Average customer rating:
- useless
- Great value
- don't be deceived by the title
- A disorderly book, some good advice, much confusion
- Good history, but impractical
|
Thinking with Type: A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, & Students (Design Briefs)
Ellen Lupton
Manufacturer: Princeton Architectural Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Drawing & Modelling
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Instructional & How-To
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Graphic Arts
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Typography
| Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Elements of Typographic Style
-
Making and Breaking the Grid: A Graphic Design Layout Workshop
-
The Elements of Graphic Design: Space, Unity, Page Architecture, and Type
-
Grid Systems: Principles of Organizing Type (Design Briefs)
-
Universal Principles of Design: 100 Ways to Enhance Usability, Influence Perception, Increase Appeal, Make Better Design Decisions, and Teach Through Design
Accessories:
-
Visual Grammar (Design Briefs)
ASIN: 1568984480 |
Book Description
The organization of letters on a blank sheet -- or screen -- is the most basic challenge facing anyone who practices design. What type of font to use? How big? How should those letters, words, and paragraphs be aligned, spaced, ordered, shaped, and otherwise manipulated? In this groundbreaking new primer, leading design educator and historian Ellen Lupton provides clear and concise guidance for anyone learning or brushing up on their typographic skills.
Thinking with Type is divided into three sections: letter, text, and grid. Each section begins with an easy-to-grasp essay that reviews historical, technological, and theoretical concepts, and is then followed by a set of practical exercises that bring the material covered to life. Sections conclude with examples of work by leading practitioners that demonstrate creative possibilities (along with some classic no-no's to avoid).
Customer Reviews:
useless.......2007-09-08
I wouldn't recommend this book to anybody. just a fiw bits of information from every area, but nothing specific or useful.
Great value.......2007-09-05
If you're loooking for a good foundational knowledge of type, this is one of the best books for the money you'll find.
don't be deceived by the title.......2007-09-04
not quite helpful with thinking with type as the title suggests. more of a brief historical overview of type and such. does not really help you think critically about type. there are a few other books i would definitely if you're wanting for something deeper about type after reading this book. overall, for the price, it's a decent book to own. i do wish the book talked more about the grid system though.
A disorderly book, some good advice, much confusion.......2007-08-25
This book does not accomplish what it sets out to be, according to the subtitle, "A critical guide for designers, writers, editors & students". It has some interesting examples of unusual designs and has some value for designers of, for example, brochures or advertisements. But the book has limited value for the remaining targeted audience, as far too much of the book is devoted to oddities and strange designs that a writer, editor or student should NEVER even think of using.
The majority of the examples of text settings in the book are unreadable for more than a few lines. No writer who actually wants his or her work to be read should ever want to have the text set in one of these designs.
There are some useful guides on matters such as leading and tracking, but these are lost in the overall jumble. The book merits two stars only because of designers might find it useful. All others should avoid the book.
Good history, but impractical.......2007-08-09
This book is more a brief history of typography than a practical guide for the designer. The author is the scholarly type and in that mode she provides a wonderful analysis of typography's evolution as medium. On the down side, I found the overall tone of the book to be on the pretentious, high-minded side. Practical application of the principles described is not the emphasis.
Average customer rating:
- Calculations are only as good as your numbers
- Pants on fire?
- Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed.
- Very Interesting
- History as Science Fiction
|
History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
Anatoly Fomenko
Manufacturer: Mithec
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Chinese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Irish
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Ethnic & National
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Women
| Specific Groups
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Augustine, Saint
| ( A )
| People, A-Z
| Biographies & Memoirs
| Subjects
| Books
Doctors & Medicine
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Lawyers & Criminals
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Love, Sex & Marriage
| Humor
| Entertainment
| Subjects
| Books
Assyria, Babylonia & Sumer
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Early Civilization
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Ancient
| History
| Subjects
| Books
Historiography
| Historical Study
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| World
| History
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Asian American
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Asian American
| Poetry
| United States
| World Literature
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
French
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Victorian
| Erotica
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Epic
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
German
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Spanish
| Poetry
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Chinese
| Classics
| Literature & Fiction
| Subjects
| Books
Conspiracy Theories
| Current Events
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
War on Drugs
| Crime & Criminals
| Nonfiction
| Subjects
| Books
English (All)
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Arabic
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Armenian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Czech
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Greek
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Hungarian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Japanese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Korean
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Norwegian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Persian & Farsi
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Polish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Portuguese
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Romanian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Russian
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Swedish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Turkish
| Foreign Language
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Science
| Dictionaries & Thesauruses
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Online Research
| Genealogy
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
Native American
| Earth-Based Religions
| Religion & Spirituality
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
General
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
History of Science
| History & Philosophy
| Science
| Subjects
| Books
Magic & Wizards
| Fantasy
| Science Fiction & Fantasy
| Subjects
| Books
Sailor Moon
| Popular Characters
| Children's Books
| Subjects
| Books
Pilates
| Exercise & Fitness
| Health, Mind & Body
| Subjects
| Books
History
| Fashion
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
History: Fiction or Science? Chronology 2 (Chronology)
-
History: Fiction or Science? Astronomical methods as applied to chronology. Ptolemy's Almagest. Chronology III
-
Discovering the Mysteries of Ancient America: Lost History And Legends, Unearthed And Explored
-
Before the Pharaohs: Egypt's Mysterious Prehistory
-
They Cast No Shadows: A Collection of Essays on the Illuminati, Revisionist History, and Suppressed Technologies
ASIN: 2913621058 |
Book Description
Recorded history is a finely-woven magic fabric of intricate lies about events predating the sixteenth century. There is not a single piece of evidence that can be reliably and independently traced back earlier than the eleventh century. This book details events that are substantiated by hard facts and logic, and validated by new astronomical research and statistical analysis of ancient sources.
