Have Saddle, Will Travel : Low-Impact Trail Riding and Horse Camping
Average customer rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
  • Should have been a pamphlet
  • One of the best
  • not worth the paper it's printed on!!
  • Full of insight for the thoughtful reader.
  • ... great return policy.
Have Saddle, Will Travel : Low-Impact Trail Riding and Horse Camping
Don West
Manufacturer: Storey Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

GeneralGeneral | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
RidingRiding | Horses | Animal Care & Pets | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
ConservationConservation | Environment | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
CampingCamping | Hiking & Camping | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books
HorsesHorses | Individual Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books | Equestrian | Polo | Racing | Rodeo
GeneralGeneral | Sports | Subjects | Books
EcotourismEcotourism | Specialty Travel | Travel | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:
  1. Trail Riding: Train, Prepare, Pack Up & Hit the Trail Trail Riding: Train, Prepare, Pack Up & Hit the Trail
  2. The Complete Trail Horse: Selecting, Training, and Enjoying Your Horse in the Backcountry The Complete Trail Horse: Selecting, Training, and Enjoying Your Horse in the Backcountry
  3. Horses, Hitches and Rocky Trails Horses, Hitches and Rocky Trails
  4. Trail Riding: A Complete Guide (Howell Equestrian Library) Trail Riding: A Complete Guide (Howell Equestrian Library)
  5. Packin' in on Mules and Horses Packin' in on Mules and Horses

ASIN: 1580173713

Book Description

Millions of horse owners enjoy trail riding and horse camping, and every U.S. state has an active trail riding association. But many riders may find themselves banned from the back country because of the environmental impact they cause. LOW-IMPACT TRAIL RIDING offers a solution: Don West's "Go Right, Go Light," leave-no-trace strategies for low-impact horse camping.

West, an internationally known expert on basic horsemanship and back-country travel, tells you everything you need to know with his generous wit and wisdom. He covers planning and packing for a low-impact trip, back-country ethics, cooking on the trail, tying a horse responsibly, conditioning both the horse and the rider, orienteering, sanitation, and dealing with emergencies. Included are checklists for horse, camping, and personal items, as well as trail-savvy menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A source guide provides lists of trail riding establishments in the United States and abroad.

END

Customer Reviews:

2 out of 5 stars Should have been a pamphlet.......2005-09-16

I wish I would have paid attention to the review which said the packing information could be summed into 10 pages. That reviewer was dead on. The actual packing information could have been summed up into a pamphlet. Most of the book is Don's stories and poetry which someone must find more interesting than I did.

The author has a definite disdain for hunters whom he refers to as "The Orange Army". The author does market his own "system" of panniers and cantle bags which based upon their price must be the best. Country Supply has a similar, simpler system for almost $200 less. However, it concerns me to place all of that weight over the horse's poor kidneys.

The actual information in the book could be summed up as: use a small backpack tent,sleeping bag,stove, and only pack during the season and within an area your horse can graze so you don't carry feed.

Smoke Elsner's and Joe Back's books on packing are true packing books, and I highly recommend them both, but they are aimed at a different crowd who use multiple horses. I agree with Don West's goal of camping with just you and your horse, but I was disappointed in the book's lack of informative content and sheer volume of fluff.

5 out of 5 stars One of the best.......2003-09-01

Don West has been an inspiration for me in daring to be different. The old style of packing has its place but there are other ways of doing it as well and Don West will show you one. I like his approach. It is not a "this is a working formula book" but it is a book which can give enough ideas to do it yourself. I don't understand some other reviewers criticism. If you are looking for a book on old style packing then get Joe Back's "Horse, Hitches, and Rocky Trails" or other books. But if you want to horsecamp lightly without bringing a packhorse with you - this is perfectly feasible and he will show you how. I highline my horse in the Rocky Mountains and have the horse graze on high ground. That was good enough for my horse and the method worked well.

The book is presented in a format which shows Don West's path to how he got to to where he is now. The only criticism I have is that it does not address some issues which it should, such as horseshoes, or guns. However, it is one of the few books out there addressing the needs of a changing world, where owners are more environmentally sensitive (ever seen those old style horsecamps after everyone was gone? scattered hay and leftover twine, poles nailed to trees which had been used as saddleracks or as tieoffs, etc.?), and which incorporates smaller and lighter high tech camping gear rather than the castiron pan and the stove to stay warm inside grandfather's canvas tent.

