Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)My third day in San Francisco, I left the National Trust Guide to San Francisco in my room. It is not the architectural guide book I expected it to be. Dry and talky, the book is long on background and short on facts about individual buildings. Dozens of intriguing buildings are omitted and there is almost nothing about engineering. Peter Wiley's book may be a decent introduction to the city, but reading it did not heighten my anticipation before flying west, or strengthen my appreciation after arriving.
The weaknesses of this guide stand in contrast to the strengths of the AIA guides to major cities. These architect-written guides are exhaustive. The Boston, Chicago and New York books in particular make excellent travel guides as well as desk references. They mix building descriptions with history, and delightful nuggets of information that deepen your appreciation of the place and its builders. There's nothing dry about these books. When it comes to criticism, the editors can be delightfully bitchy.
Between politics and earthquakes, San Francisco is not an easy place to build. But SF AIA members, please find the time to draft a guide your craft and your city deserve. One that is worth schlepping up and down the hills.
Click Here to see more reviews about: National Trust Guide/San Francisco: America's Guide for Architecture and History Travelers (National Trust City Guides)
National Trust guides are the most in-depth guides available to the history and architecture of U.S. cities. From famous landmarks to back alleys, they take you on exciting journeys through America's cultural, historical, and architectural treasures.The complete guide to the history and architecture of San Francisco Part history, part travel guide, this unique book introduces you to the colorful past and diverse traditions that have shaped the fascinating city of San Francisco. From the arrival of the Spanish in the late eighteenth century to the growth of today's vibrant metropolis, you'll discover the links between the rich history and architectural heritage of one of America's most beloved cities.Follow the book's outstanding walking tours as you explore the remnants of the Gold Rush era city and the early neighborhoods of Telegraph Hill, Chinatown, and South of Market. You'll also enjoy the beautiful Beaux-Arts mansions of Pacific Heights, the striking Queen Anne residences of Haight-Ashbury, the converted warehouses of the Multi-Media Gulch, and much more.* 20 detailed neighborhood walking tours and easy-to-follow maps* Colorful stories behind the city's best known landmarks* 200 vintage and contemporary photographs
0 comments:
Post a Comment