reinforced with examples and SPICE simulations and waveforms. For example section 3.2 - phase noise, 3.5 - acquisition of lock are difficult topics that are presented in a clear manner.
3. For students the extensive references at the back of each chapter will prove very handy. The subjective questions and numerical problems will serve to reinforce understanding of the material. Although the solutions/answers are not shown in the text, this should not discourage anyone from trying the problems out.
4. One of my favorite sections is the chapter 7 on test and measurements.
PLL measurements are to be done with care and the author covers all critical measurements such as jitter and even provides suggestions for instruments to be used and how to set them up. For a test engineer, this is quite obviously a superior method as opposed to learning by trial and error. Sections 7.6 and 7.9 are especially worth reading.
5. My other favorite chapter 8 is on simulation. I have not seen a more concise yet wide coverage of simulation methodology for PLLs in a text yet. The author shows options for transistor level and behavioral modelling, uses simulators such as SPICE and POWERMILL to highlight how different parameters can be tested effectively and indicates how one can visualize non-ideal behaviors.

This is an essential book for PLL designers. It covers all the practical aspects. First two chapters explain the system-level basics, where it can be found in any PLL book. However, the remaining chapters make this book unique. Third chapter explains phase noise, jitter, and spurious signals. Especially, the phase noise theory and connection between phase noise and jitter is very useful to see the big picture. Chapter 4 and 5 explain individual loop components. Detailed explanations of lock detection and acquisition techniques are very helpful. The testing and simulation of PLLs are explained with all practical aspects. In summary, this book is highly recommended to everyone who is interested in PLLs.

I have no hesitation in recommending this book to the experienced PLL designer, the practicing engineer who is starting to design PLLs, system designers who need an understanding of the care-abouts of PLLs and system level effects, as well as students who need some understanding on all levels. This is the best book to date that I have seen discussing the topic.

Although some background is assumed, it is on a level that 3rd year undergraduate students should be able to comprehend. The book starts off with an overview of PLL and its applications in Ch.1. Then it looks at PLLs from a system view in Ch.2. and Ch.3. with Ch.3 concentrating on key design issues such as jitter, locking, and spurs. Ch.4 and Ch.5 concentrate upon the building blocks of the PLL (dividers, oscillators, detectors, and the loop filter). Ch.6 concentrates upon stability. The last three chapters, 7, 8, and 9 concentrate upon real life design of PLLs. Ch.7 discusses the testing of PLLs; Ch.8, with the simulations of PLLs; and Ch.9 with the a discussion of the tradeoffs in the design and big picture effect of PLLs upon the complete system.

This book is not only ideal for a student but also a practicing engineer who may have a rudimentary understanding of PLLs and wishes to learn from the experience of an expert in the field. Unlike other books that deal solely with theory, this book spends a fair amount of time discussing the practical aspects of the design. It actually has SPICE netlists which you can implement to learn about the building blocks or PLL system. But it is thorough as well. Those wishing to delve into the rigorous mathematics will not be disappointed while those who are at a stage where they need a general understanding can gloss over the theory and not lose insight into the operating principles. To cater to both audiences is not an easy thing to accomplish and Mr. Goldman is able to do so because of his expertise in the field and having first-hand design experience in numerous applications.

This is the best book for integrated circuit designers who have to design high performance PLLs in their jobs. Not only does it review the fundamental theories of different PLL architectures but also discusses the subtleties of each design. This is by far the best book for real world PLL designs. It should be in every integrated circuit designer's library. I am amazed how many inside tricks and subtleties this book explains. You get up to date on important circuits for high perfomance PLL design that yield in the real world.

This is an excellent book that leads you through switched-mode power supply design in plain English with a practical and straight-forward approach. Highlights for me include the conversation on trade-offs for topologies, the end-to-end design examples, and the detailed treatment of magnetics design and implementation. I have many power supply books (including a very good one by Ralph Tartar), but this is my favorite. To put it simply, if you have any responsibility for designing or understanding power supplies, you need a copy of this book on your bookshelf.

Fairly clear, a little generic but useful to grasp the basic concepts. A good first step towards the design of Power supplies.