Customer Reviews:
Calculations are only as good as your numbers.......2007-08-03
Yes, we can all agree that mainstream history is nearly 100% BS due to politics, economics, ego, problems with dating techniques, and various conspiracies. Agreed. But, I've been researching the distinct possibility that human history (in terms of civilizations) are much more ancient than we've been told, so coming across this book was very interesting to me. I wondered how Fomenko could be wrong (if at all) because he is very persuasive in his presentations. Then it dawned on me. If at previous times in prehistory, due to the various catastrophies that are well documented (comets, asteroids, planetary disruptions, plasma discharge, pole reversals, etc) the Earth was in a different position in relation to the sun, different tilt on its axis, different orbit, different rotation (in terms of velocity and DIRECTION), and the continents were in different positions, then would this not cause the ancients to see the sky (constellations) differently? In other words, is Fomenko making erronious assumptions about the physics of the Earth in pre-history, which then corrupt his data with regards to dating the relevant astrology? The last event to seriously disrupt our planet occured roughly 3500 years ago, according to other good researchers, so is it possible Fomenko has been confused by this? The vastly different physics of our planet in the not so distant past may explain this confusion, which is not to say the "mainstream" version of history is correct; on the contrary. I am not an expert in these fields, but wanted to see if this idea could spark discussion.
Pants on fire?.......2007-07-19
Will people ever read before spamming? Yes, Jesuits could not rewrite world history alone, they had help. Anyway, Dr Prof Acad A.Fomenko does not point to jesuits as the driving force of world wide history manipulation in published volumes 1,2,3;, actually he barely mentions the poor devils. Check it with 'Search inside' feature, please. China is rarely mentioned either, in fact, Dr Fomenko is completely eurocentric. Right, his theory contradicts all mainstream schools of history, because in their actual state they are all built on blatantly erroneus chronology. You don't need a mysterious cabal (conspiracy) to falsify history, the falsification is its modus operandi. It is inherent to history(ians) to falsify (distort) events, as it is inherent to humans to boast as it is inherent to power (authority) to legimize itself by referrring to glorious past made to its own order. Dr Prof Fomenko and team have identified scores of instances of such manipulation in Russian, European, etc.. history, and delivered valid statistical proof thereof. His own 'reconstruction' is completely another story. Forget c14 as a valid method of dating. W.Libby has initially discovered a brilliant method of INDEPENDENT dating. Too bad, c14 method has become a joke after a forced marrige with dendrochronology with consensual chronological scale inbuilt. Radiocarbon method can't stand blind tests, but is so very productive as a rubberstamp.
Accepted History & Chronology Must Be Changed. .......2007-04-09
There is no doubt that history as most know it is a sham, & institution's version of History both University & Church is fradulent & inaccurate. Everything was established with an agenda, The real "Dark Ages" are now when we have access to incredible amounts of information past authorities & more important 'common folk' didn't have but our institutions & educators are slow to evolve because of what has ignorantly & arrogantly been taught for too long. This is on many subjects not just Chronology.
For anyone to question "Why would a Mathematician have anything credible to say of History?" The answer is from Dr. Fomenko's preface in the book: "It would be worthwhile to remind the reader that in the XVI-XVII century Chronology was considered to be a subdivision of Mathematics." These volumes could possibly be some of the most important works to date & should be read by everyone with an interest in History, especially professors & educators who have a duty to the public. I have read both books & must say that 'Chronology 1' has some very eye opening & revolutionary information. Even if these volumes are part true the implications are profound & opens the doors to further investigations & questions which must be done. I speak several different lanquages & must say the logic Dr. Fomenko uses with "inflection" of words & words being read from left to right in one region & right to left in another then written backwards, the removal of vowels & get down to basics of words, or different cities & locations having the same name etc. is correct. Vowel usage has always been optional & varied, actually complicating linquistics & study. The first thing one has to understand is that words never had a fixed spelling in history like we do now, the spelling of words was mutable & regional, as well as names & titles of people were vast, varied & changed, NOTHING WAS FIXED or understood linear. Matters of Life & Death as well as financial profiteering yesterday & today were & are made with ignorant, illogical & conspiratorial views of history & reality, it's time people get closer to the Truth & society collectively grow up.
Very Interesting.......2007-03-07
It is a good proposal and I believe it will mature into something even better in the future. I think it deserves to be read.