1 out of 5 stars not worth the paper it's printed on!!.......2003-02-07

I didn't expect this book to be about horse "packing," but I did expect it to provide useful ideas about horse "camping," and general information on back country techniques and practices. Unfortunately, this book is virtually nothing more than West's demeaning views about other backcountry users and an advertisement for his line of clothing and horse tack. Some of the information is questionable at best and lethal at worst, such as picketing a horse by the halter, or high lining a horse so that it can graze during the night.

Additionally, there is no information about horse first aid, nor horse nutrition/feed (West travels in the Rockies of CO so he just grazes his mounts on hard mountain grass, which for that environment is understandable but just one more limiting factor of this exceptionally limited book), maybe a paragraph pertains to any type of horse training. West does mention that one should bury one's own feces 6-8" in the earth (a recommendation neither feasible nor advisable in a rocky arid environment)but in his suggested equipment list a shovel is not mentioned.

Overall, if one is interested in learning about packing or even just camping with horses, there is no better book than Packin' In On Mules and Horses. That book is not only thoroughly informative, but written as the best of "how to" books are written: with advise on a number of options, and with compelling reasons for why the author prefers one option over the others.

A final disappointment about Have Saddle Will Travel is that it is published by Storey Books. Storey has published some great books, but this is certainly not one of them.

4 out of 5 stars Full of insight for the thoughtful reader........2002-08-16

This gentleman has a world of experience with horses and traveling the back country and it shows.

Reading his book is like sitting a the kitchen table with a cup of coffee with a good friend. It's full of good advise and tales of adventure and for a horseback rider full of ooohs and ooops.

It has inspired me personally to further explore the experiences possible on horseback in wilderness areas. But the information in this book is not just for camping, the general information and necessities list is well worthwhile for all trailriders.

I personally am hoping Mr. West puts pen to paper for an additional work.

1 out of 5 stars ... great return policy........2002-08-05

If you're interested the exercises the author does to stay in shape - this is the book for you.
If you're interested in getting into the nuts n' bolts of camping and packing with horses - this is NOT the book for you. Keep looking because this ain't it.
The meaningful information related to camping and packing with horses could be condensed to maybe ten pages.

African Art in American Collections
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Black and white reference
African Art in American Collections
Warren M. Robbins , and Nancy Ingram Nooter
Manufacturer: Schiffer Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Prehistoric & PrimitivePrehistoric & Primitive | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Folk ArtFolk Art | Schools, Periods & Styles | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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  1. Spirits Speak: A Celebration of African Masks Spirits Speak: A Celebration of African Masks
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  5. African Forms: The Traditional Design and Function of Objects African Forms: The Traditional Design and Function of Objects

ASIN: 076432005X

Customer Reviews:

4 out of 5 stars Black and white reference.......2007-10-06

This is not a coffee table book in that there are no pretty full page colour pictures - everything is in black and white and generally quite small. However, for anyone familiar with African art who wants an exhaustive catalogue of the range of works available, this is an invaluable book - luckily, I had seen it in a book shop, so I knew what I was getting. Moreover, many of the pieces are major works or at least of significant aesthetic quality, which cannot be said of most published groupings of African art. Just make sure this is what you are looking for. Now, a full color version of this in two volumes with full page reproductions, that would be worth waiting for.
An Illuminated Life: Belle da Costa Greene's Journey from Prejudice to Privilege
Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
  • Belle was neither black nor African American
  • An extraordinary, gripping memoir
An Illuminated Life: Belle da Costa Greene's Journey from Prejudice to Privilege
Heidi Ardizzone
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

African-American & BlackAfrican-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
WomenWomen | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
New YorkNew York | State & Local | United States | Americas | History | Subjects | Books
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  5. Love on Trial: An American Scandal in Black and White Love on Trial: An American Scandal in Black and White

ASIN: 0393051048

Book Description

The secret life of the sensational woman behind the Morgan masterpieces, who lit up New York society.