Best book about practical design of electronics (power supplies).
There is no "PHD BSing", all formulas are simple and easy to use.
Many, many advices and shortcuts.
If you are EE (and you know what a resistor looks like), but never designed power supplies - you can start your first design after reading this book.
So, spend $70 and buy this book. If you have no money (or you rather buy beer than book), ask your boss to buy it (book) for you...

This is far and away the most practical, comprehensive and useful reference on power supplies I have ever read. It covers it all from component level through EMI control in a very straight forward manner. EXCELLENT!

The kitchen table. The laundry room. The corner of the master bedroom.

This is where many Americans tend to locate their home offices, and Marilyn Zelinsky's book, "Practical Home Office Solutions" gives an excellent case as to why this spells disaster and even a better case on how to avoid it.

Written from experience and from the heart, Marilyn takes us on a journey, somewhat personal but extremely factual, that shatters the stereotypical home office. We don't need a home office lifted from the pages of Architectural Digest. That's an unrealistic fantasy. We also don't work from the kitchen table. That's a recipe for failure. What we do need is a personal space that not only inspires us to work, but also enhances productivity and lifestyle while applying the principles of ergonomics. The author gives so many practical tips that any reader's ideal home office is lurking somewhere within the book's pages.

How to buy a chair. Feng Shui for the Home Office. Working with children in the house. How to pull storage out of the air. Which American cities are most conducive to telecommuting. The list goes on.

If you run a business from home, this book is a must. If you telecommute or run a telecommuting program for your company, this book gives you the facts, the figures and the studies necessary to make any corporate program work.

Read it from cover to cover. Leave it on your desk and wander through it, pulling ideas out at random. It has an extensive resource guide and planning sheets to get you going when you are finally ready to make your ideal office happen.

I give this book to some of my clients who are setting up home offices. As a home office design consultant myself, I find it a necessary tool for shattering the home office image the media has created and getting the creative juices flowing.

Most books in this category showcase grand offices filled with beautiful expensive furniture and look like they've never been used. Zelinksy, on the other hand, writes about the challenges that real people face when trying to create a home office in a basement, attic, closet or a cramped corner of a bedroom. I especially liked how the book included loads of advice on how to kid-proof (or spouse-proof) your office, work in a really rural town, work with an assistant in your home, buy an ergonomic chair, find enough storage, and outfit an office on a really tight budget. Definitely worth the price.

We are witnessing the next revolution in the workplace - the transition of work from the office to the home. Zelinsky's book offers practical advise that can help ease the transition of a new telecommuter, or improve the productivity of a seasoned home office worker.

Beyond simply advising on furniture and technology solutions, Practical Home Office Solutions addresses the psychological issues that telecommuters and home-based entrepreneurs deal with on a daily basis.

I would highly recommend for anyone who spends some part of their day working from the home.

I am now planning to work at home so I wanted to read the books on the home office to see where to start. I liked the title, because it includes the word "practical" which is exactly what I was looking for. The book has a no-nonsense approach to planning a home office. I especially appreciated all the comments from regular folk who work at home, all the problems they had and the solutions they found. The book covers how to work at home, how to overcome isolation, how to find inexpensive furniture--I looked up a furniture liquidator in my town as the author suggested, and will buy my desk and chair from there at half the price I expected to pay elsewhere! I didn't even know these stores existed so I'm grateful for the book's advice.

I've owned this book for years & I return to it regularly. There is something magical about this book. Although most of us will never experience living in a Provence villa, the photography takes you away & it is absoultely wonderful to look at. Every page offers delightful discoveries. This book has it all and is by far my favorite interior design book in my collection.

I have never been there, but through samplings such as this treasure of a book, I have seen on print what I most want to see: Provence! This "gift" presents the reader with the best views of interiors that I am aware of. I have combed my library and bookstores for views of Provence for almost forever. This book almost makes me cry, I long to see it so! Until I do, this sumptuous look at this magical region is availble in this outstanding book. I am SO glad I have my copy!