History as Science Fiction.......2007-01-10
Anatoly Fomenko has written a very intriguing book, full of pictures, charts, and computer 'proof' of his thesis: backwards of AD900 we don't really know what happened or when. Between AD900 and AD1600 there is more certainty, but there is still a lot of fuzzy ground, and things don't get reliable until we get past the 1600's where the printing press made it very difficult for the perpetrators of this timeline manipulation to change anything that had been committed to print. The Dark Ages did not happen. Books were burned for a reason. One organization has doubled the actual length of its existence by expanding the real chronology. Read why.
I had always wondered why Christ died about AD33 and yet men waited until the 11th century to form the Knights Templar, the Cathars, etc and go after the Holy Land by force. Why the 1000 year gap? Turns out there wasn't more than a 10-12 year gap and he proves it using astronomy. This also implies that the planet is not as old as we have been told, and current Christian and other creationist scientists are already championing that idea without being aware of Fomenko's book. The two groups, creationist scientists and the Russian mathematical analysts corroborate each other. Fascinating.
Of course, all this flies in the face of what we have been told traditionally is the 'proper' chronology of western civilization, and most readers will experience 'cognitive dissonance' in reading this book. It means that our history going backwards from AD1600 becomes progressively more incorrect and unreliable until it cannot be trusted at all... in the space of 700-800 years.
Naturally, the curious, open-minded reader will want to know WHO did this, WHY, and did any of the events we think of as really ancient ever happen?
Dr. Fomenko is a respected scientist/mathematician at Moscow State University who has already answered these questions to the satisfaction of his initially skeptical colleagues. Most of them are now believers, a few still refuse to believe (the usual diehards), and of course the western press has ignored Fomenko's work -- for obvious reasons when you read the book. The ones who perpetrated this chronology ruse have a lot to answer for. They are still with us. That's why this book is a well-kept secret.
I gave the book a 4-star rating because I was unable to check out some of his claims; those I checked were as he said. But if even 1/3 of his claims are true, this punches a big hole in what we think is our history, the meaning of western civilization, our educational process (for repeating the ruse as gospel), and the trustworthiness of the organization that perpetrated this ruse, well-intentioned or not.
This book relates to current research into a Young Earth paradigm, to John Keel's discoveries about our planet, and Fr Malachi Martin's insights (in his now out-of-print books). We are indeed sheep who are manipulated and kept ignorant -- for a reason. While knowing what these men have to say may be the "booby prize" (as in: 'what can you do with this knowledge?'), it will provide interesting reading. Didn't someone say: "...and the Truth will set you free."?? For you to judge if this book contains the truth.
Book Description
Based on the results of more than a decade of research by the Pew Partnership for Civic Change, Smart Communities provides directions for strategic decision-making and outlines the key strategies used by thousands of leaders who have worked to create successful communities. Smart Communities offers leaders from both the public and private sectors the tools they need to create a better future for all the community's citizens. Using illustrative examples from communities around the country, Smart Communities shows how these change agents' well-structured decision-making processes can be traced to their effective use of seven key leverage points:
- Investing right the first time
- Working together
- Building on community strengths
- Practicing democracy
- Preserving the past
- Growing leaders
- Inventing a brighter future
Customer Reviews:
Smart Communities is a Smart Book.......2007-01-22
I got this book because it is being used as a textbook for a college course I am taking, but once I got into the book, I started enjoying it. Morse is a real excellent writer and she makes the subject matter of creating good communities interesting. Normally, I would dread reading a book for class, but this one is a good read especially for those who wnat to be more involved in making a smart community.
What Other People, Other Towns Have Done.......2005-04-19
I'm sure that you are busy. I've got a lot of things to do myself, more than I can get done today. And then the time comes when you have to stop being busy, some times you just have to sit and let the batteries recharge. As the old saying goes, sometimes I sits and thinks, and sometimes I just sits.
And the question has to come up of what can one person, you or me do to make the community we live in a better place. Suzanne Morse's book can't tell you what you can do. But it can tell you what other people like you have done. Will her ideas work in New York City, no. Will they work on the block you live in within New York City, in the neighborhood you live in, yes.
Meanwhile I've got to quit writing about this book. I'm going help the local community theater try to get started. I don't know anything about theater, but I can find some way to help, even if it's just sweeping the floor.
Smart Commununities.......2004-06-11
This book is an antidote for the cynicism and sense of helplessness that pervades too many of our communities. We are given actual examples of communities builing on their strengths, talents, histories and values to create new energy and optimism. As an amatuer historian, my favorite chapter was the one on preserving the past as a way to begin building the new. Now I have the language to encourage renewal by honoring the past.
Strategic Thinking and Acting.......2004-04-23
I was attracted to this book while looking for insights into strategic thinking for work in another arena. I was not disappointed.
Smart Communities offers many very useable ideas for anyone with responsibilities for thinking and acting strategically to enhance our lives together. And that probably includes most everyone.
Along with very practical help, the accounts and interpretations of real experiences also offer inspiration and hope.