What would you give up to achieve your dream? When J. P. Morgan hired Belle da Costa Greene in 1905 to organize his rare book and manuscript collection, she had only her personality and a few years of experience to recommend her. Ten years later, she had shaped the famous Pierpont Morgan Library collection and was a proto-celebrity in New York and the art world, renowned for her self-made expertise, her acerbic wit, and her flirtatious relationships. Born to a family of free people of color, Greene changed her name and invented a Portuguese grandmother to enter white society. In her new world, she dined both at the tables of the highest society and with bohemian artists and activists. She also engaged in a decades-long affair with art critic Bernard Berenson. Greene is pure fascination—the buyer of illuminated manuscripts who attracted others to her like moths to a flame. 20 illustrations.

Customer Reviews:

3 out of 5 stars Belle was neither black nor African American.......2007-09-17

When you read this book it should be clear to you that Belle Da Costa Greene was not "black" or "African American" but a mixed-race white or white person of mixed ancestry. Her mother and siblings also embraced their European heritage and rejected the forced "Negro" stigma that a racist government might have imposed on them if they had been subservient enough to allow it. Belle and her family should be praised for the bravery and self-respect that allowed them to live as they wanted to live. Imposing a forced "black" identity on Belle or anyone else accused of "passing for white" is the moral equivalent of endorsing the Nuremberg Laws that condemned Jews as too "inferior" to claim a German or other European culture and identity because they were only "inferior" Semites.

It is amazing to me how people who claim to be against "racism" are often prepared (usually at the behest of the black-identified) to condemn other whites as too inferior to be white because of "black blood" (Note that Hispanics and Arabs are usually exempt from this stigma because of their political power and social cohesion). Of course, the "politically correct" terminology is to claim that the alleged "passer" rejected morally superior blacks for morally inferior whites, but "everyone" understands what is truly meant. Books that should be read in addition to this one in order to give a fairer picture: PASSING FOR WHO YOU REALLY ARE and LEGAL HISTORY OF THE COLOR LINE.

5 out of 5 stars An extraordinary, gripping memoir.......2007-08-09

In 1911 one Bella da Costa Greene made New York newspaper headlines by buying a book from one of Britain's finest printers, succeeding at a high-profile auction which allowed her to walk away with the book for half of what her employer had authorized her to pay, despite aggressive bidding. She would spend some forty years at her employer's resulting library and become its first director - but the real story of her achievement, which includes her African-American heritage, lack of formal art education, and bohemian lifestyle, remained hidden until now. AN ILLUMINATED LIFE charts her rise to culture and prosperity and provides an extraordinary, gripping memoir of an amazing woman which is perfect for any general interest library strong in biographical memoirs, art history, or even Afro-American notable figures.

Diane C. Donovan
California Bookwatch
Collecting African American History
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Valuable insights into an area of collectibles that I knew nothing about
Collecting African American History
Elvin Montgomery
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B0002Z082I

Book Description

Collecting African American History, by esteemed dealer Elvin Montgomery, is the first comprehensive illustrated book to offer in-depth information about these artifacts and-more importantly-place them in their original cultural context. Through the study of hundreds of collectibles from every key period of U.S. history, the book reveals the story of African Americans as told through objects. In "Understanding African American Collectibles," Montgomery offers practical advice for the collector plus a timeline of African American history. Next he looks at distinctive artifacts and collectibles according to topic, including slavery, politics, music, sports, art, spirituality, and education. The book closes with financial advice for collectors in this field. This book is not a price guide. Rather, it is a lavishly illustrated book that will assist readers interested in interpreting and accumulating items that reflect the realities, rather than the myths, of black history and culture.

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Valuable insights into an area of collectibles that I knew nothing about.......2007-03-10

As amazing as it sounds, some of the most valuable memorabilia regarding black history in the United States demonstrates some of the most horrific examples of racism. In particular, any material related to the practice of slavery is valuable. To quote Montgomery from page 41, "Evidence of slavery is scarce and expensive, forcing collectors to find more creative and affordable sources for slavery era material. "
There are fourteen chapters devoted to specific forms of memorabilia. They are:

*) Slavery
*) Local history and genealogy
*) Politics and civil rights
*) Military history
*) Music and entertainment
*) Sports
*) Art
*) Photography
*) Books, magazines and documents
*) Spirituality and religion
*) Education
*) Business, economics and careers
*) Lifestyle and popular culture
*) Racism

Each chapter begins with a short list of the more valuable items in that category. For example, the list for the art chapter is:

*) Books and journal articles
*) Exhibition catalogues
*) Prints
*) Posters
*) Commercial art
*) Jewelry
*) Combs
*) Baskets
*) Textiles, quilts and sewing collectibles
*) Clothing with African motifs