In this rich photographic essay of interiors in Provence, Lovatt-Smith captures the design, style, essence, texture, life and breath of this magical location and its occupant's beautiful interiors.

This book is a gorgeously photographed journey into the homes of wealthy and/or very stylish residents of Provence. Not a book of typical 'French Country Interiors', it covers a wide range of styles from super modern to 17th century grandeur, from 'to the manor born', to gypsy caravans (stunning). As with all things French I adore the way they so gracefully combine the old and the new. These are for the most part not homes that were 'designed', but instead homes that 'grew' with thier owners over time. This book is one of a series of books by this publisher/editor team and they are all wonderful. I have this one, the book on Indian Interiors, the book on Moroccan Interiors (my favorite) and the one on Tuscan Interiors. Each of these books is pure quality. The photography, the variety of well chosen homes, the layout and design of the books, including paper quality, binding etc. is superb. There isn't one aspect of any of these books, including this one, that is run-of-the-mill or poorly conceived. If you are interested in Provencial style, creative interiors, use of colour and texture, and French Culture, you will adore this book. It is without a doubt the best book on French Interiors that I have found.

So many Provence house books show plenty of details, but this book's strength is the profusion of color throughout. We took it with us to the tile store and could easily see by opening any page what tones, hues are truly Provencal and would work in our new house.

Wonderful photos! An inside peek at many inspiring homes! Vibrant colors and rich textures! Beautiful and informative. It's almost as much fun as an actual visit to Provence.

A beautiful book, full of concise details and suggestions for decorating your home to evoke Provence.

Provence Style is a beautiful book. Reading this book is like traveling through the Provence country. It describes the types of Provence houses with the illustration of beautiful pictures. You will feel the ambiance of the outdoors as well as the cozy aspects of the indoors. You will almost smell the lavender fields from the terrace pictures! And your visit will show you incredible flooring, original fireplaces, delicate furniture and other traditional elements of the Provence style.
Our preference is biased toward the ceramics, especially the Moustiers ones, and the fabrics. Provence fabrics are so colorful and playful! Also, the Boutis, a white quilting method is presented here with a picture of its transparency through light.

THIS BOOK IS UNQUESTIONABLY THE BEST QUALITY REFERENCE BOOK EVER WRITTEN! David Hoyle confidently explains the underlying logic behind ISO and QS requirements in such a manner that the reader is amazed at the simplicity of the requirement and how it will benefit his company. I feel more motivated and positive each time I use it!

The book is well organized and addresses complex issues in a logical, well ordered fashion. The author uses excellent examples to illustrate his points. The "task lists" and "Do's and Don'ts" provided for each section are the single best reference checklist I have come across. He makes extensive use of charts and diagrams to illustrate interdependencies and processes.

What I like best about this author is that he clearly understands the real world and the problems and challenges that face every company. He sites real-world examples and solutions. He takes a common sense approach so that you get a quality company and product, not just an expensive bound manual. So many other quality authors come off as dry and unyielding losing sight of the real goal.

The first thing any company should do when contemplating ISO or QS is to go and buy a copy of this book for every Senior Executive and Manager!

David Hoyle is a true pioneer in Quality and a guy to keep your eye on. I also follow his speeches and articles. I have no doubt that his contributions will someday reshape this field.

I not only read this book, but also I was the chief editor for a translation of it into Farsi (a limited companywide translation). Being Editor for the Farsi translation, I had to read it letter by letter, and compare the concepts with the original text. So I can claim that I am one of those who has read the book deeply and completely in detail. This is such a handbook that makes companies needless of consultors, for many parts of the implementation project. It takes the managers' hand, carrys them step by step, giving a deep insight onto the thoughts behind the physical name of "QS-9000". None of the words has been neglected to read critically from the consistency and interpretablity point of view. I and all the translation team, enjoyed and learned a lot through reading the book. (Unfortunately I have not the address of Mr. Hoyle and looking for his address, to communicate directly, to take the greetings and thanks of the team and mine, and to send a Farsi translation to him.)