A Bonanza For Anyone Working to Bring about Change.......2004-04-12
Finally, an exceedingly hopeful book about how to effect meaningful change in a community, large or small. Here, Dr. Suzanne Morse, in her characteristic lively and to-the-point style, has given us a guide, repleat with documented examples of how to move the needle on those issues we're all too familiar with: poverty, lack of a board base of leadership, chidren's welfare. Armed with more than 10 years of hands on experience working with groups in communities all across the country, Dr. Morse's book, as well as many of her other supportive pieces such as What Works, guarantees us all that we no longer have to start at square one. If you were depressed by Robert Putnam's novel a few years back, Bowling Alone, which bemoaned the lack of citizen involvement in communities today, this book and the work of Dr. Morse will give you not only hope but the tools to join forces with others where you live to make a difference.
Read it for the cheer joy of finding out how this is done, and done well.Each chapter ends with, How to Get Started in Your Community, a virtual workbook for action. Her reference section will also help guide you in fruitful directions.Putnam's latest book, Better Together: Restoring the American Community, speaks of a hint that citizens are beginning to "bowl together". Dr. Morse's book is proof that they are and have been doing so effectively for the past decade.Enjoy--an exhilerating read.
Average customer rating:
- Don't be afraid,
- Managing Chaos and Complexity: A Platform for Designing Business Architecture
- Multi-point reference, strong in all areas but very broad
- Successful Integration of Systems Thinking "Camps"
- Go west young man go west!
|
Systems Thinking, Second Edition: Managing Chaos and Complexity: A Platform for Designing Business Architecture
Jamshid Gharajedaghi
Manufacturer: Butterworth-Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
General
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
MIS
| Industries & Professions
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Management
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Production & Operations
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Systems & Planning
| Management & Leadership
| Business & Investing
| Subjects
| Books
Production, Operation & Management
| Industrial, Manufacturing & Operational Systems
| Engineering
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Information Systems
| Software Engineering
| Computer Science
| Computers & Internet
| Subjects
| Books
Business Math
| Business Skills
| Reference
| Subjects
| Books
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Computers & Internet
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Engineering
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Reference
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Business & Investing
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Computers & Internet
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Reference
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
The Manager's Pocket Guide to Systems Thinking and Learning
-
Systems Thinking Basics: From Concepts to Causal Loops
-
Systems Approaches to Management
-
An Introduction to General Systems Thinking (Silver Anniversary Edition)
-
General System Theory: Foundations, Development, Applications
ASIN: 0750679735 |
Book Description
The first edition of Systems Thinking was the first book to develop a working concept of systems theory and to deal operationally with systems methodology. The author has been working for the last 5 years to incorporate parallel development in quantum theory, self-organizing systems and complexity theory, the sum of which is included in this new 2nd edition. He has tested these concepts with 200 executive MBA students, and also with Russell Ackoff, one of the founding fathers of systems thinking. Ackoff reported that it was the most comprehensive systems methodology he has seen.
The 2nd edition features the synthesis of holistic thinking (iteration of structure, function and process), operational thinking (understanding chaos and complexity), sociocultural systems (movement toward a predefined order), and interactive design (redesigning the future and inventing ways to bring it about).
Also added are the operational thinking and self-organizing aspect of sociocultural systems, with updates made to the holistic thinking and interactive design parts to incorporate recent new developments.
* Cutting edge thinking incorporates the interaction of holistic thinking, operational thinking, sociocultural systems, and interactive design to develop an all inclusive systems methodology
* Companion website built solely to accompany and compliment the new edition available at www.interactdesign.com
* Operational thinking and self organizing aspects of sociocultural systems added anew, with the holistic thinking and interactive design parts updated to incorporate new developments
Customer Reviews:
Don't be afraid,.......2007-08-27
This is really aimed at the reader who wishes to work on the transformation of whole organisations. Demonstrating the multi-dimensional relationships between organisational design, performance and behaviour.
This work has had a profound effect on my thinking and development of management ideas. It integrates many concepts into a systemic whole. I have used this book with many management teams in recent years.
If you are venturing into the world of systems thinking then this is probably the most accessible in terms of simplicity and breakthrough applications.
Putting these ideas into practice with your colleagues or management teams might seem a little daunting but it's the only way to learn and master the concepts which will bring deeper insight into organisational change and provide you with better solutions to some of your more persistent management issues. Don't be afraid.
Managing Chaos and Complexity: A Platform for Designing Business Architecture.......2007-02-18
My company recommended that I read this book in advance of training session with the author. I scanned the entire book today. Some useful info.
Multi-point reference, strong in all areas but very broad.......2006-04-14
The concepts of system thinking, enterprise architecture, business architecture are big enough by themselves to be covered in a book. Doing it all within the context of a single book is daunting and a topic that Gharajedaghi partially accomplishes.
I read this book as part of the research I did for my doctoral dissertation, so this review will have a bit of an academic bent.
Gharajedaghi is a strong believer in the Enterprise Architecture models of Zachman and that influence shows in his work. The book has a strong academic flavor in its use of terminology and how it describes systems thinking. Executives and consultants looking to understand these concepts will have to work at it a bit, but the work is worth it.