This book was very instructive in an area of collectibles that I knew nothing about. I of course assumed that old articles had value, but had no idea which ones. If you are someone involved in collecting, this is certainly a book you should read. I regularly go to sales and see people buying up unusual items for their collections or to sell to others for their collections. Now I also know what to look for.
Native America Collected: The Culture of an Art World
Average customer rating: 5 out of 5 stars
  • Publishers Weekly on Native America Collected
Native America Collected: The Culture of an Art World
Margaret Dubin
Manufacturer: University of New Mexico Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

GeneralGeneral | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
Native AmericanNative American | Regional | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
CriticismCriticism | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
CollectingCollecting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
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Popular CulturePopular Culture | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
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African StudiesAfrican Studies | Africa | History | Subjects | Books
All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Arts & PhotographyArts & Photography | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
NonfictionNonfiction | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0826321747

Book Description

“I argue for a history of Native American art that is politically informed,” Margaret Dubin writes, “and for a criticism of contemporary Native American fine arts that is historically founded.” Integrating ethnography, discourse analysis, and social theory in a careful mapping of the Native American art world, this insightful new study explores the landscape of “intercultural spaces”—the physical and philosophical arenas in which art collectors, anthropologists, artists, historians, curators, and critics struggle to control the movement and meaning of art objects created by Native Americans.

Dubin examines the ideas and interactions involved in contemporary collecting, in particular, to understand how marketplace demands have homogenized Western perceptions of `authentic' Native American art. In doing so, she reveals the power relations of an art world in which Native American artists work within and against a larger system that seeks to control people by manipulating objects.

“Dubin develops for the reader a clear sense of the difficulties posed by collectors' desires for `authenticity' and relates them to continued efforts to subjugate or contain Indians and their cultural production within the authority of the dominant state. This accessible, clearly written book will have a wide reading, both inside and outside of academia.”—Professor Fred R. Myers, New York University

Customer Reviews:

5 out of 5 stars Publishers Weekly on Native America Collected.......2001-09-21

"Berkeley lecturer Dubin deserves congratulations for even attempting a clear overview of her thorny subject--the history and present state of the collecting and exhibiting of the objects created by the world's indigenous peoples of North America. That she has to a great degree succeeded is gratifying, so vast are the potential pitfalls. Dubin moves between the worlds of anthropology and modern art with equal confidence and does not mistake evenhandedness for blandness. Thus, for example, the naive collectors of "Indian Art" looking for a fix of authenticity are not isolated and condemned, but placed within a broad historical and cultural framework. . . . "Dubin's knowledgeably poised book is an invaluable contribution to cultural studies."-Publishers Weekly
African Art in American Collections: Survey 1989
Average customer rating: Not rated
    African Art in American Collections: Survey 1989
    Warren M. Robbins , and Nancy Ingram Nooter
    Manufacturer: Smithsonian Inst Pr
    ProductGroup: Book
    Binding: Hardcover

    GeneralGeneral | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
    GeneralGeneral | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
    ASIN: 0874747449
    The Beginner's Guide to Collecting Fine Art, African American Styke
    Average customer rating: Not rated
      The Beginner's Guide to Collecting Fine Art, African American Styke
      Ana M. Allen
      Manufacturer: Positiv! Productions
      ProductGroup: Book
      Binding: Paperback

      African AmericanAfrican American | Regional | History & Criticism | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
      CollectingCollecting | Instructional & How-To | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
      GeneralGeneral | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
      ASIN: 0966309405
      Buried treasure in the Black community
      Average customer rating: Not rated
        Buried treasure in the Black community
        Louise J Gibbons
        Manufacturer: Vantage Press
        ProductGroup: Book
        Binding: Unknown Binding