We completed the translation and desktop publishing in only 28 days, (it takes normally at least 1 year)! What is clearly identifiable, Prof. Hoyle knows the backbone of ISO9000 and QS-9000 philosophy well, that is why his comments on the ambigous or confusing parts are completely consistent with ours as advisors with many practical experiences. I had some footnotes on Farsi translation of this book, but this never lessen a bit the value of it and I pride that it was a real remote training course of Prof. Hoyle himself for me and our experts.

The handbook can be also a good guide for implementing any standard system like VDA 6.1, ISO TS 16949, French, and Italian automotive companies' similar standards, becouse it is concept-oriented and not QS-9000 word- or phrase-dependent.

I leave my e-mail address, and looking forward to any kind mail about the address of Proffessor by others khowing him.

David Hoyle's book on QS-9000 is one of the best books I've read on the automotive standard. I use it as my 'bible' for instruction and for creating documentation. I would recommend it to anyone who is contemplating certification.

David Hoyle's QS-9000 Quality Systems handbook is essential reading for all interested parties who require a succinct accurate analysis of QS-9000, Quality System Requirements.

As a practicing QS-9000 Registered Lead Auditor the writer has informally recommended the text to numerous corporations worldwide. Divided into two parts - Preparation for QS-9000 and Satisfying QS-9000 requirements.

Part 1 - Preparation for QS-9000 initially reviews quality assurance fundamentals in clear language including discussion on the quality , price and cost relationship. The mechanics of the QS-9000 registration process (similar to ISO9000) are covered together with a listing of key QS-9000 requirements and many common misconceptions. ( These may be useful in discussing an invalid nonconformity with an over zealous QS-9000 auditor !!)

Part 2 - Satisfying QS-9000 requirements takes each of the 23 sections of QS-9000 (2nd Edition February 1995) and in very good detail explains the! actual QS-9000 requirement and how it may be incorporated within a quality system. A useful Task List, Questionnaire and 'Do & Don't' listing is included at the end of each section.

In summary its hard to criticize this book as it is truly a world class text !

Roland J. Kelly QS-LA , CQE , BS MS Natonal Standards Authority of Ireland Fremont California USA

Here are what I think are the pluses and minuses of this book:

Pluses: The "style primer" section gives tips on color and paint, proportion and scale, furniture and floor plans, art and arranging, patterns and fabric, accessories and collections, lighting and lamps, storage and display, and sources and resources. This section alone will probably be worth the cost of the book to most people. Most of these tips can be generalized to different styles. Also the tips at the end of each case study can be useful to many people.

Minuses: However, the case studies themselves leave something to be desired. Even though the book supposedly shows the homes of a cross section of people, the style is the same through out the book. What I call "modern country." It has a country feel, but more choices of color than traditional country and some unusual eye catching design-elements.

If your style is modern country, or if you like a wide variety of styles and want a book representative of this type of style for your book colletion, like I did, then you will enjoy this book. Everyone else might want to pass.

I found this book to be fun, accessible and full of great ideas for people in all stages of life. I have already recommended it to many friends and suggest it as a "must have" for the home design library. The ideas are timeless and creative and the sources given are practical and fit the average homeowners budget.

There are so many decorating books out there that you can spend a fortune buying them. My mode of operatus is to check the book out of the library and if it is a "keeper" I purchase it. I am ordering this book today. Even though not all the styles are like mine, the glorious pictures and variety of decorating options represented definitely provide a great jumping off point. I would actually have given this book a 4.5 stars if that option was available, but felt it was better than 4 stars.

The book addresses several "styles" of decor and includes the actual homeowners and their comments about their decorating tastes. The pictures are beautiful and each section includes "real life lessons." These "lessons" are tips and secrets for incorporating each type of style into your decor. My one complaint - I do think there was often too much of the homeowner's "stories" and would prefer more tips and lessons. One great things included is the Sources & Resources section in the back of the book.

I found this book to be fun and completely accessible. I enjoyed the stories about the 10 Real Life Decorators in the book and how their styles evolved. I found Real Life Decorating to be practical, creative and filled with timeless ideas and tips from people who actually "live" in the houses they decorate. This is a great book for all and I have already recommended it to many friends as a "must have" for the home design library.