A strength of this work is the fact that includes actual case studies -- something that few people take the time to do. The five cases cover a variety of industries and situations that make the principles that Gharajedaghi discusses.
Overall, if you are a serious student of systems thinking this book is a good second level reference. Peter Senge's the 5th Discipline is the 'pop' version of systems thinking and Peter Checklund is the intermediate level and somewhat similar to this work.
Successful Integration of Systems Thinking "Camps".......2006-02-12
Gharajedaghi's 2nd edition has accomplished an incredible feat - he has successfully integrated and synthesized the systems dynamics of Forrester with the systems thinking and interactive design of Ackoff. Jamshid connects Holistic thinking, operational thinking, socio-cultural models/conceptions, and interactive design into a complementary whole. Our organization has learned and is using Jamshid's methodology and it is fundamentally changing the way in which we see the world and the organizations that will be able to compete in this new "flat" world.
If you're ready to escape the confines of linear thinking and classical science and management approaches to organizational problems, then this is your book. This book is written conceptually, not linearly, and challenges any reader who is used to over-simplified, mainstream books yet it is not an overly technical read that would be approachable only to high-level engineers and systems scientists. Those not having approached systems thinking before might be better off simultaneously working through Senge's Fifth Discipline and Ackoff's Best as primers. Be prepared to read it slowly and repeatedly - the ideas are profound when considered carefully and openly and might challenge many core assumptions.
Having met Jamshid on several occasions, I have found him to be one of the brighest men to grace our world with a significant contribution to share - he very well may have the current "best" answer to organizational design for our times. To dismiss him as simply an "Ackoff disciple" or another guru trying to sell his services is shortsighted. Linear, prescriptive books become best-sellers that catapult authors into 5-digit fee days - Jamshid's 2nd edition isn't the stuff of best-sellers, but rather for "best-thinkers."
Go west young man go west!.......2005-11-17
If this book takes you back to the source material, then it will have accomplished its goal. The book itself, lacks the finesse of it's intellectual founders. But by god do we need this book in order to point us back. The last three years have been a result of reading all the source material for the book and for that Jamshid - I thank you.
The best of luck.
Book Description
In order to design a building with a sensuous connection to life, one must think in a way that goes far beyond form and construction. In these essays Peter Zumthor expresses his motivation in designing buildings, which speak to our emotions and understanding in so many ways, and possess a powerful and unmistakable presence and personality.
This book, whose first edition has been out of print for years, has been expanded to include three new essays: "Does Beauty Have a Form?,” "The Magic of the Real,” and "Light in the Landscape.” It has been freshly illustrated throughout with new color photographs of Zumthor’s new home and studio in Haldenstein, taken specially for this edition by Laura Padgett, and received a new typography by Hannele Grönlund.
Customer Reviews:
clear thinker and builder.......2006-07-15
Reading this book was like reading a long-lost secret manual of
"How to become a 21 century Samurai..." I guess that sense of delusion rises because the content and the tone of book has this (quasi) idea of medieval perfection achieved through a repetition of hands-on practice. "I do not work towards architecture from a theoretically defined point of departure, for I am committed to making architecture,," writes Zumthor.
Moreover, a reader, at the back of her/his head, has those powerful images of Bath House in Vaals (tour de force of phenomenological experience) that intensifies the delusion. One would think, 'Zumthor must be a man from Mars to build architecture like that' and 'his writings must be a strong sleeping pill.' Usual Suspect !
He writes extremely clear with extremely simple terms. This slim book tells us how an architect of such originality thinks and experiences daily life. It's a great pleasure to find out what kind of music (Mozart's piano concertos) zumthor listens; what kind of artists (Beuys and Merz) he likes; what kind of film he watches (Ettore Scola's film Le Bal); what kind of books (Calvino) he reads; and what kind of sayings ("the hard core beauty") in the radio show captivates him. A former cabinet maker, his book is carefully jointed, just like his buildings. Anyone who found this book fun/inspiring to read should also try Alvaro Siza's "Writings on Architecture"
Highly recommended.......2004-04-10
A thoroughly engaging book about meaningful architecture - it now holds a very special place in my architecture library, right next to Michael Benedikt's For An Architecture of Reality.
Excellent for anyone interested in Peter Zumthor's work.
Book Description
The second volume in the Write Great Code series supplies the critical information that today's computer science students don't often get from college and university courses: How to carefully choose their high-level language statements to produce efficient code. Write Great Code, Volume 2: Thinking Low-Level, Writing High-Level, teaches software engineers how compilers translate high-level language statements and data structures into machine code. Armed with this knowledge, a software engineer can make an informed choice concerning the use of those high-level structures to help the compiler produce far better machine code--all without having to give up the productivity and portability benefits of using a high-level language.
Customer Reviews:
better than nothing.......2006-08-08
The first 100 pages of this book were fantastic for concepts. After that, there were numerous code listings of various dialects of assembler that were each several pages in length. The premise is that you should learn to read assembler so that you can write better high level code. However, there is no tutorial on what the various assembler keyword instructions mean. This book feels like it was slapped together because it was the long overdue volume two in the series, and has so many references to the first volume that you practically need to own both. There is not enough on Java (or OO in general) as the reader's high level langauge of choice, and far too much on Pascal.