        GeneralGeneral | Sculpture | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
        African-American StudiesAfrican-American Studies | Special Groups | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
        ASIN: B0006X4JOO
        Collecting African American History: A Celebration of America's Black Heritage Through Documents, Artifacts, and Collectibles
        Average customer rating: Not rated
          Collecting African American History: A Celebration of America's Black Heritage Through Documents, Artifacts, and Collectibles
          Elvin Jr. Montgomery
          Manufacturer: Stewart, Tabori & Chang
          ProductGroup: Book
          Binding: Hardcover
          ASIN: B000IN0J96
          Collecting African American History; A Celebration of America's Black
          Average customer rating: Not rated
            Collecting African American History; A Celebration of America's Black
            Elvin MONTGOMERY
            Manufacturer: See notes
            ProductGroup: Book
            Binding: Hardcover
            ASIN: B000TMK3VU
            Oral Narrative Research with Black Women: Collecting Treasures
            Average customer rating: Not rated
              Oral Narrative Research with Black Women: Collecting Treasures

              Manufacturer: Sage Publications, Inc
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Paperback

              African-American & BlackAfrican-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
              GeneralGeneral | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
              WomenWomen | Specific Groups | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
              GeneralGeneral | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
              ResearchResearch | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
              GeneralGeneral | Sociology | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
              African-American StudiesAfrican-American Studies | Special Groups | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
              GeneralGeneral | Women's Studies | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
              Oral HistoryOral History | Historical Study | History | Subjects | Books
              All TitlesAll Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
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              1. Feminist Methods in Social Research Feminist Methods in Social Research
              2. Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction (Dimensions in Philosophy) Feminist Thought: A More Comprehensive Introduction (Dimensions in Philosophy)

              ASIN: 0803974299

              Book Description

              This book consists of essays on methodological issues by Africana (African and African American) women scholars who have successfully employed oral narrative methods in their research. Some themes covered in these essays are the strengths of oral narrative research for expanding and transforming knowledge about black women and how these scholars learned to conduct oral narrative research; descriptions of the types of narratives they have gathered, the difficulties they have encountered and how these were overcome; and the ethical dilemmas faced while undertaking their research endeavors. What makes this book a valuable teaching tool are the pedagogical suggestions and research artifacts contained within. Contributors have described one or two activities that may assist instructorÆs efforts to teach oral narrative methodologies. Methodological essays about the phenomenological and empirical aspects of carrying out oral narrative research from an Afrafeminist/womanist standpoint are rare and book-length works are almost nonexistent. Oral Narrative Research with black women participates in the growing movement of Afrafeminist/womanist scholarship that fills this void. This is an insightful, thought-provoking resource for researchers, students, and scholars interested in conducting qualitative research or who want to include black women in their research.

              Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls
              Average customer rating: 4 out of 5 stars
              • A serious attempt on a difficult subject
              • Good for Beginners, but...
              • Nice examples of successful Green Roofs
              • Organic Architecture with Plants
              Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls
              Nigel Dunnett , and Noel Kingsbury
              Manufacturer: Timber Press, Incorporated
              ProductGroup: Book
              Binding: Hardcover

              Container GardeningContainer Gardening | Techniques | Gardening & Horticulture | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
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              4. Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors, Second Edition Sustainable Landscape Construction: A Guide to Green Building Outdoors, Second Edition
              5. Rain Gardens: Bringing Water to Life in the Designed Landscape Rain Gardens: Bringing Water to Life in the Designed Landscape

              ASIN: 088192640X

              Book Description

              This book introduces a revolutionary new concept to gardeners. Planting on roofs and walls began in Europe, but it is now becoming popular all over the world. Green roofs and walls reduce pollution and run-off, and also help insulate and reduce the maintenance needs of buildings. Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls discusses the practical techniques required to make planting on roofs and walls a reality. It describes how roofs may be modified to bear the weight of vegetation, considers the different options for drainage layers and growing media, and lists the plants suitable for different climates and environments. This informative book will encourage gardeners everywhere to consider the enormous benefits to be gained from planting on their roofs and walls.

              Customer Reviews:

              5 out of 5 stars A serious attempt on a difficult subject.......2007-06-06

              I am a big advocate on using plants to create green walls and roofs. They can reduce the urban "heat island" effect and create usable green open spaces. I found this book's discussions on Intensive Green Roof, Extensive Green Roof, , Ecoroof, Brown Roof, etc interesting. This book is a serious attempt on a difficult subject. The color photos inside the book are helpful also.

              There are still technical difficulties in using green walls and roofs: water proofing, how to handle the structural weight of large trees, how to integrate large plants with building structure, etc. All these technical discussions are needed, and they could be the subject of another book.