Excellent material for serious software developers..........2006-06-25
Back in "the day", you really couldn't write high-level code without at least some exposure at some point to lower-level code, like Assembler. Now, you can pretty much be completely ignorant of what happens in your Java or VB code "under the covers". But that doesn't mean you can't benefit from understanding how your compiler turns your readable code into machine-readable operations. Randall Hyde does an excellent job in explaining all this in his book Write Great Code Volume 2: Thinking Low-Level, Writing High-Level.
Contents: Thinking Low-Level, Writing High-Level; Shouldn't You Learn Assembly Language?; 80x86 Assembly for the HLL Programmer; PowerPC Assembly for the HLL Programmer; Compiler Operations and Code Generation; Tools for Analyzing Compiler Output; Constants and High-Level Languages; Variables in a High-Level Language; Array Data Types; String Data Types; Pointer Data Types; Record, Union, and Class Data Types; Arithmetic and Logical Expressions; Control Structures and Programmatic Decisions; Iterative Control Structures; Functions and Procedures; Engineering Software; A Brief Comparison of the 80x86 and PowerPC CPU Families; Online Appendices; Index
This is the type of book that will really excite you if you're wondering why a nested if statement performs differently than a case statement. Hyde explains basic compiler theory, and applies that to how your compiler of choice decides on optimization strategies. It's impractical to get a program optimized for all factors, like code size and speed, but there are reasonable trade-offs as well as compiler options you can use to prioritize one factor over another. You also don't have to be completely conversant with Assembler in order to work through this book. He uses a number of high-level coding examples from various languages (like C, C++, and Pascal) that should be understandable to most any IT developer. He then shows the translated code at the assembler level and explains why a particular compilation might be good or bad (depending on your requirements). Once you start to understand how (and why) your compiler "optimizes" your code, you can make more intelligent choices as far as programming constructs. There is often a dozen ways to do something, but a few of those ways will be far more efficient at the machine level than the others.
If you're writing a program that runs in a second or two, these techniques may not necessarily have an immediate practical application for you. But that hour-long program may have the same underlying problem as your first program, and it could be that a slight change in program structure at your end could dramatically reduce the run time. This is one of those books that most serious software developers should have sitting on their shelves...
Help your compiler write better code.......2006-04-15
I earned my Computer Science degree several years ago. During my studies I learned languages like Assembly, Modula-2, C and C++ and even a little VB in a computer graphics class. I learned quite a bit about how computers work at the binary level and even got into some Electrical Engineering topics.
As you might expect, I don't use any of those languages in my career today. It's all Java, LotusScript, and other high-level languages for me these days. I rarely find myself shifting bits or thinking about logic gates. Does this mean my CS degree was a waste of time? Absolutely not. Although it would have been nicer if I had been learning Java... :-)
It's not the languages I learned that gave the education its value. It's the algorithms, patterns and logic that have come to my aid again and again. An understanding of what's going on inside the computer can be very helpful at times. That's why I was so interested in reading Randall Hyde's book: Write Great Code, Volume 2: Thinking Low-Level, Writing High-Level.
This book teaches the following concepts (Chapter 1 excerpt):
- Why it's important to consider the low-level execution of your high-level programs
- How compilers generate machine code from high-level language (HLL) statements
- How compilers represent various data types using low-level, primitive, data types
- How to write your HLL code to help the compiler produce better machine code
- How to take advantage of a compiler's optimization facilities
- How to "think" in assembly language (low-level terms) while writing HLL code
The general goal of this book is to teach you how to think like a compiler so you can anticipate what the compiler will do with your code. Randall Hyde is also the author of The Art of Assembly Language. It would be an understatement to say he has a good handle on this subject. Chapter 3 goes into detail on 80x86 assembly for the HLL programmer while chapter 4 looks at the Power PC. Chapter 5 looks at compiler operation and code generation. This chapter gave me major flashbacks to compiler class.
In chapter 9, the author includes a great discussion of arrays and how they are handled by various languages. Another topic, in chapter 12, that I found very interesting was the discussion of variant data types. (Us LotusScript developers mustn't forget to use 'Option Declare.') Chapter 15 includes a description of various types of loops and hammers home the importance of coding efficient loops.
We spend so much time these days trying to abstract everything and think at a high-level. That's all fine and good but we can make better high-level decisions by understanding the low-level workings of compilers. Readers who are experienced developers with a genuine interest in writing quality code will get a lot out of this book. I especially recommend it for career developers who didn't have the benefit of formal Computer Science training.
At the end of the book is a teaser for the next book in the series: Write Great Code, Volume 3: Engineering Software. In this book, Hyde will discuss "personal software engineering" and will focus on craftsmanship, art, and pride in workmanship. I'm looking forward to that one too.