              Gang Chen, author of Planting Design Illustrated

              3 out of 5 stars Good for Beginners, but..........2007-01-11

              Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls is an excellent book for any landscape architect who has not yet designed and detailed either. For myself, the most helpful bit of information was the data collected and presented from various green roofs.

              The living wall section on the other hand was thin. There was no mention of the living wall system Patrick Blanc developed which is much more interesting than putting up a wire trellis and planting vines next to it. The other comment i would have is that almost all of the examples are from Europe. We have fabulous examples in the US with more relevant plant materials and weather conditions.

              Finally I would say that the authors didn't seem interested in exploring native plant materials and instead focused on a few cookie cutter plants commonly planted all over the northern hemisphere. Not unlike McDonalds.

              3 out of 5 stars Nice examples of successful Green Roofs.......2006-11-10

              This book is great for those who may have trouble visualizing the possibilities of what you can do with a green roof. There are many examples of what you can grow, and what types of vegetation are suitable. The book is however not very technical about the architectural detailing considerations involved. Some sections and detail drawings would make this book much more valuable as a design resource.

              5 out of 5 stars Organic Architecture with Plants .......2004-09-28

              Greenroof professionals and enthusiasts alike will be delighted with the easy reading and scope of content offered in "Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls" by Nigel Dunnett and Noël Kingsbury. Very well organized, the book's forte and major value is as an essential resource - especially in terms of plant description, characteristics and specification. It's also a great bargain in that the book is filled with color photos, drawings, charts and reference material. This indispensable hard cover reference guide contains a truly massive collection of appropriate plant information, and perhaps most importantly, extensive plant directories are provided for both greenroofs and façade greening.

              Organic Architecture with Plants
              Greenroofs, living walls, and various other bio-engineering techniques are introduced and the authors cite the associated benefits and reasons why we should be integrating these measures of organic architecture into our built environments. The authors refer to current international research and technology; background and history are touched on; and benefits and applications of these "ecotechnologies" are discussed at length. Yet, a "How-To Build" book this is not; basic principles are set out and tools for further research are provided.

              Benefits at a Range of Scales
              The section "Why Build Green Roofs?" explores hard evidence and the various benefits operating at a range of scales from amenity and aesthetic values to economic and environmental aspects. Increased roof life, insulation and energy efficiency, green building assessment and public relations, biodiversity and wildlife value, water management, air pollution, and fire prevention and risks are discussed with supporting evidence.

              Although previously well known, the biodiversity and wildlife value of greenroofs is expanded upon here, including the new British models of "brown" or "rubble" greenroofs - those which recreate the thin, infertile landscapes of disturbed brownfield sites. Spontaneous colonization is presented as an important natural occurrence.

              A Vast Array of Planting Opportunities
              The authors rightly note that "The majority of guides to green roofs and roof greening concentrate on the technical and construction aspects but have relatively little to say about planting opportunities - mainly because most authors are not plant specialists." Well, Noël - a well known writer of plants and gardens, and Nigel - a senior lecturer in the Department of Landscape at the University of Sheffield, most certainly are plant experts, and an entire 47-page chapter is devoted to the wide range of planting opportunities for extensive greenroofs, beyond the ubiquitous albeit hugely successful use of Sedum species.

              Prevailing site conditions will always dictate the plant selection, so designers need to know what plant species will not only survive but thrive in extreme local conditions. Desirable physical attributes of plants and how they may be established and managed are presented. Considerations of monocultures, single plant combinations and mixtures, and plant communities are useful as planting design tools. The form and physiology of suitable greenroof plants are nicely covered from a botanical as well as functional and aesthetic perspective. Issues of viewing considerations are pondered and design solutions are offered relating to the roof function and visual criteria. "Methods of vegetation establishment" is particularly detailed and thus extremely valuable. The authors point out, however, that current research is insufficient to show how long each species will live and how each species will interact over the years atop roofs.

              The very important aspect of different growing medium properties and functions is addressed in-depth, and comments are provided about particular types of materials, substrate depths, and accompanying vegetative possibilities. Maintenance issues and requirements are briefly noted, touching on feeding, plant protection, drainage, and weeding.

              Considerations of Natives and Introduced Species
              The unexploited opportunities of testing and using native vegetation are explored, in terms of increasing biodiversity and aesthetic benefits. Regionally native plants should be tested for many reasons, including ecological restoration. Non-native plant species with invasive tendencies can be a problem, therefore careful selection is critical to maintain healthy ecosystems. Yet many introduced species are appropriate, and there are many circumstances where non-natives offer considerable local wildlife value.