Average customer rating:
- A helpful hint in the right direction
- Very helpful book
|
Graphic Thinking for Architects and Designers
Paul Laseau
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Drafting
| Drawing & Modelling
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Drawing & Modelling
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
General
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Study & Teaching
| Architecture
| Professional & Technical
| Subjects
| Books
Graphic Design
| Design & Decorative Arts
| Arts & Photography
| Subjects
| Books
| Airbrush
| Animation
| Books
| Calligraphy
| Clip Art
| Commercial
| Graphic Arts
| Lithography
| Pop Culture
| Printmaking
| Silk Screen & Batik
| Typography
All Amazon Upgrade
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
Professional & Technical
| Amazon Upgrade
| Stores
| Books
All Titles
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Arts & Photography
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Professional
| Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007
| Stores
| Books
Similar Items:
-
Architectural Drawing: A Visual Compendium of Types and Methods
-
Visual Notes for Architects and Designers
-
Architecture: Form, Space, & Order
-
Design Through Discovery: An Introduction
-
Design Drawing
ASIN: 0471352926 |
Book Description
The essential design companion-now in an up-to-date new edition
For architects, drawing is more than a convenient way to communicate ideas; it is an integral part of the creative process that has a profound impact on thinking and problem-solving. In Graphic Thinking for Architects and Designers, Third Edition, Paul Laseau demonstrates that more versatile and facile sketching leads to more flexible, creative approaches to design challenges. To encourage this flexibility and stimulate graphic thinking, he introduces numerous graphic techniques that can be applied in a variety of situations. He also helps readers acquire a solid grasp of basic freehand drawing, representational drawing construction, graphic note-taking, and diagramming.
Important features of this new edition include:
* Easy-to-understand discussions supported by freehand illustrations
* A new format with superior representation of techniques and concepts
* Dozens of new and updated illustrations
* Extensive coverage of new technologies related to the graphic thinking process
For architects and students who want to maximize their creativity, Graphic Thinking for Architects and Designers is a valuable tool in the pursuit of architectural solutions to contemporary design problems.
Customer Reviews:
A helpful hint in the right direction.......2000-05-27
As an Architecture Student, I really enjoyed this book. It was very helpful with sketching techniques and just general concepts related to architecture. It was a required text for a class, but it has been a helpful reasource since. I recommend this book to any person wishing to develop a good sketching technique. This book refrences very important works by Aalto and Wright. It also addresses important and helpful hints about abstraction of ideals and their graphic weight.
Very helpful book.......2000-03-30
As an interior design student I have found this book to be very informative and helpful. The step by step analysis of the design process is terrific and I've practically worn out the copy at the library, so it's time to buy it for myself.
Book Description
Ethan Allen and HGTV may have plenty to say about making a home look right, but what makes a home feel right? In House Thinking, journalist and cultural critic Winifred Gallagher takes the reader on a psychological tour of the American home. By drawing on the latest research in behavioral science, an overview of cultural history, and interviews with leading architects and designers, she shows us not only how our homes reflect who we are but also how they influence our thoughts, feelings, and actions.
How does your entryway prime you for experiencing your home? What makes a bedroom a sensual oasis? How can your bathroom exacerbate your worst fears? House Thinking addresses provocative questions like these, enabling us to understand the homes we've made for ourselves in a unique and powerful new way. It is an eye-opening look at how we live . . . and how we could live.
Customer Reviews:
A fascinating topic covered in a haphazard fashion.......2007-08-19
I found the basic concept of this book to be fascinating. The author takes on the task of walking us through each room in the traditional American house and analyzing not the furniture and decor, but the life and psychology of each. The result should be a series of insights into how we can design our living spaces to support and even create behaviors that are beneficial to us. And in some cases, this is what we get. But all too often - indeed, for the majority of the book - Gallagher seems to veer off course and talk about the history and sociology associated with each room. While this is an interesting topic in and of itself, the lack of a consistent method from room to room can be both confusing and distracting. As an example, here are the approaches taken for two rooms: For the section on the living room, the author describes the psychology of refuge and prospect in a way that is potentially useful for anyone trying to figure out why their house does not seem to offer them the feeling of comfort and belonging they would like. For the section on the kitchen, we are treated to the historical background of women's literal place in the home, and the way the kitchen has evolved with and contributed to the feminist movement. Both sections are well written and interesting, but only the first supported my goal of learning how to create a comfortable home.
This lack of of focus cripples what could have been both a very readable and very useful book. As it is, while "House Thinking" is still well worth reading, it will not be a book that earns a place of honor in your library. Or your living room. Or bedroom.
Great Concept - Not Well Executed.......2007-04-22
I work with architects & interior designers every day to design commerical space, so I'm familiar with the ideas the author was trying to communicate. The concept of how we live in our homes and how design has evolved in America and throughout the world is fascinating. The author has done a tremendous amount of research. At the end of the book I was left feeling like I'd read a draft of someone's doctoral dissertation, with a lot of editing still to be done. As others have mentioned, the lack of pictures and illustrations is a huge oversight. Even for those of us familiar with design concepts & nomenclature, it is nearly impossible to wade through the descriptions given--I felt like I was being tested to translate her observations into a vision that reconciled to her conclusions. Furthermore, I think the organization of the book, a room-by-room analysis of how design has evolved, although logical in approach--did not mesh well with what the author was trying to communicate. She would often go off on a tangent siting research, trends throughout history and psychological implications that may have applied to the "room" in question, but were often as relevant or irrelevant to any other room, yard or community she might have chosen to elaborate on.