              Certain natural plant communities and their soil types are explained and presented as an argument for further study as suitable models for successful roof plantings. Trialing of appropriate local plant communities is therefore recommended and encouraged so as ultimately to be able to introduce more natives into the greenroof matrix of plant species.

              "The natural habitats of potential roof-greening plants" explores the potential to discover and trial the world's flora found in similar harsh habitats. Mountain, high latitude, coastal, limestone, sclerophyllous woody vegetation, semi-desert environments, and species whose plants are exposed to climatic extremes are regions with potential for testing of new roof greening plants.

              The Task Has Just Begun
              Philosophy and advice to greenroof plant enthusiasts can be summed up with these reflections by the authors: "With roof greening becoming an important part of the new built environment, it is increasingly important that more attention is paid to sourcing new plant material from habitats in the wild where conditions approximate those on rooftops and other problem urban situations...The task of selecting suitable plant species for roof greening has arguably just begun, and it offers potentially enormous rewards."

              They are quick to point out that the globalization of our knowledge base and the ready availability of certain aggressive species can threaten entire ecosystems, and care must be provided to the selection of greenroof environments (just as at ground level) so as to avoid invasive and potentially destructive non-natives or introduced species.

              Façade Greening and Living Wall Structures and Surfaces are the final two chapters of the book, offering both visual and ecological climbers, clingers, ramblers and scramblers. New support structures, materials, technologies and details provide practical and interesting information for this older yet equally fascinating design element of green architecture. The authors examine how the design of façade greening can equally disguise unattractive features while at the same time enhance existing surfaces. In either case, education and care are necessary to promote vigorous growth that is supported by a variety of vertical and/or horizontal structures.

              At the end of the book, 49 pages are devoted to the Roof-Greening and Façade-Greening Plant Directories, listed by botanical names, common names, cultivars and related species. The horticultural and cultural aspects are presented with definitions and listings of many specific plant characteristics.

              A minor grumbling on my part about the book is the absence of identifying greenroof project photo captions for the geographic locations and the building application types. It would be beneficial to know not only where each is located, but also whether the project is commercial, industrial, residential, etc.

              A Dovetailing of Living Plants, the Building, and Its Human Users
              Whereas Ted Osmundson's excellent 1999 "Roof Gardens: History, Design, and Construction" is considered the bible for the intensive greenroof crowd, Nigel Dunnett and Noel Kingsbury's "Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls" is simply a must have for extensive and intensive greenroofers worldwide.

              "Planting Green Roofs and Living Walls" is a comprehensive argument for integrating nature and architecture, and I highly recommend it. It's obvious that Kingsbury and Dunnett are first and foremost dedicated, ecologically minded plantspeople; here, then, is a very important work for those of us in the greenroof industry. ~ Linda S. Velazquez, Publisher Greenroofs.com

              Ortho's All About Decorative Painting
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                Ortho's All About Decorative Painting
                Ortho Books
                Manufacturer: Ortho
                ProductGroup: Book
                Binding: Paperback

                DecoratingDecorating | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                PaintingPainting | Crafts & Hobbies | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                DecoratingDecorating | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                GeneralGeneral | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                Painting & WallpaperingPainting & Wallpapering | Interior Design | Home & Garden | Subjects | Books
                ASIN: 0897214692

                Book Description

                Dress up a piece of furniture or customize your home with unique painting and faux finishes using the ideas and tips in Ortho's All About Decorative Painting, published by Meredith Books (R).

                Books:

                1. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
                2. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
                3. History: Fiction or Science? (Chronology, No. 1)
                4. Howell Equine Handbook of Tendon and Ligament Injuries (Howell Equestrian Library)
                5. I Am a Fish: The Life of a Clown Fish (I Live in the Ocean)
                6. Just Feline Friends: A Cat's Tribute To Comrades, Companions & Confidants
                7. New Choices in Natural Healing for Dogs & Cats: Over 1,000 At-Home Remedies for Your Pet's Problems (New Choices)
                8. New Guide to Cat Breeds (Illustrated Encyclopedias)
                9. Nose to Nose: A Memoir of Healing
                10. Old English Sheepdog (Kennel Club Dog Breed Series)

                Books Index

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