This might be a good book to introduce the evolution of design to someone with little prior knowledge (which is why I'm generous in providing 2 stars); especially at the current bargain prices on Amazon. Otherwise, I'd recommend passing this one by.
Understanding our spaces.......2007-04-06
Enjoyed this book a lot though it is not a "decorating book" in the usual sense. I agree pictures would have been a delightful addition but I can see how it would have increased the costs and size of the book too much to be affordable. I found the insights into how our home spaces have evolved over time, and why we use them the way we do to be very entertaining. This book helps you think about how you use your space, and what feels good and right to you so your choices in decorating, remodeling or purchasing a home can be more deliberate. (You may actually understand why you fell in love with a house, or one room just feels so good, and another so bad!) It is easy to read and so entertaining, I hated to put it down.
One of those "duh!" books...........2007-02-07
This is a really neat, unusual book in that it goes room by room through American homes and talks about what those rooms mean to us culturally and how their cultural meaning has evolved over time. It's a lot of fun if you have an interest in design, architecture or social/cultural history. A lot of what she said or pointed out had me hitting myself on the forehead and saying, "Duh! Of course it's that way for a reason." I really enjoyed the experience of reading this book and enjoy having names for concepts I veguely already had.
Great text in dire need of illustrations.......2007-01-08
A well-researched book on the psychology of our living spaces, with practical suggestions for looking around our own homes with fresh eyes. In this way, we can often reconfigure an area so that it better serves its intended function without resorting to expensive remodeling projects. But why on earth are there no illustrations or photos at all? The author describes countless examples of homes across America, both landmark sites (such as Washington's Mount Vernon and Jefferson's Monticello) and homes that could be in our own neighborhoods, but the point she is trying to make is often lost among the words when a simple photo or two would have worked beautifully. I'm holding off on buying this book in hopes that the paperback edition will include the photos that should have been included in the first release.
Book Description
A self-instruction book that concisely and coherently discusses the principles of architectural design. The concepts open the reader to a broad world of visual thinking. Stimulating lessons challenge the lay person and trigger creative responses from even the most sophisticated designers. Dr. Nathan B. Winters' masterful ink drawings are works of art that clarify the concepts of the book.
Customer Reviews:
Superior book for art teachers.......2005-08-27
The sequence and research given in this book is a comprehensive base for anyone teaching architecture, social studies, buildings, or practical geometry. Timelines, black/whie drawings throughout.
An excellent resource on the subject matter!.......1998-04-12
An excellent source of information for anyone interested in the field of Architecture. Perfect for beginners and experienced architects alike! Well-written and coherent.
Book Description
In Design Thinking Peter Rowe provides a systematic account of the process of designing in architecture and urban planning. He examines multiple and often dissimilar theoretical positions whether they prescribe forms or simply provide procedures for solving problems - as particular manifestations of an underlying structure of inquiry common to all designing. Over 100 illustrations and a number of detailed observations of designers in action support Rowe's thesis.
Peter G. Rowe is Raymond Garbe Professor of Architecture and Urban Design at Harvard University and Chairman of the Department of Urban Planning and Design at the Harvard Graduate School of Design, Harvard University.
Customer Reviews:
Honestly.......2004-07-22
I am an architecture student and this book was assigned in my studio class. Although the reading can be difficult to follow, it is highly informative about the design process and challenges you to do further research to expand your knowledge. If you are buying this, don't be afraid to take that extra step while reading. Knowledge is power, Are you up to the challenge?
Books:
- Tiffany's Palm Beach
- Valuation: Measuring and Managing the Value of Companies, Fourth Edition
- Value-at-Risk: Theory and Practice
- Warehouse Distribution and Operations Handbook (McGraw-Hill Handbooks)
- Warehouse Distribution and Operations Handbook (McGraw-Hill Handbooks)
- Warehouse Distribution and Operations Handbook (McGraw-Hill Handbooks)
- Water, Development and the Environment
- Against the Gods: The Remarkable Story of Risk
- Agency, Partnerships, and LLC's: Examples and Explanations (Examples & Explanations Series)
- All Real Estate Is Local: What You Need to Know to Profit in Real Estate - in a Buyer's and a Seller's Market
Books Index
Books Home
Recommended Books
- Landscape Plants for Eastern North America: Exclusive of Florida and the Immediate Gulf Coast, 2nd E
- History: Fiction or Science
- Evolutionary Quantitative Genetics
- Garden Lighting for Outdoor Entertaining: 40 Festive Projects
- History: Fiction or Science
- Joining Together: Group Theory and Group Skills
- Just Left of the Setting Sun
- The Eagle
- Cowboy High Style: Thomas Molesworth to the New West
- Death by Deep Dish Pie: A Toadfern Mystery
